#irl loco

[toast-com]

I love him. He's a chonk.

[edwards-exploit]

streamlined (technically air-smoothed for tangmere but shhh) 4-6-2s drama must be craaazyyyy- or, spencer visits the west coast railway company and fights the nearest hater there.

bonus: the part where spencer cannot escape those sr light pacifics.

[posthumanwanderings]

my custom cravings combo @ Taco Bell w/doritos locos shell subbed inside gordita crunch 🌮:

[morethansalad]

Robby Ray's Loco Hot Cocoa (Vegan-Friendly)

[mavibonghostexpress]

Omg feels like it's been awhile- I keep forgetting abt this account

Soo to make up for it (and because it's holiday season) I'm deciding to open sketch requests again!

First tho- here's a continuation of a drawing I drew wayy earlier this year

[xomoosexo]

anon the crack your smoking would go for millions dude

truly

[vitalverstappen]

Homecoming - C. Leclerc

summary: have you ever had a massive crush on your team rival?

pairing: Charles Leclerc x Red Bull driver! reader

warnings: drinking, swearing, use of y/n

word count: 5.5k

a/n: so @coco-loco-nut (aka my irl bestie) and i both wrote fics based on the same concept, theirs is linked at the end!

smau

masterlist

Contrary to popular opinion, Monaco was one of, if not your least favorite racetrack. It was narrow, making it hard to pass and way too easy to defend. Analysts would say all of that makes the Grand Prix exciting, while you found it to be just plain stupid. For the last half of the race, you were stuck in a DRS train in 10th, sandwiched between Alex in front and Pierre behind. 

“Fucking hell guys, this is boring.” You complained over the radio “Sorry I can’t do any better right now” 

And you couldn’t do any better the rest of the race. While your race was nowhere near eventful, you were able to get glimpses of the screens showing Charles crossing the checkered flag first at his home race. You didn’t bother fighting the smile growing on your face. He had worked all of his life for this moment. He deserved every bit of euphoria. 

You slid into parc ferme along with the rest of the midfield, barely able to get out of the car and reconnect your steering wheel fast enough. Sprinting down parc ferme, you found Charles celebrating with his team and family. When he eventually wriggled his way out of their grasp, you were able to approach him. 

“Congrats Charlie. Well deserved man” You said, embracing him in a hug 

“Thank you, thank you” Was all he was able to get out. 

As the podium celebration ensued, you and Max made your way to the media pen. Dozens of news outlets were scattered around the barrier, prompting you to separate from your teammate. The interviewer greeted you before going through the standard questions of what went wrong in the race. 

“Now let’s talk about something that happened after the race” The interviewer spoke, leading you to raise an eyebrow. “I think everyone who wasn’t looking at Leclerc was watching you run down parc ferme to greet him. Can you tell me a bit about that?” 

You couldn’t help but chuckle. At the time, you didn’t think twice about doing it, but being asked about your actions, you probably looked crazy doing it. “Yeah I mean it’s always exciting watching someone win their home race. It’s something I’ve dreamed of since I started watching Formula One as a little girl” 

A pause took over for a moment as you decided on the best way to word your next thoughts. “Charles is a very good friend of mine. He’s someone who welcomed me to the championship with open arms last year. On track I always want to give him a good fight if possible, but off the track I’m always going to support him.” 

Now Charles wasn’t usually one to eavesdrop on interviews. Most of the drivers said the same things over and over again, occasionally rephrasing. But whenever he heard your sweet southern accent, he couldn’t help but to listen in on what you had to say. 

When your words hit his ears, he could feel his heart stop. He wasn’t expecting you to confess a secret crush that no one knew you had to some interviewer, but a guy could dream. Instead, you very publicly friendzoned the Monegasque. 

Little did he know, you did in fact have a massive secret crush that only one person knew about. That one person was your teammate. And boy did he know a lot about it. 

“Did I just friendzone Charles with that?” You asked as the two of you walked towards the Red Bull garage for the team meeting. 

“Honestly maybe” Max said “Depends on if Charles is smart enough to realize you said it because you weren’t stupid enough to reveal your emotions to the media” 

“So then I definitely friendzoned him. Got it” You sighed

You weren’t sure if it was just how boring the entire day was, but the team meeting felt like it was dragging on. While you were zoning in and out of listening to Horner and Marko explain every single thing that was wrong with how you drove, you spotted Max next to you on his phone. 

“What are you doing?” You whispered 

Max’s head snapped up to look at you, quickly turning off his phone as he did so. “Oh, uh nothing” 

You shrugged, not thinking anything of Max’s reaction. He was always a private person, and you understood not wanting anyone to know your private conversations. 

Later that night, you traded your fireproofs for a little black top and jeans, as you and the grid were going out to celebrate Charles’ win. You were the last of the drivers to arrive, all of the boys jokingly blaming it on the fact you took longer to get ready, but in reality you needed the time to calm your nerves. 

You had gone to the club with the grid plenty of times before, but none of them revolved around Charles being the center of attention. You knew he was going to be bouncing around the group, spending time with everyone, and you were sure you didn’t want to make a fool out of yourself. 

Meanwhile, Charles was worrying about himself. When he drank, he got flirty. He knew it, Max knew it, even the fans knew it. The only person he was sure didn’t know was you. And that was only because he never drank as much as he usually does when he’s around you. 

He was already a few drinks deep when you finally showed up. He was near the back of the room, but he could spot your figure from a mile away. As you navigated through the sweaty bodies and sticky floors, Charles was easily able to get your attention by a wave of his hand. 

That wave turned into a hug, followed by a kiss on either cheek from the Monegasque. You realized it was just a cultural difference, and that’s how he greeted all of his female friends, but that didn’t stop your heart from fluttering. 

“Congrats again Charlie” You said finally spoke 

“Thank you mon amour, why don't I get you a drink to celebrate?” He asked, his words already starting to slur a bit 

“I can pay for myself. If anything so should be getting you a drink, for the winner after all” You replied. 

“No, no, no. Let me get it for you.” He insisted “You wouldn’t want to disappoint the winner, now would you?” 

You knew you weren’t going to win this round, so you let him buy you a drink. He followed you up to the bar where he easily got the attention of the bartender. 

“Moscow mule and a vodka redbull, blue edition” He ordered

Your head snapped to look at him, surprised he knew what you wanted. Regardless of how many times you’ve gone out drinking with him, you knew you never told him what your usual was. 

“You know my drink order?” You asked 

“I’m just that good” He shrugged as the bartender handed him the beverages. Charles handed you the vodka redbull as the two of you walked away from the bar. “Feel free to put the rest of your drinks on my tab tonight” 

It was a no-brainer that Charles was going to be the center of attention all night. Not even thirty seconds after you got your drinks, his childhood friends whisked him away. Then it was his friends from Ferrari. And then his brothers. And then those people who claimed they were friends with him, but only got close with him after he became famous. 

But no matter how many times he got carried away, he always found his way back to you. Even if it was just for a second, Charles made sure he checked on you throughout the night. 

The majority of your night was spent with Max, Logan and Oscar. You were lucky you got along well with your teammate, and you, Logan, and Oscar all grew close due to being the rookies the season prior. It also helped that Logan was the only other American on the grid. 

“So what’s going on between you and Charles?” Oscar asked 

“Oh uh nothing. We’re just friends” You said, hoping the Aussie would drop the topic 

Unfortunately for you, Logan decided to call you out. “Oh bullshit. I overheard him insisting on buying your drinks tonight, and we all saw you sprinting earlier to congratulate him” 

“Charles is too drunk to realize what he’s offering” You quickly dismissed 

“Still doesn’t explain your actions in parc ferme” Logan reminded

You looked to Max for help, only for the Dutchman to shrug.

“You are no help” You told him as you turned to the two others “I may have a small crush on him” 

Max almost did a spit take when he registered your words. “Small? You were doodling both of your initials together during the team meeting today.”

“Details, details. How about another round?” You suggested, quickly changing the subject. 

The four of you had just finished a round of shots when you saw Charles approaching from behind Max. The Monagasque rested his arm on Max’s shoulder, clearly needing stability. His eyes widened and a goofy smile formed on his face when he saw you. 

“There you are!” Charles slurred, moving his arm from Max’s shoulders to yours 

“Oooohkayy, I think it’s time for you to go home” You said, shifting to support his weight better “C’mon Charlie”

“Ooo Charlie” Logan teased 

You shot the American a glare, mouthing the words “not now”. Charles somehow got himself off of you, only to wrap his arms around himself, embracing his own body in a hug. 

“Uh, are you good?” Oscar asked Charles, his voice filled with concern 

“Yes, just thanking myself for coming out tonight. I picked a great bar” Charles answered with a goofy grin forming on his face. His eyes were shut as he swayed back and forth, almost knocking into a poor girl behind him. 

Apologies quickly fell out of your mouth to the girl. As you turned back to the group, all of the boys except Charles had worry plastered on their faces. Both Max and Oscar offered to help you take Charles home, but you turned them down. His place was only a few blocks away, and your hotel was about the same. You slung Charles’ arm over your shoulder, before bidding goodbye to your friends. 

“Bye Charlieeee” Logan teased his fingers waving goodbye. Another glare was shot from your eyes before Charles was carried out to the street. 

It didn’t take long to get Charles to his apartment. You insisted he sit down as you got him a glass of water, knowing he was too far from sober to do it without breaking or hurting something. Once he downed his first non alcoholic beverage in who knows how long, he changed and you put him to bed. 

You were sober and comfortable enough to walk yourself home, so once Charles was tucked in, you slipped your shoes on. Before you could get near the door though, you heard Charles calling your name. 

“What’s up?” You whispered as you opened the door to his bedroom. 

His eyes mimicked a puppy dog, pleading and full of concern. “I don’t want this to sound weird, but do you want to stay in the guest room tonight? I just don’t want you walking alone in the dark” 

Even though you knew you’d be fine walking home, you knew Charles would blame himself if something did happen to you. So, you agreed. You changed into one of Charles’s shirts that he insisted on you sleeping in, and made your way to the guest room. 

Neither of you dared to bring up what happened in Monaco. Not that anything bad happened, it was simply you didn’t know how the other felt, and it wasn’t a line either of you were comfortable crossing yet. 

Going into media day, you knew the press conference was going to be boring. It was Monza weekend, and your media group consisted of Lando, Pierre, Franco, and Charles. Having the attention on Charles was fine by you. You would be fine without the media taking your words out of context. 

With each question directed at Charles, you zoned out more and more. Thoughts of what you were going to do during the three week break crossed your mind. While traveling around the world for work was fun, home truly was where your heart lived. Your thoughts were cut off by someone tapping you. Looking to your right, Franco’s eyes met yours.

You had made some small talk with Franco throughout the day, wanting to welcome him into the league the same way you were last year. It was painful to receive the news that Logan was being replaced, but you couldn’t resent the newcomer, he just happened to be the one that was promoted.

“Is this usually this insufferable?” He whispered, genuine concern lacing his voice 

You stifled a laugh, careful not to interrupt Charles “Not this bad usually, but yeah it’s bad” 

“Great” He muttered “Thought I escaped it when I got promoted” 

The press room grew silent, leading you and Franco to press pause on your conversation. All eyes were on the two of you, while you guys gave blank stares back. 

“Did you hear the question?” The interviewer asked 

Franco chuckled awkwardly as he brought the microphone to his mouth. “Honestly? No. Bad first impression, so sorry” 

“No worries. Welcome to F1 Franco.” The interviewer said “For a fun question for the drivers: is there a certain trait that another driver has that you wish you had?” 

Franco thought for a second before opening his mouth to speak “Y/n’s friendliness I think. She was the first of the drivers to welcome me into F1, going out of her way to go to the Williams garage and introduce herself. So uh yeah, her friendliness” 

Warmth ran to your cheeks as the Argentinian turned to look at you. His smile was captivating, making your rosy glow even worse. 

“Wow, that was really sweet. Thank you Franco” You whispered before clearing your throat and picking the microphone up.

Your eyes landed on each of the drivers in the room, trying to think of any trait you would want from any of them. Charles’ ability to learn on the fly came to mind, but you couldn’t rave about Charles without revealing your feelings. 

“Ummmm, this may be team bias, but I’m probably going to have to pick Max.” You finally answered “His ability to perform under immense pressure is admirable. Going into last season as a rookie, I don’t think I could have asked for a better partner, or a better person to learn from.” 

The press conference wrapped up, the news stations leaving before the drivers could. You sat and talked to Franco a bit more, getting to know the newest driver better. Charles watched from the other side of the couch, trying not to make it too obvious. 

“Earth to Charles” Lando said, waving his hand in front of the Monegasque’s face

“Wha-what’s up?” Charles asked, snapping his head to look at Lando

“You were staring. Badly.” Lando pointed out 

“Not staring,” Charles defended, but the pink in his cheeks gave him away “Just…observing” 

“Sure, mate.” Lando smirked as he stood up, “You know, if you actually told her how you feel, you wouldn’t have to watch from a distance like a creep” 

“Really? I had no idea” Charles mumbled. He was relieved to see you didn’t hear what Lando had just said, as you were too engulfed in your conversation with Franco. 

“Just saying” The Brit continued “Everyone can see the chemistry between you two”

Charles adjusted his hat as he stood up next to his friend. “I just don’t want to ruin the friendship. What if it goes wrong?” 

Lando rolled his eyes. “Or it could go right. Look at how she talks to you, how she lights up around you. That’s not just a friendship, mate. She clearly likes you.”

Charles stole another glance at you, your eyes still focused on Franco. With one last sigh, he left the conference room, almost slamming the door behind him.

“What was that all about?” Franco asked you as he looked at the now shut door across the room

“I have no idea” You admitted  “Whatever it is, he’ll get over it”

The Austin sun blazed through the sky as you entered the paddock. You always loved being back home, and of course you went all out for it. You had your hair in two braided pigtails with your favorite cowboy hat resting on top, and a matching pair of boots tucked under your blue jeans. 

Most of the other drivers played into the gimmicks that Texas brought, even if they didn’t do them right. Some donned backwards cowboy hats while others tucked their jeans into their boots, both leading you to wince. Some, like Charles, did both.

“You look absolutely ridiculous” You yelled down the paddock as you spotted Charles in the middle of a media scrum

From what you could tell, they were in the middle of an unboxing of some sorts. Plastic and paper wrapping littered the area as a box was cracked open. Both Charles and the media turned to watch you walk over. 

“What are you talking about? I look fabulous” Charles said, showing off his new hat 

“Yeah,” You replied as you approached him “Except for the fact your hat’s the wrong way and your jeans are tucked in.” 

Before Charles could protest, you took the hat off of his head (from the crown of course, you weren’t an animal) and flipped it. His cheeks grew hot, both from embarrassment and how close you were to him. 

“Thank you” He whispered before untucking his jeans 

Saturday went perfectly for Red Bull. Max won the sprint, while you took second, giving the team a few more points in the Constructor’s race. 

As your day in the paddock came to a close, there was only one thing on your mind: the Texas/Georgia game. Growing up right outside the city meant your Saturdays were spent cheering on the Longhorns, and today was no different. 

You found Charles leaving the paddock at the exact same time you were, giving you the perfect opportunity to ask if he wanted to join you. While you knew he knew nothing about football, it at least gave you an excuse to spend a little extra time with him during the weekend. 

“What’s the chance you’re not doing anything tonight?” You asked as you caught up to him.

“Easily 100%. Do you have something in mind?” He replied 

“I have an extra VIP ticket to the game tonight and a spare jersey. Wanna join?” 

“You know I don’t know anything about American football” He reminded you. Charles truly wanted to go, but he didn’t want to bring your experience down because he was an idiot.  

“Pleaseeee” You begged, flashing him a fake pout “I promise you’ll have fun” 

Charles ran his hand through his hair before sighing “Okay. But this better not ruin my race tomorrow” 

You were right, Charles did have fun. Most of the time was spent on the sidelines, getting up close to the action. Charles didn’t understand a lick of what was going on, but that didn’t mean he didn’t try to. You walked him through all of the basic things he should know, like touchdowns, field goals, and extra points. 

And Charles would let you talk for days if he could. He was captivated by how your intonation changed as you explained the difference between a pass, a rush, and a kick attempt. Did any of what you said stick in his head? Absolutely not. But that didn’t matter. He was with you, and you were with him, and about 100,000 other people in the stadium.    

The rest of the weekend only got better for you. Not only were you working your way into Charles’ heart, you made your way to the top step of the podium. You knew Max was going to be aggressive going into turn one, giving you ample opportunity to sneak into the lead, where you stayed for the rest of the race. Both Charles and Max were on the podium with you, P2 and P3 respectively. 

“So would you say last night affected your race?” You asked Charles once you got to the cool down room. You quickly swapped the helmet in your hands for a towel and the Pirelli cap that were waiting for you. 

Charles chuckled “Maybe, I coulda ended up on the top step” 

You shrugged as you took your seat in the middle of the two boys. “Guess we’ll never know” 

After the formalities and shenanigans of the podium ceremony, you found yourself in the back of the media pen waiting for your turn for an open interviewer. You could feel a presence walking up to you, causing you to turn. Of all people, Franco was the one to approach. The two of you were decent friends, you being one of the first people to welcome him to the F1 grid. 

“Congrats on the win, amiga” Franco said, bringing you in for a hug 

“Thank you, thank you” You replied, “How was your first race at COTA?” 

“It was good! Definitely glad to be racing closer to home. I can’t wait for the next three in the Americas” He said 

As you and Franco made small talk, Charles was watching you like a hawk from across the pen. He listened to every laugh that came out of your mouth from something Franco said, analyzed every light hearted touch of the arm. Max was next to him, well aware of the events of the night prior. It was hard for him to not know about it, you would not stop talking about it in the paddock. 

“The way he held me? I felt like the only girl in the stadium” “He let me explain football to him, Max. No one ever lets me do that around here” “Are you sure he feels the same way about me?” Were all phrases that left your mouth earlier in the day. 

Max was positive Charles felt the same way about you that you did about him. Any of the few remaining doubts flew out the window as he listened to Charles whine. 

“Whatever he said cannot be that funny, right?” Charles asked “Like there’s no way”

Max muttered a “mhm” as he took a sip of the Red Bull in his hand. 

“I just don’t get how he does it so easily! What is it about him that makes him that likeable?” Charles asked “Is it the accent?” 

“Maybe it’s because he’s a natural flirt.” Max said “You couldn’t flirt with a brick if you tried” 

Charles’ glare left Franco and turned to the Dutchman next to him “You didn’t need to say that.” Max threw his hands up in defense.

“But what am I supposed to do if she can’t understand my flirting?” Charles asked 

“Just tell her how you feel. Ask her out on a date” Max suggested as if it was obvious. 

“That’s just asking for her to run me off the track in the next race” The Monagasque said. He ignored Lando’s advice in Monza, and he was likely to do the same to Max. 

A frustrated groan left Max’s mouth as he smacked the back side of his friend’s head. “Oh my god. Do I have to spell it out? She likes you.” 

Charles’ eyebrows furrowed as he watched you say goodbye to the Argentenian. A spot had opened up in the media pen, and Charles’ eyes followed you as you greeted the interviewer. 

“How do you know that?” He asked 

“Mate, she took you to the Texas game yesterday.  She doesn’t take just anyone. I’ve known her for years and I still haven’t gotten an invite.” He explained “In the garage, she wouldn’t shut up about how much fun she had with you last night.” 

“Really?” Charles asked. He couldn’t believe the words coming out of his friend’s mouth. 

“Yes, really. Now if you don’t tell her how you feel, I’m going to do it for you.” Max threatened as he walked towards the next open interviewer.

The bar buzzed with excitement as the sun dipped below the horizon. It being your home race, you ordered both your friends on and off the grid to join in the celebrations. Most of the guys were already there, already a few rounds deep, but it wasn’t until a certain Ferrari driver walked in that you relaxed. 

Charles navigated the crowd, his eyes scanning the room for any signs of you. When he spotted you at the bar, a grin spread across his face. He made his way over, squeezing through the sea of fans and drivers. 

“There you are!” he exclaimed, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. “I've been looking for the race winner!” 

“Yeah, you’ve been avoiding me since the podium” you teased, crossing your arms 

“Right, totally” He fake agreed “Now, drinks on me?” 

A playful smile broke onto your lips as you turned to face the driver. “Actually, I believe it’s my turn. You got me in Monaco, it’s only fair” 

Charles opened his mouth to protest, but you already had gotten the attention of the bartender. He watched as you put up two fingers, and the bartender quickly got to work. As he waited, he was able to catch snippets of chatter and laughter from the rest of the people in the bar. Logan made the trip out to Austin, and was in deep conversation with Oscar and Alex, while Max and Lando were cracking jokes about their battle during the race. 

You handed Charles one of the two drinks you had received “To a dominant 1-2 finish” you toasted, clinking your glass against yours

He took a sip, the refreshing taste of the cocktail invigorating “This is really good. What is it?” He asked, looking at his drink 

“Texas Cactus Water” You answered “Tequila, lime juice, and Topo Chico”

The night wore on, and with each passing drink, the atmosphere became more lively. You were in your element, charming everyone around you. You were sure to spread your attention out to everyone who came to celebrate your win, but you always found yourself going back to him.

“Want another round?” he asked after the two of you finished your drinks.

“Yeah, sure. Put it on my tab” You ordered, knowing he would have said the same to you. 

As Charles approached the bar, Franco suddenly appeared by your side, a broad grin on his face. “Looks like you’ve got quite the fan club” he joked, nodding toward Charles, who was deep in conversation with the bartender. 

“He’s just being nice” You replied, not wanting to think too much about the flutter in your stomach at Charles’ attention “He bought my drinks in Monaco, so I’ve been returning the favor.

Franco raised an eyebrow. “Or maybe he likes you a little more than just ‘nice’,” he said, smirking.

You chuckled, shaking your head. “Please, we’re just friends. He’s friendly with everyone.”

“Yeah, but he looks at you differently. Just saying,” Franco teased, nudging your arm before slipping away to join some other drivers.

When Charles returned with another round of drinks, he slid next to you, his arm casually draped over the back of your chair. “What’s got you smiling like that?” he asked, tilting his head with genuine curiosity.

“Oh, just Franco being... well, Franco,” you replied, trying to sound nonchalant.

“Yeah? What did he say?” Charles pressed, his expression shifting to one of interest.

“Nothing important. Just... you know, how great it is to be back in Austin,” you deflected, not wanting to reveal the fluttering thoughts swirling in your mind.

Charles studied you for a moment, his brow furrowing slightly. “You sure? Because I could always tell him to back off if he’s bothering you,” he offered, his protectiveness shining through.

You laughed lightly. “I appreciate that, but really, it’s fine.”

As the night progressed, Charles seemed to loosen up even more, the drinks giving him a playful edge. He began to get a bit flirtier, leaning closer and making exaggerated gestures as he animatedly recounted his day.

At one point, he casually brushed your arm while reaching for his drink. The simple touch sent a rush of warmth through you. You could sense the tension building between you two, an electricity that was impossible to ignore.

You tried to focus on what he was saying, but the lingering sensation from his touch was hard to shake off. Each time he leaned closer, you felt that flutter in your stomach intensify, battling with the excitement of the moment. 

“So, what’s your strategy for Mexico City?” you asked, hoping to redirect the conversation and distract yourself from the undeniable chemistry brewing between you

Charles grinned, his eyes sparkling. “Honestly? Just to keep up with you. I’ve seen how competitive you can be, and I want to push myself more.” 

You smirked, leaning close enough in to get a whiff of his cologne “Is that so? You better be prepared for a good fight” 

He laughed, the sound deep and warm, and for a moment, the world around you faded. “I’d expect nothing less” he replied. His voice was low, and you could see a flicker of something deeper in his gaze. 

Just then, Max, Lando and Logan rejoined you, breaking the spell. 

“What were you two whispering about?” Lando asked, a mischievous grin on his face 

“Just race strategies” you said quickly, shooting a glance at Charles. The Monagasque nodded, playing along, but you could see a hint of disappointment in his eyes at the interruption

“Strategies for what? How to sneak out of here without us noticing?” Logan chimed in. You shot him a glare in response. 

“Oh come on” Charles said, his eyes rolling but amusement still danced on his face “We’re just having a good time” 

Max leaned in, the smell of alcohol on his lips as he smirked “Just make sure you keep it PG, yeah? Red Bull doesn’t need any headlines about you sleeping with the enemy” 

You lightly punched your teammate, causing him to flinch. “I can handle my own headlines, thank you very much” 

The group continued to joke and banter, but you couldn’t help stealing glances at Charles. He was laughing and enjoying himself, but every so often, his gaze would flicker back to you, that intensity returning.

As the night wore on, the playful atmosphere shifted to something more intimate when the music slowed down. You found yourself back at the bar with Charles, the noise of the party around you dimming to a soft buzz. Both of you had too many drinks, and it was evident by the conversation you were having. 

“Do you ever think what happens after this?” he asked, his tone serious

You looked up at him, surprised. “After what? The day? The season?”

He hesitated for a moment, as if weighing his words carefully. “I mean, after all this. When we’re not racing anymore. What do you want?” 

Charles’ question caught you off guard. It was a vulnerability you weren’t expecting. “I-” you started, then paused, choosing your words carefully. “I guess I want to keep doing what I love. Traveling, meeting new people, but also taking the time to enjoy moments like this.” 

He nodded, absorbing your words. “Yeah, me too. I’ve realized these moments are what make the job worth it” 

You could feel the tension building again, that electric connection almost palpable. “So what do we do about it?” you asked, your heart racing

Charles looked at you, his expression softening, and for a heartbeat, it felt like the world around you disappeared again. “Maybe we should stop pretending and just see where this goes?” He suggested, finally confronting the elephant in the room

The sincerity in his voice made your heart skip “You mean…?” 

He wasn’t sure where the sudden confidence was coming from. Maybe it was the amount of drinks, or maybe it was due to your true feelings finally being on display tonight. “Yeah, I mean if we both feel it, why not explore it?” 

You felt a rush of emotions - excitement, fear, hope. “I’d like that” you said softly, your voice barely above a whisper. 

Before you could process what was happening, Charles leaned down, pressing his lips against yours. It took a second to kiss him back, but when you did, it was everything you had dreamed of since you first met him. 

Suddenly, a loud cheer erupted from the other side of the bar, pulling you away from each other. All of the other drivers were staring at you, each pair of eyes matched with a shit eating grin. 

“You wanna get out of here?” You asked 

“Yeah, I’d like that” Charles said, taking your hand 

======

want more? check out @coco-loco-nut's sister story below!

[rainbowchaox]

Pissa Reunion Masterpost: (Literally there’s so much content we got this is gonna be hella long pls help me)

FIRST OFF YA DONTCHA SEE WHY THE PISSA NATION IS LOCO OVER THIS DUO? WE HAVE BEEN STARVING. PHILZA ALWAYS BEEN LOYAL TO ONE WET CAT! And that is Missa. And secondly I got most of the earlier half of stream information from the lovely @pepper-mintzyy. Give your liveblogger some love and care.

First off the scene where Missa comes online and Phil is all “WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN?!?!” And Cellbit immediately saying “Oh this your husband?” And Phil immediately saying yes without the platonic. THEN THEY PROCEED TO HAVE A FULL BLOWN BOAT DATE with legit felps being such a third wheel he legit says “Continue on forget I’m here”. Also the fact Cellbit pointed out “OH that’s why you have a skull on your backpack it’s because of your husband” and Phil immediately agreeing and Missa whimpering.

They literally like lowkey forgot they were on a mission and immediately was smitten with each other they high-key forgot the mission and people around them. The fact our wet cat almost dead rushed in to save Mr hardcore himself. The amount of times Phil has to save his husband. The fact Missa bought gifts for Philza IRL.

The fact when catching up Phil was all like “Oh we have another egg” not even thinking twice about accepting his husband as Tallulah second adopted father. The fact Missa was like “You are such a good father” in the down bad voice he is always in.

Literal highkey their cubitos flirting saying smooth shit like “Like the good old days" "nothings changed” and "the one thing that made you stand out". Like full on giggling and laughing and just chilling in each other company. The amount of time they were distracted by the actual major lore by each other just being there after so long is insane. Honestly believe not for others present they would not have reached the objective.

Phil being so sweetly protective of Missa and always making sure he is right next to him. Also the amount of soft showing off he did towards Missa is insane. The fact Phil numero uno priority is Missa and chayanne always. That has never changed despite Missas absence. The fact Missa never left his simpage for Philza and immediately seeing Phil be awesome and is “I c-can see your PECS”. Like bruh he is so down bad.

The fact Philza immediately seeing his husband getting wrecked by mobs decided then and there to give him SO MUCH GEAR LATER. Philza lanuage of love Definitely is Gift Gifting and Acts of service. The fact during Philza introduction to the new players Missa kept saying stuff like “That’s my love! that’s my love!”.

Missa soon had to leave to be a part of a Minecraft event of sorts. But right after he got back online because he wanted to se his husband and son. (Sadly chayanne already went to bed). The amount of miscommunication the death duo went through (With mainly bad being a third wheel and trying to cause problems in their relationship). Landduo was legit preventing poor Missa to go and see his man.

Missa literally only escaped because dapper told him just ask and he will kill LOLOLOL. He went home and forever and him had a whole conversation and apology. That they are friends now. Missa saying stuff Philza is not someone to be won etc. and Philza literally ditched tubbo and Cellbit was like “Your husband needs help? Understandable” and yet again no corrections from Phil.

THEN THE MOST SOFTEST ROMANTIC LATE STREAM STUFF I HAVE EVER SEE HAPPENS. They met again and literally it’s like nothing has changed. Phil immediately showing off the baby skeletons because he knows Missa will enjoy the skeletons. Phil FINALLY giving Missa the slime armor he made for him ages ago.

I won’t lie watching it live gives off major date vibes (obviously about their cubitos in rp). Phil and Missa legit did that trope of someone good at archery teaching their love interest at the exp farm. They legit shared exp as well. The fact they keep giggling so much.

Philza seeing how bad the gear Missa has literally have him 20 upgrades including giving him a full bar of exp on his backpack. Again gift giving and acts of service is clearly Philza love lanuage. LITERALLY MISSA STARED AT THE SKULL AMD NODDED QUICKLY TO HIS CHAT. The amount of avocado toast Phil keeps throwing at Missa and putting in his backpack. Gotta know his husband is eating well I guess. Philza casually saying that the “Wall is ours” to Missa.

The fact Missa immediately wanted to have a hat like Philza on his backpack then a player head of his to match his beloved husband. Earlier he tricked the translator and said “I speak weird so the translator won’t pick it up- I love you”. Casually like that sentence didn’t break all the pissa enjoyers brain for 24 hours.

Dapper casually saying “Glad to see the love birds are on the mend” about them. Literally one of us. Iconic king. THE FACT Philza while talking about Tallulah said she was “Our Daughter” to Missa. Bad trying to cause drama meeting the brick wall of Missa adoration. Aka him screaming “Philza the best!!!!”. The fact they both tried to go offline the same but Missa felt bad and had to said bye to everyone. The fact Missa went offline right next to the house.

WE WERE FEED. PISSA NATION STAYS WINNING! And we are gonna continue to get food. As Missa promised to try to stream four times a week. So maybe maybe….second gay Qsmp wedding-

[gofancyninjaworld]

Thinking about Garou

Question: "Compared to the first season, which draws attention to Saitama's exhilarating punches, the second season focuses on story development. Did you have any specific goals while drawing the story?" Murata: "There was one thing that I requested from ONE Sensei before drawing my re-illustrated manga. At first, there were plans to cut out Garou's childhood with the bully in my version, but that scene really left an impression on me. I thought it was a vital part of understanding Garou's position, so I discussed it with ONE Sensei and requested that I be able to leave it in for y version. And it was paced so well in the anime! I believe it ended up being a very high-quality scene." -- From the liner notes of One-Punch Man Season 2.

I'm including this because I feel it's fundamental to really talk about Garou with any depth. Garou without context does not make sense. He is a kind, sensitive, and thoughtful young man who wants to do good in the world. Yet, he caused a horrifying amount of harm, both directly and indirectly, and ultimately undermined his own goals.

I'm glad that ONE listened to Murata about keeping Garou's childhood flashback. Without it, he'd just have been a thug attacking heroes for no reason to us (pretty much as the heroes saw him). Not only that, but ONE has gone a lot further in the manga in showing us the context in which Garou grew up that's been very helpful for understanding who Garou is, what he saw, and making some sense of his powerful yet contradictory desires.

Ultimately Garou is Garou. He's his own person and the buck for his actions firmly stops with him. No matter what, I can't imagine him not being an independent thinker with the determination to put his thoughts into action.

But...

...the tragedy of his thinking becomes clear when we see his thinking of monsters as metaphors for what is misunderstood or unacceptable in ourselves (a popular enough one IRL where monsters aren't real) and compare it with the reality of his world in which monsters have won, successfully restricting humans to one continent, and people like heroes because they are reminders that sometimes, even apparently overwhelming evil can be defeated. Nothing good happens when you deny the reality around you.

You know Garou's rant about uniting the world with fear? It's a standalone rant in the webcomic. The manga gives us a snapshot of the context in which he came to this conclusion. As this is a place that is no stranger to natural disasters -- forget the monsters -- Garou has no doubt experienced at least one big storm, or flood, or earthquake, or volcanic eruption in his life. In those days and weeks that follow, he's no longer an outcast. Nobody cares about where you come from or who you are: people help each other. At least until normalcy is restored. That's something he's directly experienced.

That's just human nature: even in individualistic societies, for every report of looting in the wake of a natural disaster, there are hundreds of people trying to help. And this is a much more collectivist society that has to deal with disasters semi-regularly. That's the sense of looking out for each other in the face of a tragedy bigger than any person he wanted to recreate—only permanently.

Then we get bits of Garou through the people around him. We got nothing about his parents in the webcomic but in the manga, his parents refuse to see him or get him out of custody. They've given up on him. To make it worse, the audience ONE is writing for understands that Garou is a minor until he's 20 (the law recently changed in Japan but it wasn't even up for debate when ONE started writing OPM). So they've done the equivalent of washing their hands of a 16-year-old. That's got to have hit Garou very, very hard, even if he was estranged from them. He'd have liked it if his father cared enough to tell him what to do.

We see how Bang has literally taken on the role of in loco parentis. It's been interesting to see that the reason Bang has chased after Garou so relentlessly is because he sees himself in the young man. However, we also see that he deeply misunderstands Garou too. Bang beat up people because he was an extremely selfish young man who felt he was entitled to everything.

Garou beat up people because he is an extremely thoughtful young man who sees himself as bringing a great good into the world at the expense of some heroes.

It's definitely going to cause trouble but that's okay -- nothing in life is smooth and such differences are inevitable. With love, such struggles are worthwhile.

Garou's an object lesson in why the energy to do things in the world rarely comes with the power to make those changes. His overly simple solutions were disastrous. But one thing we can also say about Garou: he's a fast learner. He's literally rebuilding his life little by little in the webcomic by rebuilding the world around him. In the manga, he's been given the opportunity to sift through his thinking and find what's genuinely good. We'll see how it all shakes out.

[toast-com]

Ingram and Irene, based on the narrow gauge engines 778 (Baldwin 10-12-D) and 303 (WDLR303)!

Based on these locos. I ship them, they are adorable.

[alyxdefoisnthere]

Mod D: This blog has so many trigger warnings I can't be arsed to name them, so for this reason PROCEED WITH CAUTION, now you can't say I didn't warn you because it's in all caps in my intro post so haha fuck you.

I am female unless I'm not, then I'm male unless I'm not, then I'm neither unless I'm not, then I'm both unless I'm no-....... In other words, I use she/he/they pronouns.

(Yoinked from @xdynomite )

MY FRIENDS!!!! <3

-@millie-of-imp (A SECOND MOD D BLOG?! WHAAAAT?!?!)

-@alastor-the-demon (my bestest friend in all of the 9 circles of hell, like a father to me :3)

-@alastorthisisthetea (married dad)

-@siempreminta (one and only mum, is married to married dad)

-@mcalastor (minimum wage dad)

-@leo-velaz (Father Leo <3)

-@sketchbuddies (sketch and crystal are my children)

-@stampy-offical (My future husband, come at him and you'll find your heart in his hands... Literally)

-@xdynomite (my Americunt™ boy, come at me hoe)

-@bachirathebumblebee145 (my IRL school pookie, follow her or I'll hunt you down)

-@possibly-astraeus (cool guy James :D)

-@kip-davis (fellow Brit)

-@ilovemydogrykersomuch

-@ducky-loyal-servant-of-lucifer (my child who's older than me, hurt them and I'll kill you)

-@autistic-katara

-@astro-raven-power (My lil sis)

-@king--of--ducks (Step dad Luci, married to minimum wage dad)

-@nerdyquestier

-@cursed-cat-alastor (my pet cat because i like cats more than dogs :3)

-@flowersbringsadness (my very precious pup)

-@cherri-is-bomb (big sis cherri)

-@weapon-collector-odette (sister)

-@hoshi-neko-hikari (my child, hurt her and I hurt your knee caps)

-@velvettefashions-official (same mod as miss Rosie)

-@vox-tv-demon (my father)

-@headlessdeaddancer (my younger brother)

EVERYONE ON THIS POST IS THE GOAT AND THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT, SPAM THEM WITH ALL OF YOUR LOVE....or else

go check everyone on this post out or i will personally come to your house an make a Ramsay level meal out of you

What is my goofy ass doing right now?

I am everywhere and nowhere at the same time heeheee

in other words, cus im me, i naturally had a strike of bad luck and can now only use tumblr at my friend's house or when she's with me

Mod Status: On my period and about to puke 🥰

My dad is a prick, fuck you

NOTIFICATION GOAL: More than 3, im not online enough to care, as long as my friends who talk to me in DM's regularly respond to me, im not fussed

OMFG I HAVE A SCHEDULE?!?!

Online whenever I can when my friend is with me or I'm with her (Thank you C)

MONSTER CAN COLLECTION LIST

-Bad Apple

-Pipeline Punch

-Pacific Punch

-Lewis Hamilton (special edition)

-Ultra Black

-Orange Dreamsicle

-Mango Loco

-Khaotic

-MXXD

-Ultra Strawberry dreams

-Original

-Nitro

-White pineapple

-Ultra rosa

-Ultra golden pineapple

-Aussie Lemonade

-Ultra peachy keen

ALL ABOUT ME, MOD D

My name is Alyx Danielle GH (not giving yall my full name lmfao), I go by Danielle both here and IRL. I dont like the name Alyx because I associate it with the trauma I went through as a young child and I hate the fact my PRICK OF A DAD chose that name. My dad is not a very nice parent, he told me I would be a druggie, alchie (alchoholic) and a slag by the time im 16, yeeeaahhh....real nice parenting. Im genderfluid, presenting as female, bisexual, my birthday is January 28th 2010 making me 14. I was born in a small city here in England and I am 3/4 Irish. I like to draw, read (I reccommend strangeways) and bake, I suffer with physical and mental health problems including Anxiety, ASD and ADHD. I dont like fakes, homphobes pedos, bigots, racists etc, so if youre any of these...BACK OFF OF MY SILLY AHH RP BLOG

ALL ABOUT ALYX

Alyx is alot of things, the first thing that will stick out is that she's a dark angel and resembles Alastor, they're best friends, not family, she has loads of brothers and sisters, her favourite is MJ, she has a husband (Stampy) and two daughters (Sketch and Crystal), they're adopted and she'd love a biological child one day, she herself is adopted and her mother is Dove with 2 baby sisters (Abigail and Catorina), she has quite a few fathers.....the first one she would go to is Leo, Vox, or Doves husband Alastor, she loves T to bits and if any harm comes ro anyone she knows, blood will be shed. She's mute so when she's communicating it's through a notebook and looks like "this"

VERY IMPORTANT

@leo-velaz is THE GOAT, Mod E very kindly runs my account if I'm offline for an extended period of time and I owe my entire account to them.

(The above was yoinked from @kip-davis)

[edwards-exploit]

The evil smile that came to my face when I read your reqs where open/positive anyways could you do cranky if that's ok? Or you could also do D10 if you don't want to do him! :] -🐚

I think cranky would see diesel 10 do his shit and go "the hell is this guy's problem" anyway you also get to see a sneak peek of my human au lore with d10 :]

request a character/engine from ttte/rws/an irl loco and i'll draw them as human and with build era fashion!

[merriclo]

tumblr in the bsd-universe simulation

🐈 mii-chan-pics Follow

mii-chan photo part 409 <3

🐱 pussycatenthusiast Follow

yo i’m pretty sure k saw this exact cat outside my favorite bar!! what a cutie

🐈 mii-chan-pics Follow

yeah haha that makes sense! he likes to wander. he’s very friendly too, so if you’d like to pet him he’ll totally let you!!! <3

🕯️ cuntyterror Follow

what the fuck is wrong with you!!?? letting your cat wander around a big ass city full of cars and illnesses is animal abuse. can’t believe you’re even encouraging strangers with dubious intentions to approach and touch them too. you should keep your cat indoors and know where they are at all times, or else they’ll get fucking run over or starve to death or a myriad of other things. you’re a demented human being, and an awful cat owner. i hope someone in your life has the sense to save mii-chan from your abusive hands.

🌸 the-cutie-n-tani Follow

hi yeah i’m op’s irl bestie and i’d love to see you try and keep that cat inside an apartment. the motherfucker has opened childproofed, locked windows before. he’s been gone for days and then come back noticeably fatter. he is an unstoppable beast of a little guy. fuck off and leave her alone

( 147 notes )

☠️ mybones-aredry Follow

just shared a cig with the hottest ginge i’ve ever seen in my entire life yall i can’t get him out of my head

( 7 notes )

👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩 ilovewomenmorethanyou Follow

yall are never gonna believe me but i swear i just saw that blond american terrorist guy in the clearance isle of the supermarket what the fuck what the fuck what the fuck i swear he died in the harbor

⚽️ going-loco Follow

y’all will see any tall, blond white guy and assume it’s the same guy 🙄 quit accusing some random dude of being a terrorist

🪷 little-women Follow

did you see him at around 3 pm? and if so, was he wearing a brown suit with a white tie?

👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩 ilovewomenmorethanyou Follow

…….yes

🪷 little-women Follow

yup that was Francis!! if you compliment his suit he might give you ≈$500

🪷 little-women Follow

oh i’m so sorry i forgot to translate it into yen i’m so sorry. he might give you ≈¥73,000

👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩 ilovewomenmorethanyou Follow

oh hell yeah thank you!!!! <3

⚽️ going-loco Follow

FRANCIS SCOTT FITZGERALD IS ALIVE !!???

( 89,765 notes )

🍶 cup-of-sake Follow

ngl the ADA’s director is kinda…

😴 dream-on-slut Follow

the ADA just won an award for saving Yokohama from a terrorist attack and you’re focusing on how hot Director Fukuzawa is??

🍶 cup-of-sake Follow

yeah lol

( 12,567 notes )

😈 dateafreakyfreakster Follow

some freak just got caught in my dad’s fishing net and he’s hella unserious and wrapped in bandages and i fear i want him bad…

🧥 no-longer-human Follow

hey

😈 dateafreakyfreakster Follow

no fucking way

( 9,581 notes )

👑 king-of-twinks Follow

living in Yokohama is a fucking fever dream. shit just happens here and all you can do is fucking deal with

👑 king-of-twinks Follow

i work at Sephora and i’m pretty sure that goth freak from the Port Mafia just asked me which eyeliner brand was better

👑 king-of-twinks Follow

stop calling me a liar i know that murderous goth freak when i see him

( 315 notes )

🧸 abyssal-red-gables Follow

got a job at the café under his place of employment and he hasn’t even said hello to me yet. can’t have shit in Yokohama

( 3 notes )

[hazel-of-sodor]

Presenting the LBSCR A1/A1x terriers! in 30 liveries.

Here is a list of the liveries and locos. They will be listed left to right, top to bottom.

1. Stepney in 1960s preservation/RWS condition IEG

-preserved irl

2. Kemptown in Original IEG (or close to it)

-She was sold to a colliery and preserved in the 70s

3. Martello in Southern Olive

-preserved irl

4. Abigail (Wandle) in AF&JR Blue

- @angryskarloey 's OC, see their fics for info

5. Freshwater in FYN Green

-preserved irl

6. Deptford in NER Green

-sold to a factory, survived the factory being bombed in 1915, was sold to the NER to replace a 'destroyed' E1 (Thomas in my AU), sold to the NWR in 1923

7. Minories in NWR Blue

-sold to the NWR in 1933

8. Carisbrooke in Southern Machalite

-bought for a Musuem in 1959

9. Nicola (Piccadilly) in AFJR Blue

-See @angryskarloey

10. Beulah in DWR Black, 2-4-0 condition

-purchased by the DWR in 1934, expirementally rebuilt back into a 2-4-0

11. Thomas (fictional addition) in NWR (rebuilt) Blue

-fictional addition to the class, just to have Thomas as a terrier

12. Cheapside in LB&SCR Umber with white lining

-purchased in 1951 at scrap price by Suddery Rail Museum after withdrawl due to broken crank axle, restored and serves as pilot at musuem. Livery was proven to be historically inaccurate, but She prefers it, so was allowed to keep it.

13. Brighton Works in Brighton Pilot livery

-Stolen by Caomhnóir in 1963, later restored by the Bluebell

14. Portishead in GWR Shirtbutton Green

-disappeared from Swindon in 1950, reappeared at the KESR in 1978

15. Ashted in WC&PR Green

-sold into industry, bounced around the NCB till the 80s, then purchased by the KESR in 1976

16. Fenchurch in LBSCR Umber

-Preserved irl

17. Bodiam (Popular) in KESR Blue 18. Sutton in Worn Grey

-Preserved irl

19. Waddon in SE&CR condition post-war Green

-Preserved irl

20. Boxhill in LBSCR 2-4-0 Condition IEG

-Preserved irl

21. Whitechappel in BR Lined Black

-Preserved irl

22. Clapham in LSWR Mint

-bought for spares for Kemptown. Purchased alongside kemptown and rebuilt in the 80s

23. Knowle in Southern Black

-Preserved irl

24. Newport in Isle of Wight Central Railway Red

-Preserved irl

25. Leadenhall in New Haven Harbor Co.

-purchased by the New Haven Harbor Co. to work alongside Fenchurch. Preserved direct from British Railways in 1962

26. Millwall In DWR rebuilt condition

Purchased by the DWR in 1934. Due to her boiler being little better than scrap condition, she was fited with a DWR D1 type boiler.

27. Zephyr (Wapping) in streamlined condition

-striped for parts to repair Popular in 1938, but her frames were saved by an eccentric Railway director, who loved the terriers. Rebuilt as his personal engine and given cosmetic streamlining, she was purchased from BR following his retirement, was stored in a dedicated room in his home until his death in the 80s, when she was donated to the Bluebell as per his will.

28. Earlswood in DWR 0-4-2 condition

-purchased by the DWR in 1949, experimentally rebuilt as an 0-4-2

29. Tooting in C&HR Blue

-Purchased by the C&HR in 1901 for service on a coastal branchline, which she still runs to this day.

30. Brixton in Caledonian Blue

-sold to a colliery in 1935, purchased by the Caledonian preservation Society in 64 to serve as a shunter in their works.

*collapses*

[demonskiss]

WHAT IF I HURT MYSELF AND OTHER PEOPLE FOR MY F/OS. WHAT THEN. will they be proud of me…

violence is my love language

cw: violence, murder, implied blood covered sex, possession

WARNING: I ESPECIALLY DON’T CONDONE THIS IRL, for this ask i will only write for darling hurting other people, not themselves

written by a minor, dni if uncomfortable

blythe who is initially shocked, they couldn’t have expected you to hurt someone else for him. they’re flattered, head over heels for you and swooning at the thought of you covered in blood, covered in other people’s blood. but the next time you check the news, there’s been a murder near campus, and the killer hasn’t been found. the front door slams open, revealing a blood soaked blythe, who can’t help but get hard at the sight of you, who can’t help but close the door with a crazed grin, who can’t help but wrap his arms around yours, rutting into your thigh like a beast. they’ll put a bloody hand on your cheek, tenderly caressing it in his own way of desperately trying to control himself, but it does the complete opposite. whining and moaning about how he needs to claim you now, how you look so beautiful covered in the blood of others. you’ve enabled this poor man to go much further with his violence.

ambrose genuinely can’t believe it. you, his sweet life itself, has harmed another? he’s shocked, he doesn’t know what to think. he may even disappear temporarily, telling you with a gentle tone that he needs to think. but he’s not mad, nor disappointed even. it got him so excited he forgot his words, he’s embarrassed to tell you, and he feels awful leaving you to drown in your guilt, but the next day he returns to you, hugging you and telling you how he feels. in fact, he’s fully supportive. but he scolds you for not telling him sooner, what if you’ve gotten hurt? he would’ve never forgiven himself for that. ambrose daydreams about an intruder breaking into your home, and him possessing you to maim the unsuspecting lad together. isn’t it so romantic? to him, it’s the ultimate sign of love.

sorry i went a lil loco here

[buff-electra-truther]

Greaseball vs Electra- how I view the dynamic

-I view Stex with a HEAVY dose of irl train politics for these two specifically because it fits the characters well. I see them more as two sides of the same coin than opposites. They’re the two main present-day approaches to rail transport, electrification vs diesel power. There’s also a rural vs urban divide with them, since population density is a MAJOR driver in which is more practical (they also have small vs big government undertones but I don’t like to get too into the weeds with non-train politics in Stex LOL)

-I tend to default to them being similar size/ability-wise because it checks out with their implied basis engines. Electra has a bit of an edge statistically but requires so much more fragile infrastructure and has a relatively fussy design by electric loco standards (they’re usually less likely to go wrong than combustion engines due to having fewer moving parts, Electra is just an outlier! I’m sick of electrics being played up as fragile in general. It’s the infrastructure that’s fragile.)

-Greaseball symbolizes reality and pragmatism. It is how it is, for better and worse. He’s not as book smart as Electra but much more practical and rugged. He may not know the intricacies of controls and scheduling on the Northeast Corridor but he’d fare much better on a desert island. He’s good at strategizing on the ground with his Gang, for all his ~toxic masculinity~ he is NOT isolationist and very much works as a pack like irl diesel locos typically do on longer trains.

-I lean HARD into Electra being more idealistic and theoretical. He’s like Jack Kirby made a propaganda poster for Amtrak, like a cartoon superhero come to life vs an actual (US) football player type like Greaseball. In ideal conditions Greaseball can’t touch him, but boy it’s hard to line that up. And with his Gang? Electra alone does not stand a chance, he’d work maybe with one other engine and that’s it because of Amtrak’s perpetual shortage of motive power.

-Electra overestimates how stupid Greaseball is, Greaseball overestimates how fragile or weak Electra is.

-Electra can have a weird conspiratorial streak about thinking the government is out to get him (he’s onto something, honestly) and is overly obsessed with proving himself, especially in being worthy vs diesel power due to what a hassle electrification is to implement

-Greaseball views him as less of a serious threat because who the hell is gonna run catenaries over the Rocky Mountains?

-The one thing they can really be united is is hating cars (though Electra is WAY more of a car hater) and getting increasingly aggravated at railroads overworking them

-I view them as enemies with benefits. They hate each other but can’t resist each other. Caboose likes to pit them against each other so he can gets stuck in the middle and have double the fun. I’m Greasedinah-neutral, but I can see Greaseball trying to rope Electra in as an on and off third wheel and Dinah being unenthused about participating because they just fundamentally don’t fit with each other.