#las vegas braces

[lewisinho]

‘nighttime chill’ is putting it mildly, they are not a serious organisation that’s for sure

[eapunetaestoestadificil]

A true Ferrari classic.

The Ferrari mecanics for some reason

[taytriestohardd]

Can you do reader and kp are rival’s and they both like each other and when y’all play against each other her and reader flirt the whole Time.

No Snarky Remark?

Kelsey Plum x reader

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Summary: Reader plays for the Indiana Fevers against the Las Vegas Aces and continues her flirtatious rivalry with Kelsey Plum.

Warnings: a few jokingly mean comments? Let me know if I missed anything

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Readers POV:

Kelsey and I are two of the greatest basketball players in the WNBA. With that being said the media has had us against each other since my Fevers debut. We’ve had many games against each other, making sure we keep the media entertained with some playful banter.

Today, we have a game at 7pm against the Aces so all the Fevers have been shooting around for about an hour before we decided to get something to eat before the game. We all agreed on something simple and quick as we made our way to the restaurant.

As I pull out the seat between Caitlin and Aliyah, I hear someone next to me ask “So Y/N, how are you and Kelsey doing?” I look to where it came from to see Caitlin smirking as I sit down. “Um the same as always. I still think she’s annoying and over confident and I plan to show her that at the game tonight.” While yes, I do think Kelsey is absolutely gorgeous and a great ball player her ego plus her attitude do not mix well with such.

“Oh I see you just wanna show off for your girl tonight. I’ll make sure to pass you the ball a few extra times tonight.” I hear Caitlin say as I see a few of my teammates laugh and nod along as if they agree. I look at them confused before saying “Okay woah one, Kelsey is not my girl and I don’t think she ever will be, two you won’t have to pass me the ball because I’m gonna get way more rebounds than you.”

After a few more jokes were cracked and dinner was finished we all made our way back to the team bus to head towards the arena. Along the way me and Caitlin agreed that whoever got more rebounds in tonight’s game would get 20 bucks which I agreed to immediately, knowing I’d win that bet.

Once inside the gym me and Cait shot around with each other for a few minutes until the Aces arrived and she decided to go look at some film before the game. Leaving me to go stretch and fix my hair whilst making a mental note to slide my ankle braces on before entering the court.

Just as I slid my ankle brace and shoe back on a see a figure in front of me causing me to look up quickly. “You’re gonna need those braces for when I break your ankles tonight.” I see Kelsey standing there confidently as she crosses her arms across her chest. “Yea I hear you. What that sticking out of your shoe right there, is that an ankle brace?” I say slyly pointing to her foot.

She shoots her head down quickly as she goes to see if she was indeed wearing an ankle brace. “Made you look! Can’t remember if you put on ankle braces or not Plum? That’s not good might wanna stop by the memory doctor on the way to the E.R after I break your ankles.” I say patting her head as I stand up. Before she can get another word in Aliyah came and told me it was time to get on the court. As I’m walking away I turn around and ask with a smile “What no snarky remark? I must really have an effect on you then.” As I’m turning back around I see Kelsey’s flushed face as well as her teammate coming to tell her to get on the court.

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After jump ball, which we surprisingly got, Caitlin carried the ball up the court before getting double teamed. I ran up closer to give her an easy pass and caught the ball before planting my feet and shooting from right behind the 3 point line. As I let go of the ball I see Kelsey run up to block me a second to late as I blow her kiss right before the ball goes in. I can see a small pink tint on her cheeks before she runs to get the ball.

As she runs the ball up the court, I widen my stance as to guard a little heavier. She dribbles for a second before passing inside the paint giving an easy lay up to her teammate A’ja. I see her smile out of the corner of my eye and decide to step up my game just a little.

With about 3 minutes left in the second quarter I dribble the ball up the court before stopping in front of her. “You’re a little to pretty to be getting beat like this Kelsey. You’re not going easy on me are you?” I say smirking. “Never.” I see her eyes lock on mine but Aliyah has already set me a screen so I run to the left and shoot a three making the score 16-23. She looks like she’s ready to fight me but I just turn around as I smile and get ready to guard her.

As she brings the ball up the court I see her look to the left and the right observing her teammates. “Hey L/N, miss me already? It’s okay I’ll make a shot for you.” She dribbles to the right but passes left before going back to her starting spot and dropping a three and winking at me.

I was subbed out for the first 6 minutes of the fourth quarter but when I went back in Kelsey was already out. I smirked and waved as I brought it up the court seeing Caitlin wide open in the right wing. Passing the ball quickly, the defense went back up on caitlin so she passed to Erica who shot an easy floater.

By the end of the game the score was 56-63 in favor of the Fevers. As I walked to the locker room me and Caitlin stopped to sign a few things and take a few pictures with fans. In the locker room, we all cheered and celebrated a little before the majority of the team decided hang out at a local bar to celebrate. I of course agreed and told them I’d be there around 9.

After everyone else left the locker room I was headed towards the door before I saw Kelsey as she knocked on the wall. “Hey what’s up Kelsey? Come to look at all the posts about me whoopin’ your ass out there tonight with me?”

“Yea yea I made all kinds of shots out there tonight and you know it” she says smiling. “Yea but mine made us win.” I say putting my bag down on the floor right next to me. She walks a little closer towards the back lockers as I turn around to stand in front of her. “But I will admit you made some good shots.” I say looking down at her.

“We’ll beat you guys at the next game.” She says looking up at me. I nod my head slowly “yea?” before my eyes slide down to her lips and back up again. “Yea of course.” She whispers. I lean forward just a little as I see her eyeing my lips. “You know I meant it, when I called you pretty.” I admit. “I’m sure you did. It’s hard to miss tha-“ she starts but I cut her off by leaning forward and kissing her gently. She freezes for a second before kissing me back eagerly. I put my hand on the side of her face pulling her closer as my other hand reaches her hip.

“I’ve wanted to do that for a while.” I say as I pull away. “I’ve wanted you to do that for a while.” She says smiling. “Oh well allow me to do the honors.” I quickly lean in again shoving her into the lockers kissing her harder than before. We stayed like that for as long as possible before breaking away for air. “Glad you feel the same.” “You have no idea. Give me a second.” I say pulling out my phone before calling Caitlin. “Hey Cait, yea I’m not gonna make it to the bar tonight, sorry. Also, I want my 20 bucks.”

[isak-dot-gov]

Mic'd Up Pt.2

Pairing: Kelsey Plum x Reader

Word count: 1208

Part 1 - My Masterlist

.................................................

The next morning, you were jolted awake by your phone vibrating non-stop. Squinting at the screen, you saw a barrage of notifications—Twitter mentions, Instagram tags, and text messages from both friends and strangers alike. Dread mixed with curiosity as you opened your phone to see what all the fuss was about.

There it was: a notification from the Las Vegas Aces’ official YouTube channel.

“Kelsey's Biggest Fan: Mic’d Up!” the title read.

You bit your lip, heart racing as you clicked on the video. The screen lit up with the intro, and it didn’t take long before you saw yourself, front and centre. The video started with a slow-motion clip of you, wide-eyed and jumping out of your seat, shouting, “That’s my girl!” after Kelsey hit a three-pointer. A heart graphic floated above your head, and a cute caption popped up: “Biggest supporter in the house.”

As the video continued, it cut between clips of you and Kelsey’s jaw-dropping plays. Every reaction you’d had—cheering, fist-pumping, gasping at the refs’ bad calls—was captured in vivid detail. Your face flashed on the screen, excitement radiating, while the crowd erupted behind you. The editors had even added a dramatic slow-motion replay of you standing up and yelling, “Let’s go, Kelsey!” during a key moment in the game, complete with epic music in the background.

Your hands flew to your face, cringing at the full display of your emotions. The internet had seen it all. Your love for Kelsey. Your passion for the team. Your inability to sit still for more than five seconds when the Aces were on fire.

By the time the video ended, you were red-faced and laughing, even as the embarrassment settled in. The comments section was blowing up with fans reacting to your over-the-top enthusiasm:

“This is what love looks like!”

“Relationship goals AF.”

“Kelsey's girl is all of us when the Aces play!”

There were even memes already circulating. One showed you passionately screaming with the caption, “When you’re more hyped than the players themselves.” Another zoomed in on your face during a tense moment with the caption, “Me when the refs make a bad call.”

Your phone buzzed again, this time with a call from Kelsey. You braced yourself for the inevitable teasing.

“Hey, YouTube star!” Kelsey greeted, laughter bubbling in her voice. “Seen the video yet?”

You sighed dramatically, still blushing from the experience. “Yeah... I don’t know whether to be flattered or hide under a rock.”

Kelsey’s chuckle was warm, affectionate. “Oh, come on. It’s adorable. I think it’s safe to say the fans love you almost as much as I do.”

“‘Almost’?” you teased. “I think they might love me more after this.”

Kelsey laughed louder, her voice full of mischief. “Don’t push it. But seriously, the whole team’s seen it. A’ja’s been texting me non stop. She’s already planning ways to roast you at practice.”

You groaned, but you couldn’t help the smile forming. “Great. Just what I needed—A’ja Wilson making me the butt of every joke.”

“Oh, it’s not just A’ja,” Kelsey said, her tone almost too gleeful. “Chelsea’s already called dibs on the post-game interview next time, and Kate and Syd are coming up with new chants for you to yell. The whole team’s in on this.”

A notification popped up from A’ja’s Twitter: “Mic’d up AND famous? You’re a LEGEND now! #BringTheHype #CheerCaptain”

Before you could respond, Kelsey continued, “Anyway, we’ve got a team meeting later today. You might want to brace yourself.”

You hung up with a pit in your stomach, knowing full well you were about to walk into the lion’s den. Sure enough, when you arrived at the Aces’ training facility later that afternoon, the team was waiting for you.

The second you stepped into the locker room, A’ja’s booming voice greeted you. “Ayyy, here she is! The real MVP of last night’s game!”

The entire room erupted in laughter and cheers as the team gathered around you. A’ja threw her arm around your shoulders, pulling you into the centre of the locker room. “Y’all seen this video, right? Our girl was more hyped than the entire crowd combined!”

Jackie was right behind her, shaking her head with a grin. “Honestly, I don’t think we’ve ever had this much energy coming from the stands. We might need to mic her up every game.”

AC leaned casually against her locker, smirking. “I’ve been saying it since last night—she’s got more hype than the bench squad. We’re going to need her on the sidelines full-time.”

“Forget the mascot,” Megan added, laughing. “We’ve got our own hype woman.”

You could feel your face growing hotter by the second, but their teasing was good-natured, filled with warmth and camaraderie. The fact that the whole team had seen the video—and was getting this much joy from it—made it all the more embarrassing and heartwarming at the same time.

“Okay, okay, enough roasting,” Kelsey said, stepping forward with a playful smile. “I mean, I think we can all agree that having my personal cheerleader on blast last night helped us win, right?”

A chorus of agreement filled the room, and A’ja, never one to miss a moment, pointed at you dramatically. “You’re the reason we secured that dub! We need that energy every night.”

You couldn’t help but laugh, throwing your hands up. “Fine, I’ll accept the title of unofficial hype woman. But you better believe I’m charging for appearances.”

Chelsea winked at you. “First paycheck is going to be in popcorn and court-side seats.”

As the laughter died down, the team started gathering for their meeting, but A’ja wasn’t done just yet. “Yo, before we get serious, can we all agree that the next time she’s mic’d up, we get to pick the lines she has to yell?”

Jackie nodded, grinning. “Oh, for sure. I’m already writing down some good ones.”

Kelsey groaned, shaking her head but smiling. “I don’t know if I’m ready for this.”

After the meeting, Kelsey found you in the hallway, still laughing from the whirlwind of teasing. “You good?” she asked, sliding her arm around your waist.

“Yeah, I think I survived.” You leaned into her, feeling a wave of contentment settle over you. “Your teammates are ruthless, though.”

“Oh, trust me, I know,” she said, grinning. “But seriously, they love you. You’re part of the family now.”

As you walked toward the parking lot, your phone buzzed again, this time with a text from A’ja: “We need a full mic’d-up session next game. You down?”

You showed Kelsey the message, and she chuckled. “You gonna do it?”

You grinned. “You know what? I might just. But next time, I’m going even harder.”

Kelsey laughed, squeezing your hand. “Deal. Just don’t make me laugh too much while I’m trying to play.”

As you left the arena together, the warmth of being embraced by not just Kelsey but the whole Aces family stayed with you. Sure, you were the butt of some jokes now, but you wouldn’t trade that for anything. Being part of their world—even as the loud, slightly embarrassing cheerleader—felt like you belonged, and that meant more than anything. 

Plus, next game? You were definitely going to be the loudest fan in the building.

............................................................

[thearchercore]

las vegas gp was a fever dream bc half of the tl was bracing themselves for another divorce era and the rest was already posting updates like "CHARLES MANHANDLED MAX?" and you had to make sense out of it

[coffeecat1983]

Mario Bros: Golden Birthday

     "You boys ready for your birthday next week?" Marie said. The family was gathered around the dining room table for Sunday dinner. Mario began bouncing at her question.      "Yeah! I wanna new video game!"    Tony draped his arm across the back of his chair as he turned to his nephews.      "What about you, kiddo?" Unlike his brother, Luigi was quiet as he thought it over. His little face lit up when he remembered something.      "Can we go see that movie about the blue alien and the superhero?" Rubbing his chin Tony had to shake his head. "Sorry kiddo, that doesn't come out til next month. We could see it then."    Luigi's little shoulders slumped. "Oh." A low hum came from across the table.      "Now hang on," Arthur mused, "you boys are gonna have your golden birthday this year." Mario and Luigi looked at each other and then at their uncle, confused. "What's a 'golden birthday?" Mario asked.      "When your age matches the day you were born," Arthur explained. "You boys were born on the eleventh, so eleven is yours. Tony 'n me, ours was the fifteenth. The idea is you get a gift of gold." He held up his hand revealing a thick gold ring stamped with boxing gloves. "Papa got me this ring from Las Vegas when he had a match there."      "What did you get?" Luigi said, looking up at Tony. His uncle pulled out a gold chain from around his neck. A medallion glimmered in the light. Impressed into the soft metal were the words 'Musical Trouble'.    Mario scrunched up his face. "Do ya hafta get jewelry?" His inquiry made the adults break into laughter.      "It's traditional," Giovanni pointed out. "And yes, you boys can ask for something fun, too."    Luigi squirmed in his seat. "Wh-What if you don't know what you want?" His tone made Mario instantly take his hand and give it a squeeze.      "Ah, that is something special." Salvatore spoke up. "When sharing gifts and you don't know what you want, you pick for each other."    Marianna stood and began clearing plates. "I remember doing that for you boys," she nodded to the twins, "for Christmas. You couldn't figure out what you wanted so you wrote each other's wish lists."      "Oh yeah," Arthur chuckled at the memory, "that was a fun Christmas." Mario and Luigi brightened at the idea.      "You mean I can get Weege a special present?!" Mario cheered as he jumped out of his chair. "I gotta get my piggy bank!"      "Mario, get back here and clear your dishes!" Giovanni scolded as the others laughed.

   A little later the adults had broken into groups, the guys heading to the living room for a football game, while Marianna and Marie sat at the little kitchen table with coffee. All were engrossed in conversation, and no-one noticed the figure that quietly slipped through the kitchen and into the living room before climbing up beside Tony.      "Hey kiddo," Tony put his arm around Luigi as his nephew leaned into his side. "You not playin' a game with your bro?"      "No." he cringed, reaching down to rub at his legs. "Ow..." Instantly Tony was up and helping Luigi stand. "C'mon, let's get those braces off and get you comfy."    Heading to the bathroom, Luigi sat on the lid of the toilet as Tony helped him roll back his pant legs. The black braces stood out against his pale skin. Opening the green pouch that sat on the shelf, Tony pulled out the heating ointment and children's aspirin.      "Weege? You okay?" Mario popped around the doorframe, worried.      "Y-Yeah, braces hurt."    Without any prompting his older twin took off, calling he'd get his pajamas for him. This made Tony laugh softly as he kneeled to remove the braces. "Heh, kid should get a medal for reacting so fast."    A strange look came over Luigi and he tugged his uncle's sleeve. "Uncle Tony, can we get..." he leaned in and whispered the rest. Tony grinned at him.      "You bet we can."    Once it was time for bed, the bros were tucked in by Tony and Arthur before the twins left for the night. Before he could step away from the top bunk, Arthur felt Mario grab his hand and pull on him.      "What's up, kid?"    Mario muttered something and Arthur leaned in so he could whisper. Hearing his request, he laughed softly. "Sure."

   The evening of the eleventh, the family gathered in the living room where red and green streamers and balloons mixed with a few gold ones were placed all around. Presents in red and green papers were placed on the coffee table, with two small gifts wrapped in gold paper. It was these two that were saved for the end of the evening.    Mario picked one up and held it out.      "Happy gold birthday, Weege!"      "Th-Thanks, Mario." Luigi took the other gift and handed it to him. "This one's yours. Y-You're the oldest, you go first." Mario shook his head. "Nuh uh, you get to go first this time."    Giving a nod, Luigi carefully pulled off the paper and opened the small, white box. A soft gasp, his eyes widening as he lifted out a silk blue ribbon. Hanging from it was a gold medal that read 'Bravest Brother'. he looked up at Mario.      "This is for me?"      "Yup! You're so brave, Weege. You had all those test thingies, and your braces, you're the bravest guy I know!"    Luigi held the medal close. "Thanks, Mario. O-Open yours!" Mario was far less careful, pulling apart the golden paper and tossing the box lid off.      "Whoa." he uttered. He lifted out a matching medal only his read 'My Hero'.      "Those are both real gold, boys." Giovanni explained. "So take good care of them." From nearby came a faint sniffle as Marianna wiped away a few tears.      "We will!" the bros chorused.

Arthur folded his arms with a warm smile. "Those two share the same brain, I swear." Tony shrugged, digging into another piece of cake. "Like I told ya, crazy, just like us."

END By "CC"

(With love to @vulpixfairy1985 and their wonderful headcanon of the bros having matching dog tags)

[icedbatik]

Because I can’t be bothered with logging in to my NHL account to make an actual bracket, I spent hours creating my own (from almost scratch). My reasoning for my choices have absolutely nothing to do with which team I think has a chance to win, because I don't pay enough attention to any team aside from the Pens to have an opinion. Nope, these choices are all motivated by a combination of "I don't like anyone on their team" and WWSD:

Dallas over Vegas (because I’m still not over how VGK treated Flower and the Stars haven’t done anything to offend me lately)

The Avs over the Jets (because Sid may love a bracing Winnipeg winter but I’m think he’s more likely to put a person over a temperature/weather phenomena)

Vancouver over Nashville (because the Canucks rock specialty jersey designs and the Predators and their fans annoy me)

LA over Edmonton (because I have not yet encountered a circumstance under which I would root for the Oilers)

Sunrise over Tampa (because the Panthers have that pork dish for sale at their arena and the Lightning were annoying about their Cup wins, though the Panthers roster having a Tkachuk also offers an annoyance factor)

Boston over Toronto (because I don’t want Toronto to have good things, or false hope; the Panthers can deal with the Bruins in the second round)

Capitals over the Rangers (sorry Mika and Chris, but Trouba)

Hurricanes over Islanders (because the Hurricane Warning third jerseys are cool and not as orange as the Islanders’ Gorton fisherman thirds)

That means, in the second round:

Avs over Dallas (for the Sid factor)

Vancouver over LA (just to keep a Canadian team in the mix)

Panthers over the Bruins (because Boston fans don’t deserve good things)

Hurricanes over Capitals (because that Hurricane Warning third jersey really carries a lot of weight with me)

So the third round becomes:

Avs over Vancouver (because Sid)

Hurricanes over Panthers (see Round 2 reasoning)

Which creates Cup final in which the Avs take the Hurricanes (because I want to see Sid enjoying Nate’s Cup party again this summer).

[halestrom]

Vegas…….

this is my beloved post-vegas detective john lives au. he has a second chance and hes trying to turn his life back around but he keeps being given the "weird" cases because he's good at thinking outside of the box and he keeps solving them. and hes juggling two cases, once sgc related and one not and rodney comes back into his life.

it also feats my fav minor hc, john and dave are twins. a not good guy lorne and one of my favorite oc's ive ever written, Bell.

He tilted his head to the side as he moved back into a crouch and rested one hand on it to keep from rolling away as he pulled out his phone and hit speed dial.

“Las Vegas Crime Lab. You kill ‘em, we fill ‘em.”

“Seriously?”

“Caller ID. What do you want, Sheppard?” Bell asked, chuckling.

“You got the photos from the crush injury guy?”

“Barr? Yeah, hold on.” There was a shuffling noise and then Bell was back, humming. “What do you want to know?”

“Bowling ball?” John asked, rolling it around to try and see anything but the alley was dirty, and the bowling ball picked up every speck of sand and dirt it touched. “Found it under the trash by the body.”

Bell hummed. “Bright blue?”

“Yep.”

“Yeah, did a quick dust and didn’t find anything. It was lodged under there pretty well. ‘sides, we photographed it and it's only a six pounder. Something for the little kids. Won’t crush a man.”

Bell always was six steps ahead of them all. “Even if it’s multiple times?”

“I’ve got the initial report from Lam. The amount of time it would take to cause the injures Barr had? Nah, you’d need a twenty or bigger, and even then, it’s gonna take multiple drops even from a height. Nice try though. Why so focused?”

“Because it’s better than nothing,” John replied, letting go of it and watching as it rolled back, right to the same position it had been. Bracing a hand on the ground he leaned down. “Y’all check under the trash bins?”

“What do you take me for?”

“Overworked and underfunded?” John asked, kneeling on the ground and grabbing his flashlight from inside his jacket and shining it under the trash. He reached out and rolled the bowling ball away. “You busy?”

Bell was silent for a long time. “Fuck you.”

The phone went silent, and John snorted, sliding it back into his pocket as he stood up, ignoring the ache in his side from a scar that still hadn’t fully settled. He began to wander, paying closer attention as he waited for Bell to arrive.

----

Bellarina Dixon was five foot two on a good day, had parents who had dreams for her and thought naming her after those dreams would inspire them, and had a fascination with bodies that bordered on creepy and the running joke was she could be a serial killer and they’d all let her get away with it as long as she kept helping them find their own killers. She had an eye for details and zero patience. John had always appreciated her bluntness, as well as how quick she could turn the crime scenes around when needed.

“What the fuck did you find, Sheppard?” Bell demanded, ducking over the crime scene tape, storming over and glaring up at him from behind glasses that had stepped out of the 80’s.

[samuel-de-champagne-problems]

𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚, 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐲 — 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐝

Summary: Spencer and Reader are up late wrapping last minute presents and sharing secrets. Content Warning: 16+: Pregnancy, parenthood, tame bedroom dirty talk Word Count: 2.1K Pairing: Spencer Reid x Fem Reader Christmas Fic Masterlist

Santa, Baby

The house, decorated with homemade Christmas garland and toddler made Christmas ornaments, was uncommonly quiet. A hush fell over the small, yet cozy Cape Cod as snow piled in a picturesque blanket on the yard. A week old snow-family stood lopsided out on the front yard, welcoming the falling snow. Spencer’s quiet slumber and warmth threatened to lull Y/N to sleep. She hesitantly flipped over her half of the sheets, regretting that she neglected to wrap the plethora of presents bought for their kids.

Still sleeping deeply, Spencer’s hands glided across the warm flannel sheets, seeking out any part of Y/N he could reach. He hummed blissfully when his hands found Y/N’s waist. He slipped under the pajama shirt and his cold hands were icicles against her bare skin.

“Spence,” she groaned, watching intently as Spencer’s eyes fluttered open, “Go back to sleep. You’re exhausted and–”

“And I’m going to come wrap presents with you.” Spencer injected. He smiled softly in the dark. His kind eyes melted whatever resolve she clung onto. “Come on, I wanna help. Besides, someone’s got to help you eat the cookies.”

Y/N smiled, knowing well enough that she already decided to give into Spencer the second he fluttered his eyes open. “Come on then. I’ll let you come if you finish off that spiked cider with me. There’s two glasses and a plate of sugar cookies that have our names on it.”

She leaned across the bed, kneeling into the mattress, and knotted her fingers in Spencer’s hair. He welcomed the touch, placing his hands on her forearms. Spencer’s hair was messy with her fingers running through it, but he didn’t care to fix it. Instead, he allowed himself to melt into the solace that fell between them. He felt her cool, peppermint breath tingle his lips as she made her way across his jaw and down toward his collarbone.

“You know,” Spencer started, a playful smile materializing on his well-kissed lips, “At the rate you’re going we’ll never make it downstairs.” He looked almost proud of himself, with Y/N straddling his waist and his delicately strong hands bracing her hips. Smiling knowingly, Y/N leaned forward, nipping Spencer’s ear. She planted kisses against his soft skin, taking note – and great pleasure, when he groaned at her ministrations.

“You know,” she said, mimicking Spencer’s coy tone just moments before, “At the rate we’re going, we’ll have to find ourselves another stocking for next Christmas.”

She didn’t need to look at Spencer to know that he was blushy fiercely. To think that the thought of having another baby with her, while they already had two sleeping soundly the next room over, made him blush was almost too much for Y/N to handle. She stood up, feet on the ground as she planted herself between Spencer’s legs.

“Does that excite you, Spence?” She whispered in his ear, her voice so low and so sweet that it made his skin crawl with anticipation. Y/N’s mouth found him in the dark, yet again. She nipped at his lower lip, catching it in between her teeth and tugging expertly as he moaned into her mouth. As fast as it all started, riddled with sleeplessness and marred by procrastination, Y/N left him. Spencer was cold, missing the warmth of her body pressed into his and did the only reasonable, logical thing: followed his wife.

He heard her first. She stirred in the kitchen, making more sound than she intended as she heated up something on the stovetop. Spencer watched from the living room, the pile of unwrapped toys and gifts kept him company.

Spencer, from his childhood to early adult life, never had a reason to like Christmas. It never felt like a true white Christmas in Las Vegas, anyway. He supposed that the lack of snow and chill was the least of his worries growing up, as was having a cheery Christmas. But Spencer, much older, much wiser was a dad. And as a father, he’ll be damned if his children don’t get the best Christmases ever.

Lost in thought, Spencer hardly noticed when Y/N sat beside him. He felt the couch sink in, alerting him that someone was next to him. He turned facing Y/N in the glow of the Christmas tree lights. Spencer always loved the way she looked, but there was something about the way the multicolor Christmas lights twinkled in the reflection of her eyes that made his wife particularly stunning.

“You look worried.” Y/N noticed, handing Spencer a cup of steaming spiked cider. The spices and heat tickled Spencer’s nose and warmed his hands as he grasped it.

He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, “Just thinking.” He hoped that it would be smooth enough to not have to go deeper into what was turning the cogs in his mind. Even though he tried to stop it, Spencer’s mind kept replaying. Even though it was just seconds earlier, his mind was a kaleidoscope of flashbacks of her body writhing under his and echoes of her teasing him, whispering into his ear taunting him with what they both know they desperately want.

“I can tell,” Y/N teased, sipping the hot cider, “Well, we do have a lot of presents to wrap. And it’s still early so we can put on one of those overly competitive baking shows and just vent. You’ll go to town wrapping Auggie’s clothbound set of Chronicles of Narnia and I’ll just listen to you, love.”

A smile, although fraught and shy, tugged at Spencer’s lips. Y/N had an uncanny ability to put him at ease. He looked at her, from across the steaming spiral of cider, through the multicolored, candy-coded haze of Christmas lights and kissed her cheek.

“Sounds like a plan.” He said, whispering against her cheek. He kissed the corner of her mouth, which hid a smile of her own.

Y/N handed Spencer the scissors and roll of Christmas themed wrapping paper. Carefully, Spencer laid out the present, a toddler’s toy cash register set with play money, on the coffee table.

“Watch the drinks, Spence!” Y/N said, nudging Spencer as she tucked her feet under her knees and brought her drink to her lips. “I’ve been home with a 6 year old and a 3 year old all week. You’ll be making me another one if you spill this.” She warned with a teasing glare.

Spencer nodded, sipping the hot drink from his own cup and holding it in his hands. He felt the warmth of the cider slide down his throat and land in the pit of his stomach. He watched silently as Y/N wrapped the remaining presents. He felt himself slip away again, mind stolen from the moment by the worry that placed itself front and center of his thoughts.

A tentative worry plagued Spencer’s face as he threw Y/N a cautioned look. “Is it hard on you? I mean, God, that’s a stupid question. I’m gone a lot, I know it’s hard on you without you having to tell me. I just mean, if we were to have more…”

“You want to have more kids, Spence?” Y/N asked, eyes open wide, despite the hefty amount of booze that once filled her drink.

“Yeah, I mean...” Spencer stammered, running a hand through his hair. “It’s just. I know it was dirty talk, or whatever,” he blushed, reliving the thrill that flooded his system earlier, “I just think we make really neat kids. And you’re such a good mom. And I love being a dad. I know it’s a lot, on you in particular. But I’ll scale back at work. I’ll get a new job if you want. It might be nice to be home more for August and Ellie and you, regardless of what happens or doesn’t happen.” Spencer said, looking at Y/N’s eyes, searching for something lost in the lines that crowd her face.

“Spence,” Y/N said, eyes tearing involuntarily as Spencer’s hands came to rest on her kneecap, “I don’t know how you do it, love, but you always know exactly what to say. I wanted to wait till tomorrow. I had this whole thing planned. It’s kind of stupid in hindsight, but you would have thought it was cute.”

“Tell me what?” Spencer dared, eyes frantically watching as Y/N rummaged into her basket of yarn, “Y/N.”

“Spencer Reid.” She said, taking his hands into her hands with such care and love Spencer would have thought he was built of something fragile and precious. “You’re the absolute love of my life. I think I know you better than you know yourself sometimes, but for this,” her voice choked a little, hitched on the words that tumbled out without care or grace, “I’ll admit for this, I was a little scared. Three kids…is hard. It’s a lot of work, but there’s no one. Not a single other soul on this planet or any of the universes I’d rather be doing this with.”

Spencer sat there, hot mug of cider still in hand, watching in awe as his wife placed a small box in his lap. Carefully, tentatively Spencer laid the cup down on the coffee table and shot a look full of love for his wife toward her.

“Is this what I think it is?” Spencer asked. His fingers delicately gripped the red satin ribbon and tugged it apart.

“Just open it, Spence!” Y/N whispered-screamed. She watched with worry and excitement casting brilliant and stunning shadows on her face.

Spencer pulled off the lid and revealed the contents of the package. He was stunned. He licked his lips, a wave of disbelief washed over him as he registered exactly what the little plastic test with two pink lines.

“Is this…is this real?” Spencer questioned. He was hesitant, still conditioned to face good things that happened to him with both an err of caution and disbelief. “We’re having….you’re pregnant?”

The Christmas tree lights danced in the background like tropes of multicolored ballerinas on pointe shoes cascading their twinkling light against the cream colored wall as a backdrop. Her face, perpetually angelic, crinkled at her eyes and mouth and nose with a potent mixture of happiness and love. Her laugh was what broke Spencer’s resolve. He felt a thud of weight against his body and the air knocked out of him as Y/N launched herself into his arms.

He held her gently, unable to whisper how happy…how genuinely happy he felt in the moment. Spencer’s eyes leaked tears that fell against Y/N’s shoulders. He could smell the cinnamon and maple syrup against her breath as he kissed her. It was a soft kiss, the kind of kiss that happened all the time between them.

“So the cider,” Spencer started, worry and confusion plaguing Spencer’s face, “I’m guessing your’s wasn’t spiked.” Y/N laughed, careful to keep the noise at a low volume as Spencer held her in his arms. His hand rested on her lower abdomen as wonder and care filled his eyes.

“No, neither was yours. You’re too much of a lightweight to tell something so important while tipsy.” Y/N explained. “But um, this is a happy thing right for you too?”

Spencer grabbed Y/N’s hand, kissing the place where she wore her wedding ring during the day. He traveled down her hand and kissed each individual knuckle. Spencer turned Y/N’s palm over, pecking and peppering kisses against her skin.

“Sleeping upstairs,” Spencer started, “are two people of three I love most in this world. And now you’re telling me there’s going to be a fourth. I can’t tell you Y/N how happy that makes me.”

Spencer’s heart swelled with pride as Y/N’s teary face interrupted the spiral of his mind. “Oh baby,” she whispered, leaning forward and planting kisses on Spencer’s neck, “I’m so happy you’re happy. I was worried.”

Spencer tucked a strand of his hair into his ear and kissed her temple. “Happy news, bad news, everything in between we are in this together, sweetheart.” Spencer reminded her. “You know you’re the love of my life right? Anything you do will make me just about the happiest man alive.”

“You are such a sap,” Y/N said teasingly, although the smile plastered to her face told a completely different story. “But you better know you make me ridiculously happy, my love.”

Spencer sank into the couch, comforted by the news that filled his heart with love and chest with pride. He rubbed shapes into Y/N's side as they whispered about what was to come. Eventually, silence. fell upon them as as their heartbeats melded into one.

TAGLIST

@reidsbookclub @reidslovely @coldbrewat3am @fightingdragonswithwho @hotchandspencearedilfs @sadgirlml @goldentournesol @spencerslibrary @foxy-eva @paperbackprettyboy @reidselle @alexxavicry @justlivinginadaydream @tragiclilb @reidsmilf @givemeth @reidslibrarybook @mrs-dr-reid @spencerreidsmommy @spencer-reid-wonderland @radiant-reid

[pathanga]

Friendship bracelets & fan-cams - The 'fangirlification' of Motorsports

It’s no secret that motorsports and sports in general are seeing a surge in popularity. Formula One enjoyed a crowd of 1.3 million watching the Las Vegas Grand Prix, a brand new track with no history. But is this due to organic interest in the sport? Out of these 1.3 million, how many turned the race on for the first time with no expectations except to see fast cars zip through a street circuit? Or did they watch with an expectation, with the basic knowledge that can only come from consuming content on social media? 

Shows like Drive to Survive (Formula One) and There Can Only Be One (MotoGP) have a reputation to be dramatized, fans of the shows labeled as ‘DTS fans’ and not true fans of the sport. This, unfortunately, is a common occurrence in many fan circles, affecting mainly women and younger fans, pushing them away from the sport. Mention your interest in Formula one or MotoGP around a certain group and expect to be quizzed on what DRS stands for or on what happened in Sepang between Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez. Name a popular driver and brace yourself to be accused of liking them for their looks.

But there has been a change, not a sudden one, but a change that has been long coming.

The online fan-spaces of sports have slowly filled by more women, sharing their opinions, ‘live-tweeting’ and ‘live-blogging’ their reactions. It’s become a trend to make races an event with bracelet trading and painted shirts. This isn’t anything new, Japanese fans are known to flood Suzuka with intricate hats, each bigger than the last. The Tifosi (fans of historic team Ferrari) are known to come dressed in elaborate costumes. Popes, Priests and many more religious figures flock to Imola and Monza to bless the Ferrari Drivers. You can joke that Charles Leclerc enjoys a fan-base of mostly younger women, but the dedication Italian men show to him cannot be topped.

Even the teams and the sport itself are embracing the new attention from their fan circles. Duracell, battery manufacturers and sponsors of the Williams F1 team, have jumped in head first, posting ‘fan-cam Fridays’ of drivers Alex Albon and Logan Sargent. Ferrari has even joined in, fans joking that the team posts ‘thirst traps’ of the drivers when they don't live up to standards. MotoGP takes a more subtle route, their latest campaign ‘under the skin’ an intimate look into the scars and tattoos of the riders. But the upturned eyes and soft lighting feels less than educational.

But is this a healthy path for the sport to go down? Should the sport rely on their drivers' looks and marketability to gain fans instead of pushing innovation and talent? It's a gray area at best. The days of proclaimed playboy Jenson Button prove that looks and talent can be balanced. But BrawnGP wasn't posting Jenson in an ice bath after a tough race. 

If we are exploring the marketability of teams and its pitfalls we have to discuss Haas and Guenther Steiner. Moneygram Haas Formula One was once a pool of potential, the only American team on the grid. Haas could have been the envy of the grid, pride of the American fans. But Haas sits comfortably towards the back of the grid, known for Lego brick cars, the phoenix called Romain Grosjean and their Ex-team principal Guenther Steiner. Driver to Survive captured Guenther as a character in the paddock, with his colourful language and quotable sentences. Newer fans were swayed by his portrayal and then ultimately disappointed when their underdog lost to the dominant Max. 

In the end, none of it matters. The sport is ever evolving and will always be evolving. The beloved Halo, saviour of many, was once seen as a curse. Only time will tell if the ‘fangirlification’ will bring the sport down or uplift it. It's not about the race to create the perfect sport, but more about the history and community built from it.

Yes Max Verstappen may be dominating the grid, but off-grid the real winners are the fans, watching history be made, and even be part of it.

[deathofpeaceofmiiind]

illicit affairs | twelve

*Noah’s POV* After I shut the door, I braced myself against it, taking a huge breath. She looked so fucking good, I thought I was going to lose my composure. I wasn’t sure what was in store for tonight, or what her intentions were with me. She never mentioned anything about Matt, so I have no idea if they were still together or not. I guess I’ll just have to leave the ball in her court for now. 

I turned on the shower and let it heat up as I scanned around her bathroom. It was pretty modern with marble and black accents. She put her own flair on it with artificial roses, candles with black and white towels. Her ysl perfume was on the counter, along with her tube of red lipstick she was wearing tonight. I smirked, realizing it was the same one she wore the night we met. I picked the perfume off of the counter and took a deep inhale. Fuck the smell was damn intoxicating, almost as intoxicating as she was.

I got out of the shower, got dressed into my matching black Lululemon shorts and t-shirt, and put on a few more sprays of my cologne than I normally do. My facial hair looked like shit so I quickly shaved it off and threw on my Canucks baseball cap before heading back out into her living room. My heart skipped when I saw her sitting in her kitchen scrolling on her phone with a glass of red wine in her hand. I noticed her nails were long and black, something she didn’t have before. I guess not working in the hospital anymore gave her that freedom. She looked up and softly smiled at me, causing me to completely crumble at her feet. “What?” I nervously asked when she kept her gaze longer than I expected her to. “Nothing” She replied, putting her wine glass down, “It’s just.. I didn’t think you kept that hat.” “It’s my favourite.” I said as I sat down beside her. “I actually started watching their games this year. Even went to see them when they came to LA” “Really?” She questioned, her eyes widening, “I’m impressed.” “Thanks.” I chuckled, my hand immediately going up to my necklace, something I started to do when I got nervous. Her eyes followed my every move, slowly blinking as I fiddled with the charm she gave me. “I can’t believe you wear that after all this time .” She whispered, bringing her hand up to where the charm dangled. Her fingertips brushed mine and sent tingles down my arm. Her face was so close to mine that I could see the freckles on her nose peeking out through her make up. All I wanted to do was kiss her but I wasn’t going to touch her until I knew she wasn’t with him anymore. “You know after you gave it to me, I thought I lost it at our hotel in Vegas but I found it months later.” I swallowed a lump in my throat as she sat back up and took a long sip of her wine. God I wish her lips are on me instead of that glass, “I put it on and…it made me feel connected to you again.” She had such a sad expression on her face as she took in what I just said, “Meanwhile I shut off everything that reminded me of you.” “You had every right to do that, I didn’t treat you well…” “Yes you did.” She responded quietly, “up until that last night.” “I don’t expect you to forgive me, cause I haven’t forgiven myself either.” “I know.” She sighed, nodding slowly. “I’ve spent all this time trying to forget about it and I want to keep it that way.” My knuckles were turning white as I tried to refrain from grabbing her hand. I needed to know, “El, I have to ask. Are you and Matt -“ “That’s over.” She cut in, “he actually broke up with me.” “Really?” I was actually surprised. I figured he wouldn’t ever let her go if he got his chance. “He didn’t want to get between you and me, actually. He seems to think we’re not done yet.” “Well are we?” I asked with hesitation. I was having a hard time reading her right now, she looked defeated. Maybe what they had was real? “It’s 7pm, we should go.” 

[dwell-the-brave]

WIP 06/05/2024

Gasp, a new graphic!

It's a Bank Holiday Monday here in Blighty, so here's some WIP for you;

HWtC Pt 5

Alex is awake at least, when Henry comes in. Sofia has migrated into their room as well, sat in Henry’s side of the bed with the duvet over her knees, reading the Financial Times which she’s clearly stolen off Alex, who keeps trying to read the front page between her fingers.  “Morning Daddy,” Sofia murmurs when she spots him, turning a page in the paper and flicking it to keep it all upright. He goes to the bed and presses a kiss to her hair, even when she tries to duck away. “Morning Poppet, Merry Christmas. No Arthur yet?” he asks Alex, who shrugs one shoulder. “Rumour has it he and Sadie were still awake at 3am,” Alex says. His side-ways glance suggests that their daughter in the rumour mill in question.

Professional dom! Alex x Actor! Henry WIP

The doorbell chimes precisely at 10am, exactly when Henry was told it would. He jumps on his barstool, the pot of Earl Grey in front of him well over-steeped now, probably bitter, but his mind is so frazzled he couldn’t - he can’t - The thought is gone. Lost to the haze of an overstimulated and overworked mind on it’s last legs.  Henry reaches the front door without getting turned around in the maze of a house he only lives in six weeks out of the year, and takes a second to compose himself before opening it. He glances sideways at himself in the nearby mirror - tall, slim, dark bruised shadows under his eyes and wan skin. An expression that says he hasn’t had a good nights sleep in six months. He attempts to smooth his fine hair with one hand but that somehow just makes it look worse. With a huff, Henry gives up. He braces himself, takes a deep breath and opens the door. 

Las Vegas Wedding! AU

He assesses his current state of being. He is seemingly still fully dressed in the same chinos and linen shirt combo he had been wearing yesterday. He has managed to take his shoes off, and one sock. He has a pounding headache settling in just behind his eyes, and his mouth feels like he went and licked the road on the Vegas strip, but he seems to be otherwise uninjured. He tries to remember what happened last night. It’s very rare he gets so drunk he loses time. They’d been sharing a bottle of Jack Daniels the last he could remember. Whatever happened will come back to him eventually…  “Henry?” he calls, his voice like sandpaper. There is no reply.  He tries again to lift his head and manages to get himself sat up, though the world takes a horrible swoop to one side. He breathes in deeply through his nose so he doesn’t hurl. Once his head and stomach have settled, he tries to stand. He doesn’t immediately fall on his face but the world spins alarmingly again. Groaning, eyes bleary, Alex slowly takes himself into the sitting room.

As always, if you like what you're reading, please check out my work on Ao3.

Until next time!

[ohfallingdisco]

Happy June! Here’s Will being out, Argyle existing, and Jonathan having several heart attacks:

El and Will half-jokingly make plans to go back to Las Vegas to follow through on their evil plans (rob every nightclub), and Jonathan suddenly won’t drive them back. Will pouts at his brother right there in the Wheelers’ basement, where he’s come to pick them up, and tries out the excuse. 

“It’s because I’m gay, isn’t it?” 

And nearly every party member has a heart attack, while Jonathan just stares back, heart sinking as he remembers the time. 

“Yes,” he sighs, bouncing Argyle’s keys. He left him upstairs, what is he doing? Surely Argyle wouldn’t…? 

Will was shaking his head at Jonathan solemnly, putting an arm around their sister. “Don’t listen to him, he’s nuts,” he confides, leaning in. “He should definitely stay your least favorite brother. Loser.” 

“Can we go?” Jonathan asks El, trying to make it back with at least one of his siblings tonight. 

She gazed back with big eyes, and for a moment, he thought he had her. Who’s the loser now? 

But then, slowly, she was shaking her head. “I’m sorry.” His stomach dropped. “Can’t go with mouth breathers.” 

Will threw his head back, cackling brightly, just as Max lunged forward off the couch to offer a high-five. 

Jonathan’s eyes slid past them and their babbling, and he noticed Mike staring at the back of Will’s head, seemingly deeply entranced. Of course. Had Will made that joke around here yet? He grimaced, casting his eyes up. Where were your people when you needed them. “Listen, we’ll talk about Vegas at home. I don’t want to break the law just because—”

“Oh, come on,” Will scoffed, letting El go and stepping over to his side. “Coward. Can I drive?” 

He thought about it. He was tired. “Argyle’s van,”  he remembered, tapping his brother’s arm. “Get a job, Surfer Boy.” 

Will grimaced, sighing. Somewhere behind him, Mike tried to cover up a strangled noise with a cough. 

Jeez, he didn’t mean a real surfer boy. He shot Mike a look, because ew, but Mike flushed a deep red as soon as he caught his eye.

‘I’m not gay,’ he mouthed, like a liar. Jonathan rolled his eyes to tell him as much. 

“Come on,” he commanded, grabbing Will’s shoulder to push him along. Their sister grabbed their bag and waved as she trailed after. 

Finally, finally, he made it upstairs. And then, Will, walking peacefully in front of him, stopped. Jonathan nudged his back, trying to give him a push, but he just reached out to brace his hands on the doorframe. 

Will glanced at him, over his shoulder, and whispered, “Look.” 

So he craned his neck, and did. Oh. Shit. 

Argyle was currently sitting right next to Ted Wheeler in the living room, gesturing at the TV playing an opening scene of Cheers, and talking animatedly about it. “—Just, the song said, if he wants to be a girl, would you or not call the husband a she? But then, they would be a lesbian. So, then, maybe he just wants to be a—”

Ted Wheeler looked extremely uncomfortable with the way Argyle was pressed to his side, but to his credit, he did mutter, “Yes, I suppose so.” 

“So you agree that he’s a boy-girl!” Argyle said happily, but then squinted at the ceiling. “Or else—”

“No, he could be a male lesbian,” Ted agreed quickly, trying to subtly nudge Argyle off. It didn’t work. “Or a female husband, I suppose.”

“Yeah!” Argyle decided, folding his hands over his stomach. Holly looked up from the floor, grinning and giggling. 

Jonathan was floored, but enough was enough, and he pushed his way past Will. “Hey, buddy, let’s go.”

Argyle sat up to look at them. “But—”

“We can turn it on at our house,” El volunteered, cocking her head with interest. 

And at this, Argyle stood up, beaming and pointing at her. “That’s the idea, brochacho!” 

Together, the two of them wandered out of the room, discussing the mechanics of the line further. Jonathan shared a look with Will, and both brothers hurried after them. 

They were almost to the door when Mrs. Wheeler called out, “Wait!” 

Jonathan grit his teeth, closing and opening his eyes, and turned around with a smile. “Mrs. Wheeler!” 

She hurried over from the kitchen, sweeping Will and then El into a hug, and pressing two bags of cookies into their hands. “Congratulations!” she said, beaming, and Jonathan was a little dumbfounded. 

They had had to tell her about the Upside Down, last month, before the final battle, but ever since she found out about his siblings’ powers, she had been keeping up with their progress mastering them and running an over-enthusiastic support from the sidelines. 

But then, Argyle said the line that made him reach over and jerk open the door: “Is it because you know he’s gay?” 

“Okay!” Jonathan cried, shoving his best friend out. 

Will snickered, smiling. “Thank you for the cookies, Mrs. Wheeler.” 

“Of course, dear!” 

And until the door shut, Jonathan could not let out the breath he had been holding. 

Next time, he thought, looking at her car pulling up, he would just ask Nancy to drive them home. 

[ummick]

Mick’s Diary: 2024 Plans, Final Races of the Season & More

Time for one final check-in of the 2023 Formula One season. Here’s the last chapter of Mick’s Diary for this year. Catching up with our Reserve Driver, Mick Schumacher, to hear all about the final races of the season, what he made of Las Vegas and his plans for the winter. We also hear from him on his 2024 plans now that they’ve been officially announced. Hi everyone. It’s been a busy couple of weeks, so there’s plenty to update you on for my last diary of the 2023 season. It’s been a very long season for everybody, and we’re going to have a longer one next year. Everyone is bracing themselves for it. On the other hand, it’s good to know we’ve completed the year with a successful learning path and securing P2 in the Constructors’ Championship. I’ve also learned a lot over the season and my knowledge base. Every time I went in the car I felt like I did take steps forward. Obviously the simulator work helped with the development of the W14, so I’m excited to see what next year holds. All of the races at the end of the year have been flyaways, so I’ve not been on the race support like I am for the Europeans. It’s a very different approach to the weekend, as for flyaways I am there from Thursday onwards so I am much more involved on the ground, but for most of the Europeans I’m in the simulator and only get to the track on Saturday. But both have their charm and have their individual way of learning and taking what’s important from the weekend. We’ve finished the season with an intense run of races. You can never really combat all the travel and the time zones; you just have to survive it, really. Probably one of the most difficult parts of F1 is switching time zones. Vegas was a tough cookie. I unfortunately got sick when I arrived there and I didn’t really recover until the end of the weekend. Luckily everything’s all good, but from what I saw of Vegas the schedule was quite tough, but there were lots of positives and I’d never been to Vegas before, so it was an interesting experience. As a team, we win and lose together and when things are difficult you definitely feel that. All I want to do is help the team to success and we all worked very hard to try and get the car back up to speed. Especially now with the W15 already in the works, we all are 100% focused on trying to have a successful 2024. It’s a great opportunity to stay with the team for next year as the Reserve Driver and keep on learning, keep building on what we’ve achieved this year. I think we’re all very keen to get started and on track with the W15, so it will be very nice to be part of that process. I can also continue to build on all the relationships with the team. It’s been good to spend so much time with everyone and get to know, also, the people who have been here when my dad was. It’s a very special team and a very special bond that they have. I’m also really excited to be back racing in the World Endurance Championship with Alpine. I’m a racer, I always was a racer, so I’ll be racing next year and that’s what I do best. Not racing this year was tough, so I’m just really looking forward to being on the road and fighting. In between we have a bit of a break, so I’ll be recharging my batteries; get ready for racing next year and try to build on what we’ve done in 2023. I wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who’s read these diary entries through the year, but most importantly thanks to all the fans for sticking with me. It’s been a tough year and we never give up. We always try to give our best. Thank you for being there every step of the way, and I’m excited for what next year holds. Believe me, I’m still working hard on also the step to hopefully being back in F1.