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temis-de-leon · 1 month ago

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When they don't know you as well as they thought they did

Characters: Lucifer, Mammon, Leviathan, Satan, Asmodeus, Beelzebub and Belphegor (x reader, separately)

Main Masterlist

C/W: the boys are crushing on MC and it's implied MC is crushing as well, but there isn't any established relationship. Just friends feeling things for their friend, very common. Self-insert, perhaps?

A/N: this is just fluff, very silly, a little ooc maybe, but I'm not sure. I just wanted to make something fun and lighthearted after the recent news.

No one is surprised anymore at the firmness the brothers speak with when they call you part of the family. Between the pacts and the unsolicited free therapy, it’s only fair, and only an idiot wouldn’t be able to see the affection running through the House of Lamentation.

Still, there are instances every once in a while where, although it’s difficult at the beginning, the boys have no other choice but to accept the fact that you have a completely different life back in the human world and they may not know you as good as they would like.

It starts with the small things; embarrassing conversations where their ignorance gets you to laugh like a maniac more than a couple of times. There they are, blushing in self-consciousness while you cackle uncontrollably because they believed some urban legend about a faceless suited man with freakishly long arms.

Then, slowly, but surely, it turns into more personal things about you, like your irrational, downright, phobia of lizards or the fictional characters you’re surprisingly attracted to.

(Some of those aren’t human, which makes them all feel a strong sense of hope, but you don’t need to know that).

The brothers learn about your studies, favourite subjects and what you’d like to do with your future, even if it sounds hopeless or unlikely. They also keep every bit of information about your friends and family; little comments that you let go here and there and help them understand why you are someone they love so much.

The whole situation evolves in such a way that inviting them to your birthday party in the human realm seems to be the obvious next step.

‘It’s so I can celebrate it with all my loved ones’ you say, and they really can’t deny your offer after that.

So, after a few awkward introductions and half-truths about their origin, everyone is happily talking to each other and eagerly waiting for their turn to be with you.

Lucifer, who has had a special interest in your family for a while, finds himself chuckling in understanding when your mother complains about the occasional mess in your room. In your defence, he feels obligated to partially throw his brothers under the bus and blame them for keeping you in a constant state of disarray, but then she says something that… perplexes him.

You don’t like perfection? His eyes open wide at the revelation and your mother chuckles, misinterpreting his expression. She doesn’t know who he really is or what he represents, after all.

Just how vast is the veracity of that statement? Does it refer only to a state of mind or do you apply it to everything else?

Thankfully, he doesn’t have time to feel too anxious before he remembers the little details. When your triumphal smile shone in the dimness of his room that time he made a silly mistake in chess, ultimately granting you the win; or when the Anti-Lucifer League managed to leave his hair unkempt for an entire day, which got you to shamelessly look at him for longer than any of his younger brothers would’ve ever liked.

Not being perfect isn’t something he would ever do consciously and he had always found solace in the fact that you like him despite his mistakes. However, knowing you actually like him because of those mistakes? Perhaps letting those cracks show in his façade isn’t so bad as long as it is for you.

Not far from him, Mammon chats with your human best friend. There’s an air of competitiveness between them, both wanting to be the ultimate best friend, but it all stays light-hearted. There’s no real threat when Mammon gets to be your first demon, you know? It’s a unique position!

But he still makes sure to assert dominance by stating he would’ve made the perfect party for you, better than the one you’re currently enjoying; with food and decorations from the Devildom and the Celestial realm included, matching outfits and, of course, keeping everything hidden so you can have the best surprise of your life. He had thrown a lot of those with Asmo’s help back home, so he knows you love them!

Or he thinks you do, at least.

Your friend sniggers harmlessly when they hear that last part, pointing at him with an infuriating smartass attitude, and immediately shatters Mammon’s reality.

What the heck do they mean, you don’t like surprise parties? He’d done a lot of those back at the Devildom and you’d never complained, appreciative as you are, even helping him do the same for other’s birthday parties!

Sure, you had always looked dumbfounded by the loud cheering and the confetti after stepping through the door, but that was part of the fun… right? You would tell him if you wanted him to stop, wouldn’t you?

He feels a pang in his heart when the idea of you being uncomfortable for his sake appears in his mind, but it doesn’t make sense. While you undeniably treat him better than anyone else in all of the realms, you still correct him when you see fit and him making you unhappy on your own birthday would be one of those occasions.

He trusts you to confide in him when things are wrong just as much as you trust him to do his best. That’s what friends are for, after all.

And where else would Levi be if not hidden in a corner playing with his DDD?

He had tried mingling with people at the party, or at least tried hanging around them, he swears, but conversations became repetitive and boring and then he received a notification for a daily reward from one of his apps, so, of course, he had to sit down to collect it. Then minutes passed as he completed minigames to power up his cards and… you get the idea.

So when a friend of yours walked towards him, complimenting the pins and badges on his bag and the faint music coming out of his headphones, sure, the evening started going way smoother.

He talks enthusiastically, just like any other time his interests are mentioned, wildly gesturing with his hands and letting the little bubble around them be full of their eager exchange. However, a casual lament from his companion stops him right in his tracks.

It’s a shame you don’t like anime…? His first reaction is to laugh, enumerating everything you’d watched, and later commented on, with him under a blanket in the tranquillity of his room, but the utter surprise in your friend’s face leaves him speechless.

You really don’t like it? But… But he’s made you see so many things! Did you like any of them? Did you lie to his face when you said you enjoyed them? He would’ve never chosen a best friend like that; you were not like that and he refused to believe the contrary.

Also, would a liar buy merch on their own like you did? Would they watch the best episodes again or listen to the soundtrack on repeat when they had a bad day? This new revelation only makes him aware he was the one to change your perspective of the fine arts and he’s damn proud of that.

You are still getting an earful when you get back home, though.

Satan thinks the kid is a young cousin of yours, but he really hasn’t been paying attention to anything in a long while. How could he, when the enthusiastic toddler had taken their mother’s phone just to show him the family cat’s pictures and videos?

A Mackerel tabby cat, too chubby for his own good but not enough to be actually concerning; playing with feathers, blinking slowly, bumping his head against legs and shoulders, meowing sweetly and, basically, opening his heart in half and making it roam inside his chest like a butterfly.

What a good party.

He mentions all the stray cats behind his house, obviously leaving behind the name of the House of Lamentation and the Devildom, and all the times you’ve gone with him to feed them and play. Satan even shows pictures on his DDD and stops with an adoring expression when you appear on the screen, sitting on your toes with a kitty on your knees and smiling past the camera, straight at Satan.

However, what he hears next takes the air right out of his lungs. He sits down and clutches his pearls and the kid stares at him in anxious confusion, clearly witnessing but not understanding the severity of his distress.

Who, in their right mind, doesn’t like cats?

He remembers the first few times you had accompanied him to his route, intimidated and slightly lingering behind. Initially, he had assumed it was due to the novelty of your friendship or a possible fear of Devildom fauna, but nothing against cats!

Were you afraid of them or just plain uninterested? Why keep going with him if you weren’t as fond of them as he thought you were? Wouldn’t it be because of him, would it?

A warm feeling covers him like a blanket, makes him search for you with his eyes and then immediately blush when you excitedly wave at him, point at the kid and mouth ‘Cute cat!’

Yeah. Very cute.

On the other hand, Asmo hangs out with the people responsible for the decorations of the party and compliments them on their work. The colours are well-coordinated, there’s nothing out of place and the distribution was thought with all the guests in mind.

Although he hasn’t been able to help in that regard, he’s made sure you would be the centre of attention that evening; a complicated feature coming from him, but he had never minded sharing the main spot just as long as you were the one by his side; and everyone knows that.

You look cute and pretty and hot in your outfit, a style that both compliments and pleases you. You also worked together in your makeup for hours before getting to the party.

However, taking that much time might have been due to scrolling through social media and gossiping so much, but never mind that. Everyone agrees you look incredible and that is more than enough for him.

It isn’t until one of your friends mentions how weird it is to see you wearing makeup that he dares take his eyes away from you to stare at them in disbelief.

He would’ve never guessed that given that one of your favourite pastimes together is makeup as a whole: going shopping, watching tutorials, following trends, doing your own next to each other, doing each other’s… And, even if he wants to use it, his charming power is useless against you, so he knows you do your makeup because you want to and not because you feel forced by him.

Whether it’s something you share because you enjoy it or something you enjoy because you share it with him, he isn’t sure, but he can swear on his precious damned soul that makeup isn’t a need for you.

It’s just a bonus to your beauty.

Sitting at one of the tables, Beel is simultaneously talking to your older sibling while gulping down an entire plate of bite-sized snacks; thankfully, whatever apprehension anyone felt at his hunger died hours ago and now the conversation flowed more naturally, mainly centred around you.

As much as he loves having you near him and his brothers in the House of Lamentation and thinking of you as another member of the family, he is very interested in knowing how your human family is, especially your siblings. It’s another way of relating to you and making him feel closer.

Plus, he gets to know stories from your childhood you may never tell him on your own; anecdotes that will stay at the table he is currently sharing with your sibling.

Unfortunately, they reach a point where, although he wants to keep asking questions about you, doing so with a mouth full of food might end up with Lucifer’s scolding of the year. Also, he really wants to make a good impression.

So your sibling begins asking the questions. Surprisingly, they start with his tattoo; dark red curling around his muscles and almost going unnoticed under the colours of dusk. Beel smiles without giving it any importance because it really doesn’t have it, but forces himself to stop gulping down food when your sibling throws a fun fact about you.

You find tattoos attractive?

He feels an instant burning on his cheeks followed by the rapid beating of his heart and a knot in his stomach, but there’s also a faint unpleasant sour taste in his mouth.

You’ve never asked him about his tattoo, barely sparing a glance at it when you worked out together or he took off his jacket.

He wonders if you don’t like it or if you think it doesn’t look good on him because all he can remember is the focused look in your eyes while looking at his and the curve of your smile growing bigger as you listen to whatever he says, even when it is entirely about food, and…

You know what? He doesn’t really mind. He is fine with things as they are.

As both a friend of yours and a fellow younger brother, Belphie respects your sibling’s decision to spill your darkest secrets and thoroughly enjoys the air of comradery between them.

Don’t worry, he won’t let it go past actual serious matters; if you want him to know any of that, he’d rather have you telling him yourself when you’re ready and not get betrayed by your sibling. Silly and harmless pieces of information, however? Those are more than welcome.

And he already has a favourite.

You need to hug plushies to sleep? Tell him more. He doesn’t judge you for feeling the need to hug toys or pillows while sleeping. Actually, he understands.

Do you have a favourite? Is it in the human realm or is it in your room back at the House of Lamentation? While he can recall seeing that ugly zombie iguana on your bed, he’s never seen you cuddling it while sleeping and, other than that, he doesn’t remember seeing one, so he wonders if you hide it somewhere when you know he’s going to your room; but what about those times he enters uninvited?

Does that mean you left your preferred plushie in your room in the human realm? Does that mean that you don’t actually need to hug anything to sleep?

Whenever you share a bed, which is pretty frequent, Belphie can sense an invisible barrier between you that he’s dying to break. It’s nothing physical, given that only he knows how truly comfortable your lap and your chest are, but it’s obvious in the way your hands hesitate to bring him closer.

Shy and indecisive, while you don’t reject his advances, he’s still unsure what your feelings on the matter are. He’d initially thought you weren’t used to having anything so close to you while sleeping, but… now… Maybe he has to assure you that you can hug him as hard as you want.

Belphie is just as good as any plushie, after all; if not better.

Taglist: @ilovecandys2010 @ollieoven @kingofspadesdelusion @whimsybloom

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redvexillum · 2 months ago

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@peach-flavored-flambe I started this whole Flufftober/Kinktober journey as a way to challenge myself. Thank you for picking all the prompts for me this month. Thank you for always reminding me to write for ME and not for others. Thank you for being supportive of all of my writing since the day I entered this fandom. I know you are a fluff connoisseur so it's only right that I end this challenge with fluff - it is part Flufftober after all (and I wrote 24 smutty stories this month lol!)

TAGS: disgustingly fluffy, catastor, alastor is bad with feelings, alastor is in denial, touch starved alastor, ambiguously defined established relationship, alastor has a tail

✨️ This is a companion piece to Oblivious Love. A snapshot of a possible mini-series I may or may not write ✨️

In another world, in another time, Alastor would have scoffed at the very notion of competing for anyone’s attention—least of all yours. And yet here he was, locked in a contest of affections with the most revolting, misshapen, red… thing. His lip curled in distaste.

Competing?

What a joke.

He, Alastor, the Radio Demon, competing with… this? This mangy, misbegotten creature that you somehow, with all your boundless compassion, deemed to be a cat. His left eye twitched as he watched you coo at it, tenderly brushing your hand over its head. Every stroke made its misshapen ears flicker back before they sprung up again like hideous, overgrown weeds.

The beast grinned up at you—a lopsided, almost maniacal grin—and Alastor cringed at its wide, vacant eyes. Eyes that pointed in opposite directions, adding an extra layer of stupidity to its already horrific form. And to top it all off, it wore some ridiculous monocle over one eye, like some half-wit caricature. Alastor's gaze narrowed on the creature’s absurd antler-like protrusion.

How… befittingly obnoxious.

And then there was the name.

Catastor.

Of all the wretched things to call this freakish beast, you—and the rest of the hotel—had somehow arrived at Catastor, no doubt inspired by some misguided notion that this abomination had any resemblance to him. He huffed. The very idea.

Just as he was about to enjoy a nice, quiet coffee break with you—his sacred time with his favourite person in all of Hell, uninterrupted and undivided—Catastor once again waltzed in, unannounced and unbothered. One garish screech later, and Alastor watched in slow motion as your attention shifted from him to… it. Your cooing started, that soft, adoring voice, while you scratched its revolting back, its purring filling the air with an infuriating satisfaction.

Alastor’s grin tightened, his claws tapping rhythmically against his coffee cup, every nerve on edge. He imagined roasting the little beast, maybe flambéing it for good measure. Or perhaps he’d skip the cooking and just… devour it raw.

It wouldn’t respawn. Unlike the sinners here, this little beast wouldn’t come back...

...Actually, he wasn't entirely sure. It probably wouldn't come back.

“Are you enjoying that, Catastor?” you murmured sweetly, eyes soft and radiant as you stroked it gently, letting your fingers glide down its back. Catastor’s eyes slowly drooped with bliss, purring loudly, completely absorbed in the luxury of your touch.

Alastor’s claws tapped harder. Perhaps he would spare the creature for a little longer, let it feel a few more sunrises. But only for now, until he deemed the time right.

He wasn’t jealous, of course. He’d never lower himself to something so trivial. No, he already had your attention. Compete? He smirked inwardly. He would never.

“Dear?” Alastor called, his pride swelling as you looked up, your lovely smile still intact, eyes gleaming with interest as they settled on him. His heart raced—it always did when you looked at him like that, so openly, so innocently, as if he were your whole world. Clearing his throat, he kept his tone cheerful, even as he threw a disdainful glance at Catastor.

“Your drink is getting cold, my dear. All this fuss over that… thing,” he muttered, lingering on the word with disdain as he quirked a brow toward the vile intruder.

“Oh! That’s true!” you exclaimed cheerfully, scooping up Catastor with all the ease of picking up a damp noodle. The creature seemed to melt in your arms, his gelatinous little body sagging like all his bones had been dissolved into mush. His spine curved absurdly, draped over your arm like a ragged old towel, all while his purring grew even louder. You giggled brightly, an infectious sound that made Alastor’s ears twitch, and his eye give the faintest, most involuntary spasm.

How smug, how terribly smug that little beast looked, he thought, like he’d won something. Alastor was positively certain that he could draw even more radiant laughter from you if he just had you to himself.

But this… not-competing for your attention carried on.

The next day, he found himself strolling around town by your side, his back ramrod straight, shoulders squared, as he recounted the latest juicy bits of gossip from Cannibal Town. Your expression was relaxed, attentive, and that quiet comfort in your eyes swelled a surprising sort of pride in his chest.

“Oh, and don’t get me started on ol’ Frank here,” Alastor chortled, gesturing with his staff at a dilapidated little shop across the street. “Croaked in the last Extermination, poor fool! And now some hapless soul bought the building!” He pointed with glee just in time to see a young woman struggle with the door before it promptly collapsed on her head. He stifled a delighted laugh. “No one’s managed to run a shop there for nearly five hundred years! Imagine such a waste of souls….”

“Aww, poor thing,” you murmured sympathetically, your amused smile softening. “Maybe you could help her out? Make her a deal?” you teased, a playful smirk lighting up your features, though your usual kindness still sparkled in your eyes.

“Perhaps,” Alastor mused, softening his tone as the two of you strolled on. He did enjoy these quiet moments with you, wandering through the chaos of town. Ordinarily, he might have offered any other lady his arm with a bit of playful charm, but as his eyes drifted to your hand swinging casually by your side, he couldn’t help a ridiculous little thought from slipping into his mind.

What would it be like to take your hand? To clasp his fingers over yours? He imagined the warmth, the softness of your skin and your hand would fit perfectly in his, as if made for him alone.

The hum of Cannibal Town’s busy streets faded to a quiet buzz as Alastor fell into the silence. His gaze lingered on your hand for a moment longer, and then, in a rare, almost boyish impulse, he stretched out one gloved finger, brushing ever so lightly against the top of your hand.

Immediately, his gaze darted to your face, but your expression remained calm, as placid as ever, lost in thought. The smallest curl of his grin softened as he looked ahead again, spine straighter than ever.

A shuddering breath slipped past Alastor's lips. He had held other people’s hands countless times over the years—flirtations, deals, the occasional well-mannered escort—but this was… different. Strangely intimate. Vulnerable, even, which was absolutely absurd. He was over a century old, for heaven’s sake, not some fumbling schoolboy. It was just a hand, after all; he could chalk it up to nothing more than a gentlemanly gesture.

So, after one fortifying breath, he steadied his gaze forward and reached out, his fingers inching toward yours.

But… instead of your warm, delicate hand, his fingers closed around something smaller. And… hairier?

Alastor’s eyes snapped down, and his lips clamped shut to suppress the hiss of static crackling in his throat. He gritted his teeth, trying to keep the shriek that wanted to escape from manifesting into the demonic roar his pride demanded. Because in his hand, instead of yours, was a limp, furry, noodle-like appendage.

Catastor, somehow, had wriggled its way between the two of you and was now proudly extending its furry little paw into his hand.

“Eugh!” Alastor recoiled, releasing the beast’s fuzzy limb with an audible cringe.

You burst into peals of laughter, the sound bright and melodic as you greeted the cat with your usual warmth.

“Catastor!” you cooed, scratching the creature’s head while it emitted a grating, delightfully hideous meow in response. Grinning up at Alastor, you said with a chuckle, “Look at us—a little family, walking around town like this!”

Alastor’s grin tightened. “It looks nothing like me,” he muttered, only for the monocled beast to cast him a haughty, one-eyed glare. Under the hellish glow of the streetlights, its monocle gleamed almost smugly.

“Oh, of course,” you replied simply, your laughter still dancing on your lips.

His eye twitched as he entertained himself with the idea of cooking the cat into a jambalaya, rich and smoky. But no—that would be a small defeat, a concession that he was somehow competing with the fiendish little furball, which he wasn’t.

Not at all.

Yet, the relentless interference continued. Day after day, Alastor’s patience thinned. The little vermin seemed to have made it its life’s mission to sabotage every moment he tried to spend alone with you. He’d reach out naturally, aiming to rest a hand on your shoulder, only to feel the warm, slightly damp fur of the cat draped over your shoulder instead, as if it had some preternatural ability to stretch itself into his every gesture.

Every time, he could imagine nothing less than punting the thing across the Petagram and sending it into the deepest layer of Hell. Yet, that urge would disappear the moment he heard your bright, amused laughter and saw your radiant smile. It was like you were some smile devil—any glimpse of your joy, and he lost all resolve to do anything that might bring you sadness.

One afternoon, in the quiet shade of the bayou, Alastor stood by, his legs pulled primly together as he watched you lying in the grass. Your eyes were closed, a soft, contented hum escaping your lips as you lay there, bathed in the dappled light. The whole scene should have been picturesque: you, serene, the epitome of innocence and tranquility.

But there was that hideous thing, sprawled over your chest like a satisfied pancake, purring loudly as if it had any right to bask in your affection.

Alastor’s grin was wide, but his eyes were sharp, glaring daggers at the offending beast now lazing on top of you as if it belonged there. You, oblivious, kept humming, your hand stroking the cat’s fur in gentle, absent-minded sweeps. A perfectly peaceful scene, if not for the blob of red fluff ruining the picture by its very presence.

One day, he mused darkly, one day that creature’s reign will end. But for now, he contented himself with standing by, watching the two of you in bemused, begrudging silence.

The longer Alastor stared at that mangy little beast basking in your gentle touch, the more a unfamiliar itch settled in the back of his mind. He couldn’t help but wonder, just in passing—strictly passing, of course—what it might feel like if your fingers drifted through his hair instead, tender and deliberate.

Not that he’d ever ask, of course.

It was merely… curiosity.

Still, the cat’s purring only seemed to grow louder, practically vibrating with pleasure. Alastor's ears flattened, lying flush against his head as his grin grew tighter, his shoulders hunching slightly as his neck tried to disappear into his collar. He wasn’t jealous, nor was he competing with a wretched creature for your attention.

He most certainly was not.

His fingers drummed against his knee, the gentle tap-tap-tap a cover for how long it had been since he’d had time alone with you, just the two of you, enjoying each other’s company without any interruptions. To touch your shoulder, perhaps even feel your hand… in a gesture of camaraderie, of course.

Yes, that cat really did need to go.

“What’s wrong?” Your soft voice broke through his reverie, and he blinked, letting the darker thoughts slip away like shadows at dawn.

Forcing a laugh, he pitched it into that usual two-tone cadence, rolling his eyes with practised ease. “Nothing’s the matter, dear, just basking in the peace and quiet,” he flicked his wrist with a dismissive flair, avoiding your gaze.

You hummed thoughtfully, then suddenly mused aloud, “I wonder… is your hair soft?”

Alastor’s eyes widened, his head snapping back to you with an almost painful creak. His heart thundered, warmth radiating through his chest in a dizzying surge. “That’s a rather odd question, isn’t it?” he replied, wincing as he heard the slight waver in his voice. His tail thumped softly against the marshy grass in protest.

“Well, your son—”

“He’s not my son,” Alastor interrupted quickly, unable to hide the slight flush in his cheeks.

You grinned, a playful glint in your eyes, and Alastor found himself scooting just the tiniest bit closer.

“Oh?” He let a wicked grin slip across his face. “So, you want to touch my hair, do you? It’ll cost you a steep price, my dear.” His eyes glowed with mock menace, and a low buzz of static crackled from his staff. “Perhaps… your soul,” he laughed darkly, the edge of humour softening his tone.

You blinked at him before bursting into bright laughter. “What if I offer a massage instead?” You wiggled your fingers playfully. “Catastor seems to love it when I give him a little scratch behind the ears.”

“Ugh.” Alastor rolled his eyes, crossing his arms with an exaggerated sigh. “That cat’s so starved for affection, you could probably kick it, and it’d still be purring like mad.” His grumble was almost swallowed up by his own embarrassment.

There was a moment of silence as you watched him, a thoughtful look flickering in your eyes. Alastor stiffened under your gaze, nerves prickling as though you could see right through him. Then, with a bright smile, you reached out, your fingers splayed and wiggling in invitation. “You can be the judge then,” you offered with a grin, your hands open and waiting.

Alastor’s gaze locked on your outstretched fingers, and as if guided by some irresistible, magnetic force, he found himself drifting closer, leaning in with a reverence that felt both foreign and sacred. He knelt just above your head, his eyes meeting yours in a soft, consuming stare, so near he could see the flecks of colour that danced within your gaze under the dim light. Slowly, carefully, he bowed, his face hovering just inches from yours, every breath mingling in the silence.

His hair brushed against your cheek, and the contact brought a light laugh from you, your voice a murmur that warmed his every nerve. “That tickles.”

He was entranced, utterly held captive by your closeness, by the way your lashes fluttered and your cheeks flushed. He’d never seen you this close before, and each tiny detail felt etched into his memory. “Well, go on,” he said softly, his tone dipped in a vulnerability he rarely allowed. “Show me if your massage is as grand as you claim.”

A rush of warmth and satisfaction welled within him when he saw your own eyes flicker away shyly, your teeth worrying at your lip. You looked so endearingly flustered, as if realizing you and he were somehow alone in a bubble of time—just the two of you, no one else to intrude, no foolish cat.

Your fingers threaded delicately into his hair, and he surrendered, eyes slipping closed as he basked in the soft drag of your nails against his scalp. A shiver chased down his spine, and he released a soft, involuntary sigh, savouring every touch. He couldn’t remember the last time someone touched him like this—no, no one had ever touched him like this.

Your fingers travelled over his hair, deft and soothing, with your thumb tracing small circles at the base of his ear. He shuddered, his tail swaying in a steady, rhythmic beat beside him, betraying just how deeply he was affected.

“Good?” you asked, your voice barely a whisper.

“Mmh.” His lips curled into a barely there smile, eyes still closed as he revelled in the feeling. “Passable,” he said, his tone rich with teasing.

Your soft laughter flitted across his forehead, tickling his bangs and sending a delightful hum through his chest. He felt your breath, warm against his skin, each laugh another note of the melody he’d come to cherish. The gentle sweep of your thumb against his cartilage sparked waves of pleasure down his spine, and at some point, he’d eased himself down beside you, both of you lying on the cool grass, faces close as if drawn by an unspoken force.

“You okay?” you murmured, your smile impossibly tender, amusement twinkling in your eyes.

He met your gaze and found himself drinking in every detail. He liked your eyes, liked the way they softened as you looked at him.

He liked your smile.

But above all, he adored your laughter—the sound that seemed to strip away his defences and leave him feeling both exhilarated and exposed.

A strange, quiet want flickered in his chest, something deep and hidden, something he hadn’t dared entertain. He wondered, just for a reckless, precious moment, what it would be like to move closer. Close enough that his breath mingled with yours, close enough that he could feel the warmth of your skin, maybe even let his lips graze yours.

Just close enough… to be with you.

Would such closeness chase away that cherished smile, rob him of the laughter that had grown to mean so much?

As his thoughts drifted, your fingers slipped down his hair, tracing the line of his cheek. He could feel your fingertips gliding over his skin, tender and curious. Then came that small, enchanting giggle, a sound so sweet it echoed within him, lingering as if it were a treasure he’d never forget.

Alastor could feel his heart beating a little too quickly as he leaned closer, drawn by the soft warmth of your touch. His face was just a breath away from yours, his lips so near your forehead, he could already imagine the gentle brush of a kiss. A kiss there would be innocent enough, right? Perhaps pressing his lips to yours would be too bold... but a tender gesture to your forehead surely wouldn’t be unwelcome.

After all, this was for friendship—of course.

Just then, you sat up, leaving Alastor frozen, a pang of disappointment dropping like cold lead in his chest. But the ache melted away, replaced by a flash of heat, as you leaned forward, hair falling around him in a private curtain that made his breath hitch. Your smile softened, your eyes warm and unwavering, and then they closed, lashes sweeping delicately against your cheeks. Slowly, achingly slowly, you moved closer, and Alastor felt his pulse roar, filling his ears with a rush of anticipation.

He could feel the warmth of your breath mingling with his, your fingers grazing his cheek as if the touch itself could tether him in place. A thrill he hadn’t realized he was longing for stirred within him. He closed his eyes, waiting, a tension brimming in his chest. His fingers trembled as he raised his hand, longing to close the last bit of distance, to touch you, to be as close to you as he’d been daring to dream.

But then—“KAOUGH, KAOUGH, KAAAOUGHGHGHH!”

A horrid, hacking noise broke through the moment like a thunderclap, snapping his focus away and shattering the spell between you. Instantly, Alastor’s warmth turned to ice as you jerked back, your attention stolen by none other than that wretched, blasted cat.

“Catastor!” you exclaimed, startled, pulling away as the cat began to retch with ferocity. Alastor turned his gaze, annoyance brewing in his eyes, and found himself staring at the feline menace who was now coughing up dark, soot-like balls. These abominable little things, complete with tiny pointed ears and two unsettling, beady eyes, tumbled out of Catastor one after another, writhing and blinking as if they’d just spawned from a nightmare.

“What the—” Alastor’s voice dropped, a disgusted snarl creeping into his expression as he watched the horrid little creatures emerge. Each ball of shadow looked like a poorly crafted miniature imp, malformed and twitching, with pointed ears and flickering eyes that seemed to leer at him.

You, however, looked anything but disturbed. Stroking Catastor’s back in gentle, soothing motions, you cooed, “Aww, Catastor, did you eat too much again?” Your voice was filled with a doting affection, and Alastor watched in utter disbelief as the monstrous cat leaned fully against you, sprawling across your torso and letting its chin settle on your shoulder.

“Yeeeeooowww,” Catastor moaned, an ugly, grating yowl that grated on Alastor’s every nerve.

He gritted his teeth, feeling the rage simmering beneath his strained grin. The cat’s smug, hideous expression seemed to taunt him as it claimed your attention and care. Alastor could practically hear the mockery in its yowl. In his mind, he imagined various methods of removing this furred menace from your life—and more importantly, from his.

But as he looked back at you, watching the way your eyes softened with laughter and your voice became gentle for this thing, the thought of that precious smile disappearing stayed his hand. Instead, he forced a tight grin, one that masked the bitterness eating at him from the inside, knowing he would endure—even if he had to suffer through a hundred more of those retched “yeeeooowwws.”

"Aw, there, there," you murmured, gently patting the cat’s back with slow, soothing strokes. You looked at it as if it were some fragile, innocent creature, while the vile shadowy minions it coughed up scattered in all directions like troublesome spirits unleashed from a curse.

Alastor could feel his patience fraying. With a quiet, heavy sigh, he sent out his own shadows, ruthlessly ordering them to snatch and crush every last one of the creatures scuttling about his beloved bayou. They obeyed, darting after the minions with deadly precision, each shadow winking out in a puff as they met their end. He folded his hands with a dark, calculated grace, but his gaze—his burning, dagger-sharp gaze—never left that insufferable cat.

Oh, he saw it, all right.

Saw the smug curl of its eyes, narrowing like crescent moons, and that infernal tongue hanging out, like it had the audacity to taunt him. Him. Alastor, the feared overlord, the Radio Demon. He felt something ancient and fierce coil in his chest, as if the essence of his full demon form threatened to break through, to remind this creature who reigned supreme.

But just as his head tilted, shadows thickening around him with a promise of retribution, you turned toward him, drawing his full attention like a magnet. Your eyes softened, and a faint blush crept over your cheeks, spilling a fragile warmth he hadn’t anticipated. “Sorry about that, Alastor,” you said, your voice laced with sincerity, and as your gaze flicked downward, his anger dissolved just slightly, easing in the tender lull of your voice.

Your next words undid him further. “Maybe tonight, we could read together?” You glanced up, offering a small, gentle smile that seemed to light the space between you both. “Just the two of us?”

With those words, that insatiable, molten rage that had been brewing in his chest dissipated instantly, snuffed out as though you’d whispered the calmest of spells.

He was sure of it then—you had to be a Smile Demon. How else could you possibly hold such power over him, capable of soothing his very soul with a single look?

He gazed at you, awe mingling with amusement. Yes, you must be a demon of terrifying strength indeed—one who held him, the Radio Demon, in the palm of your hand with nothing more than a smile.

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moneymasnn · 2 years ago

Text

Right Timing | Charles Leclerc

Notes: 11k words of Charles and y/n pinning for each other…your all (hopefully) going to love it xx

this is my first post in about 6 months and I'm so happy to be back! thank you all for the continuous love and support I fucking love this app. this fic hasn't been proof read but oh well, ignore some spelling mistakes, sorry. anyways... ENJOY!!!

Blurb: One where you have a huge crush on your best friend's brother, the one and only charles leclerc, since you were a teenager, with him continuously telling you he was too old for you and you had no chance. You eventually gave up hope and moved on. But did charles? (Best friends brother troop/ slight enemy’s to lovers troop/ Older boy and younger girl)

Warnings: lots of angst, crying, sad y/n and sad Charles. lots of arguments and slight nsfw? but not really. Small age gap.

11.1k words

Arthur leclerc, your best friend since nursery… Your favourite partner in crime, your favourite laugh on a bad day, your favourite person in the whole wide world. Best to be described as home, your comfort person. He was the voice within reason, all that was right in the world.

He's your best friend.

Y/n y/l/n, she was truly and utterly his favourite thing about the world. He counts his lucky stars he has her to help him carry his weight. Y/n was the only person Arthur let visit him when his dad died, and in his books, that made her alright. Sure she would make him want to scream and cry and punch walls, especially with her choice in men. But Arthur was always there for her, when she needed to laugh or to cry he knew what it was she needed at any given moment, he could read her like she was his favourite book.

She was his best friend.

—

How it started:

A little girl with puffy red cheeks sat at the bottom of the nursery playground. Her legs crossed on the green summer time grass as she sniffled again, gently plucking a daisy for the ground before adding it to the daisy chain she was making. She liked to say she enjoyed her own presence, but truly she was distracting herself from the lack of company. With the other young girls teasing her for her wild curly hair, she willingly chose to be sat on the grass of the playground alone.

“Hey! Can you teach me how you did that? I wanna make one for my mum!”

And with no regard for her personal space he sat down next to her on the grass, squashing half of her daisy chain, but she didn't tell him that.

He didn't care that she was crying or that she had poofy hair or that she was even a girl, he was eager to learn her talents and carry on with his lunch break.

But when Arthur noticed the signs that the girl was rather shy and sad he thought he would stay with her for the rest of lunch, keep her company.

Little did she know this company wasn't going anywhere any time soon.

And at age five, the pair promised to be friends for life.

It didn't take long for them to get their mothers talking, and after that it was set in stone, playdate after playdate. Arthur's mum became your mum's hairdresser, so there were many nostalgic memories for the two in the salon, especially when y/n would accompany her mother to her appointments. The pair's best memory is y/n letting Arthur cut her hair in the storage cupboard of his mum's shop. The horror on both parents' faces when one of y/n's pig tails were held in the hand of the young boy.

Their friendship only bloomed from there…

After spending almost every weekend watching Arthur and his older brother race in karts in the rain, to spending most afternoons around the leclerc residence playing with Arthur on his xbox, the girl felt like family.

When she was young she always found herself drawn to the middle leclerc. He was away a lot of the time, karting. He was slightly older so no doubt he found the pair childish and would always moan when he was made to spend time with them.

Charles' mother was the first to figure out your little crush on the boy. She first noticed it when you joined the family on a winter skiing trip, you were around thirteen. It was your first time up in the mountains, so when your arms started to wave and you felt your body lean way too far back Charles did the only morally right thing, dropping the glove he was putting on and outstretching his body to catch you in time.

He didn't catch you in time.

Instead his heroic act to save you turned into humiliation when he realised you had taken him down with you.

Pascal carefully watched as you turned around, her eyes glued to yours that were glued to her sons. She watched your tinted red cheeks as Charles scoffed and begged you to get off of him as his bare hands were now engulfed in the thick snow, causing him to suffer with a cold for the rest of the holiday.

Your eyes widened and sparked at the sight of him. You would gaze up at him like he hung the moon and the stars, an expression his mother would soon get used to as she watched you fall for her son over the next few years.

Charles was older, and very uninterested. He didn't find your little crush as cute as everyone else did, the thought it made him look uncool. He would roll his eyes when you would grab his arm or duck when you would try to kiss his cheek. He hated when your families would go out for meals and you would sit next to him, or how you would call him after a race to congratulate him, no matter his result.

Charles always saw you as his little brother's best friend, nothing more and nothing less.

That was until your first boyfriend. A three year age gap wasn't that big of a deal as they all grew older. Charles found himself having mutual friends with his brother and would occasionally bump into Arthur and you at a party.

You were 16, you thought you had met the love of your life, an older boy, he was 18, around charles age who was now 19 and worming his way into f2.

Arthur didn't approve of Joao. He knew you were trying to prove to charles that the age gap isn't that big of a deal after his brother had repetitively told you you were to young for him, but somewhere down the line you found yourself mesmerised by Joaos eyes and that was it for you, charles no longer rented the forefront of your mind.

Joao was great, at first. You knew he wasn't the love of your life, but for the moment he looked to play the role quite well, and you were happy. You just didn't expect it to end like it did, maybe age gaps do matter?

You were at some house party in the hills of monaco, some friend of Joaos. You were downstairs in the kitchen with Arthur as he watched you drink your body weight in alcohol. He could tell something was bothering you but he chose not to mention it. In all your years of friendship he knew you would come to him eventually.

“Where is the lover boy anyway?” he spoke up.

Your lack of response is when Arthur clocked onto your boyfriend being the reason for your excessive drinking. Him ditching you, yet again.

You slammed down your empty red cup, wiping the dribble from your chin as you decided enough was enough and you looked for the presence of your boyfriend.

Arthur bid you good luck on your travels as his attention was now turned to the girl he had been eyeing up across the room.

And with your liquid courage you stumbled around the party. The house was huge. Gigantic windows that draped around the whole house. Everywhere you looked was so picturesque, making you fall in love with Monaco more and more. From the kitchen window you could see the river of lights leading down to the beach front. From the other end you could see continuous hills leading up into the stary sky, tiny specs of light from homes probably just as big and fancy as the one you were currently standing in swarmed your vision, a far cry from the apartment you and your mother shared where your view was a brick wall to another apartment complex.

Your heels were rubbing the back of your ankles as your hands gripped the bottom of your dress pulling it down as it was miles too short as you made your way out to the garden.

And there he sat, on the steps leading to the lit up outdoor pool, your boyfriend. A skinny little blonde girl sat on his knee. She was older than you, clearly. She took the cigarette from his lips and placed it on her own as her other arm draped over his shoulder. It was like this week after week, it was like you were a ghost.

This isn't the young love you put out for, and you decided enough was enough.

You always forgave him, but tonight was different. This night changed everything.

Tears welled in your eyes as you turned back into the house, you were going home. Joao caught a glimpse of this as he jumped up and followed you back into the house, why he would always chase after you you still don't know.

“Y/n, baby stop.” you ignored the sound of his voice as you pushed through the crowds of people to get back to the kitchen in hopes that Arthur was still there. He wasn't.

You made it to the kitchen before he grabbed the back of your arm pushing you against the kitchen island. His hand came up to wipe away a fallen strand of hair as he tucked it behind your ear.

“Come on y/n i didn't even do anything-”

“She was on your lap.” your voice crooked, you so desperately didn't want to be the little girl everyone thought you was and cry, not in front of everyone anyway.

“It's not that big of a deal-”

“It is that big of a deal! I'm humiliated!” you shouted back, creating a scene you so desperately wanted to avoid.

“I just- I just want to go home.” you said in between sniffles.

“Baby, don't cry, let's just go back to mine, okay? I'll call a taxi-”

“No, I want to go home, my home.” you begged, the tears were falling now.

His grip tightened around your arm as you tried to wriggle out of his grasp.

“I need to find Arthur, and I need to go home.” you said, pushing his arm as he still had you pinned against the counter.

“Oh come on y/n, drop the act you know you want to come back to mine.”

You threw your head back dodging his fingers that were trying to touch your hair again, avoiding his eyes.

“Joao let go, you're hurting me.”

That only made his grip tighten around your arms, pushing you against the counter even harder than before. As he leant down to your ear-

“She said let go mate.”

Your vision was too blurry to focus on what happened next, but you felt joao grip loosen as he stood back.

“Yeah and what are you gonna do about it, leclerc?”

That's when punches were thrown and Joao was hunched over holding his busted lip. Joao was grabbed by another person before he could lunge back at who you assumed was Arthur, but as you turned your head you saw a different leclerc shaking his hand. His knuckles were red, and his eyes were darker than the ones you were used to, charles.

“y/n get in the car.” he said, you stood up, sniffing and nodding your head. But then you remembered your missing friend.

“Arthur-”

“I'll get him. Get in the car.” his tone was strong, not what you were used to from the middle leclerc.

You waited by his car in the cold for a few moments just before Charles came out the house, a stumbling tipsy Arthur under his arm. There was pink lip gloss smeared over his cheeks and lips, and at that moment you felt a small smile creep on your face.

However, the car ride home was silent, you sat in the front with Charles, as Arthur passed out in the back seat. Faint french music played from the radio as charles eyes were firmly gripped on the road.

As you rounded the street to your home Charles finally spoke up, “You really know how to pick them.”

You sniffled again, unable to reply to him mainly because he was right and you were embarrassed. As the car came to a stop Charles undid his seat belt mumbling that he would walk you to your door.

He balanced on the back of his heels as he watched the moonlight highlight your tear stained cheeks. Charles thought you looked beautiful that night even though you had been crying for the last half an hour, your hair hadn't been brushed and you were rummaging through your purse like a mad woman, he still thought you were pretty. He would never tell you that though.

“Don't tell me you've lost-”

“Got them!” You giggled, shaking your keys in the air before whipping your nose for what felt like the fifth time that night. You stalled as you pushed the key in the door, turning to look Charles in his eye for the first time since the party.

“Thank you-” but he cut you off, not wanting to hear it. You were his brother's best friend, Arthur wouldn't forgive him if he ever watched you in a position like the one that night and didn't do anything.

“Dont.”

“No really, thank you, charles.” You smiled, Charles smiled too, mainly because it was probably the first time you had called him Charles and not charlie.

After a moment you dropped your bag on the floor and wrapped your arms around the boy's waist, your head rested on his chest as he hastily moved his hand and rubbed your back.

“Just make sure the next one isn't a total dick, okay?” he whispered, his chin placed on the top of your head.

He didn't know how much that sentence broke your little 16 year old heart.

You smiled and entered the house, Charles didn’t drive off that street before you waved at him out your window.

On the drive home we looked back at his younger brother, drooling on the back seat of his car.

It was that night where he realised the both of you weren't all that different, but so far apart.

The first time Charles saw you after that night was a couple months later, a family day at the beach. You had turned seventeen in that time and joao was old news. But charles eyes were stuck on your body as he watched you sat in the sand on your own. Sipping from a bottle of beer that you most likely stole from his crate, your toes were dipped in the wet sand as you watched the sun set on your own.

Arthur had brought his new girlfriend with him and even though you were still as close as ever, Arthur's attention was stuck on the pretty blonde that was talking to his nan.

The rest of your families were distracted too, or so Charles thought. His mum watched him intently as he walked back to the car park, grabbing a spare jumper from his car before making way down the beach front to join you.

He spent so much of his life avoiding you, but after the night of the party he just wanted to make sure you were okay.

He crouched down in the sand next to you, aware of how your eyes were on him. He placed the jumper on your legs,

“You're going to get a cold.”

You scoffed but complied. Putting the jumper over your head and pulling at the sleeves, it smelled like him.

“How are you?” you asked charles, he could feel your eyes staring into his side profile, but he stared at the sun setting over the monegasque sea.

“I'm okay.”

The boys lost their dad a little under a year ago now, you hadn't really seen Charles since. But he knew you hadn't left Arthur's side for them few months.

“How you holding up, really?” you nudged his shoulder with yours, he did his little signature smile before looking down at his lap. Avoiding the question.

“Thank you. For looking after Arthur I mean, he's lucky to have you.”

“Charlie…”

He looked in your eyes this time, he looked so sad, so broken. So desperate for a hug. You didn't pressure him to answer your question, insted you gently placed your head on his shoulder looking along the coastline in silence.

Charles appreciated the silence and the way you didn't push him, moments like these he understood why Arthur loved you so much.

“It will be alright you know.” you hummed on his shoulder.

“I know.” Charles whispered back.

“Really, i can already see Charles leclerc, ferrari formula one driver. Your face will be all over Monaco, and we're all so proud. He'll be so proud.”

Charles hated how much you believed him, because in that moment a nineteen year old boy with dreams bigger than the world itself everything felt impossible.

“Don't forget about me when you're all big and famous, yeah?” you smiled up at him.

Charles looked down at you, his eyes were glossy but the smile on his lips was enough to melt your heart, he threw his head back in a laugh.

“I dont think I'm ever getting rid of you.”

Now it was your turn to laugh, “at least your self aware charlie.”

After all the laughing he noticed how your eyes shifted from his own to his lips, and then he remembered why he was avoiding you in the first place.

“y/n..” he whispered, oh how he whispered your name in his little broken accent, your heart melted as he backed away.

“I know, I know.”

You smiled and placed your head back on his shoulders looking at the sun that was nearly gone.

“You know I'm too old for you, right?” Charles whispered as he leaned his head on yours that was resting on his arm.

“I'm in it for the long game leclerc.” Charles giggled as he let his cheek get comfy on your head, pushing his side into you as you fully watched the sun disappear over the sea.

On the night of your 18th birthday Arthur had taken you out to your first club, you drank, alot…

Charles happened to be at the same club, so when your drunk body collided with his you couldn't help but wrap your arm around his torso, clinging onto him.

He gently placed hand on the small of your back smiling as you leaned on him.

Charles was 20 now, soon to turn 21 and had just signed a contract with alfa romeo, he was officially in formula one. Even Though you were proud of him you missed having him around.

You stood on your heels, leaning up to his ear as Charles met your movements and bent down to hear you better in the loud club and your heart fluttered at the small action of his ear hovering near your face.

“I'm eighteen now charlie.” he could hear the smile in your voice.

“I know, happy birthday mon amour.” kissing your forehead, this was the closest you had ever been to him before, and you craved more. He had never called you the nickname before, he was teasing you.

“I'm officially an adult nowwwww.” you longed out his ear before you hand palmed his cheek. You so desperately wanted to kiss him.

“Y/n.” His tone was serious as he caught onto your intentions.

“Y/nnn.” You teased him back, imitating his serious tone and rolling your eyes as you do so.

“I know you want to Charlie, come on…” you giggled at him, but you were drunk and a mess, so the arm around your waist was to stop you from falling flat on your arse not because he just wanted to touch you, you thought. You pushed his hand off you and stood up straight, Charles sighed as he placed his hand back on the small of your back, you looked up at him. The stupid little puppy dog eyes that he refused to listen to.

“I'm too old for you, love.” Charles' hand once again held you close as you started to lose your balance again, “and you're too drunk.”

“Drunk on love.” you exclaimed, Charles laughed, like really laughed and you couldn't help but admire the creases around his eyes. He moved your arm over his shoulder so he could hold you up.

“Let's find Arthur and get you home, okay?” but as Charles pulled away you pulled him back.

“I've waited eighteen years, Charlie, I'm sure I have the patience to wait a bit longer.”

Charles thought maybe you had forgotten that night, but you remembered the way his hand was filmy stuck to the small of your back most of the night, and how he lent down to hear you and how his stubble felt in the palm of your hand, and the butterflies only got worse.

You were falling harder everyday and you hated yourself for it, he didn't like you back.

Charles carried on with his f1 career with alfa romeo that year and you took up a journalism degree, following around arthur as he navigated the world of f3. You would occasionally bump into Charles when the boys had races at the same circuit.

But with his first Monaco race you obviously had to be there to support him.

Charles hated how his heart beat boomed in his ear when he saw you standing in his garage with your old ferrari cap on and an alfa romeo shirt with the number 16 on the back hugging your chest.

You truly had blossomed into a beautiful young woman and Charles found it harder to stay away. Your hair isn't frizzy anymore and you had for sure gone through puberty, he didn't like to stare but he found it hard not to sometimes. Especially on family boat trips when you would wear a bikini in front of him.

The worst part is you hadn't even openly flirted with him in a while, and he couldn't seem to figure out why, and that bothered him so much more than he liked.

The small little y/n that used to follow him everywhere, always latched to his arm, looking up at him with heart eyes. I mean, you weren't sixteen anymore that was sure, but Charles couldn't help but feel a sense of abandonment that you weren't head over heels for him anymore.

Charles needed to snake off that weird feelling in his stomach.

You were now 19 about to turn 20, it was the off season and you couldn't wait to soak up some sun on the leclerc yacht. Your favourite summer getaway.

You drove up to the small paddock on a little beach and climbed onto the grey boat, it was charles’, of course. The whole family was there, you were talking to pascal as arthur pulled you around the side of the boat, nearly causing you to break an ankle.

“Erm hello? Watch it.” you scolded him for pulling you so ruffly.

“You're over the whole in love with my older brother thing, right?” he asked, his hand running through his hair.

“I- i why?” you said, clocking your head to the side at Arthurs panicked manor. He knew you had been doing great this year, and he also knew why you declined every single boy that had attempted to ask you out on a date this year.

“Okay, erm,'' Arthur stood up straight and scratched the back of his head.

“Forget your stuff, let's just get off this boat. And er, don't turn around okay?” he tried to nonchalantly say, his hands gripping your shoulders were a dead give away something was wrong though.

You nodded your head and followed Arthur down the steps of the boat before stopping in your tracks.

“Since when have I ever listened to you? I going to read my book on the sun-”

Your mouth fell open as you turned around to be met with Charles, your Charles with a girl.

A pretty girl, beautiful actually, she was slim and perfect and her smile was enough to make you want to crumble in a ball.

She was leaning on him, grabbing his bicep as her hand brushed through his hair, he was laughing like really and truly laughing at whatever it was she had to say and you had never felt emotions like the ones you felt in that moment.

You felt like he had personally ripped your heart out himself, no remorse, and had just served it back to you on a silver platter.

He really didn't want you.

“y/n, i didn't even know he was bringing her i-”

“You knew?”

Arthur sighed before running his hands through his hair, “it's been around four months, mum really likes her, she's nice. I mean she's not you, but he's happy so i can't complain.'' Arthur shrugged his shoulders, not sure how to console you in that moment.

You turned away from the happy couple and sat on the small steps that lead down to the bottom of the yacht. Arthur sat down next to you, pulling your body into his as he wrapped his arm around you.

“What about me? When will I be happy?”

You hadn't realised you were crying until Arthur grabbed your arm and pulled you straight off the boat.

That was your wake up call, you had spent too much of your life waiting for someone that never wanted you. 19 years to be exact, a sad sad story to anyone that knew you. You were embarrassed and angry at yourself.

You needed to actually move on.

So that's what you did.

And that's when you met him, a young british boy, he was around your age and drove for a papaya team that shared the f1 grid with charles.

Lando norris.

He was 20, awkward, way too cocky for only his second year, and when you bumped into him in Bahrain of 2020 you chose him to be the one to make you move on.

He asked for your number a few races later and the two of you used to text all the time. He took you on cute picnic dates, asked if he could kiss you before he did, and overall was the kindest most respectful boyfriend a girl could ask for. You were actually happy, and it only took nineteen years.

It was imola when you bumped into Charles in the paddock, his brother wasn't here so he was confused as to why you were here, but then he saw the McLaren hat on your head and his eyebrows furred evenmore.

“y/n?”

“Hello, charles.” you gave him a tight lip smile before moving past him but he chased after you why you walked down the paddock strip. Past the ferrari garage.

“You're a McLaren fan now, huh?”

“Yep.”

Charles' heart hurt at your bluntness, he grabbed your arm so you would stop walking and talk to him.

“y/n.” serious charles. That stupid tone that usually made you freeze and obey whatever he had to say.

But this time you rolled your eyes and pulled your arm from his grip.

“Charles, I really have to be somewhere.” you lied, checking your watch.

“Like a journalism thing? Why didn't you tell me you were going to be here, you could have flown with me and Joris?” and Charlotte, but he didn't mention that.

You really tried to pull your eyes from the red drivers suit that was wrapped around his hips, he was a ferrari driver now and you had never been more happy for him. You just wanted to wrap your arms around him and tell him how proud you were of him.

But right at this moment, you had never wanted to create more distance between you both.

“y/n?”

Both of your heads snapped as Lando ran up to you, you coughed and took a step back from charles.

Landos arm wrapped around your shoulder as he put out a fist for Charles to spud. Charles' eyes were glued to landos arm resting on your shoulder and he could feel the blood pumping in his heart speeding up.

Lando kissed your temple and Charles' eyes were glued to yours.

“Charles.” Lando smiled nodding his head.

“Lando.'' Charles' voice was laced with venom, not that Lando noticed.

“So you guys are?” Charles' eyebrows furred pointing between you both.

“We havent you know, labelled it yet. It's still kind of new” you smiled, it had been months.

“But I'm happy, really happy.” Charles knew that was a message to him, you were happy and he needed to leave you be. But with Lando of all people, Charles couldn't seem to shake this one off.

Charles mumbled something about needing to be somewhere and walked away from you both. Lando again oblivious to the interaction as his arm stayed secured around you and he balabbed on about the race as you walked to the McLaren motorhome.

Charles hated him.

Charles hated himself for his feelings.

He didn't know why he was so bothered, he had never been this bothered, nothing gotten to him like you and Lando just did. Joris told him maybe it was because he had a soft spot for you deep down, he joked that maybe Charles liked you back and Charles ignored him for the rest of the weekend at that accusation. But that didn't mean he didnt ignore his words.

It was over, you grew up and he should feel relieved you've moved on, right?

He broke up with Charlotte a month later.

Charles scoffed when you first bought lando along to family night, he hated how your mum loved his accent and how arthur laughed at all his jokes. He hated that he hadn't caught your eye all night, instead your eyes were glued on the stupid little british boys. Charles hated it, he sat there like a toddler that hadn't gotten their own way all night. He knew it was wrong but he hated his feelings more than he hated lando being sat at his table.

Charles was in the kitchen, he was picking at the leftover pie on the table top as everyone else was outside fawning over one of landos stories, he had really charmed the family.

His mother walked into the kitchen as he was taking a bite of cherry pie looking like a caught child, she laughed at the cherry stains in the corner of his mouth and passed him a tissue.

The pair stood in silence for a moment before Pascal spoke up.

“That's definitely not allowed in your diet, my sweet.” she smirked knowing the driver's strict diet.

“But you won't tell on me maman.” Charles flashed his puppy dog eyes as his mum laughed at his actions. She sighed and moved closer to him as he stood up straight.

“You have a lot on your mind my boy, and don't tell me you don't because I gave birth to you, I know you better than you know yourself.”

“Maman.” Charles sighed.

“This is about her isn't it?” Charles' eyes refused to look at his mother at her words.

“I don't even need to say her name, it's her, it will always be her.” she smiled as she walked over to her son and placed a hand on his cheek.

“She's happy, Charles.'' he heard the sternness in his mothers voice.

“So everyone keeps telling me.” Charles scoffed again.

“So then you know you're being an ass, right?”

Charles' eyes widened at his mothers language but she just laughed and waved him off.

“After all the years she spent pining after you, Charles, it would be cruel for you to not let her be happy.”

“But what if I'm not happy?” he asked his mum, she just sent him a sympathetic smile and grazed his cheek once more.

“Do you love her?”

“I dont know.” Charles shrugged.

“See, it would be cruel to break her heart over this kind of uncertainty. Either you love her or you're just jealous. You have a lot of thinking to do my boy, but don't do anything until you're really sure. She's fragile when it comes to you.”

Charles nodded his head.

His mum was right, he really did have a lot of thinking to do.

And as if on queue there she was, walking into the kitchen, the widest smile on her face as she grabbed another beer from the fridge. She had started to let her curls rome free recently and it was sending charles’ heart into a spiral, with her stupid little shorts and crocs and no doubt she had conned lando into giving her his jumper.

She used to do that to him, Charles thought, remembering all the times you had tricked him into stealing his hoodies.

She smiled at Charles mum and told her again that the food was lovely, nodding at Charles, and she left just as quick as she came in.

“Maman, I'm so in love with her it physically hurts me.”

And there it was, the words you had so desperately wanted to hear your whole life, but you didn't hear a sound as Charles vowed to never say it again out loud. Your happiness came before his.

Charle suffered for a year, he knew he loved you, he had said it out loud once and the vulnerability he felt in that moment knowing you were stood just 15 feet away with the boy you were in love with was enough to make him swear to never voice his feelings again, he was embarrassed and wanted the world to swallow him whole. The worst part was the guilt, he could only feel like he had let one of the best things go, slip straight from his grasp all for a bit of pride. He didn't want to be seen with the young naive girl that had a crush on him, but now he just felt stupid. Stupid that he didn't recognise your love for him sooner, he had always thought you were one of the most amazing humans he had ever met, he found himself looking for you in other people when he didn't even know it. He was stupid, and he knew that for sure.

Charles dedicated the rest of the year to focusing on his f1 seat, with ferrari fucking him and sebastian over and over and after his wins at spa and monza he felt hungry for more and felt that the true love of his life should be formula one.

But his heart hurt when he didn't hear from you after his win in spa, and then it crushed him again when you didn't contact him after his result at monza.

No call.

Not even a text.

He had fully let you slip from his grasp.

It was a long year for Charles that year, and as summer break quickly approached he found girls and training were his favourite pastime. He stopped turning up to family events when he knew lando would be there and you were in love and happy. After a while it was a rarity he would even stay at an event for an hour.

He was 22 and as a new season started the only thing he was talking from lando was his teammate, not that charles was complaining. He liked Carlos, and he was ready to step up and take that 1st driver's seat. He was ready to make everyone proud just like you had promised him that night on the beach.

After a while charles mothers birthday rolled around, one he would definitely not miss as his mother requested a small family meal. Everyone was sitting, looking over the menu when Charles undoubtedly noticed the missing presence of you.

“Where's y/n?” Charles asked Lorenzo, who was sitting next to him.

Lorenzo just shrugged and turned his attention back to his menu, was it normal for you to not attend family outings? Charles hadn't been around for so long he didn't even think to consider that maybe she didn't turn up to these things anymore either.

“With Lando I suppose.” Charles murmured, he tried not to sound jealous but the older brother just laughed.

“Lando?” as he turned to his younger brother.

“Why would she- you really haven't spoken to her have you?” Lorenzo asked, his eyes widening at the thought of his brother being so dumb.

Charles just shrugged his shoulders as he urged his brother to continue.

“They broke up, a while ago actually.”

Charles didnt know why his shoulders felt lighter but he chose to ignore it and try to press some more information out of his brother.

“So? First break up, we've all been there, doesn't mean she can't be here for mamans birthday.'' Charles rolled his eyes as he tried to act like he didn't care.

“She's not even in the country charles.”

Charles' head snapped towards his brothers, “She's taking a gap year, last I heard she was staying in Australia for a while.”

Lorenzo could see the gears turning in charles’ head; he knew he wanted to ask more so he answered for him.

“Hey Arthur, where's y/n these days?” Lorenzo asked his other brother who was at the other end of the table with his girlfriend.

Arthur shrugged before answering, “Still in australia at the moment, she really likes it there, but i told her she cant like it to much because there's no way i'm sitting on a plane for twelve hours every time i want to actually see her face and not on a phone screen.” arthur joked, everyone else laughed along with him for a moment until charles countered up the courage to speak up.

“Why didn't she just travel with formula one? She wanted to be an F1 journalist anyway.”

Arthur's eyes narrowed at his brother.

You definitely hadn't meant to cause it, but there was a small crack in between the brothers' relationship within the last year. Arthur definitely blamed Charles and his stupid effects on you for you running away.

“She wanted to be away from f1 for a while.'' Arthur told his brother like it wasn't the most obvious thing in the world, hoping to squash this table subject, not really wanting to talk about his run away best friend.

“I mean I don't blame her, especially when her Lando ended like it did. She's living her best life.” Carla, Arthurs girlfriend chimed in. Arthur slightly winced at his girlfriend's words not wanting this to be the dinner conversation tonight, especially when Charles clearly knew nothing about y/n's life within the last year.

“What?'' Charles asked the table, but no one answered him, instead everyone's heads were down dead planted down at the table, everyone except for Carla who had no idea what she had just started.

“Why did no one tell me what's been going on?” charles raised his voice slightly, catching the attention from everyone else on the table.

Charles mother intervened knowing where this was going, “charles, not right now-”

“No, she's been going through something and no one even thought to mention it? What the fuck.”

Arthur was visibly turning red, Charles noticed as Lorenzo's head was shaking telling his little brother now wasn't the time, pleading Arthur to just bite his tongue.

“Say it arthur.”

The flame was lit.

“And who do you think upset her in the first place, charles?” Arthur tutted, picking up his menu pretending to scan it so he didn't have to pay attention to the conversation anymore.

“Drop it, arthur.” Lorenzo sternly interrupted.

“Considering no ones told me anything how the fuck am i supposed to answer that question?” Charles spat back at his brother.

Arthurs cheeks were a visible red now, he was about to blow up. Something he had been holding in for a while. He slammed his menu down and turned to look at his older brother.

“You know what Charles, you have no right! No fucking right, sorry maman for the language-” charles mum just put her hands up in defence as she let her youngest son get it all off his chest.

“She loved you, and you constantly broke her heart and told her no and then when she was finally happy in a relationship you had to go tell the world you love her so much that ‘it physically hurts you!” Arthur mugged his brother's words.

Charles was shocked, he had no idea what was happening.

No one knew of his feelings towards you, no one except- charles head snapped towards his mother who pulled a tight lip smile and just shaked her head in a no. Charles was about to deny deny deny when-

“Yeah, she heard it. And it fucking broke her charles. It was mean and it was selfish, and I've never despised someone more than you for what you did to MY best friend.”

“Arthur-”

“I'm not finished. Then you have the decency to finally come to a family meal for the first time in nearly a year, nearly a year charles! And ask about her like you didn't completely cut her and us out of your life? You're selfish, completely and utterly selfish charles.”

Charles sat at the table pale, he felt the colour drain from his face as he scrambled to find the words to say but his mouth didn't open.

“You really do pick and choose your moments brother, I don't know why I even came tonight, I'm sorry maman but I told you I wouldn't be able to sit in a room with him.”

Arthur stood up, he grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair and took Carla's hand in the other.

“I'm really sorry maman, and everyone else, happy birthday, i guess.” Arthur gave his mother a hug and walked out of the restaurant with carla. Leaving everyone else at the table in pure shock.

Especially Charles, he had know idea what to say, he looked up at his mother opposite him who looked at him with sympathy.

“My sweet boy, I'm sorry to say it but there was some truth to your brother's words. I told you she was fragile.”

Charles felt awful.

Charles felt like he was going to cry at the table.

It had been a long year for Charles, he had groveld for the most of it, thinking you were happy somewhere while Lando flew you anywhere and everywhere around the world. Now he came to think of it, maybe there was a better reason for the young mclaren driver avoiding him.

He wasn't really friends with Lando, but his teammate, Carlos was close with the boy and whenever there was an offer for the three of them to hang out Lando magically had something come up and couldn't attend.

It all made sense now. Even the fact he hadn't seen you in the paddock, he thought maybe you were caught up in your studies, oh how he was wrong.

He sat at the table for the rest of the meal, and with every passing comment he didn't think he could sink more into his chair.

He was an awful person, he thought.

When the family were leaving the restaurant Charles hugged his family members, swallowing the anxiety and embarrassment down.

He looked over at Lorenzo who sent him a sympathetic smile, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Tonight wasn't supposed to go like that, i told arthur to just drop it i-”

“No, it's okay. I deserved it.”

“I dont know, you fucked up, but you didnt need to run, nether did she.'' Lorenzo, his older brother shrugged.

“What happened? With her and lando." Charles pushed.

“alot .” lorezono chucked.

“I don't know if it's my place to-” enzo sighed at that stupid little puppy dog face his younger brother was pulling.

“I'm pretty sure she cheated on him, Arthur said as she fell into a bit of a hole. So the only thing she really could do was just leave Monaco for a while. She seems good, Charles, healthy and happy." Lorenzo shrugged, watching as Charles' eyes widened and he latched onto every word.

“If it's any closure she's not mad at you, Arthur, well I'm sure he would be he loves y/n like a twin sister, but she's not mad at you. She was just confused and hurt.”

“If i call her-'' Charles started but his voice flattened as he realised it would ne dumb to contact you.

“Call her Charles, I'm sure she would be happy to hear from you.”

You knew what today was, arthur's molthers birthday. You had called her in the morning sending her your love and wishes, she told you that Charles was attending the meal and Arthur would be on his best behaviour, little did you know.

You wondered if Charles knew what you were up to, if pascal or lorenzo had been keeping him in the loop.

You were at the beach, cocktail in hand and book in the other, your earphones were in as you hummed to the faint sound of the music and read, but you were disturbed when the rigging was a call from your phone echoing through your earphones, charles.

Pick it up.

You couldn't do it.

Your body froze in place, you pulled your airpods out, throwing down your book, not caring that you lost the page you were on. You took in a deep breath and picked up your phone, and just as your thumb hovered over the answer button, the ringing stopped.

He had called you?

You needed a moment to think about what you were going to say to him, what he would say.

You so desperately wanted to hear his voice, it had been a year, and you wondered if that was enough time for feelings to vanish.

You looked out at the calm seas for a moment, did you really want to fall back into a loop of pining for him like a puppy. You loved him, loved, past tense. You were a grown woman now, so you opened your phone and called him back.

Ringing.

“Hello?” his voice echoed through the phone.

“Charles?”

You heard his sigh of relief over the phone, and your heart melted all over again, he hadn't even spoken yet, but the closeness of his presence made it all too real.

“I'm sorry.”

He's sorry?

“Charles-”

“I'm sorry, okay. Arthurs right, I was mean and I was selfish and you deserved so much more than what I did to you. From the bottom of my heart y/n/n, I'm so so incredibly sorry.”

“It's- it's okay.”

You forgave him.

“It's not.”

There was a silence that lingered for a moment.

“What I said, what you heard, it wasn't supposed to happen like that. I really didn't want it to happen that way.” he pleaded over the phone, his breathy voice echoing through the speaker.

“I want to see you.”

More silence.

“Please, y/n.”

“Okay.”

More silence.

“Soon, okay.” There was promise to your words.

“Soon.” he repeated, as though it was something for him to hold onto.

Soon.

“When I'm ready Charles I'll come home, I'm just not ready yet.” you winced at your own words because you so desperately wanted to see him too.

“Then don't come home- i'll come to you, i'll catch the next plane if i have too just tell me where you are-”

“Charles, I'm not ready yet.” you interrupted him.

Silence.

Charles wanted to cry, hearing your voice and knowing you were just within reach he wanted to see you, hold you, apologise as much as you would allow him to. He wanted to kiss you and hug you and love you forever, but you weren't ready.

“I'll wait for you, okay? Soon or not.” his voice cracked, and god did it melt your heart.

“I'll see you soon charlie.”

This was feeling a little too much like a goodbye for charles.

“y/n?”

“Yeah?”

“Am I too late?’

“Time doesn't apply when it comes to you.” and Charles had hope. He hadn't fully let you slip, yet.

Charles would now spend every waking moment wondering how soon was soon?

But after a while he figured ‘soon’ was a little long, three more months to be precise.

You had left Australia, travelled around more like you wanted to, and you came back to Monaco just before the end of the f1 season.

Charles was already in Abu Dhabi by the time you landed back in monaco.You had asked everyone to not tell him of your arrival.

You were sitting with Arthur in his mothers living room, just like the old days. You told him about your travels while he updated you on his love life and gossip in the paddock.

You had missed this.

And it wasn't until pascal passed you a warm cup of tea and sat with the two of you, sharing her own gossip from the hair salon you realised how much you were ready to be home again.

Arthur had run to his room quickly to grab his trophies to show you and as he walked out of the room your eyes lingered on the suitcases by the door.

“You're going to Abu dhabi?” you asked pascal.

“Tomorrow.” she smiled at you.

Pascal could visibly see the gears turning in your head, she placed a hand on your knee and smiled up at you.

“I don't want to pressure you y/n, and i know you just got back but you should consider it.”

You knew what she meant and you nodded at her with a small smile, and Arthur came back.

You went home a few hours later and sat in your room, if you go you'll see him, but you're going to see him at some point regardless.

You felt vulnerable.

So completely scared, but that didn't stop you from texting Arthur that night telling him you were going to join him and his family tomorrow.

You were going to see him.

Your time was up.

You were ready.

You meet up with the leclerc family at the airport in the early hours of the morning, your suitcase gripped in your hand as you were mentally preparing yourself to sit on the plane and go over any and every possible outcome this weekend could have.

Arthur sat with Carla at the front, and Pascal was fast asleep. But the chair next to you suddenly became occupied when you looked up and saw the eldest leclerc.

“You look well, y/n.” he smiled down at you.

“Thank you.” you smiled back at lorenzo.

“I think the time away did you good, no?”

“yeah, i really needed some space, but now i'm back and just feeling a little..” you stumbled on your words, struggling to describe your emotions.

“Overwhelmed?”

“Yeah, exactly that.”

“Does he know you're coming?” you knew the ‘he’ lorenzo was referring too.

“I dont think so.”

“He's going to be happy to see you.” lorenzo nudged your shoulder.

“I hope so.” you nervously chucked.

You took in a deep breath and looked back at the eldest leclerc brother, “I'm just anxious, I have no idea how this weekend will pan out. The next time I'll be back on this plane going home I could be happy, sad, crying or planning to run away again. I just feel so lost.”

“Lost isn't a bad thing.'' Lorenzo shrugged.

“He's just as lost as you y/n, trust me. I just hope you both figure it out, you both deserve the peace of mind. And if this all goes to shit, you still got on this plane today and tried.”

“I just don't want to get my hopes up.”

“Then don't, sometimes things aren't just meant to be.”

That's what was worrying, you had loved this man for years, and now was the deciding day if he loved you back or not and you don't know if you were ready to give up the fantasy of him

being the love of your life up yet.

You weren't mentally prepared for the shit outcome of this story, you didn't know if you could handle Charles breaking your heart another time.

When the plane landed and the warm air hit your skin you took in a deep breath. Time to face the music.

You went straight to your hotel, it was a Friday so Charles was about to participate in fp1 by the time you turned up to the track.

The smell of burnt rubber and the sound of happy fans filled your ears, you had missed being in the paddock more than you knew. This place was your home.

You were walking with Arthur and Carla when your name was called, judging by the accent you knew it wasn't the monegasque, it was the papaya coloured boy running up to you.

You told Arthur and Carla you would catch up with them as you stopped and smiled at lando who had now reached you.

“Hey.” he smiled.

“Hey.” you smiled back awkwardly.

“Listen lando, you deserve an explanation-”

“It's okay y/n, we were young, it was a while ago you’re forgiven.” Lando chuckled as he poked your shoulder.

“But that doesn't mean what I did was okay, you deserve more than what I gave you.”

Lando gave you a sympathetic smile.

“Consider it done with, okay? No hard feelings.”

You smiled up at the British boy, he looked good, he seemed well and that made your guilt feel a little less painful.

“I erm, I have a girlfriend actually, she's great, her names luisa.”

You watched as he lips upturned at the mention of his girlfriend, he was smitten.

“I'm happy for you landini.”

You both laughed for a moment, the free air was nice. Seeing lando meant there was a weight lifted off your shoulders.

“I just wanted to see how you were doing, I didn't want things to be awkward.” he said.

“I don't think I could ever be awkward around you.” Lando smiled at your words.

“Are you still thinking about becoming an F1 journalist?” he asked, remembering how it was your dream, he had also hoped your disappearance in the paddock for the last year wasn't his doing, stopping you from reaching your dream.

You smiled as he remembered, “I'm working on it.”

“Well i hope i see you around more often then, you deserve it y/n, really.”

Lando was getting called from the other end of the paddock as he had to be in his car within the next 10 minutes, you both shared a hug and it felt nice to feel comfortable with him.

His hands squeezed your back before saying a quick bye and skipping down the paddock.

As he pulled away and walked past, your eyes connected with them all to familiar grey ones you were so nervous to see.

Charles.

He didn't seem too happy though.

He had just watched you smile and laugh with your ex in the middle of the paddock and then hug him bye, even though you thought nothing of it, Charles' mind was spinning.

There he was, a tight lipped smile right opposite you. He had grown out his stubble and he looked tired. You knew he hadn't had the best of seasons with Ferrari, you didn't keep up with it too much, it upset you that his childhood team had failed him massively.

He nodded his head and followed his press officer in the opposite direction, but you weren't going to let him go just yet.

“Charles, wait!”

And before you could process it you were running, sprinting down the paddock after him, but he had already disappeared into ferrari hospitality.

“Shit.” you mumbled as you jogged down to the garages in hopes of catching up with him.

You scanned your pass and walked into the back of the garage Pascal had walked up to you and grabbed your hand.

“You need to put some headphones on dear, it gets loud in -”

“Pascal, where did he go?” you asked her frantically, like a mad woman out of breath.

“Charles?”

“yes!”

A slight smile just appeared on her face as she turned around, “Be quick dear, I think I can see him putting his balaclava on.” She pushed your shoulder and you walked around the red barrer that clearly said ‘no public entry’.

“You can't be back here, ma'am.” a security officer grabbed the back of your bicep.

“No, I need to get through, it's an emergency.” you whined, pulling your arm from his grip.

“I'm sorry ma’am, it's a safety hazard.” the man's grip tightened on your arm as he pulled you away from the back of the garage. You pushed off him but his grip only improved as he swept you off the floor, lifting you up at your attempt to run. You kicked your legs like a child learning to swim and kicked arms that trapped you.

“If you refuse to cooperate, I'll have no choice but to remove you from the garage.” he said, trying to dodge your feisty little kicks.

“And If you don't get your slimy huge hands off me right now i'm going to-”

“y/n?!”

Your head snapped at the sound of your name, Jorris, Charles' best friend.

“Jorris, oh thank god!”

“She's okay, she can come in.” Jorris grabbed your other hand and wiggled you away from the huge security man's grip as he dropped you back to the floor. You brushed off your dress and gave the security man a dirty look before turning to Charles' best mate.

“Jorris, where is he?” your breathing was rapid and your heart beat feeling like it was thumping out your chest.

“y/n you really shouldn't.” he sent you a sympathetic smile.

“Please.” you pleaded with him. After seeing you try to fight a six foot five security man Joris really didn't want to feel the wrath of you right now, so he complied.

“You have five minutes, follow me.” he led you through the back of the garage.

Whenever Charles got in the car he liked to be left alone to his own devices, it was his switch off time, but you knew on some occasions he didn't mind the company, you just needed to talk to him, tell him you were here for him. You didn't want him getting in the car overthinking that you were here for lando.

And before you knew it, there he was, standing in front of you, you were painting out of breath with your hands on your knees as you looked up at him.

Charles giggled as you held up a finger to let him know you were still getting your breath back. He pulled his ear pieces out of his ear and zipped up the rest of his race suit.

“I hate to rush you, but I have to be in the car in four minutes.” Charles frowned, “and four minutes aren't enough for what I have to say to you, y/n.”

“Let's keep it short and sweet then.” you stood up straight and smiled at the boy.

“Im sor-” he started but you cut him off.

“That's not what I meant by sweet.”

Charles squeezed his eyes and winced at his name being called behind him, he opened his eyes and saw you beaming up at him and he knew he was in love, he just wasn't going to tell you yet, especially not if he had just witnessed you make up with lando. Lando made you happy, Lando didn't break your heart on multiple occasions like he had. Charles wouldn't blame you if you went back to the British driver.

You tilted your head to the left and smiled at Chris, Charles' manager. He was pointing at his watch and tapping his foot.

You looked back at Charles and took in a deep breath, you stood on your tip toes and placed your arms on his shoulders, gently placing a kiss to his cheek.

Your soft lips connecting with his ruff stubble is something Charles cherished, he couldn't wipe the Cheshire cat grin off his face.

“I know it's only a practice session, but good luck out there charlie.”

“Thank you.” he smiled, trying to hide his blush. He couldn't believe he was blushing and how the roles had reversed between the two of you.

“What about lando?” he had to ask, it was on his mind.

“I'm not standing next to Lando wishing him good luck right now, am i?” you smirked at him.

Charles smiled before looking back at his manager, he bent down and kissed your forehead like he had done a thousand times, but this time it felt different, electric, it felt like love. It was love.

“I'll be waiting for you, okay?” you told him.

Charles smiled to himself, he wasn't too late.

If anything was on Charles' side that day it wasnt timing. Charles finished fp2 with a few flying laps and a heavy heart, his first plan was to find you but his press officer had forced him to do interviews, and then he had a meeting and then he had checked his watch and it was way past nine and he knew you were probably back at the hotel by now.

He huffeed as he left his meeting, grabbing his jumper and keys and saying goodbye to the engineers that were going to work on the car overnight.

He had it all planned in his head, he was going to get some flowers on the way home, knock on your hotel door and ask you on a date.

“Charles!” called out his manager, he really hoped he didn't have to stay in this hell hole any longer, he just wanted to leave the track and get his girl.

“What?” he huffed.

“She waited.”

“What?” Charles repeated, his manager now having his full attention.

Charles caught the way his manager's lips turned into a devilish smirk, but he wasn't looking at Charles, yet something behind him. When he whipped his head around there you were, his heart thumped at the massively oversized ferrari jacket one of the staff must have given you to keep you warm while you waited.

You just smiled at him and waited for him to walk to you, but charles sprinted, he was a man on a mission and when he got to you his hands slipped around your waist, pulling you up in the air for a moment before he dropped you back down, his hands still remaining tightly wrapped around your torso.

He tucked a stray piece of hair behind your ear before placing his forehead on yours.

“Take what's yours charlie.” you smiled.

Charles' thumb gently traced over your plump bottom lip before he placed his hand on your cheek, smiling like an idiot.

He slowly grazed his lips on your before gently adding pressure and connecting your soft lips with his in a quick kiss. A kiss that was full of smiles as Charles pulled you as close to him as possible. Towering over you as he kissed you unlike he had kissed anyone ever. The way your lips moved in sync with his was magic to him, it had never felt like this before.

He pulled back letting you get some air, before using that as leverage to stick his tongue in your mouth, he put all his power and passion into the kiss and it was just as you imagined him to be with you. Sensual and passionate.

Your hands ran along his shoulders and up to his head where you gently tucked on his hair. Charles groned on your lips and eventually pulled back, he giggled as he placed his forehead on yours again.

“All mine, finally.” He said through a wide smile.

“I've always been yours…”

Thank you for reading!! Here’s a gif of baby Charles because this is how i imagined him when y/n had her teenage crush. Bare faced and spiky hair🥹

8K notes · View notes

mountttmase · 1 month ago

Text

Still The One

Note - just as a little thank you for being so kind I thought I’d post something I’ve written lately. I’ll be back in a few days when my heads on straight but i hope you’re all well 🩷 and I miss you guys and my masey

Pairing - Mason Mount × Reader

Word count - 1.5k

Warnings - fluff

‘Sorry guys’ you heard from behind you. The hand that was being placed on your waist squeezing you ever so softly as their hot breath tickled your neck but you knew that voice instantly and you couldn’t help but smile. ‘Could I borrow my wife please?’

The chorus of awww’s from your little group of friends that you were standing with made you blush but you didn’t care. Melting back into Mason's body behind you as he wrapped his arms further around your waist and kissed your shoulder. His skin was hot from embarrassment as his cheek touched your neck and you thought it was the cutest thing ever.

It was the first time he’d referred to you as his wife to other people. The sound making your skin tingle as you couldn’t contain you giggles and you just felt yourself radiating joy as your friends mirrored your smile.

‘Go on then, y/n. Your husband needs you’ your best friend laughed. Her sending you a wink as he pulled back so you could take his hand and when you turned to face him you felt your heart explode in your chest.

You couldn’t believe he was officially all yours.

This whole day had gone by in a flash, time only stopping when you caught eyes with him as he looked back at you tearily down the aisle and it finally hit you that you were actually doing this. Finally marrying the boy of your dreams and cementing the rest of your lives together.

‘What’s up?’ You asked as you followed him. Trying your best you wade through in your huge dress as Mason did his best not to step on it.

‘It's first dance time, are you ready?’ He asked. Brows wiggling cheekily at you and you were beginning to wonder if he had something up his sleeve.

‘What do you mean? We just sway from side to side right?’

‘Nah, I’ve been working on my moves’ he winked. ‘Just follow my lead yeah?’

‘Oh Mase, I don’t like the sound of that’ you laughed, but there was no time to argue. Mason giving the DJ a wave as he led you to the centre of the dance floor and you noticed people had started to gather in a circle around the perimeter. The nerves suddenly hit you that everyone would be looking at you but one look at Mason's kind face let you know everything would be fine.

‘Ladies and gentlemen, Mr and Mrs Mount’

When it came to picking the song for your first dance, there was only one option you could think of. The pair of you had never really had a song that was yours before and considering how long you’d been together for you figured you should have had one by now. That all changed around six months ago when you and Mason went on a date night with Rasmus and Laura to see Teddy Swims and Mason pulled you in extra close for one specific song.

You’d heard the original so many times, but listening to the boy you loved murmur the lyrics softly into your ear was a moment that etched itself right into your brain and as you looked up him right now you felt those same feelings swarm you.

He was so handsome

His hair was styled just how you liked it, him asking you what your favourite look of his was a few weeks before today so he could have it just like that and your chest fluttered at the gesture. His eyes were warm and happy as they creased at the sides but it was your favourite smile in the whole wide world that your eyes were drawn to. The same one you were met with on your first date that made you fall for him in the first place, the same one you woke up to and went to sleep with every night and the same one that you saw when he told you I do a few hours prior.

You were so so in love with him you thought you might burst.

As the start of the song played, Mason took your hand and kissed the back of it causing the butterflies to surge in your tummy. You were so in awe of him it’s like you were floating and when he pulled you in closer by your waist you wrapped your arms around his neck. Letting him sway you ever so gently as his forehead rested on yours.

Looks like we made it, look how far we've come my baby

We mighta took the long way, we knew we'd get there someday

Tears were springing in your eyes almost instantly, looking up into his eyes as you could tell his were a little watery too. His freckled nose pink as he blushed and you had to hold back from pulling him in for a kiss as everyone was watching and and you weren’t sure if you could pull yourself away.

They said, "I bet they'll never make it"

But just look at us holding on

We're still together, still going strong

‘I can’t believe we finally did it’ he laughed quietly, trying to pull you in a bit closer but the puffy skirt of your dress made it difficult.

‘Sorry, this dress is bloody massive’ you laughed. ‘I’ll take it off soon’

‘Oh yeah’ he winked and you laughed at the way he couldn’t keep things serious ever.

‘Cheeky, I meant I’ll change into my evening dress’

You're still the one I run to

The one that I belong to

You're still the one I want for life

‘Have you had a good day, Mrs Mount?’ He asked, not getting tired of hearing that name come out of his mouth and his smile mirror yours as you grinned up at him happily.

‘The best day’ you beamed. ‘I love you so much’

‘I love you too’ he whispered. Placing his forehead back on yours and shutting his eyes so he could feel the lyrics whilst you looked up at his perfect face.

You're still the one that I love

The only one I dream of

You're still the one I kiss goodnight

Even though today was all about the pair of you, you’d missed him. Since the ceremony you’d been pulled apart to try and speak to everyone that had joined you for your special day but you wanted to be around him more than anything. So you took this opportunity with both hands and held him close. Letting him whisper the words in your ear just had he had that night as he slowly moved you around the dance floor and forgot everyone else that was there. Feeling so full of love as you inhaled his scent and revelled in the feel of him. Knowing you just needed to get through the rest of your day and it would be just the two of you again.

‘You trust me right?’ He whispered. His voice teasing and you didn’t know why he was asking you that and when you pulled back to look at him his eyes were sparkling with joy.

‘I just married you, I can hardly say no can I?

‘Right answer’ he laughed, pulling away so he could spin you out to the side of him and you giggled as he pulled you back in so your neck was against his arm and he could dip you back. The whole room cheering as he lent down to kiss you but you couldn’t kiss him back properly as you were laughing so it was just a mess of lips and teeth.

As soon as he pulled you back up and into his arms properly again you grabbed his face and kissed him. Not happy with the fact you hadn’t kissed him the right way just now and even though everyone was being loud you blocked out the noise and focused on your man as he lifted you up by your waist and spun you around a few times.

‘Are these those moves you’ve been practising?’ You giggled as he settled you back down. Going back to swaying you gently as the song was coming to an end but you wished it would have gone on forever. Knowing as soon as it was over you’d be torn away from him again until later on when you went to bed.

‘Nah, I’ve got a few more to show you later’ he winked. Your face turning bright red at the cheeky remark and even though he was joking, in the back of your mind you were hoping there was a lick of truth to it. The pair of you smiling back at each other delight, feeling completely euphoric at the fact you were stood in the middle of a dance floor in the arms of the one you loved more than anything with the rest of your lives to navigate together.

You’d made it. Made your way through the awkward talking stage, to your first date and then to your first kiss and everything that comes after. Through laughter and tears, fights and apologies and everything in between. You’d done it together and you knew you’d never be alone again.

I'm so glad we made it

Look how far we've come, my baby

#Mason Mount #Mason Mount blurb #mason mount fanfic #mason mount one shot #mason mount imagine #mason mount fan fic #mason mount fluff #mason mount angst #Mason Mount smut #mason mount imagines #mason mount fan fiction #mason mount fic #mason mount x reader #mason mount x y/n #footballer x reader #footballer x y/n #footballer imagines #footballer imagine #footballer fan fiction

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kings-wifey · 7 months ago

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One Piece men taking care of you while you're sick ❤️

(I have a sore throat right now so I desperately need someone to take care of me-)

Zoro, Sanji, Ace and Law.

word count: 677

Zoro

"I told you that this would happen!" He growled, incredibly irritated with you for having gone against his words as he idly played with your hair, his signature stone-cold resting face had practically pierced the air, making things rather silent.

He was sat next to your bedside, having had to give up training today as Chopper was out foraging for medical supplies and ingredients due to Luffy having eaten a whole container of flavoured vitamins because "they tasted good", of course he didn't actually mind taking care of you it was just that your stubbornness really pissed him off at times.

"I swear, once your ass is better I'm going to break you."

"Hm... in what way?" You teased him, a cocky smirk on your red sickly face, earning you a groan and a rough poke.

"You cocky little..."

Sanji

"Open wide my darling," He spoke softly, spoon feeding you soup like an infant, his voice was a tad bit raw due to him crying since he felt like the worst boyfriend in the world for allowing his baby to get sick. His guilt stemmed from his mother's passing as a child, the gnawing feeling that he could've done something if he was stronger or actually knew how to care for someone at the time having scarred him, which of course wasn't his fault whatsoever but he'd never accept that nor forgive himself for not being able to take away his mother's pain.

He did not care what so ever that you could get him sick, you were his baby and you needed care! He watched with a soft smile as he saw you slowly eating the soup by each spoonful, admiring the way your soft lips wrapped around the spoon.

"What? Wish this was your dick?" You teased, mumbling slightly as you ate. You chuckled at the way he gasped and blushed as his hand attempted to hide the growing evidence of his arousal.

"Baby!"

Ace

"Babe you sound like Dadan-" Ace wheezes as he teases you, causing him to receive a slap from Marco who was monitoring your temperature. "Shut it. She needs to rest." He scolds your boyfriend sternly before stepping outside to dig through the ship's storage for more herbs, Ace takes the opportunity to climb into the infirmary bed with you and wrap his arms around you like a toddler cuddling their favourite toy.

The truth was, although he did try to hide it, he was horrified of you suddenly becoming seriously ill. He loved you a lot, it was just that he loved your pout and you whines of annoyance almost as much, which was why he'd always tease and poke fun at you affectionately because that alongside touch was love language.

"Don't you dare get sick again... shorty."

"Alright that's it, no more sex for you for a week after this."

"What?! No I was kidding pleaseee!"

Law

Beep beep beep! The thermometer beeped to signal that it was ready to display your temperature.

"Hm. Thirty-eight point five. You're running a slight fever." Law stated bluntly as he examined the thermometer carefully before he set it aside and got up, he walked over to his medicine cabinet and dug through it for a few moments before he examined a packet and took it.

He closed the cabinet before he made his way over to you, handing you the packet of antibiotics with his endearingly cold hands.

"Take two twice every morning and night, it should help to resolve it as well as soothe the irritation somewhat." He spoke with a stern tone, despite the fact that it was incredibly obvious that he was a tad bit worried about your sickness developing into something harder to manage and cure, but he shoved those thoughts away and focused on being the confident doctor that you needed right now and not some sappy worried man.

"Do I take them with water or...?" You teased as you gave him a suggestive smirk, earning a heavy sigh in response.

"... Yes water you horny brat."

Thank you for reading! I know this isn't much for my first post and I do feel very lazy and like this isn't good enough, but I hope you enjoyed it!

#one piece #zoro #zoro roronoa #sanji #sanji vinsmoke #ace #ace d. portgas #law #law d. trafalgar #trafalgar law #trafalgar d. law #one piece x reader #female reader #zoro x reader #sanji x reader #ace x reader #law x reader

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loftec · 5 months ago

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Shameless DVD Commentary: None the wiser

I was tagged by a lovely anon over at @shamelessdvdcommentary to do this, thank you! Here we gooo

Which fanfic is your DVD commentary about?

The people (11 out of 20) have spoken! None the wiser

Give us some stats - (when you wrote it, word count, how long it took to finish, is it a one-shot/multi-chapter, etc)

First published: 2015-09-23 (coming up on 9 years what is time??)

Last updated: 2021-12-11 (holy heck that's... shit! I'm sorry!)

Words: 218,480 and counting

Chapters: 53/68

What was the initial inspiration for your story?

A little bit of everything, mostly I'd been reading a lot of Shameless fic at the time and really wanted to write something that was both a really quite basic diner/coffee shop AU, but The Most version of it. The slowest burn, the most diner AU. I had no ambition for people to like it but I wanted it to be Known. If anyone ever asked for a diner fic, they'd HAVE to say, well, NTW is The Most diner fic we've got. If someone asked for slow burn, people would sigh and say, WELL, this one over here is the worst, but it is very slow. And also I was inspired by Before Sunrise / Before Sunset, and working in the music industry.

If the story is written from a character’s POV, why did you choose this character?

I chose Mickey specifically because of the Concept, that Ian decides when the chapters start and end (with some exceptions) by going to the diner, but we're limited to Mickey's POV. Generally I think Mickey is easier for me to write, too, he's got a really strong voice and I like looking at the world (and Ian) through his eyes.

What was your favourite scene to write?

The whole banter/walk scene in chapter 44 when they leave the venue:

“Sure you and your lips can do whatever you set your heart to,” he says, “I believe in you.” Ian is silent, and when Mickey risks a glance in the direction of him and his non-trumpeting goddamned marvelous lips, Ian is looking at him like he’s some kind of unsolved mystery. ”What?” Mickey asks, frowning at him when Ian smiles. “Just a thought,” he says. ”You’ve been flirting with me since we first met, haven’t you?”

I had that whole back and forth leading up to the first kiss in my head for years before I got to finally got around to write it and I still love it.

How did you come up with the title?

It's from a song, one of the core songs I associate with this fic. My playlist now has 149 tracks on it, but the ones I consider "core songs" are None the wiser, Day After Tomorrow, Let's Dance, How I Made My Millions, Not Dark Yet, and Mosquitoes. I'm not sure I can explain why, but None The Wiser came on randomly when I was doing dishes and thinking about this fic I was writing, and the vibes just lined up in my head. Also I think it fits this version of Mickey I'm writing, who knows so much and has so much experience, but refuses to understand what's happening when Ian walks into his life.

Are there any little moments or references you hope readers will notice?

Oh, wow. Yeah. I always reference silly little things and I just have to hope people understand them, or tolerate them at least. I think one of my favourite bit of foreshadowing is in chapter 39 when people keep staring at Ian because they obviously recognise him, but Mickey thinks staring at Ian is a completely reasonable thing to do and is mostly just annoyed over how blatant they're being.

Was there anything you struggled to write? If so, how did you overcome this?

I am struggling right now lol, I had meticulous notes for what I wanted to happen for every single chapter up until 45, and now half of them say "they text all day" and I'm like THANKS!!! VERY HELPFUL!! Also life and writers block etc etc.

Favourite line in the story?

This is such a hard choice, so I'll just go with this one from chapter 42:

“So,” Ian says, sitting back to sweep his arms out in a wide motion, presenting his solution. “I think we should go out for breakfast sometime.”

Because to me it pinpoints the moment when Ian breaks the format, in a way? They have met outside the diner before, but only on accident, and here Ian realises that it might be a problem that they only ever hang out at Mickey's job. But metatextually, he also highlights the narrative crux they're stuck in. I don't know, is that a boring favourite line? I have many, and I grabbed the first one I saw so I wouldn't get stuck rereading the whole fic lol. Do you have a favourite line?

Did the storyline change in any way as you wrote the story?

So much, it's hard to believe because there isn't too much of a plot, but so much. My planned ending is so far from what it was when I started out, which is maybe one blessing that comes from how long it's taking me to write it, I have time to rethink things. I can't really talk about it now without spoiling the actual ending, but you better believe I will expose myself once we get to it.

If you are writing a particular trope or genre, was it your first time writing this?

I'd written fic for a different fandom ten years earlier, but nothing in this style I don't think, and this was my first time writing since I was 20 and stopped writing jrock rpf. I suppose I'm still writing about music, though!

What are you most proud about in the story? (plot, characterisation, dialogue, twist/cliffhanger, etc)

One of the things I've always wanted to do with writing for Ian and Mickey is to let them have conversations, have things in common, and be friends. Because I think they were in canon, we just never got to see it (in the first 5 seasons, careful what you wish for). Guess I'm saying I'm proud of the bants!

Are there any deleted scenes that didn’t make it to the final story?

I don't think so! I mean, maybe the last 15 chapters? I kid! They will make it!

Are there any ‘behind the scenes’ info you’d like to share - e.g. what’s going on in a characters head in a certain scene or how you came to write a certain line?

There is one line Ian says where, when I wrote it, I was like; this is the first time Ian thinks "I love you" but says something else. Cannot remember what or where right now, and I don't want to try and find it, it's late! Submit your guesses here, I might find it over the weekend if I have some time to look. Also, it's like one of those silly I love yous, one of the early ones, full of potential and feeling but perhaps lacking a bit in substance, but he thought it and I saw him thinking it!

Reading back the story now, is there anything you’d change or add?

Eh *coughs* I might already have, and I apologise. The worst part about writing something this slowly and posting the chapters as I go is that the fic isn't finished and so I feel like it's fine for me to sometimes go back and edit already published chapters. It's not right but I... will still do it. Sorry! A most embarrassing example is when, not too long ago, we discussed the layout of the diner here and I went back to the first chapter to see how I had described it, and it had changed in so many ways over the years? Small round tables?? The tables haven't been round since 2016!! So that's a very clear case of something having become canon for all the hundred little times I've thought of the tables as square while writing vs that one time in chapter one I carelessly said they were round.

Would you ever write a sequel to this story?

Yes! So many! Or maybe not a sequel, that suggests another part of equal size. But little bits of stories, yes!

If you’ve chosen your most popular story, are you surprised by the popularity?

Yes! Like I said, my only aim was to annoy my way to fandom infamy. Turns out it's so much more fun to actually connect with people and write something with someone else in mind, besides myself. I feel so lucky that so many people have connected with NTW over the years <3

Were you nervous or excited to post this story?

Mostly just excited, I think! I still am, whenever I get to post something : )

Did you have a beta or a friend who helped you as you wrote?

No, I probably should have but I have a very hard time showing things to people when they're not finished.

Ask your followers to pick a snippet (no more than 500 words) and share your thoughts about it.

Add snippets in the replies and I'll share thoughts, if you want!

Thanks for reading! <3 <3 <3

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jokeroutsubs · 2 months ago

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[ENG SUB/translation] JokerOutSubs x Radio Celje collab: Joker Out on Radio Celje (24.10.2024)

Big thanks to Radio Celje who collaborated with us on this one!

Bojan, Jan, Kris, Jure and Nace were on Radio Celje to talk about the new single ‘Bluza’ and the new album.

Get a taste of the interview in our trailer:

youtube

and watch the full video with English subtitles on their Youtube channel:

youtube

Transcript and translation by drumbeat and @chaosofsmarty, review and subtitles by @kurooscoffee, proofread by X klámstrákur.

Accompanying article translated by IG 10_anja, reviewed by @weolucbasu, proof read by @flowerlotus8.

You can read the accompanying article and find the ENG SUB video, as well as the whole conversation in transcript form, under the cut.

What do JOKER OUT, bras and ikebanas have in common?

(Article posted on radiocelje.si website on the 24th of October 2024).

Joker out are announcing the release of their third studio album 'Souvenier Pop'!

At Jutranji ritem (Morning Rhythm) on Radio Celje we were visited by the members of the Slovenian band Joker Out - Bojan, Kris, Jan, Nace and Jure. The boys, who won the hearts of Slovenian and foreign fans with their unique style and energy, shared with us their interesting stories and moments from European stages, where they have enthralled at festivals, such as the legendary Sziget.

We talked about the impact that Eurovision had on their further creation, and how their dreams about big stages became a reality. They unveiled to us some fun adventures from abroad including an unusual moment in Finland that made one of their hits go viral.

You can hear what do they have in common with bras and ikebanas in the video.

youtube

On the 15th of November we are expecting their new album 'Souvenir Pop', which will offer musical hits in Slovene, Serbo-Croatian and English alike. In the capital city there are also two concerts scheduled with the release of the new album. You can also hear their new song 'Bluza' on Radio Celje.

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

📝Video Transcript:

Host: With us today are Bojan, Kris, Nace, Jure, and Jan, the most popular Slovenian band, Joker Out. Welcome to Radio Celje.

Joker Out: Hi! Hello! Hey, hey, hey!

Bojan: Thank you very much!

I knew it, I said it wrong. You’re not the most popular Slovenian band…

Bojan: Absolutely, yes.

…but European band. A band known world-wide.

Joker Out: Wooow.

Now tell me, did Eurovision leave an impression?

Jure: No.

Bojan: Eh, no, nothing much, really, I think. Eurovision really made the 180 degree turn for us. Before it, we didn’t have any concerts abroad, or we played a concert in Croatia but for a Slovenian audience. Eurovision has brought us the opportunity to suddenly be performing all across Europe and we’re performing for foreign audiences, which is crazy.

Because you’re made for the big stages. At a festival in the middle of Budapest you really caused a stir, right? But you’ve always been dreaming about this stage.

Kris: That’s true. You are talking about the Main stage at Sziget. It’s a stage, for which we always said that if there was one thing we would never be able to achieve in our lives, it was Sziget main stage. I was there for the first time as a listener in 2018, watching all of my favourite artists up there and it was… I tried to imagine what it was like to look at the crowd from the other side, but I just couldn’t. Now I know what it’s like. And it’s quite a weird feeling. Still.

Weird?

Kris: Good, but weird. It’s never the way you imagine it.

Cool, we’re really happy that we caught you in our area, too, because you, you don’t stop. You’re a Band with a capital B. You travel…

Bojan: Just superlatives.

Yeah, just superlatives. You weren’t just in Budapest. You were also in Romania, in Slovakia. Where have you been and where else are you going?

Bojan: We’ve been to Finland, Poland, Great Britain, and Spain the most.

Kris: The Netherlands.

Bojan: In the Netherlands. We were in Lithuania twice, once in Latvia, once in Estonia.

Kris: Six times in Germany.

Bojan: Six times in Germany, three times in Sweden.

Jan: Have you said Great Britain and Ireland? Belgium, Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia.

Bojan: Croatia absolutely.

Nace: Italy.

Bojan: Macedonia.

Kris: We’ll name all the countries in the EU now.

Jure: Yes.

Kris: Every single country.

Bojan: Austria.

Jan: You’ve said Norway and Sweden?

Alright, alright.

Bojan: No, I didn’t, Norway, well, I’ve mentioned Sweden.

And you also mentioned Finland.

Bojan: Finland, I did.

We heard something unexpected happened in Finland, which affected your recognisability. Actually, how viral one of your hits went.

Bojan: Yes! Okay, that was quite the genius moment. Namely, I finished ‘Šta bih ja’ before the Stockholm concert. No, what am I saying, sorry, in Helsinki and I wasn’t 1000% sure I’d sing the chorus correctly, so I wrote it on a piece of paper, in a big font, and gave it to our technician Kiki, and asked if he could please stick it onto the front monitor speaker so that I could look at it. And I asked him 35 times. “Did you stick it on?” “I stuck it on.” “Okay, great.” I get on stage, darn, I can’t see the paper anywhere. I look at the monitor on the left, the one on the right, nothing. I’m checking, if he might’ve mixed it up and hung it on a speaker somewhere, the sheet is nowhere to be found. And two songs before 'Šta bih ja’, I step to the very front part of the stageand I look down, and I see that when the champ hung it up, he did it on the other side of the monitor, so the audience was reading the lyrics, not so I could see it. And then what happened? People thought it was on purpose, a 'sing along’ moment, karaoke. Everyone took pictures, filmed it, posted it online, the lyrics of a new song that was yet to come out. Anyway, we finished the concert. I remember we ran to the van from backstage, I opened my phone, and the lyrics were already on Genius. So, all the lyrics were already written out: the original, in Serbian, translated into English, and it was an hour after the concert ended. And from that concert on, already the very next day, because we performed in Helsinki again the next day, the whole crowd was already singing the song. It was crazy. It went viral on TikTok, totally, so Kiki, hats off to you. Of course, because I looked at that and told Kiki, “Give me my lyrics back.” and it was so much worse, because Kiki then took off the lyrics in front of everyone and put it on the correct side of the monitor, so I was able to read it.

Kris: You know, the craziest part about it to me is that the Finns, because the crowd was majority Finnish, they realised the lyrics were in Serbian, that it was something they hadn’t heard from us yet. To me that’s, you know…

Bojan: Yeah, of course.

Kris: Imagine you read something in Finnish, how will you know it’s something you haven’t read yet, or heard?

Bojan: Well, if it’s not… ♪ Rankka viikko ja paljon pitkii päiviä takan ♪

Kris: Yeah, yeah. That’s just, that’s so crazy to me.

Jan: It’s actually funny, that some fan probably knew the lyrics to the song before you did. No.

Bojan: It’s definitely possible.

Jan: It wouldn’t be impossible.

Kris: It’s not impossible.

You have tons of fans, what is the most unbelievable, or most awesome thing that a fan did for you?

Bojan: There’s a lot of things like that.

Jure: I think about those hoodies we got.

Jure: Those were nice. Everyone got their own hoodie.

Kris: In their own color.

Jure: Their own color, I just know I had Captain Maček written in the front here and SSF airlines in the back.

Bojan: Everyone got an embroidered, hand embroidered, signature, what’s the word…

Kris: Personalised.

Bojan: A personalised shirt.

Nace: Although, among all of these fan gifts, the most beautiful was the one in Stožice, where the fans had planned amongst themselves, and before the concert, they handed out these colorful triangles with instructions to to put it over the phone flashlight during 'Novi val’. And suddenly, the whole arena was in colorful lights.

Jure: And we didn’t know that.

Bojan: It was, it was… Amazing. Because we, I remember, that when 'Novi val’ started, the whole arena lit up in colorful lights and then we got off stage and started asking everyone in the crew who did it, because it’s a massive project, to hand 12,000 people colorful lights, which we thought they did. And really, it was the fans, walking around before the concert, and handing out these papers actually, and the instructions to put these ligh… I mean, there’s been a lot of these beautiful fan projects. With 'Metulji’ they made paper butterflies and handed them out, so everyone lifted their butterflies up. And that was also abroad.

Jan: In Warsaw.

Bojan: It happened in Warsaw. I mean, we have awesome fan projects, we have this group, Joker Out Subs, which is a group of fans that actually, in already a very organised way, translate all the Slovenian content into, Idon’t know, dozens of languages, worldwide. And they actually go online, find the interviews, conversations, guest appearances in shows, whatever, and they spring into action. And in a couple of days it's… I’m also sure that… It’s not impossible that this interview, for example, will be translated into 10 or 15 languages with subtitles.

What was an unusual, wild thing, that you got on stage during a concert? And let’s not say just bras, now.

Bojan: A bottle of blueberry liquor… To the knee.

Jure: …to the knee.

Bojan: That was still… That was…

Jure: But years ago.

Bojan: …in Žiri. It happened in Žiri.

Bojan: Our bassist was hit by a bottle of blueberry liquor which is a lot better than the hammer that hit the previous band. I’ll never forget that.

Jure: Or was it an axe?

Bojan: Axe, hammer, something, I mean, bizarre. I got an ikebana. And that was awesome. I think I’ve already told this story. But that happened because a guy, from the middle of the tent, in Koper, if I’m not mistaken, held up that ikebana and pushed through the crowd and everyone was getting out of his way and he got to the front rows and gave me that ikebana.

Now, I won’t ask about which performance was most memorable because there’s probably so many that you wouldn’t know or be able to pick one out. So I picked one. And I’m interested in how it came to be that Ringo Starr’s grandson joined you on stage?

Bojan: Yeah, we met him in a pub, like how I’d assume, in London, you meet many people casually. And he’s really an awesome guy. We clicked immediately, his name is Louis. A great drummer, he also has his own band. Anyway, when we were talking about what to do at Shepherd’s Bush, which is a truly eminent venue in London, we kind of said, darn, it would be nice if someone could join us on stage, and that it’s casual, natural. So we asked Louis if he’d jump on stage. He said: “Yeah, let me get on with a tambourine.” So he happily hopped on stage, tambourine-d his part and went on his way.

Kris: They even had a drum battle.

Bojan: Even a drum battle, dude.

Kris: Percussion, percussion drum battle I’d say.

Bojan: On the congas.

Today, we’ll hear your new song, 'Bluza’. I got asked by a fan of yours, a friend of mine, to ask you if it’s conjugated correctly, this word, 'bluza’. Because in the song, Bojan says: “Noćas ti si moja muza, ja u ritmu tvoga BLUZA ću da plešem bez prestanka.” How’d you land on that?

Bojan: Yes. So the word “bluza” isn’t even connected to a blouse, like a shirt, a piece of clothing. “Bluz” (blues) is just blues as a musical genre.

Okay. Honestly, I don’t know, this whole time we’ve been… Was the name of the song a somehow natural progression from “bluza, bluza”, or what?

Kris: Yeah, it was muza bluza (blues muse).

Jure: I think it was “muza” (muse).

Bojan: It was “muza”, it was “muza”. Then we settled on “bluza”, so yeah, kind of a silly name if you think about it, but…

Kris: It doesn’t make sense, but somehow it makes sense.

But it’s cool, because you ask, right, what’s the point, really?

Bojan: Who or what is “bluza”?

Who among you is the laziest?

Bojan: Nobody in the band is lazy, definitely, as a personality trait, nobody’s lazy. But I feel like we all have these particular moments when everyone, how should I say… You know, when you have a phase, when it hits you, and then you’re the most… Personally, when everything gets too hard, I’d… I’m the laziest then. But like, I choose to be the laziest, because I just don’t want to, I refuse to move.

Jure: I could say just the opposite. I know Kris is the least lazy, or even when he should be lazy, he can’t be lazy, I believe.

Bojan: That’s for sure. Kris is a walking Excel timetable.

If you had to pick someone, and send him to a quiz show, I don’t know, “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” Who would you pick, who’s the smartest?

Kris: It’s not about smarts, it’s more like who has the most knowledge, in my opinion.

Knowledgeable. Yeah, exactly.

Kris: I wouldn’t pick myself, for sure.

Jure: The Millionaire?

Kris: I bet Jan would know the answers.

Nace: Yeah, I’m leaning towards Jan as well.

Jure: I think I’d rely on luck.

Kris: I think I’d ask the audience for help. Jan would take his time to answer the question, but the answer would be correct, I think.

Jan: Why wouldn’t you pick yourself? I can totally see you.

Who’s the best cook?

Bojan: Jan.

Kris: Yes.

Jan: Or Jure.

Kris: Jure too, especially if it’s a barbecue, Jure. If it’s more like kitchen stuff, some risotto or pasta, I’d trust Jan.

Nace: But we’re all pretty decent cooks, to be fair. None of us…

Bojan: None of us would leave anyone hungry, let’s put it that way.

Jure: We love to cook and eat our own food.

November 15th?

Jure: A new cooking show.

Nace: Cooking with Jokers!

Bojan: On November 15th, our third studio album comes out, called 'Souvenir Pop’. It’s our third studio album, and fourth album overall, because last year we released the Live album from Stožice. This album will have ten songs, four of which you’ve already heard, which are 'Carpe Diem’, 'Everybody’s Waiting’, 'Šta bih ja’, and Bluza.’ So the remaining six are a mystery, for now. It’s an interesting album, we see it as a collection of memories from the last year and a half that we’ve gathered. And just like places and people are different, and everything else we’ve seen is different, the songs are different as well, so it’s a really diverse album, without, I’d say, a prominent common thread. There are three languages on it, Slovenian, Serbian, and English, so it’s really colourful.

This will be a perfect Christmas gift or for the New Year.

Bojan: Yeah, exactly, exactly. For Christmas, you should all be singing this instead of ‘Last Christmas.’

A music video tomorrow? On Friday?

Joker Out: Yes.

Kris: Yes, it’s true, the video is coming out for the single ‘Bluza,’ which has been released three weeks ago already, but we decided it deserves a music video as well, and we took a little more time, but I think we really put in the effort, and made a really unique video, something you haven’t seen from us yet, you haven’t seen anything remotely similar from us, and I doubt you’ll see anything like it again. And we have some cool hidden guests, in the video, well, for now they’re still hidden.

It will also be pinned on radiocelje.si. Bojan, Kris, Nace, Jure, Jan - Joker Out, thank you for visiting Radio Celje.

Bojan: Yes, first of all, on behalf of all of us, thank you for the invitation. We hope to be back soon, or as soon as possible. Take care, and stay safe!

#joker out #jokeroutsubs #bojan cvjetićanin #bojan cvjeticanin #kris guštin #kris gustin #jure maček #jure macek #nacejordan #jan peteh #jos: announcement #jos: collaboration #source: radio celje #year: 2024 #jo: all members #og language: slovenian #type: video #type: transcript #type: article

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phoebepheebsphibs · 3 months ago

Text

.Dead asleeP.

Title: Chapter 4: N2 Prompt: You were peacefully sleeping when you suddenly wake up to the sound of a heart monitor steadily beeping somewhere nearby, and realize you are in the med-bay with no memory of what happened prior to this. // After watching movies with your siblings all night and passing out in the tv room, you wake up to find that you're alone. What happened? Fandom: ROTTMNT Word Count: 5,043 Author: PhoebePheebsPhibs Rating: Gen Characters: Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, & Raphael (disembodied voices), Big Mama Warning: Derealization, nightmare-ish stuff (Leo is stuck in a dream), blood & injury (Leo's shell is temporarily shattered) Summary: Leo fights in a dark and twisted version of the Battle Nexus, and learns more than he wanted to about his situation... Notes: More chapters to follow (2 more, to be exact)

@shr00mi3writefight @tmnt-write-fight @that-0n3-shr00mi3

Posted on AO3 <-

Leonardo turned round three times, staring in confusion and shock as he attempted to get his bearings and understand the situation. How was he here?? How had he gotten here?? Why couldn't he remember anything?? And why did everything look like it was straight out of a paranormal youtube video??

Dark creatures with malformed limbs and creepy grins were placed in shadows, watching him with anticipation. Their eyes glowed white and yellow against the darkness, their jaws slowly cracked into demonic smiles with sharp fangs which dripped drool and blood as the teeth cut their gums and lips. The crowd roared -- part cheers, part animalistic growls and snarls. Leo's breath froze in his lungs, his arms and legs trembled as he was wracked with shivers and shakes. He couldn't move. He tried at some point, just to prove he still could. But he was stuck, trapped in his own body and forced to witness the crowd grow excited over his oncoming death.

"Tonight's battle will star our favourite little turtley-boo, Leonardo! Up against a few simply silly sadisticals. How fun! I do hope he shall give us a good show, though I know it shan't be a long one. So sad. Just kidding! This will be such an exciting tizzy-tassle! Let's see how long he lasts, hm?"

Leo swallowed deeply.

"This isn't happening, this isn't happening, this literally CANNOT be happening!" he hyperventilated, trying his hardest not to cry. He couldn't cry, not here. It didn't matter how utterly terrifying this whole thing was, he could. NOT. CRY. HERE.

"Leo!"

"I can't do this, I-I can't do this--"

"Leo, listen to us --"

"I can't, I can't, I can't, please --"

"LEO!!"

Leo jumped, the voices shocking him out of his panic-riddled stupor.

"WHO?! What was -- Do I have to fight invisible people now, too?!"

Leo backed away, trying to find the source of the voices. He couldn't see anyone --

"Leo, LISTEN TO ME!"

But Leo felt something. A grip on his wrist, a pressure that was tight and kept him from pulling away. Leo stared down in shock at his wrist where someone was grabbing him -- but there was no hand. Only a strangely glowing purple wristlet --

A growing sensation almost like electricity rose through him, purple light flooding his veins from the hand all the way up his arm and into his heart and lungs and brain before turning a glorious shade of blue. Everything returned. The creeping hallways where he first met them. The distorted pizzeria. The never-ending loop of the Hidden City. Everything. Donnie was holding his wrist. Somehow, through the bracelet, he could feel him as if he were actually there. Leo remembered the three dreams prior, everything he had learned and seen, how Leo was trapped in a strange dream world and how his brothers had used a mystic spell to break in and help Leo break out.

Leonardo's gaze was fixated on the glowing device. His eyes were wide, pale, confused but hopeful as he whispered in utter shock.

"...Donnie? Donnie!"

"What-- how--?"

"The device," Donnie realised. "It's a ninpo enhancer -- it used my ninpo to recharge his and return his memories!"

"Is that a thing?"

"It is now."

"WHAT IS HAPPENING?!" Leo screamed loudly. "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!"

"No need to shout," Mikey scolded.

"HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN WHERE WE ARE?!"

"Oh. Right."

A horn blared through the atmosphere, and the creatures were free to commence with their assaults. The lights faded, apart from one spotlight placed directly over Leonardo. The monsters began to rush Leo, faster than anything he'd ever seen before. He could barely see them through the dimness, but fortunately there spotted areas where some soft light still remained. Leo saw their forms zooming back and forth -- but he never saw the one creature that jumped him from behind. The monster clawed into Leo's shoulders and shell, crashing him to the ground. Leo screamed as loudly as he could as the could as the beast dug into him. He could hear his shell shatter, he could feel the talons and claws ripping their way to his spine and skeletal structure.

"LEO!!!"

There was a blast of red and orange and purple, and the monster was blown away, incinerated completely.

"Leo, Leo!! Are you okay?!"

"I-I --" Leo gasped and shook, blood spilling over him as his tears pooled in puddles below his face as he slowly came to his knees. He couldn't stand, he was shaking too much. "I don't -- I can't, c-can't -- It, it got my back --"

Leo felt a heat, warm and thick flowing through his body and flooding out of him like a gushing river. The red that stained the ground started to reach his hands, his knees, his legs, his everything, his --

"Leo, breathe. Breathe with me, okay? Just breathe. I know this is freaking terrifying. But you need to take in a deep breath, and remember... it isn't real."

"It sure FEELS pretty frickin' real," Leo snapped in between gasping sobs.

"Does it? Really?"

Leo paused. There... there was no pain. There was heat, hot as fire, but no sting, no ache, no pain. Leo turned back to look at his shell, broken and shattered and revealing his innards. But it didn't hurt. Leo stared blankly at it. As he stared, two pins of golden light ignited and gracefully flowed over him, sparks stitching matter together over his destroyed carapace and restoring his shell to its former glory.

"How... how are you doing that?"

"It's a dream form," Mikey said, and Leo could practically hear the shrug. "It's not that out of my skillset."

"What... is your 'skillset', exactly?"

"I can show you later," Mikey said with a deep and exhausted exhale. "F-for now... we have to get you out of here..."

The lights (which Leo slowly realised were Mikey's hands) flickered and went out. Leo sensed anxiety and worry in his other two brothers.

"What's going on? Is he okay--?"

"He's just overworked," Raphael explained. "He used up a lot of energy before this..."

"M'fine," Mikey retorted. "I can still --"

"Take a backseat for this one, Angelo," Donnie instructed. "We'll take it from here."

"What do you mean, you'll take it from here -- what are you taking on?"

"Your nightmare," Raph responded.

Leo turned back to watch as the monsters approached him with snickers and sneers and snarls. He froze again. They may not be able to kill him or physically hurt him, but the fear was more than real, and that alone was torture enough.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you," Raph promised. His voice was quiet, but severe with determination.

"How?" Leo asked, voice wavering.

"I told you --" Raphael replied, and as he spoke red crystals of light surrounded Leonardo, forming a more durable and fitted uniform of armour and a massive shield, "This is my speciality."

Leo had no idea how Raph managed this, how he had created such a shimmering suit of armor that glowed bright crimson around him like the holograms he wore over himself...

But what shocked him even more was how a red star with white-hot light sparked to life before him, and formed an entire dragon around it. Completed with spiked frills and scales that stood up like barbs and spines.

It looked like him. It looked like Raphael.

A second miracle occurred as dozens of missiles and firearms appeared from nowhere, glowing purple, same as the device on his wrist. Each one exploded in a flurry of violet violence. The two partialled out the arena, splitting it in half between them. Raphael to the right, Donatello to the right. The missiles fired on all counts, and the dragon exhaled a fury of white flame upon them all.

Leonardo stared at the scene in utter stupefaction.

"...Um. Okay. I'm just going to roll with this, I guess."

Leo rose to the battle, heartened to bravery by his brothers' actions. The monsters roared as they flew past them on all fronts. Leo's mystic armor kept him safe and secure; ceaselessly enveloped in the constant feeling of his big brother watching over him. Leo jumped over a creature and stabbed it with his odachi. The beast melted into black goop and then evaporated into shadow. Another one came up from behind and attempted to jump him, but Donnie's nukes took care of it before it even had the chance to growl at him. Leo kept up the attack, destroying every nightmare monster that approached him. But it was by no means easy work. The creatures were still terrifying and deadly. Now that Raph had a semi-physical form, they attacked him with full force, biting, clawing, and stabbing at his dragon projection. He roared and swiped his large paws at them, knocking at least ten away and into the crowds. A few of the demons jump onto his back and climb up to the dragon's face, stabbing it in its hologram-eye.

"Raph!!" Leo cried out when he heard the dragon roar in pain.

"H-he'll be okay," Mikey whispered behind him. "It's not his actual body. They can't touch his actual body, even if they tear the dragon apart."

"Can he make another one?" Leo asked, swinging his sword in a perfect 180˚ arc, cutting down three nightmare demons at once. "If the dragon is destroyed?"

"Maybe, but he probably shouldn't," Mikey sighed. "This form is already more than he usually does, he's exerting himself..."

Leo swallowed, his throat thick from anxiety. Raph shouldn't do that, not for him, especially not for him.

He shouldn't sacrifice himself for Leo's sake. Again.

Again?

Why was that thought so recurring? Why did Leo get faint deja vu every time he thought about...

...Whatever it was that he kept thinking about?

"How do you feel guilty over something you don't remember?"

"Mikey?" Leo asked, air frozen in his lungs. "What do you mean? You read my thoughts -- wait, you know what I can't remember? What can't I remember??"

"You --"

Leo was slammed in the chest by a monster. The armour held up perfectly, a shimmering ripple went through and reverberated across the chestplate.

"Leo!" Mikey screamed, and a blast of golden lightning and chains exploded through the creature.

"Woah! Mikey! H-how?!"

"It's my ninpo! Remember?"

"No! I don't remember... whatever it is you said!" Leo retorts.

"Wait, you... you don't remember -- How far back do you remember??"

"Donnie and Raph already asked, we defeated the Shredder by having Big Mama banish him into another dimension or something!"

"Wait, but that was over a year ago! Does... does that mean you don't know how you got here?"

"How I what?"

Leo jumped over an attacking monster as it tried to bite his arm off. Donnie created a machine gun that fired endlessly at the foes. Raph swung his tail at the dream demons before turning them to a flambé.

"Leo, think back! Back to before the sleepover. What do you remember?" Mikey asked.

Leo panted heavily as he tried to think. His mind was a bit foggy over the subject, like there was tar covering over that part of his brain and causing everything to become blurry.

"Um... w-we defeated the Shredder?"

"After that."

"We... Donnie won the Lair Games."

"Good, okay! Keep going..."

"What do you mean, keep going? I don't... I think we went camping?"

"Camping? Camping where?"

"In the woods. With... with Todd?"

"Were there dentists?" Mikey inquired.

"Yeah. Yeah! There were!"

"What else? Anything beyond that point?"

Leo thought hard. He's... he wasn't sure. Every time he tried to think about it, he felt sleepy and sluggish. Which was really bad timing considering what was going on. As Leo's head swam and his thoughts clouded, a nightmare-creature came bounding over and lunged at him. Leo's head his the ground with a thunderous crack, splitting the hard dirt beneath him. He really couldn't focus after that. Couldn't do much of anything but watch drowsily as the monster started to claw at the hologram armour Raph had given him.

"Leo!" Mikey screamed, and a mystic chain wrapped around the beast. Michelangelo swung it around and around before letting it fly into the nearest wall. "Bad doggie!"

Leo blinked slowly as movement and clarity seeped back in. Golden sparkles fluttered around him, hovering over his face and chest. Mikey was standing over him. He could sense his nervousness, his concern.

"Leo? Dude, you okay?"

He nodded softly. He felt something tighten around his wrist as he was pulled up from the ground. He glanced at the wrist tech from Donnie, which was glowing orange. He saw how orange light chased through his veins, reinvigorating him and clearing the tar away drip by drop.

"What is that?" Leo asked, looking over his arms and veins as the orange light flashed into blue.

"That's your NINPO, dude!"

"Wait, say that again?"

"Ninpo?"

"What the heck's a pinpo?"

Before Mikey could answer, a purple missile landed between them and sent Leo flying. He assumed that Mikey went flying as well, but couldn't see.

"Whoops!" Donnie called out. "Sorry!"

"Watch your aim, dude!" Leo yelled back.

The last of the monsters vanished, melting into nothingness as the crowd roared at the victors.

"Is... is that it? Are we done?"

"Not quite yet, my pretty little plaything," a grotesque and saccharine voice echoed.

Leo's eyes grew wide as dinner plates a giant behemoth leapt from the stands far away and landed in the center of the stadium, the force of her collision caused an enormous ripple effect that made everyone jump and crash back into the floor. Big Mama. Though, she did not look like Big Mama. Yet despite her general unnaturally thin self, her abdomen was three times her size and looked malformed. She looked older, half-dead, her hair even frizzier than usual. Her chest was skin and bones thin, as though she'd not eaten once in her life and was nothing more than a skeletal creature with flesh haphazardly glued to her ribcage and spine. She had more than just the eight limbs, there must've been ten -- each one looked gangly and broken the wrong way, cracking and shifting. she had long, thin nails that elongated into talons. Her colours were drained -- pale and desaturated, no life or vibrancy could be found within her. She literally looked like she'd crawled back from death just to duel Leonardo.

"You're very clever to have defeated my hordes," she cooed. "But your lucky streak ends here. Prepare to die."

Leo swallowed.

"Guys...? Little help?"

"Get to the exit!" Mikey shouted, directing them with a beam of light towards a doorway.

Big Mama saw the beam and slammed one of her many legs against it, crushing the light against the wall. It fizzled out, and Mikey gave a bloodcurdling scream of agony.

"MIKEY?!"

"MIKEY!!"

Leo watched, frozen in place, as the dragon ran to where the light had been and slowly sniffed the area. The white light at the center moved towards the end, leaving the beast as it inspected the spot where the light had been destroyed.

"Mikey, what happened?!"

"Sh-s-she p-pinned my arm-m-m...!" Mikey hyperventilated. "She, she broke my light, I -- M-my hand, it hurtssss...."

"I gotchyu, bud," Raph whispered. "It's gonna be okay, you're fine, you--"

"Raph, your dragon!"

Raphael turned back to see that Big Mama had begun attacking the hologram dragon, destroying the body piece by piece. The giant reptile wailed in pain as she brought it down and broke it apart, clawing the chest open and ripping the arms off. The dragon projection cried out one more time before its head fell and hit the ground, the body pixelated and dissipated.

Leo heard Raph groan softly, and sensed him grow weaker. The red armour around Leo deconstructed and fluttered away, like ashes in the wind. He sensed Mikey's anxiety and fear rise higher and higher.

"Raph?! RAPH!! No, no!"

"Ssssstop yer wailin', I'm alright," Raphael muttered.

"But Raph --"

"I'm fine," he scolded. "Don't worry Leo, okay?"

"...M'kay," Mikey whined. Leo could hear the tears streaking down his baby brother's face.

It was at this point that Donatello sent a barrage of missiles after Big Mama, blowing her to kingdom come.

"Let's GO!" he yelled, trying to direct the group out of the turmoil as quickly as he could.

Leo wished he could help his brothers somehow... help lift them up, carry them --

"Oh, how sad," Big Mama chortled. "It feels alone."

Leo's blood ran colder than ice. She was still alive?

"I wonder," she said, crawling out of the smoke and flame, "if you truly understand the repercussions of your inadequacy. Do you know that each one of these pathetic brothers of yours would DIE for you?"

Leo took a step backwards, whole body trembling. Both Raph and Mikey were out of commission. Donnie's weapons had no effect on her. Leo kept creeping away from her until his back was up against the wall. Chills ran down his spine from the cold structure. He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping to avoid looking at her. He forgot he was in a nightmare. No matter what he did, he couldn't not see her. His eyes closed, he watched from the outside. He turned away, the world warped and had her reappear in front of him. He tried to run away, she was always the same distance away from him in all directions.

"You pathetic wicked worm," she spat. "Did you really think you could get away? Did you really think you would be safe -- or that they would be safe from you??"

A thick and sticky string of webbing wrapped around his stomach and tossed him like a yo-yo, throwing him far away before reeling him back into her clutches. He kicked at her in desperate panic, and with every kick he attempted she laughed at him. Laughed, and laughed, and laughed, like the joke he was.

She flung him into the ground, against a wall, and finally across the arena. Leo was dizzy, confused, disoriented. He felt something tighten around his wrist and pull him away.

"Leo! Come on, Nardo, get up!"

Leo groggily got to his feet, swaying from side to side as the world spun round like a top. He limped along with the pull, trying to go as fast as he could to keep up. He knew it wasn't enough.

"Where are you going?" Big Mama called after him, her voice simultaneously sweet and venomous. "You have nowhere to run! You have no salvation prepared! You truly think you can escape death?"

Leo slunk through the opening and heard Raph and Mikey call out to him. He could hardly focus on the words between the ringing in his ears and the echoes of her voice. His heart pounded with terror, but his head lolled from side to side from the hits he'd taken. He felt something stronger try to lift him up. Red light filled his veins, same as before when Mikey and Donnie touched the device on his wrist. The red light blended with blue, and Leo's head cleared somewhat. He still felt the strong arm of his brother under him, raising him almost off the ground as he helped to carry him through the tunnels leading away from the Battle Nexus and into the kennels for all the trapped performers.

"I'm right behind you!" she sang, almost giddily. "Better run!"

Leo did just that. He ran. Raph's arm kept him upright, and his pinpo or whatever Mikey had called it kept him shielded, though it looked like it was running out of batteries. Donnie's pinpo was doing okay, he used it to send missile after missile after missile at the charging arachnoid, doing his best to keep her at bay. Mikey led the way, his fading light bouncing off the walls and pointing the way out of the dungeons.

Leo kept running, even after his sides started aching and his legs went numb. He couldn't stop. He wasn't sure when the walls went from stone to drywall with withered wallpaper, or when the dusty ground beneath him morphed into floorboards with thin carpeting. He couldn't tell when the windows to the cells shifted into picture frame paintings on the wall. He didn't notice that there were now the occasional long tables with flower arrangements and lamps here and there. But he only realized the difference when he no longer felt Raph under his arm, couldn't hear Donnie shouting at Big Mama, and lost sight of Mikey's luminescence. He stopped, looked around, hyperventilating as the thought surged through him that he'd somehow lost them. But he hadn't lost his pursuer.

"Oh, dim-witted deary... is it lost?" she laughed, coming up behind him. Despite being far too enormous to fit within the small and cramped hallways, she made it to him easily. Venom dripped down her mandibles, her long fangs glistened in the weak light of the dying lamps. "Did they leave you? Understandable, considering all you've put them through. And the fact that you left them before..."

"This... th-this is a trap," Leo reminded himself. "This isn't real... you're just t-trying to scare me!"

"I'm not trying at all," she giggled. "You ARE scared. You are TERRIFIED. You are MY PREY."

She raised one of her long legs and brought it crashing down, cracking through the floor and creating a cavity in the halls. The floor crumbled beneath Leo's feet, he slipped and tripped as he tried to outrun the cracks growing along the flooring. He fell through and landed in the floor below. He wasted no time in getting back up and running for his life. Where were his brothers?! He needed them! He didn't know where to go -- and they needed him! If they strayed too far, they would become just as trapped as him!

"RAPH! MIKEY! DONNIE! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

Leo sobbed as he ran. He screamed his lungs out, shrieking and crying and wailing in desperation. He wanted to wake up, he wanted to get out!

"Do you, now?"

Leo skidded to a halt as Big Mama came thundering down in front of him, the ceiling caving in beneath her weight and dropping her before her prisoner.

"Is that what you want? To leave? My sweet, silly blueberry boo! You are so confuzzled! You want to STAY HERE, don't you?"

Leo swallowed, backing away gingerly. He whimpered, raising his hands up in surrender, trying to keep her at bay. He couldn't stop shaking, his skin crawled, his chest fluttered with anxiety and a strange urge to just fall over and play dead. Faint away and be done with this. To go back to sleep.

"You want to stay in this world. It's so much more comfortable here."

"You call this comfortable?"

"Maybe not now, but you've chosen this route. You can just as easily choose a different one. Just as simply decide to go back to the start, finish your sleepover with your friends and family. Live a peaceful life, free of worry or pain or regret. Choose a paradise. Or, you can continue to defy and deny this world, and discover for yourself the subsequent results."

"I-I don't want to stay here," Leo refused, though the cracking in his vocal chords wasn't very convincing. "I want to go home."

"You are at home," she spat back with a sneer. "You've been at home this whole time."

"I mean, I don't want to be under your spell!" he retorted angrily.

"What spell?" Big Mama cackled. "There is no spell!"

"What...?"

Leo lowered his hands slowly, searching her eyes for the lie, the twist of the truth. She always had a secret twist, a change of the rules at the last second. He knew he could never trust her. But this wasn't her. This was Leo's nightmare. His own mind. Technically, this was Leo.

In the distance, he could hear Mikey shouting for him. Donnie, too.

"You haven't figured it out yet?" Big Mama laughed. "You haven't worked it out? Such a clever boy, but he soars right over the obvious!"

"What are you talking about?" Leo barked. "Haven't figured out what?"

"Leo. Poor, little Leo... you're not under any spell, except the one your brothers put on you to infiltrate your mind."

"What are you --"

"Donatello told you, don't you recall? No one put any spell on you to cause you to sleep. So who's trap is this, then?"

Leo's face fell. Raph yelled for him, called him by name, begged him to answer. Leo thought it over. They said he was trapped. They said something was keeping him asleep, wanted him to stay asleep. But there was no spell... so then, what was this?

"Who did this to me?" Leo asked, unsure why he was asking her, of all people. "Who's keeping me trapped?"

She smirked at him, just as his brothers rounded the corner and found him again.

"YOU are."

Leo could hear his brothers skid to a halt. He could hear them gasp in horror. He could feel their fears, rising to exponential levels as Leo was handed the truth.

"You are under no spell. You did this to yourself. And now, you're doing it to them."

"I... what?"

"Don't listen to her, Leo!" Mikey shouted. "She's distorting the truth!"

"But you know it is true," she smiled, humming a laugh as she came closer. "You have been keeping yourself prisoner, in a perfect prison."

Leo always loved plot twists and betrayals in his telenovelas... But this was a little too much for him to swallow.

"You're... you're lying."

"You have been asleep for seven whole days. You have been lost in your own mind and body this whole time, on the verge of death itself. And you have refused to come out of it."

"No," Leo said, laughing at the audacity of the claim. Laughing like he'd lost his mind. "No, I w-would never do that to -- my family, I'd never --"

"They told you themselves what you'd done," Big Mama snarled. "But you have been blocking them out. Refusing to listen, avoiding the truth. You can't live with the knowledge that you abandoned them, so you won't listen to it any longer."

"That... that isn't true," Leo begged, looking for his brothers to prove her wrong. He really wished he could see their faces, see their denial, the reassuring smiles that they would bear, the kindness in their eyes. Instead he felt their regret, their sorrow, their fear.

"...You've been in a coma, Leo," Donnie explained.

"I... I've what?" he scoffed, tears spilling from his eyes as his throat closed up, the broken smile still scrawled across his face in pure denial. "No... no! No, you're wrong!" he laughed. "A coma? Seriously, Dee, even this is too silly. It's the most cliche thing -- I mean, come on, you -- you can't be serious, you're joking. This is a joke!"

His laughs died down as their silence filled the halls.

"...Right?"

"You poor, diluted boy," Big Mama sighed, placing a hand on Leo's shoulder. "You couldn't save your family then, and you'll bring them down with you now. Can't you even die right?"

She cackled maliciously as Leo's head slowly rotated, staring in horror at the demon behind him.

"Oh, that's right! YOU CAN'T."

She gripped his shoulder tightly and flung him down the hallway behind her, once again separating him from his family. As he slid and skid down the corridor, she bellowed more revelations.

"YOU COULDN'T KEEP THEM SAFE IN LIFE, SO YOU TRY TO DIE FOR THEM. SOME MARTYR YOU MAKE!"

"Leo, don't listen to her!" Mikey screamed, his voice tarnished by desperate wails.

"Don't let her get to you! Get out of here! RUN!" Donnie shouted after.

"We'll hold her back! Just go! You only have one dream left!" Raph instructed. "GO!"

Leo choked on his own sobs, watching helplessly as Big Mama came barrelling down the hall.

"YOU WRETCHED LITTLE PEST! YOU RUIN EVERYTHING!" she screamed, her voice shifting lower and into something so much worse. Her long, spindly legs seemed to turn to spaghetti, changing colours as she turned into an unholy amalgamation of something grotesque and traumatizing. Leo knew to fear this form, but he didn't know why. He couldn't remember. She chuckled as she came closer, her eyes glowing red and teeth sharp. "...And now, my wrath will be reserved for you alone."

Leo bolted.

"YOU THINK YOU'VE WON?!"

She chased. The walls crumbled around him as his brother screamed after him. Leo couldn't stop crying.

"YOU WILL BE THEIR CAUSE OF DEATH! YOU WILL DESTROY EVERYTHING YOU LOVE! NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, NO MATTER YOUR SACRIFICE, IT WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH TO MAKE UP FOR ALL THE PAIN YOU CAUSE AND THE DEATH YOU BRING ABOUT!"

Leo screamed out his sobs. There was a photo in his hand. When did that get there?

His eyelids grew heavy. His brothers' voices faded away. The monster behind him turned to shadow. But the voice echoed.

"YOU KILLED THE ENTIRE WORLD WITH YOUR EGO AND PRIDE! YOU DESTROYED THE FUTURE! YOU..."

Leo saw a light up ahead, orange and red and yellow. The dark hallway, with its twisted and gnarled walls became illuminated. There were eyes watching him. Everywhere. And yet he never felt more alone.

He stepped through the doorway.

He was in a large chamber. The floors were lava, molten and hot and glowing red, orange, and yellow. Leo stood high above the liquid fire, on a walkway leading to an enormous window. He made his way to the glass, overlooking New York City.

New York City, ablaze with flame and destruction.

"...You did this. You caused this."

Leo fell to his knees. Above him, an eye the size of the moon blinked and rolled over him, creating a spotlight that revealed the last nightmare he would face.

"King of the apocalypse, indeed," the Krang smirked.

#rottmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rottmnt leo #tmnt write fight #write fight #fanfiction #fanfic #trapped in a dream #trapped in a nightmare #tw injury

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