#maurizio arrivabene

[blorbocedes]

we used to be a real team

[ef-1]

“It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other but now it’s my time to tell you something. You’ll always be in my heart, I’ll always have your back.” - Maurizio Arrivabene to Sebastian Vettel after his final qualifying session in Formula 1, Abu Dhabi 2022

[chasingseb]

[sebinwhite]

Sebastian Vettel with Antonio Giovinazzi and Maurizio Arrivabene during FP1 at the 2017 Russian GP

watch here

[speedypeacellama]

Sebastian Vettel&Maurizio Arrivabene in the paddock together. 2015 Spanish GP Thursday.

bonus: How Seb's pants look like that day

[umseb]

sebastian vettel and maurizio arrivabene in the garage on practice day, britain - july 6, 2018 📷 mark sutton / motorsport images

[plushi3s007]

Why he looks so tiny here omg

I always see the illusion of big guy with wide shoulder Kimi but apparently he's 175cm (officially).. which is kinda average height awww

Now is Leclerc really 180 cm tho? 👀

Mega gifs : 193/∞

Kimi Raikkonen

[iceman7raikkonen]

[raikkonenvettels]

i commenti mi spezzano però

[speedypeacellama]

Italian criminal dilf maurizio and his right hand man/everything/confidant/best friend/silly rabbit sebby

[25points]

2018 mexican gp

[thearchercore]

I'm new to F1 and I see that there is a race that comes up every time when we talk about Charles. It's Baku's when he was in f2. I see that it left its mark on everyone. Was she that extraordinary? What exactly happened?

it was his first race after his dad died, this quote pretty much sums it up:

Maurizio Arrivabene:

“We were on the same flight to Baku last year and I asked him what he was doing on the flight considering what happened to him. He replied: ‘I have to win this race, then I’ll go back and bury my father.’ […]”

he then went on to the secure the pole and won the entire race

[leclerrari]

“I was on a boat in Monaco. I had put the phone on silent mode, I found the call from Maurizio Arrivabene. I told the friend I was with to turn off the engines, that the head of Ferrari had called me and I didn’t feel well. I understood that he wouldn’t take me in Ferrari. It seemed a little strange to me that he called me to tell me that, I was disappointed. Fifteen seconds later he called me and told me he was joking. I hung up and dived into the sea, it all seemed so surreal. Me in Ferrari...”

— Charles Leclerc on signing with Ferrari in 2018 for L’Officiel Italia

[vinvantae]

Unmasked

Part 11/16

<<< previous part

Word count - 4.1k

warnings - minor injury. lots of social media posts. chapter starts off in first person!!

***

It’s a comfortably warm morning in Monaco, the café I’ve been asked to go to is quaint - tucked away in a narrow street off of the beaten path but you get a perfect view of anyone coming towards you. A waiting game to see which of the people who cross my path is going to be her. I can’t help but study every woman who steps onto the cobblestones, but as soon as I see none other than Charles Leclerc come around the corner, hand in hand with a woman - it all clicks into place.

Y/n y/l/n is Thirty.

Both of them greet me with a smile and a warm handshake as they step inside the cafe - bringing a cool breeze in as they open the door. Charles looks smart in a linen shirt, chain around his neck, and a watch more expensive than a regular person’s annual salary on his wrist. And y/n looks effortlessly beautiful in a sundress to complement the warm weather, before I can start digging into her being Thirty I have to ask about her perfume - her signature smell is to die for. She laughs, pulling out a travel size from her purse to offer it to me, swearing she has a full size at home.

As you can imagine, I have a lot of questions. But let’s just start at the beginning, how did the whole Faceless driver idea come about?

Y/n leans back in her seat a little, Charles’ tanned arm is draped lazily across the back and he uses his hand to squeeze her shoulder.

Ferrari were really interested in having me as part of the team but it was risky y’know? A woman, let alone an 18 year old woman in one of the top teams was unheard of.

She pauses as the waiter takes our order, Charles ordering for us all in Italian - I can’t help but notice the way y/n studies him, a soft sparkle in her eye. Their relationship seems easy and when she turns her attention back to me, she seems a little more sure of herself.

I was part of the Ferrari academy since I joined GP3, but that and then F2 just never felt truly challenging to me and I craved more. F1 was where I belonged, it was just about getting there. I believe it was Maurizio Arrivabene who ended up suggesting keeping my identity a secret. The press from that alone brought in more sponsors than the team had ever seen and as you know, Ferrari has never had much difficulty with that.

Her answers are rehearsed, not in a media trained way, but in a way of a woman who has had to keep her identity a secret for her whole career and is finally getting to speak the truth. I understand why she would want Charles here, her teammate and boyfriend is a calming presence - keeping quiet as he knows she deserves the spotlight after all these years.

You never won a championship in F2, how did you convince them that you were good enough for F1?

She takes a sip of her drink, taking a deep breath before softly shrugging her shoulders as if she’s not entirely sure herself.

I spent a lot of time in simulators and they could see what I could do on track from the races in F2 and GP3 that I did win. I like to think it was never a question of if I was talented enough for F1, not to be cocky, but I knew I was - it was whether or not it was worth risking me in Ferrari or if maybe I should start in a sister team. But in the end, it was for the best. I won them two championships after all, so I’d like to think that it was worth it.

Speaking of championships, not only are you the only woman to win the WDC but also the youngest overall, how did you feel?

A fond smile tugs at her lips and she reaches into her bag to pull out a small stack of photos. She slides one across the table to me - it’s of her in her driver’s room, helmet off but still in her full kit with her arms wrapped around the trophy that won her the title. I asked her who took it and she told me it was ‘Seb’ - Sebastian Vettel.

I was so overwhelmed. Everything I had ever dreamed of had come true but I couldn’t share it with anyone outside of Team Thirty and, of course, Seb. He brought a bottle of champagne up to my room and we drank the whole thing. It was one of the best days of my life, wouldn’t change it. If being faceless was what gave me the opportunity to accomplish my dream? Then I’m grateful for it.

And then you won your second in 2018, how was that?

Even better than the first time. Lewis and I had such an intense rivalry for those couple of years that it was such a strong feeling of victory. We raced so well against each other and really brought out the best in each other, I think. I’m not sure if he feels the same but I’m glad that we got to share that experience.

The couple both offer me another drink in unison when they notice I’ve finished mine, sharing a soft laugh when they realise. Charles leans over and presses a gentle kiss to her temple before taking our empty cups up to the counter to get us some more coffees. The two seemed so in sync as teammates, it’s no surprise that they work well as a couple too.

How was the transition when Charles joined the team? You’d been teammates with Sebastian for your entire career up until that point.

Honestly? It was a little scary at first. Seb was a mentor for me and when I had to meet Charles properly for the first time I was worried about how he would react. But, he’s been nothing but good to me. Before we started dating he’d always sneak into my driver’s room to keep me company and made sure that no matter how my race went - I had someone to talk to about it. He’s become my rock and I’m so lucky to have him.

He pushes me to be better, but has never let me be anything but myself.

When Charles returns to the table with a tray with fresh cups of coffee, he hands them out to us before sitting down - shuffling his chair closer to y/n so he can fully drape his arm across her shoulders. She relaxes in his hold, looking away from me for a moment to thank him for the drinks.

I know we’re interviewing y/n, but Charles, what was it like having to keep formula one’s biggest secret?

Difficult. He frowns a little. The amount of times I wanted to properly congratulate y/n or correct people when they said he was insane. I know I may get in trouble for this but I think keeping her hidden for so long was a mistake. Other women and girls should’ve been able to know that one of them was a formula 1 racer and a champion. She’s one of the greatest of our generation and she should’ve been celebrated properly.

I can see she’s touched by Charles’ words, despite - I’m sure - he’s said them to her before. This article is about learning about Thirty, yes, but I don’t think I can truly do that justice without talking about how the pair of them interact. I’m not sure whether it’s the years they’ve been teammates or the time they’ve been a couple but they just complement each other so easily.

So, you were teammates through 2020 and 2021, how did this relationship happen and why now?

The two of them share a look, one - as a journalist - I’m familiar with; whilst they do truly seem to care for each other, I have a suspicion there’s something they can’t tell me. But I don’t press.

I think during 2020 we were still just strangers, getting to know each other as people and as teammates. We didn’t spend a whole lot of time together outside of Team Thirty meetings or on the track y’know? And then 2021 I was in that title fight right up to the end so it just didn’t seem like the right time as I couldn’t really give him the attention he deserved.

We did begin to really become friends during 2021, he would make the extra effort to see me outside of meetings. And whilst Charles has since told me that he’s had these feelings for a long time, it took me a little longer. We’re definitely a case of he fell first, but I fell harder. I’m so smitten with this boy, you have no idea.

Charles was watching her as she spoke, the undeniable pink tinge of his cheeks was hard to miss. No matter what they were keeping to themselves, it was clear the two of them were very happy together. But it was time for more questions about the Thirty of it all.

So, why now? You’ve been faceless for nearly 6 years, what changed?

Well, after it leaked that I was a woman and I won the race in Imola - Team Thirty and I had a very big meeting about it. I’ve been ready to face the world for a while but with the team determined for another championship win this year, it was originally put on the back burner. But, I knew it was time. This year I could win my 3rd title and I wanted to do it with my face, my name not just a number.

I’ve also had so much support from both Charles and Sebastian with this. They helped me figure out just what to say to the team to convince them that now is the right time. I don’t know how long I’ve got left in this sport but I want to be here as y/n for at least some of it.

She excuses herself from the table to go to the restroom, that same fragrance from before following her as she walks past me. Charles sips at his coffee before leaning forward a little as if he’s got something juicy to share. I can’t help but be intrigued, leaning in also to listen.

She’s gonna do it, you know. The WDC is hers this year.

What about you? I ask. Shocked that he’d admit it about his teammate, he’s the Tifosi’s golden boy and is ahead of her in terms of points. He simply smiles and shrugs his shoulders.

I think now she’s got this out in the open, there’s truly nothing holding her back. She’s going to be unstoppable behind the wheel- this weight of her secret won’t weigh her down anymore. Yes, I want to be world champion, and you bet I’m going to fight for it until the very end… but I would be lying if I didn’t think she deserved it.

He straightens up in his seat as she returns, smiling as she leans down to kiss him before taking her seat - asking if she missed anything important. I know she’ll read what Charles said when the article is released but for now I keep it to myself, simply shaking my head.

Okay, let’s mix it up, get to know y/n a little more. What is your favourite track and why?

I think Bahrain is always going to hold a special place in my heart, I got my first win there. But, if I had to choose an all time favourite…I think it has to be a tie between Imola and Monza. Being surrounded by the Tifosi in such hoards really makes you want to do your best. Seeing oceans of red as you drive around is inspiring knowing all these people are in your corner. Now, I know in recent years, they’ve taken a particular liking to a certain Monaco native but they always showed me nothing but support and I hope they continue to do so now they know who I am.

Speaking of the Tifosi, do you have anything you want to say to them?

I mostly want to thank them for being my biggest supporters despite not knowing who was beneath the helmet. Thank you a million over Tifosi, I love you guys more than you’ll ever know.

Who was your racing hero growing up?

Oh there’s so many drivers out there I love but Susie Wolff for sure - she’s such an inspiration to women everywhere. And I know it’s probably silly but Lella Lombardi too, I know she only got half a point in her career but she made it into formula one when everything was against her and other women. But as a kid, it had to be Michael Schumacher. I met him a couple of times and he was nothing but kind to me. He was always honest with me that it was going to be tougher being a girl but he always believed in me and that… that was everything.

We’ve also heard through the grapevine that you’ve been approached by several other teams for next season, anything we should know there?

She smiles softly before shaking her head. Ferrari have actually matched the best offer I received, but at the end of the day they’re the team I want to race with so we’ve extended my contract for at least one more season - hopefully more. Besides, I’ve got the best teammate a girl could ask for.

Charles chuckled softly. Back at you, mon amour.

I think that’s all I really have to ask for now, thank you both so much for meeting with me. I’m not sure what I expected but you exceeded my expectations.

Oh wow, thank you so much. Thank you for being so kind… If I ever need to do another interview, you’ll be the first person I call. That’s for sure.

So there you have it, y/n y/ln is our mystery driver. I don’t know about you but I cannot wait to see what she does now that she’s been unmasked. This season has just got very interesting.

***

***

You weren’t a fool, you knew there was going to be a little push-back to your reveal - but there was a very loud minority who made it abundantly clear just how much they hated you, that they just didn’t believe you could possibly be the driver they had been supporting all these years. Within an hour of GQ releasing the article, #NotMyThirty was trending within the F1 community. They’d called you every insult under the sun and it was hard to focus on the praise when they were so loud and the press focused so much on the criticism. It didn’t help that once you’d been revealed, a certain Redbull team principal decided you weren’t worth the offer they made and he very publicly retracted it.

“Y/n, cherie.” You felt the mattress sink next to you as Charles sat beside you on the bed - the duvet pulled over your head. “We need to go soon, have a plane to catch.”

“...why don’t they just get Jenson to do it. Or better yet, get Michael up and on his feet so he can get in the car when I couldn’t possibly be a two time world champion.” You grumbled. “I’m just a stupid paddock-bunny.”

Charles frowned softly. “Hey. Those idiots have no idea what they’re talking about. You’re one of the greatest talents of our generation, they’re just jealous fools who couldn’t get into the sport if they tried.”

The Monegasque smiled softly as you peeked over the top of the duvet. It was hard for you to believe him but you knew he was going to sit there until he got you out of bed - so you put on your best fake smile. “You always know just what to say, huh?”

He pressed a soft kiss to your forehead, pulling a gentle hum from you. “Mhmm hmm, I’ve got a talent for it. Now seriously, get your beautiful butt out of bed… we’ve got a flight to catch.”

You weren’t sure what to expect when you arrived in Miami, Charles’ hand wrapped around yours as you both stepped into the paddock. The cameras and press were on you in a literal flash, you simply smiled and waved a little. “Hey, y/n, look.”

When you followed the direction of Charles’ finger, your heart skipped a beat when you saw fans at the barrier with signs for you. The loud minority who despised you were currently nowhere to be seen - people shouting and cheering. Your boyfriend was positively beaming as he tugged you over to them, you couldn’t believe people actually wanted your autograph and pictures with you.

You could feel tears prickling in your eyes when a young girl told you just how much it meant to her that she had a female idol in the sport. It was hard not wrap your arms around her and never let go so instead you took a photo with her. “I got you a present… made it as soon as I found out you were a girl like me, it’s a bit messy ‘cus I didn’t have a lot of time.”

As you held your hand out, she slipped a bracelet around your wrist - it was made out of chunky plastic beads; flowers, fake pearls and the word Thirty written out in pink. It was the girliest thing you had ever seen but you could tell just how much it meant to the girl - her little eyes sparkling as she waited for your response.

“I love it! Thank you so much!” You grinned. “Hey, I’ve got something for you as well.”

You took your cap off of your head and scribbled your signature on the brim before sitting it atop her head. “Think this suits you much better.”

Your heart felt full as she turned to her Dad and bounced with glee, showing off her brand new present. You smiled softly and as you turned to Charles, you were suddenly hit with a sharp pain in the side of the head, right by your eyebrow - making you wince and reach up, eyes widening when you pulled your hand back and you saw blood on your fingers. You only just saw a glimpse of security dragging a man shouting expletives away from the crowd. “Oh my god, y/n, are you okay?”

“Yeah uh… what..” You blinked a few times, feeling a little dizzy, eyes scanning the floor to see what he’d hit you with - eyes landing on a crumpled up can, as you pushed your toe against it, you could feel there was still some liquid in it. “I… I uh…I think I should probably go to the medical centre, just to be safe.”

“Of course, shit, yeah.” Charles looped an arm around your waist and helped you through the paddock. Before you left, you caught the eyes of the young girl again and the look on her face broke you - she looked terrified. She was the walking personification of how you felt in that moment.

You had to fight back the tears as the two of you walked through the paddock - the memory of meeting some of your fans for the first time, tainted forever by that one dickhead in a Redbull cap. You were expecting some hatred, but you weren’t expecting physical violence. As you stepped into the medical centre, you were immediately ushered into a room and patched up.

“I can’t believe he did that, cherie. I’m so sorry… I-I should’ve been paying better attention.”

Your brow furrowed as you got up from the exam table, the medic having left the two of you alone. Charles stood against the wall, head lowered as you crossed the room to join him.

“Hey, hey.” You took his face in your hands. “Don’t you dare, you couldn’t have known he was going to do that… I… I’m starting to think this was a mistake.”

“Y/n-”

You shook your head. “I’m sorry, I just… I knew there was going to be some backlash but, I’m not sure I’m cut out for this…”

“Cherie-”

“Can I just be alone for a little while, please? I’ll catch up with you later.”

Your teammate’s eyes flickered across you, you could tell he wanted to protest but instead he pressed a chaste kiss to your lips before leaving you alone. The lights in the room hummed softly as you sat down in the empty chair beside the exam table, covering your face with your hands and letting out a soft sob.

Being unmasked was what you’ve wanted for as long as you could remember, but you hadn’t taken the time to really think about exactly what that meant. That your face, your name would be out there for everyone to pick apart. You wanted to put on a brave face and go out there, pretend it didn’t bother you but it did.

None of your achievements mattered - all that they cared about is that you were a woman, a fake, the drivers’ personal mattress. And your relationship with Charles was thrown right back in your face, the defending Ferrari was supposed to be doing didn’t seem to be helping at all. Any time the PR team spoke to the press, people always had some sort of comeback - another reason to add to the list of why you didn’t deserve any of it.

You rubbed your eyes and took a deep breath, trying to shove all of the cruel accusations to the back of your head as you left the medical centre. As you turned towards the Ferrari motorhome, you saw Lewis leant against the wall - foot propped up against the wall as he scrolled on his phone, no one even batting an eye at him. He looked up at the sound of the door closing and gave you a gentle smile, pushing his phone into his pocket. “Hey, I just came to check if you’re okay. I heard what happened.”

“Said it was gonna come up as a bit of a black-eye but I’ll be alright.” You shrugged.

“I’m more worried about how you’re feeling, y/n. I know no one knows what you’re going through right now but I’ve been through similar enough crap to know that it’s not fun being singled out for something you can’t help.” His voice was soft as he stepped closer. “And I know it’s easier said than done but you just gotta try and ignore it.”

“...I don’t know if I can.” Your voice cracked. “Th-They’re attacking insecurities I didn’t even know I had. I’m not sure I’m cut out for this, Lewis.”

He looked around the paddock before checking his watch. “We’ve got some time, come with me.”

You lowered your head and followed your fellow driver into the Mercedes motorhome through a back entrance and up to his room - his dark eyes flickering back to you to make sure you were following close behind him. With a hand on the small of your back he ushered you into his room, closing the door behind. “You should probably text Charles, let him know you’re here.”

“Uh yeah… Yeah, good idea.”After texting your boyfriend, you sat beside your rival on the sofa, his arm draped across the back. “They’re going to crucify me if I have any bad races. Any mistake, any slip up… they’re going to drag me to hell and back. I just… I know I should ignore it, I do, but it’s hard to ignore when it’s smacking me in the side of the face.”

“”I know, I get it. I’ve been there… you just need to try and remember you’re not alone. I’ve got your back, so do Charles, Max and Sebastian. Don’t disappear into yourself, okay?” His voice was gentle but firm, but it just felt so quiet compared to the throbbing pain you felt in your temple.

You nodded. “Yeah, I know. Thank you… I should get going.”

You were taken a little aback when you were pulled into a hug as you stood, his strong arms would’ve made you feel safe in any other circumstance you were sure - but you just felt so defeated by it all. You gave him a gentle squeeze before heading towards your own garage, Charles throwing you a worried look from his side - still unsure how you’d ended up with Lewis. You simply nodded at him before popping into a side room to get into your racegear, ready to get into the car for the first time without your mask on.

“Hey, how’s the suit fit?” Your trainer approached you, a gentle smile on his face. “Must feel good that it’s finally got your name on it, right?”

“Uh yeah, it fits good.” To the untrained eye, the smile on your face was simply of a distracted person - getting ready to race, but Charles could read you like a book and he just knew something was wrong. Something more than a slight headache and the bruise blossoming around your eye was weighing you down and getting into the car in the mental headspace you were in was trouble waiting to happen.

But before he could cross over to you, try and clear your head just a little bit, he was summoned for first practice - one of his mechanics ushering him over to his car, allowing the driver to get one final glance at you as you pulled your helmet over your head.

All he could do now was hope that you wouldn’t get in your own way - as having a bad weekend would just sink you deeper into the feeling you weren’t good enough. You were a champion for a reason. But the minority who despised you were tearing you down, blocking your view from who you truly were and he hated that.

You took a deep breath from inside the cockpit, trying your best to block out the voices bouncing around your head as your engineer went over the programmes you would be running during the session. You just had to do well this weekend, no, not just well… you had to win. Everything was resting on your shoulders, they expected results now you were unmasked.

And you were terrified of what they’d do if you didn't.

***

************************

Next part >>>

Really hope you guys enjoyed this one!! There will be no chapter next weekend because I’m going to Silverstone 🏎️

Thank you for all your support on this fic!

Want to be notified when I post? Join our discord, head over to #reaction-roles and click the sunflower 🌻

[toppamplemousse]

fairytalestappen part 4/5: the little mermaid

sorry for the delay in putting this part out, i've been feverishly writing the surprise brainworm that took over and is now a 21k fic that we'll be posting next week hehehehehe

please bear with me as a take about 1 million artistic liberties with the story of the little mermaid and also throw a bit of pirates of the caribbean in there

max is the captain of a pirate ship. traumatic upbringing, very jaded and cynical, doesn't trust anyone but himself to do things. he stole a Navy ship and became a pirate and now he's feared and admired in equal measure as the famous pirate captain Mad Max and his ship is #UnleashTheLion

one day, Max's crew capture a mermaid in their fishing net, and they're planning to kill him and stuff him and sell him to a museum. Max is initially ambivalent, but then gets a look at the mermaid, and my god he's beautiful. tanned skin, messy brown hair, the most gorgeous green eyes you've ever seen in your life (and they're filling with tears, god how tragically gorgeous) and an exquisite red tail.

while the rest of the crew is below deck for some reason, and max is alone with the mermaid, he carefully extricates the mermaid from the net and the mermaid is like "what are you going to do to me," and max is kinda surprised bc he didn't know mermaids could talk but then max is like "im going to go up to the helm and turn my back, and if you somehow manage to escape from my restraints and jump back overboard, well there would be nothing i could do to stop you" and so the mermaid escapes and when max's men come back he puts on the performance of a lifetime claiming that the mermaid escaped.

this will Become Important Later but basically at some point when max is bantering with his crew, one of them sarcastically says "yes, your highness," in response to Max and the mermaid overhears this

fast forward a few months. charles, who of course was the mermaid, is a mermaid prince, the (adopted) son of the mermaid king, maurizio arrivabene. maurizio hates humans, so he doesn't let the mermaids go above water. but charles was always curious about humans, so he would venture closer to the surface, which is what led him to getting caught up in the pirate's net a few months ago. ever since that day, charles hasn't been able to stop thinking about the man who saved him, his blonde hair and blue eyes and his kind smile. charles keeps going to the surface to follow boats, hoping they'll be max's. maurizio finds out and gets really mad at charles and says he's never allowed to go to the surface again. cue a little but daddy i love him moment.

charles goes to the evil sea witch, busty mattia binotto, and begs him to help him. charles wants to become human and go to the surface, so that he can meet max and get to know him (and hopefully fall in love and be with him forever and ever). there's just one tiny insignficant miniscule infinitesimal complication. because of the joke that Max's crew made, and because of how beautiful and regal and commanding Max looked on his ship, Charles believes that Max is the prince of the nearby seaside kingdom.

mattia (evil, spineless, grotesque monster that he is) realizes that he has the prime opportunity to trick charles. he tells charles that he will give him legs and send him to the human world. all charles has to do is get the prince to fall in love with him, and kiss him before sunset on the third day. of course only mattia knows that the prince is actually not max but CARLOS (the man is the spitting image of prince eric so this fits perfectly). if charles fails, after the third day he'll become a mermaid again and he'll be mattia's servant FOREVER. also to parallel the little mermaid, mattia takes something of charles that’s quintessential to who he is and could help him to charm the prince: his DIMPLES.

okay wow so much exposition. let's get to the STORY. so dimple-less charles goes to the surface. he is so unsure and wobbly on his new legs, like a baby deer, and it's very endearing. he comes ashore in the port and heads to the local watering hole, Sir James' Tavern

charles is so curious about everything and he's chatting up the bartender, asking where the prince lives, etc. the bartender (jenson button for those wondering) gives him directions to the castle.

just then, who should enter sir james' tavern but pirate captain mad max and his crew, in port for a few days and wanting to relax and have a good time at their favorite local tavern!

charles cannot believe his luck! the prince has come to him, he doesn't even need to go to the palace! this is going to be a piece of cake. max doesn't seem to remember that charles is the mermaid whose life he saved (this is a bit unrealistic as who could forget charles' beauty but. just go with it) but they hit it off, go to a secluded table and drink together and its very charged and they are each halfway in love with the other already and they almost kiss BUT THEY ARE RUDELY INTERRUPTED!!! by fernando and george, two of max's crew, almost getting into a pub brawl over tavern wench alex. the scuffle draws the attention of some nearby guards, who try to intervene. max and his crew decide to get out of there because they are of course wanted men, and max doesn't get the chance to say goodbye to charles or to arrange to see him again, which is very devastating

however, charles is not bothered by it! he will just go to the palace the next day (thanks jenson for the directions) and he will find max and they can spend more time together! foolproof plan charles

charles goes to the palace, and the guards initially rebuff him, bc he looks a bit like a ruffian, very dirty and wearing scavenged clothes (although still beautiful). the guards are trying to turn him away when suddenly, prince carlos shows up and immediately (i'm talking IMMEDIATELY) falls in love with charles on the spot. he tells the guards to unhand him, because he must meet this man and marry him. charles doesn't understand; this man is the prince? what about beautiful max? charles tries to explain that he's looking for the OTHER prince, carlos' brother, no you don't understand, i'm looking for max, the other prince? nobody seems to know what he's talking about, and suddenly he's being escorted to a room where he bathes, and he's given nice clothes, and he has a lovely dinner with carlos and. wait a minute. carlos has decided they're GETTING MARRIED? no wait, you don't understand, i'm looking for the other prince!!

carlos tries to kiss charles many times, but each time charles avoids him, trying to explain that there's been some kind of misunderstanding, he can't marry carlos, he's in love with someone else.

also it should be noted here that, even though they aren't a big part of the story, flounder, scuttle, and sebastian are still charles' trusty sidekicks in this fairy tail. flounder is andrea ferrari, scuttle is joris, and sebastian is.......well, sebastian. he sings kiss the girl to try to get carlos and charles to successfully kiss, and he also gets chased around the palace kitchen by head chef mark webber, who is trying to cook him for dinner. anyway that's unimportant.

in order to make everything more romantic, carlos plans to have their wedding on a ship at sunset on the third day. they sail out, it's so beautiful, charles is in a white dress (against his will but he still looks very gorgeous). then suddenly, the shadow of a mast falls across the deck where the ceremony is taking place. its the dreaded pirate Mad Max and his ship #UnleashTheLion. the pirates board the ship and max rescues charles. they kiss just as the sun slips below the horizon.

mattia binotto rises from the deep and laughs very evilly. everything went according to plan, charles did not kiss carlos, and now he belongs to mattia FOREVER. he turns charles back into a mermaid, and at this point, max realizes that the mermaid he saved all those years ago is also this beautiful man that he's in love with!!!! mattia takes charles and vanishes.

max escapes from the royal ship and goes back to his pirate ship, being chased by the royal navy. he searches high and low for charles and mattia. eventually, mattia gets fed up with this annoying pirate, and causes a huge storm. max is a great sailor so he navigates the storm, and he's a man in love so he's not going to stop looking for charles.

fine, mattia will take matters into his own hands. he turns into a giant (still busty) sea witch and brings charles with him to the surface. he tries to kill max but max stabs mattia with the prow of the ship and mattia dies. good fucking riddance mattia binotto.

max and charles are reunited and profess their love for each other. max marvels that charles is the same mermaid he saved and charles thanks him for saving his life. they kiss. but how are they going to be together, when charles is still a mermaid, and max is a human?

that turns out to be the least of their problems. as mattia's storm clears, the royal navy are upon them. max has given up his freedom as a pirate on the open seas to rescue charles. max tells charles and the rest of his crew to save themselves, and he surrenders to the royal navy to save his crew.

charles is HEARTBROKEN. he only got but a brief moment with max before max was ripped away from him. and now, max is set to be hanged for being a pirate. charles CANNOT let that happen.

charles' adopted father (maurizio arrivabene if you've forgotten) sees how heartbroken charles is, and he realizes that he must set charles free, in order for him to truly be happy. he casts a magic spell with his magic trident and charles turns back into a human.

charles goes back to shore and he goes to sir james' tavern, determined to come up with a way to save max. he finds max's crew there, miserable because their captain is going to be hanged. charles gives an impassioned speech and rallies max's men, along with jenson of course, to come up with a plan to save max

it's the day of max's hanging. as the noose is fit around max's neck, suddenly, all hell breaks loose. max's men all throw off their disguises and begin dueling the palace guards, distracting them enough for a lithe and nimble figure to dart onto the dais, undo max's bindings, and drag him through the crowd to freedom. it's charles!!! he takes max back to sir james' tavern, tends to max's injuries, and they once again profess their undying love. turns out maurizio arrivabene has given charles a gift, a la H2O: when charles is on land (or on a ship mayhaps) he will be human, but when he's in the water, he can be a mermaid.

how convenient, as max and charles decide they will be pirate captains on max's ship, scavenging and pillaging and plundering and also fucking nasty in the captains cabin every night. and whenever charles wants to, either to visit his family, or talk to his sea creature friends, or help when the pirates are battling other ships, he can turn into a mermaid and go into the sea.

and thus they lived happily ever after and whenever they're in port they go to sir james' tavern to see bartender jenson button, and carlos eventually falls in love with and marries the tavern wench lando and its such a scandal that everyone forgets about that time that the prince’s fiance turned into a mermaid on their wedding day and then a sea witch kidnapped him and then he got rescued by a pirate who got captured and then the mermaid helped him escape.

next up: sleeping beauty (the last part 😩😩😩😩)

[plushi3s007]

I just realized Maurizio was there too omg

Once a daddy still a daddy

via Minttu | 14 July 2024