#overthinking to the max

[nightlark100]

I find it really interesting that in the Hatchetfield shows, only certain characters can see/interact with the audience and I'm curious about what that might mean (other than me overthinking things)

Uncle Wiley/Wilbur Cross makes sense. He's an emissary for the lords, he moves between hatchetfield and the black and white, so it's understandable he'd be aware of the audience.

Max reacts to the audience and he can control the lights on stage even before he gets all ghosty. Maybe his God complex stems from knowing he actually can control things but it's unclear why.

Emma is an interesting one as she only seems to register the audience when Paul and the hive are after her. Previously she sees them as inconvenient shrubs in an alleyway. Maybe it's a side effect of prolonged exposure to Pokey's spores. I suspect both she and Paul have some level of immunity given how long it takes him to get infected/how he actively fights it off and how in the opening number Emma is present and singing but Paul misses his cue suggesting only partial control. This could have some side effects, like awareness of the audience

[lifeisstrange-incorrectquotes]

Max: When I was younger before I knew about gay people, my best friend called me “a homo” and I thought it meant homeless.

Max: And I was so confused — I said, “But Chloe, you’ve been to my house!”

[citadelrock]

max caulfield 🌀⏳✨

[courfeyracs-swordcane]

[pointing towards you emoji] favorite blaseball team. go

(if you want to practice drawing in another style, then draw yourself as a transformer OR as a human character)

WE ARE FROM CHICAGO

[mars-ipan]

my fellow anxiety havers what is one of your mundane day-to-day tasks that should by no means be anything remarkable but feels like you are being hunted for sport. i’ll go first: putting all of your groceries on the conveyor belt during checkout is like a long series of quick time events to me

[frenchfrysimp]

the urge to say "nothing just an inchident" every time someone asks me what's wrong

[messrsbyler]

OH NO- imagine next season we get stonathan as a subunit and one of them goes “turns out we make a good team” WHAT DO I DO THEN WITH MY KLANCE WAR FLASHBACKS OH NO-

[hawkinslibrary]

more shotlisting from ross duffer's instagram story november 2nd, 2023

[sadlittledib]

[zirconpetals]

Actually I don't mind it when Sam sounds a little emotionless and/or detached. In fact I kinda enjoy it. We know he has a lot of feelings, but sometimes you can feel all the things but just can't wring yourself into outwardly performing them for other people's benefit. (And sometimes frankly you just can't be bothered)

[lost-in-fandoms]

Logan and Max have a talk. Sort of. (I have never written Logan before, so I don't know if this even makes sense. Almost nothing happens, but there could be a second part in the future, who knows (not me)).

Logan wishes he was better at telling Alex no. He doesn't want to be at this party, for a race he barely even took part of, his car giving up on lap 15. He doesn't want to be standing here, near the wall, as he watches the other drivers drink and dance, ignoring him completely. He doesn't want the drink Alex placed in his hand before disappearing, without even telling him what was in it. He wants to go to bed. He wants to call his mom.

One hour, that's how much time he has promised himself. He'll stay one hour, long enough to say he was there, not long enough to make him want to get completely smashed and sob into some girl's chest (that had been one time, but it had been a low point he does never want to repeat), and then he'll go back to the hotel. He doesn't remember the time difference well enough to know if he'll be able to talk to his mom before going to sleep, barely remembers in which country they're in.

He's contemplating his glass again, trying to decipher what kind of alcoholic concoction is in there and to ignore the thumping bass, when a pair of sneakers and blue jeans appear in his line of vision.

He looks up and finds himself face to face with three-soon-to-be-four times world Champion Max Verstappen. He doesn't think he's ever been in a one to one conversation with Max before, so he can't think about a single reason why he should be standing in front of him, looking straight at him. Unless he's here to kick him out? Would Max kick him out of the party for being too pathetic?

Now he's being self-pitying, he needs to stop. No drinking and sobbing incidents tonight.

"You okay, mate?" Max asks, voice barely loud enough over the music, eyes intense. The glass in Logan's hand feels slippery, he's afraid he'll drop it.

"Yeah, fine!" he replies, cringing at his own basic response, even if he doesn't know what else he could have said. It's not like Max is asking because he really cares, and it's not like he could give him the truthful answer either.

Instead of moving on and going back to the party like Logan is expecting after the somewhat failed social interaction, Max keeps looking at him, tilting his head slightly, eyes narrowed, before he steps closer and plucks the glass from Logan's hand, placing it on a nearby table.

"Follow me," he orders. He doesn't wait before turning around and walking away. For some reason, Logan doesn't even question it, just unsticks himself from his wall and follows him to the bar, where Max orders a beer and another g&t, and then up a flight of stairs, onto a balcony.

"Are we allowed to be here?" Logan asks, looking at the very obvious DO NOT OPEN sign hanging on the balcony door Max is already pushing open.

Max just shrugs, going outside and sitting down on a lawn chair, placing the drinks on the low table in front of him. Of course, Logan reminds himself, he's Max Verstappen, who's going to tell him no? He probably could buy this whole place out himself if he wanted to.

Logan sits down next to him.

"Here," Max says, passing him the beer. Again, Logan doesn't question it before taking a sip. Much better than Alex's weird drink.

For a long moment, they just sit in silence. They can still hear the music from downstairs, but it's different out here, with the sounds of the city and the fresh air. Logan almost forgets about being confused and upset, about wanting to go home. Home home. Then Max speaks again.

"We can talk about why you are sad, or we can sit here until I finish my drink. Both are okay."

Logan doesn't understand. Why is Max, of all people, wanting to talk to him about his shitty season? And why would he want to just sit there with him? Does he look that pathetic?

He tries to feel upset, tries to look for the spark of indignation, but he comes up empty. He can just stare at Max's profile as the other takes a sip of his drink, eyes fixed on the skyline, throat working.

Max doesn't ask again. He must accept that Logan's answer is silence, doesn't even seem put off by it, but Logan's brain can't stop buzzing, questions bouncing around so fast he can barely keep up with them.

They stay quiet. Max finishes his drink. Logan keeps watching him as he stretches slightly, before he stands up and turns to face him.

"If you want to come talk to me, I know how it feels, to be hungry" he says slowly, measured, like he's been thinking about this for the whole time. "But if you want advice right now..."

It takes a second for Logan to realize Max is waiting for a sign, and he rushes to nod. Max's lip curls up slightly, his eyes crinkling, before he turns serious again.

"At some point, you will of course have to decide if you want to lay down and wait for the team to take pity, or if you want to bite and make them work with you."

Logan blinks. Max blinks back.

When it's clear that Logan isn't going to say anything, Max nods, turns around, seems to rethink and turns back, his eyes impossibly bright.

"I can show you how to take what you want, whatever you want." Suddenly, it feels like they're not just talking about racing anymore. Logan's neck feels hot. Max licks his lips, something dangerous in his expression that is usually reserved for the track, for when things aren't as he'd like. Logan has seen it before, but never turned towards him. He's stuck on his chair, feeling like prey despite Max telling him he could, and should, take.

He waits for the blow, he knows it's coming, but is still completely unprepared for the way Max smiles when he speaks.

"I will even call you a good boy, if you do it right."

The sound Logan lets out is undignified enough it will have to go in the lowest points list right next to the drinking&crying episode, but Max laughs, not unkindly, squeezing Logan's shoulder.

"You have my number, and you know where I'll be next week. Drink your beer."

Logan has the bottle pressed against his lips even before Max has made it across the balcony, going back to the party.

[kale-of-the-forbidden-cities]

i don't hc the elves as any specific race or anything because they're elves, they're supposed to blend more over thousands of years all able to travel anywhere anytime with one society so they can't be as easily grouped as humans can

[ace-race-ace]

I am once again asking for opinions for my Strollonso aka LEGACY AU (which I promise I am making progress on)

I’m essentially debating whether to weave in a plot line I’d be recycling from an old Wip I had. It centers on Max going to Ferrari. Basically, RedBull would have been banned from the 2025-26 season for regulation breaches. Max misses the 2025 season and Charles wins. Come 2026, Max ends up joining Ferrari.

Now, why I would want to add this plot line

Changes the grid dynamic, explains how Aston Martin and others are actually able to be competitive

Ferrari!Max being a cool concept in general

Tight championship fight between Ferrari and Aston

Why I wouldn’t want to add this plot line

Means Lewis would have stayed only a year in Ferrari and retired? Which seems a little unlikely.

If I ever end up writing this as a Lestappen spin off of this AU, the ending would be kinda spoiled. And Ferrari wouldn’t win until at least 2028 but then the whole point of the ‘Legacy’ aspect for Aston kinda falls apart??

Obviously this story is focused on Strollonso, so adding this aspect might over complicate

I think I know which way I’m leaning but at the same time, I’m not sure on many aspects. Please help!!

Apologies for the slightly chaotic post, which most people probably don’t care about.

I promise once this detail is ironed out, I’ll be hitting you all with my Magnum opus of a Strollonso AU.

[layalu]

9 People You Want to Know Better

Got tagged by @lasatfat! :]

Three ships: Gonna pass this one cos all that come to mind are OC ships fdjsdfjklsjf

First ship: Oh man, good question x'D Sandstorm and Firestar maybe?? I don't think i was actively shipping them but i i do remember loving their dynamic lots and little me not having the (then) usual "I Don't Like Them On Principle Because Ew Romance" reaction to them

Last song: Someone outside was playing Everytime We Touch real loud

Last movie: Rewatched Puss in Boots: The Last Wish with my family last week c:

Currently reading: Slowly making my way through The Stolen Throne! Also picked up a really well cared for and pretty copy of Black Beauty 2nd hand recently so i'm re-reading that too

Currently watching: Still very very slowly watching M9 xd Also started two different Dragon Age LPs i put on as background noise now and then

Currently eating: Bread chips :)

Currently craving: Colder weather 😩

Tagging: @inquisimer @midmorninggrey @thatwinglessthing @heniareth @queenbol-of-baldurs-gate @cao-the-dreamer @drakonovisny @nomouthtospeakof and anyone else who'd like! c:

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[mariovroom]

Carlos Sainz had 3.3% chance of winning both Singapore and Melbourne. Here's why:

I was in a silly goofy mood (as in fuming because I decided to sleep instead of watching the GP, thinking "ah yes Max will just win again", like an idiot) and I've started wondering what are the odds of Max ONLY having issues with the car when Carlos is front row (and ahead of charles in quali). So I've gathered my three braincells together and calculated it - around 3.3%. This is absolutely WILD. Obviously I'm not downplaying Carlos's ability to deliver when the opportunity arises HOWEVER I think it's nice to point out just how unlucky Charles is lol.

As to where the hell I pulled this number from - I've calculated it based on last 11 races (since Singapore 23), in the span of which Carlos outqualified Charles twice (leading to his two wins) and Max also had technical issues twice. (This realization actually prompted me to calculate it, because "what are the odds???", right?) Basically I checked how likely it is for two events of probability 18,(18)% (both Max having issues and Carlos outqualifying Charles - 2/11) to occur simultaneously, which I did by multiplying the numbers and BOOM 3.3%. (For this stat to work, we need to pretend that the rest of the grid doesn't exist and it's just between the ferraris, so just keep that in mind). I'd like to add that I'm absolutely no expert in maths so I COULD BE WRONG - if someone has a better idea how to count this, hit me up.

Also, data from 11 races is veeeeery scarce, so it's more of a "Look - that's an interesting stat" post, rather than anything else.

And on a different note-

3.3%? -> 33??? Hello??? Max Verstappen are you there???

So yeah, Charles continues to be the unluckiest ever [relatable]. If you flip the number around, he had 96.7% chance of winning at least one of the two races when redbull wasn't as strong as always.

[tltlondonupdates]

Rob Rokicki (the original composer & lyricist) commented this on the new Percy actor’s insta! The song attached is Try from the deluxe album