#russell x andi

[rizlowwritessortof]

Swearing Is Caring

Second square for @jacklesverse-bingo 2024!

Written for Jacklesversebingo2024. Prompt for this one is 'drenched in sweat and blood but never looked hotter.' Hope you enjoy!

The last time Andi showed up on Russ's doorstep, he was more than happy to see her. This time is different. But he never could stay mad at her for long, and making up is the best part.

Pairing: Russell Shaw x OC (Andi)

Word Count: 3835

Warnings: Just a little smut and fluff, non-lethal injuries

Andi sat in the car outside the cabin, fingers clenched around the steering wheel as she expelled a tense breath between pursed lips. He was not going to be happy, but she had already decided it was worth it. He’d just have to deal with it.

She pried her fingers loose and got out of her car, loading her bag on one shoulder and heading for the door. She lifted her chin, then knocked briskly before stepping inside.

Russell came out of the next room, his gun held low at his hip, his entire body alert and aware. When his focus landed on her, his shoulders relaxed and he tucked his gun away with a frown. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Andi looked him in the eye. “Heard you were a man down. So I’m here to help.”

He tucked his gun away, shaking his head, his lips pressed into a straight line as he glared at her. “Goddammit, Andi. She called you, didn’t she.”

“Ann? Yeah, she called me. But this was my decision.”

“Well, I’m overruling your decision. Go home.” He turned his back to walk away, but he didn’t get far.

“I’m not leaving, Russ.”

He whirled to face her again, his eyes sparking with anger at her defiance. “You’re a fucking civilian. You’ve got no business getting involved in this.”

“She said one of the guys was out with an injury and your team was going in down a gun. I’m not letting you go in short when I’m this close. So deal with it, Russell. I’m not leaving. You can’t send me home, Horizon hired me for this job. Out of your hands, big man.”

She pushed her way by him, entering the next room where the rest of the team was gathered. “Andi?! Holy shit!” She grinned at the ebony-skinned giant who charged at her, pulling her off the floor in a bear hug. “Come here, baby girl! Damn, it’s good to see you!”

She was laughing as he set her down. “Hey, Sweets. Good to see you, too. Hey, Seeger,” she said to another former teammate, who gave her a one-armed hug and friendly smirk, returning her greeting.

Sweets shoved at the shoulder of the younger man beside him. “This is Conner.”

Andi smiled and nodded. “Hey, Conner. Nice to meet you.”

“Didn’t tell us Andi was comin’ with us, chief,” Sweets aimed at Russell, who was still glowering.

“Didn’t know. Now if the reunion is over, can we get back to business?” Russ turned his back on them, smoothing the map out flat on the large table. Sweets glanced at Andi, who rolled her eyes, earning her a smirk and a nod from the big man as they gathered around the table.

Russ went over the mission details, pointing out entry points, expected resistance and their plan of attack. “Our objective is to capture Salazar. End of story. They want him alive. So we do what we have to. We’re not looking to take anybody else in, and we do what we have to do to grab him and get him out of there. Horizon will handle clean-up, we just do our job and get the hell out.”

The team listened as he outlined the mission in a little more detail. “Salazar is a big dog in the cartel we’ve been targeting for the last year. He bought this little Texas hideaway to meet up with his mistress on the sly, and the intel is that he doesn’t normally bring too many men with him, likes to keep it on the down low. Horizon wants Salazar first, and DEA can have him when they’re done.”

After a couple of quiet questions and discussion, they separated to gear up. Andi pulled her vest from her bag and strapped it on, her eyes straying to Russ as he was doing the same. He hadn’t even looked at her since their first altercation, and she clenched her teeth with a sigh, forcing her emotions down as she finished getting ready. She’d fight with him later.

They loaded up into two jeeps, Andi crawling in the back of the one Russ was driving with Sweets in the passenger seat. It was a long, quiet drive, about 45 minutes to their destination, everyone tense and silent. Finally, Russ stated, “We’re about 5 minutes out,” and Andi steeled herself, focusing on the job ahead.

“Hey, Sweets – I don’t suppose…” she started, and he turned to her with a grin, reaching into a pocket and handing her a stick of her favorite cinnamon gum. “You never let me down, Sweets,” she smiled, and he nodded.

“I got your back, girl.”

Russ pulled the Jeep to a halt, putting it in park and shutting off the lights. “Okay, we’re on foot from here,” he said as the other vehicle pulled in behind him. They all piled out, Russ giving orders in a clear, quiet voice. “Sweets, you and Andi take the back, Seeger and I go in the front. Conner, you watch the perimeter. Everybody’s coms are good?” Everyone nodded. “Okay, let’s get this son of a bitch.”

The group moved almost silently, finally emerging through the trees on the south side of the large lake house. Russ moved in close to Andi, leaning to speak softly in her ear. “Be careful.”

“Always am,” she reassured him, then headed off with Sweets to the back of the house towards the lake.

Several minutes later all hell broke loose. Salazar hadn’t been meeting his mistress at the lake house this time around. He was meeting with his next-in-command, seven of them, and things got ugly.

Russell came into the hallway with Salazar in tow, held between him and Seeger, a bag over the prisoner’s head. Russ was swiping blood out of his eyes from a cut on his forehead, the result of an unfortunate meeting with the butt of a rifle. Three men lay dead or incapacitated behind them, and Seeger raised his gun to take out a fourth as they pushed towards the front door.

Sweets and Andi finished off a couple more men before rushing out the back door and heading around the building, guns at the ready in case any more cartel goons showed up. Her eyes had just landed on Russ’s bleeding face when a shot rang out from a nearby window, and she hit the ground hard. “Andi!” Sweets shouted, firing a shot at their assailant, and Russ stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide as he turned to look.

She raised her hand, groaning in pain, forcing out the words. “M’okay – hit my vest.”

“She’s okay!” Sweets called out, and Russ felt his heart start beating again.

“Conner! You and Seeger get him to the Jeep and let’s get the fuck out of here!” Russ ordered, heading to help Sweets get Andi to her feet. “Goddammit, Andi – can you walk?” he asked, and she nodded, wincing in pain, glad for their assistance as they hurried away from the house. They made it back through the trees and to the Jeeps, Seeger and Conner already backing out with Salazar tied down in the back seat. “Sweets, drive.”

He nodded and climbed behind the wheel, and Russ helped Andi into the back seat, sliding in beside her. “Sure you’re okay?” he asked as they pulled out, and she nodded, still grimacing in pain.

“Fuck, that hurts,” she managed, and he looked down, his frown deepening.

“If your vest took the hit, why are you bleeding?” He worked at the fastenings on her vest, clenching his teeth at her grunt of pain as she helped him remove it. The shoulder of her shirt was dark with blood, and Russ pulled out his knife, slicing from the sleeve to the neck of her shirt, pulling the front down and leaning over her so he could see her injury. She looked down, squeezing her eyes shut as he turned on the overhead light. There was a large splinter of wood embedded deep in her shoulder, right below her collarbone. “Must have caught a ricochet. Shit.”

“Didn’t even feel it until now.”

“We’ll take care of that when we get back to the cabin,” he said, shutting the light off again, putting an arm around her and letting her lean into his side. He pulled the corner of his jacket up and wiped at the blood on his forehead, then let his head drop back against the seat with a shaky sigh. Too close. Too fucking close.

When they finally got back to the cabin, Russ helped Andi get out and turned to Sweets. “You three mount up and take Salazar in, get him locked down. And if you see Ann, you can tell her we’re gonna have a talk about the quality of their intel,” he growled.

The big man nodded, then looked hard at Andi. “I’m good, Sweets. Promise.” He gave her good shoulder a squeeze, then left them to climb into the other Jeep beside their hooded captive. Andi watched them pull away, then turned towards the cabin, ready to get off her feet and find some whiskey.

“Yeah, let’s get you inside, I need to check you out,” Russell said, and she shot him a brave attempt at a smile.

“Always the sweet talker.”

They entered the cabin, and she sank down on the edge of the old sofa, trying like hell not to groan in pain. Russ was already digging through the cabinet for the medical supplies, coming back with a med kit and then heading to the bathroom for a stack of towels. Next was the almost-full bottle of whiskey that sat on the table, and Andi grabbed it from his hand, taking off the lid and lifting it to her lips, taking several swallows.

“Easy, there, hardcore,” Russell said, gently taking the bottle from her. “Need some of that for – uh – medicinal purposes.”

“That’s what I was using it for.” She looked down as he examined the chunk of wood in her shoulder. “Can you get it out?”

“Yeah, it looks pretty solid. Just didn’t want it falling apart, leaving pieces in there to get infected.” His eyes searched hers for a moment before she looked away and nodded.

“Okay, let’s do this. You need some stitches.”

“I’m fine, let’s get this done first. This is gonna have to go.” He took his knife and sliced through the strap to her grey sport bra, pushing the fabric out of the way. His jaw worked as he contemplated the best approach, finally taking out his multi-tool and readying the pliers as Andi grabbed one of the clean towels. “Okay, hold on.” He got a good grip on the wood and pulled, fast and smooth, sending a fresh rush of blood to soak into what was left of Andi’s clothes. She held the towel to the wound, wincing as she put pressure on it. Russ laid the huge splinter aside and looked down at her, dreading what was coming next. “Okay, now comes the fun part.”

She nodded, laying down on the sofa and letting Russell tuck towels around her shoulder. He grabbed the whiskey, reaching out for her to take hold of his left hand. “Ready?” She squeezed his hand in answer, and he poured whiskey into the wound, clenching his teeth as her back arched up in pain, uncontrollable whimpers escaping her lips as she gripped his hand so hard he felt the bones creak. Slowly, she eased back down, her chest heaving as she regained control. “I’m sorry,” he said softly, watching a tear escape the corner of her eye.

“I know – not your fault.” Russ gave her a couple more minutes to recover, then helped her sit up.

“I think we should do a couple of stitches.” She agreed, and he pulled a chair up close, taking care of the stitches quickly with a practiced hand.

She watched his face as he finished bandaging her shoulder, meeting his eyes when he finally looked up. “Thank you, Russ.”

“Yeah, any time. Let’s just not do it again, okay?” He put a hand to her face, his thumb stroking over her cheekbone. She smiled softly, dropping her gaze, and he pulled his hand back. “So – got a clean shirt in your bag?” She nodded, and he stood up, pushing the chair back and reaching for her duffle.

She winced as she tried to remove her ruined shirt, and Russell shook his head. “Here, let me help.” He pulled the bloodied shirt over her head, then slipped a finger under the remaining strap of her bra. “Want this off, too?”

Andi nodded. “Yeah, it’s ruined, anyway.” Russ reached around behind her, his brows bunching with an impatient frown.

“Who invented these fucking things? How the hell are you supposed to get this off?” he grumped, and Andi smiled.

“Just hand me your knife,” she said, taking it from him and slicing through the fabric, letting him help her slip it over her good shoulder and off. He tossed it disdainfully across the room, then turned, his eyes going directly to the large bruise blooming in the middle of her chest and spreading up the inside slope of both breasts.

“Goddammit, Andi,” he swore quietly.

“You’ve gotta stop swearing at me, Russ,” she teased, but he didn’t smile.

“Swearing is caring.”

“That is not how that saying goes.”

“It is for me. When it involves you. What if he would’ve missed your vest? Or had armor-piercing rounds?”

“He didn’t. And I thought we didn’t ‘what if’ after missions. That was always the rule.”

He finally looked up at her, his jaw working a little before he spoke. “You never came that close to being killed before. And you never should have been there, Andi. You should have been safe at home, not in the line of fire.”

Andi rolled her eyes, her temper flaring. “What about all the jobs you do that I don’t even know about? I hardly ever hear from you, Russ. A text here and there, or a random late-night phone call - other than that I’m in the dark all the time. I never know when you’re going on a mission, or if you’re hurt, or dead. I have that hanging over my head every damn day, but you can’t handle one job where you actually got to see the outcome in person, where you got to verify that I’m okay?” The silence still rang with her anger for a few seconds before he answered.

He sighed, guilt in his eyes as he looked away. “I know. I’m sorry. I’ll try to do better.”

Andi nodded, skepticism clear on her face. “Heard that before.” She closed her eyes for a second, then pulled her clean shirt over her head, letting him help her get the injured arm in the sleeve. “How about we don’t do this right now?”

Russell bit at the inside of his lip, then nodded. “Yeah. Okay.”

Andi rose to her feet, gesturing towards the chair. “Okay, your turn. Sit,” she ordered.

“Kinda bossy when you’re in pain,” Russell grumbled, plopping down on the seat. She ignored him, going to the bathroom and letting the water run until it was warm to wet a washcloth. She grabbed the med kit and set it on the table, then put a hand on top of his head and tilted it back a bit.

“Gotta clean you up a little before we do stitches.” He was drenched in sweat and blood, but – fuck it all – he’d never looked hotter. Those damn gorgeous green eyes of his were staring up at her with a look she couldn’t handle at the moment, so she avoided looking into them as she gently cleaned his face and down his neck where the blood had run down onto his shirt. “You should just take this off. It’s a mess.”

He stripped out of his shirt and she took it from him, dropping it to the table along with the now-filthy washcloth. “How many?” he asked.

Andi tilted her head, examining the cut carefully with one hand. “I think we can get by with four.” He nodded, and she turned to ready the needle.

She turned back to him, pausing for a moment before saying, “Okay, easiest way to do this is…” She straddled his lap, looking into his eyes. “Ready?”

“Yep, go for it,” he answered, his voice low and subdued. He let out a little hiss as the needle first went in, then settled, letting his hands rest on her hips. She took her bottom lip between her teeth as she started the second stitch, and he let out a quiet moan.

“Sorry,” she whispered.

“Not why... never mind.”

She had finished off the second stitch and was getting ready for the third when he leaned up and nestled his face into her neck. He placed a slow, lingering kiss just below her ear, his breath warm against her skin, and she closed her eyes for a moment, trying to ignore the flush of heat through her body. “You’re making this kinda hard.”

“You’re makin’ it hard, honey,” he said, his voice raspy with want, and Andi dropped her head back with a soft laugh.

“Can you please just be good for a couple more minutes?”

“I can be good for a couple of minutes – after that I’m gonna be great,” he mumbled, still nuzzling at her neck, and she shook her head with a wry smile as he went on, his tone very persuasive. “I’m not bleeding anymore, can’t we just finish this later?”

She sighed in frustration at him, even though she couldn’t keep the smile from teasing at her lips. “No. We need to finish this now. Sit up and behave.”

His hands were smoothing over her hips, giving a little squeeze here and there, but she managed to finally put in the last two stitches, tying off the last one and turning to drop the needle to the table.

As she turned back, he slipped a hand behind her neck and pulled her in for a scorching kiss. She fought it for a moment, her anger still stinging a little, but damn it – she never could resist him. He hummed in approval as she responded, his hands slipping under the hem of her shirt. “Can we take this back off?” he asked softly, and she looked into his eyes with a doubtful expression.

“We can, but – it’s so ugly.”

Russ shook his head as he helped her remove her shirt. “No, it’s not ugly. It’s a message. It’s saying, “Fuck you, asshole! You tried to kill me, but I’m still here – and I’ve got a fabulous pair of tits.” A slow grin curved his lips as Andi laughed in spite of herself, and he leaned in to kiss her again, one hand sliding up to gently cradle her breast in his hand, thumb brushing over her nipple. She shivered, her hands roaming up his sides and around to explore the muscled expanse of his back. He nudged his nose against hers, watching her eyes flutter closed as he teased at her, leaning close to whisper, “Bed?”

She opened her eyes and shook her head. “I wanna ride.”

He scraped his teeth over his plump bottom lip and smirked. “Whatever you want, honey.”

She pushed back and rose to her feet, letting him stand up as well as they both shed the rest of their clothes, kicking their boots to the side and out of their way. Russ sat back down, eyes glowing as he watched Andi move close again, reaching his hand between her thighs and groaning as he slipped two fingers up into her silky heat. She pushed down until he was knuckle-deep, lips parting as she let out a shuddering breath. She whispered his name as he stroked his fingers over her sweet spot, her legs beginning to tremble. “Need you now,” she managed, and he pulled his hand back, holding his cock steady as she slowly took him in, hands braced on his shoulders.

“So good,” he groaned as she settled fully on his lap, then leaned forward to kiss him hungrily. His hands wandered over her body, caressing and kneading at her warm skin, his hips rising to meet her as she began to move on top of him.

He loved nothing more than to watch her when she was like this, her body smooth and sinuous as she rode him. She was getting close, and he slipped his fingers down between them to rub her clit, moaning along with her as she squeezed hard around his cock. He wasn’t going to last much longer, either, and he began thrusting his hips, driving in hard and deep, his other hand gripping her hip for leverage.

She went off like a skyrocket, gasping and then crying out as she came, and he didn’t even try to hold back, joining her with a long, low growl. She rode it out, seemingly forever, finally collapsing with a hard shudder into his arms, her head resting on his shoulder. They sat there, his arms wrapped around her, for several minutes before she lifted her head, and he captured her lips beneath his for a slow, gentle kiss. He looked into her eyes, a playful sparkle in his. “Goddammit, Andi.”

She tried in vain to completely smother a smile, but it tugged at the corners of her mouth. “What am I gonna do with you?”

Russell’s smile faded slowly, and he leaned his forehead against hers. “I don’t know. But – just don’t give up on me, okay? Don’t you ever give up on me.” She pulled away, putting both hands up to his face, bringing him in close, her whole soul in their kiss, leaving him stunned and speechless for a moment.

“So – where are you off to next?” she asked softly, letting one hand drop to his shoulder as the fingers of the other combed through his beard.

He shrugged, pursing his lips thoughtfully. “Not sure. Haven’t heard anything about a new gig, so…”

She ducked her head down, peering up at him until he met her gaze again. “Well, I took the rest of this week off, so I don’t have to be back at work until Monday.”

He quirked an eyebrow at her, a smile slowly lighting his face. “Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah, I didn’t know how long this job was gonna take. So – how about spending some time at my place? I have real food, and beer, and a shower with actual water pressure,” she said, tracing his bottom lip with her fingertip, “and really soft sheets.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “You hittin’ on me?”

She laughed. “Maybe.”

He grinned, kissing her and landing a playful little swat to her ass. “Well, then, let’s get the hell out of here.”

Tags for my lovelies: 

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[wwprice1]

Today marks 60 years of X-Men!

[barringtonishigh]

Sorry for the lack of stories I have been busy, (just had surgery today). I'll try to write tomorrow! No promises though. Feel free to send in some requests and give me ideas. I'd also do some matchups or whatever they're called if you tell me about you and which band(s) you want!

[chilling-seavey]

SO I have written another George centered fic but (without spoiling too much of the plot) the reader already has a significant other.

When I wrote this, I just used another 'celebrity' I simp for as the significant other (shoutout Wham!'s Andrew Ridgeley) but before I decide to post this fic, I wanted to ask what you guys would prefer to read. I could keep just as I wrote it with the significant other basically being someone else/someone random, OR I could edit it to make the significant other be the name of another F1 driver.

Please keep in mind this is an Alternate Universe taking place in the 1980s so even if you want me to edit to include another driver, they will have basically no prior relationship with George. This significant other is basically just a secondary character for plot.

[ratgrinders]

Never Stop Blowing Up Favorite Movies

Wendell Morris

Weird Science - 1985 science fantasy/teen comedy. "Nerdy social outcast students Gary Wallace and Wyatt Donnelly are humiliated by senior jocks Ian and Max for swooning over their cheerleader girlfriends. Humiliated and disappointed at their direction in life and wanting more, Gary is inspired by the 1931 classic Frankenstein to create a virtual woman using Wyatt's computer, infusing her with everything they can conceive to make the perfect dream woman."

The Fast and the Furious - "A media franchise centered on a series of action films that are largely concerned with street racing, heists, spies, and family."

Real Genius - 1985 science fiction/comedy. "Chris Knight, a genius in his senior year, is paired with a new student on campus, Mitch Taylor, to work on a chemical laser, only to learn it will be used for dangerous purposes."

Liv Skyler

Empire Records - 1995 coming-of-age comedy/drama. "The film follows a group of record store employees over the course of one exceptional day. The employees try to stop the store from being sold to a large chain, and learn about each other along the way."

Scarface - 1983 crime drama, and a remake of the 1932 film of the same name. "It tells the story of Cuban refugee Tony Montana, who arrives penniless in Miami during the Mariel boatlift and becomes a powerful drug lord." Additionally, "Less than two months before the film's release, Scarface was given an X rating by the MPAA for "excessive and cumulative violence and for language".

Clueless - 1995 coming-of-age teen comedy. "Considered to be one of the best teen films of all time...The plot centers on a beautiful, popular, and rich high school student who befriends a new student and decides to give her a makeover while playing matchmaker for her teachers and examining her own existence".

Usha Rao

The Horse in Motion - Published in 1878, a sequential series of 6 cabinet cards depicting the movement of a horse. Regarded as "the world's first bit of cinema", and the first film ever created.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - 1931 horror film. "An adaptation of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the 1886 Robert Louis Stevenson tale of a man who takes a potion which turns him from a mild-mannered man of science into a homicidal maniac."

102 Not Out - 2018 Indian Hindi-language comedy drama. "Dattatraya Vakharia is a lively 102-year-old who lives his life to the maximum and takes everything in a jovial way for his heart is that of a 26-year-old youngster regardless of his age. His 75-year-old son, Babulal Vakharia, is his exact opposite for he believes that he is now too old and fragile to enjoy life and lives a routine life."

Russell Feeld

American Gigolo - 1980 neo-noir crime drama. "A high-priced male escort who becomes romantically involved with a prominent politician's wife, while simultaneously becoming the prime suspect in a murder case."

La Femme Nikita - 1990 French-language action thriller. "[Nikita] is a criminal who is convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering policemen during an armed pharmacy robbery. Her government handlers fake her death and recruit her as a professional assassin. After intense training, she starts a career as a killer, where she struggles to balance her work with her personal life."

Waking Life - 2001 animated film. "The film explores a wide range of philosophical issues, including the nature of reality, dreams and lucid dreams, consciousness, the meaning of life, free will, and existentialism. It is centered on a young man who wanders through a succession of dreamlike realities wherein he encounters a series of people who engage in insightful philosophical discussions."

Andy 'Dang' Litefoot

Suburbia - 1983 coming-of-age drama thriller. Follows "a group of suburban youths who run away from home and adopt a punk lifestyle by squatting in abandoned suburban tract homes."

Goldfinger - 1964 spy film and the third installment in the James Bond series. "The film's plot has Bond investigating gold smuggling by gold magnate Auric Goldfinger and eventually uncovering Goldfinger's plans to contaminate the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox."

Fire in the Sky - 1993 biographical science fiction mystery. "It is based on Travis Walton's book The Walton Experience, which describes an extraterrestrial abduction"

Paula Donvalson

Muriel's Wedding - 1994 Australian comedy-drama. "The film focuses on the socially awkward Muriel whose ambition is to have a glamorous wedding and improve her personal life by moving from her dead-end hometown, the fictional Porpoise Spit, to Sydney."

The Long Kiss Goodnight - 1996 action thriller. "The story follows an amnesiac schoolteacher who sets out to recover her identity with the help of a private detective when they discover a dark conspiracy."

Under the Tuscan Sun - 2003 romantic comedy-drama. "Based on Frances Mayes' 1996 memoir of the same name, the film is about a recently divorced writer who buys a villa in Tuscany on a whim, hoping it will lead to a change in her life."

[harrisonarchive]

George Harrison with his vintage sunburst Gibson J-200 during the Get Back sessions, January 1969; and Bob Dylan with the same guitar for the cover of his Nashville Skyline album. Photos © Ethan Russel; Elliott Landy.

“In fact, he thought so highly of his Gibson J-200 that he included it on the cover portrait of his 1969 album, Nashville Skyline. It probably helped that the guitar, which he would later play at the Isle of Wight Festival [August 1969], was a gift from George Harrison.” - lespaul.com, February 18, 2010 “[W]hen he [Dylan] eventually went on stage [at the Isle of Wight Festival, 31 August 1969], he was excited, proudly brandishing his guitar like a schoolboy and beaming: ‘Look, I’ve got George’s [Harrison’s] guitar!’” - The Independent, May 29, 2015 “Harrison later gave his Gibson J-200 to his friend Bob Dylan, who can be seen holding it on the cover of the 1969 album Nashville Skyline. Elliott Landy, the photographer who took the shot of Dylan for that cover, remembers Dylan telling him that he was given the guitar by Harrison. Landy says Dylan wanted the guitar in the photo with him, tipping his hat as a thank-you to his friend for the generous gift.” - Beatles Gear: All The Fab Four’s Instruments From the Stage to the Studio by Andy Babiuk (x)

[hexespheres]

𝟲𝟬 𝙔𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙎𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝

(inspired by 40 Years of Psylocke)

→ First appearance: X-Men vol.1 #4 (1964)

→ Writers: Stan Lee (creator), Roy Thomas, Len Wein, Steve Englehart, Bill Mantlo, Jim Starlin, Chris Claremont, Mark Gruenwald, Steven Grant, Ralph Macchio, Roger Stern, Dennis Mallonee, John Byrne, Dann Thomas, Andy Lanning, Dan Abnett, Kurt Busiek, Geoff Johns, Brian Michael Bendis, Allan Heinberg, Rick Remender, James Robinson, Jim Zub, Al Ewing, Kelly Thompson, Steve Orlando & more.

→ Artists: Jack Kirby (creator), Don Heck, George Tuska, John Romita Sr., John Buscema, Sal Buscema, Rick Buckler, Bob Brown, Gil Kane, Jim Starlin, Jim Mooney, Jerry Bingham, Michael Golden, Rick Leonardi, Dan Green, Al Migrom, Richard Howell, John Ridgway, John Byrne, Steve Butler, David Ross, Andy Kubert, John Higgins, Mike Deodato, Ian Churchill, George Pérez, Joe Jusko, Mark Texeira, Alan Davis, Kieron Dwyer, Scott Kollins, David Finch, Olivier Coipel, Jim Cheung, John Cassaday, Jorge Molina, Daniel Acuña, Kevin Wada, Tula Lotay, Sean Izaakse, Pepe Larraz, Paco Medina, Javier Pina, Cian Tormey, Sara Pichelli, Russell Dauterman & more.

→ Costume designers: Jack Kirby, Don Heck, John Buscema, John Byrne, Richard Howell, Al Migrom, Colin McNeil, Mike Deodato, George Pérez, Alan Davis, Kieron Dwyer, Olivier Coipel, Jim Cheung, John Cassaday, Daniel Acuña, Kevin Wada & Russell Dauterman.

→ 𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙙𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨: Vita Linder (The Marvel Super Heroes), Katherine Moffat and Jennifer Darling (Iron Man), Susan Roman (X-Men: The Animated Series), Stravoula Logothettis (Avengers: United They Stand), Kelly Sheridan (X-Men: Evolution), Kate Higgins (Wolverine and the X-Men) & Tara Strong (The Super Hero Squad Show)

→ Various games: X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse, Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity Gauntlet, Marvel: Avengers Alliance, Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth, Marvel Heroes, Marvel Contest of Champions, Marvel Future Fight, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order & more.

→ Current books: Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver by Steve Orlando & Lorenzo Tammetta, The Avengers (vol. 9) by Jed Mackay & C.F. Villa, Avengers United: Infinity Comic by Derek Landy & Marcio Fiorito, Blood Hunt by Jed Mackay & Pepe Larraz; Scarlet Witch (vol.4) by Steve Orlando & Jacopo Camagni

[writingonleaves]

understated, overwhelming (life is always best when you're around) - nico hischier

pairing: nico hischier x self insert gender neutral reader

warnings: swearing, fluff, nothing much else!

title: "float" by HARBOUR

word count: 3.6k

author's note: hi hi hi!! tried something out of my comfort zone with a self insert reader. also tried my absolute best with a gender neutral reader but if i made a glaring mistake somewhere, please call me out! this is my entry for @callsign-denmark 's Luck of The Puck Fic Exchange written for @selfindulgentpoorlywritten !! andi, i'm so sorry this is a bit late but hope you enjoy this little piece as much as i enjoyed writing it (:

~*~*~

You consider yourself a pretty nice person. 

You try to do your day job well, even if your supervisor drives you nuts from time to time. You call your mom every week, even if she thinks it should be more. You always help your elderly neighbor with their groceries if you happen to be outside at the same time. You foster dogs, mainly because your family has been doing it since you were young. 

But right now, as music is booming through the walls that is most definitely not the music you have softly playing on your speaker, you’re not feeling very nice. It had been a tiring day at work and all you want to do is snuggle up in your bed with a book. Whatever rap music is playing through the walls from your neighbor isn’t helping. 

You’re debating about whether you should say something. Firstly, you’re 90% sure it’s coming from the apartment across from you whose inhabitant you actually have seen the least. It’s not like you’re stalking your neighbors, but after living here for over two years now, you’re familiar with the faces. The only thing you know about the person who lives in 1708 is that there are two of them and that they look related. But that’s not even a sure fact.

All you know is right now, they’re getting on your last nerve. 

You scratch behind Boba’s ears, the Jack Russell Terrier you’re currently fostering, and pat his head before you decide that you have to go say something. You gain some courage before opening your front door. 

Turns out, you don’t even have to knock on your neighbors’ door. More accurately, it’s already open as a guy around your age, maybe a bit younger, says goodbye to the guy you’re almost positive lives there. Both the guys’ eyes slide to you and you fight the urge to shrink. 

“Hi,” the guy with his hand on the doorknob says, not unkindly. “Can I help you?”

You blink, “Hi. Listen, I really don’t want to be a bitch, but could you turn your music down? It’s a weeknight and I have to work in the morning.”

To his credit, his eyes widen apologetically. “Shit, yeah, of course. Sorry. I didn’t realize it was so loud. We’re about to wrap up anyways.” You wave him off as he sticks his hand out. “I don’t know if we’ve met. I’m Jack.”

You offer your name with a tight-lipped smile before shifting your eyes towards the other guy, floppy hair almost covering the amused glint in his eyes. He’s been leaning against the wall this whole time and he’s really fucking cute. “And you are?”

“Nico,” he nods with a shake of your hand. “I’m also sorry about the noise on behalf of Jack, even though I don’t live here.”

“It’s fine,” you hear Boba’s paws trotting on the hardwood floor and you stick your foot out to prevent him from running out. “Well, it’s nice to meet you both.”

Jack’s eyes trail down to Boba, who's looking at the two new voices with curious eyes. “And who’s this?”

You hold in a sigh, picking up Boba in your arms so he doesn’t start running down the hallway. “This is Boba. You can pet him if you’d like. He loves people.” Jack needs no further invitation and reaches to scratch behind his ears. Nico is a bit more hesitant, but the grin threatening to spill out of his lips has you softening. 

After more pets, Jack apologizes again and you bid them goodnight, ushering Boba back inside and turning off your lights. You hear no music, thank goodness, as you climb into bed.

A few weeks later you’re waiting for the elevator after a walk with Gretchen, a golden retriever who drives you nuts, when Nico runs in just as it closes. You don’t expect him to remember you, but he does, saying your name softly paired with a nod. 

He gestures towards Gretchen, who’s nipping about at your feet. “That’s not Boba, is it?”

“No, it’s not,” you say. “This is Gretchen. Boba got adopted last week.” He opens his mouth but you beat him to it. “I foster dogs. None of them are mine. Just, you know, giving them a home when they need it before they find their permanent home.”

“That’s very sweet of you.”

You shrug, because it’s not that big of a deal. To you, at least. “My family did it growing up, still does. So it’s a part of me now, I guess.” You switch the topic. “What are you up to on this sunny Saturday?”

“I, uh, working, I guess.”

You raise an eyebrow. “What do you do?”

Nico clears his throat and now you’re intrigued. “I play hockey. Professionally. That’s how I know Jack, actually. And his roommate, who’s also his brother. We’re all teammates.”

You squint a bit, eyes scanning over Nico’s face before nodding slowly. “That somehow makes sense. That would explain the weird hours.”

“You keep track of Jack’s in and outs?”

“Considering I didn’t even know his name until the night we all met, no,” you snort as you both step into the elevator. “I just hear their door open and close at weird times. So, working today?"

“Yeah. We have a game tonight.”

“Gotcha.” You press the button for ‘17,’ not expecting Nico to lean over and press ‘21’ himself. 

He must see your confusion. “I also live in this building,” he explains. 

You blink. “How long?”

“A little over a year now, but as you figured out, it’s weird hours.”

A beautiful man like him has been living in the same building as you for that long and you haven’t ever run into him? 

You nod, watching the handsome man bend down and coo at Gretchen, who licks his hand, that traitor. You did notice the first time you met him that he was really cute, but you were also really tired and cranky because of the noise. But here in the daylight, with a black beanie tossed over his hair and kindness in his eyes? 

You need to get out of this elevator fast before you say something stupid. 

Luckily, the pinging sound lets you know you’ve arrived on your floor. You give the leash a gentle hug before trying to give Nico a genuine smile. “Good luck at your game tonight.”

You rush out before there's even a chance for him to reply, Gretchen trotting along happily beside you. 

*****

Something that sounds an awful lot like a smoke alarm going off greets you as you’re walking down the hallway to your place after work. It’s coming from Jack’s apartment, causing you to snort. You decide to knock on the door to make sure everything is alright. 

It’s not Jack or his brother you have yet to meet yet who opens the door, but Nico. Over his shoulder, you see someone who looks a lot like Jack fanning a pillow. You do hear Jack cursing and you can’t help but chuckle. 

“Hi.”

“Hi,” you say, amused. “You don’t live here.”

“Ouch.” He teases back. “That’s no way to treat a neighbor.”

“I think it’s quite nice of me to check up on my neighbor when I hear their smoke alarm going off, actually,” you shoot back. The playfulness in your voice surprises even you, but there’s something about the brown-haired man that makes you immediately comfortable. You feel like you’ve known him for years, even though you really don’t know anything about him. And you don’t count the things you had found when you searched “jack nico new jersey hockey” after you ran into Nico in the elevator.

(Finding out that you live across from one of the seemingly most skilled players in the NHL and that you also met the captain, another highly-skilled player, was a moment that had your head spinning. You had to shut down your laptop and play with Boba afterwards to get yourself togetherr)

The alarm stops beeping and Jack’s head pokes up behind Nico’s shoulder. “Hi neighbor!”

You can’t help but laugh at his boyishness. “Hey Jack.”

“Everything alright?”

“I think I should be asking you that question. I’m just coming back from work and I heard the alarm.”

Jack grimaced, casting a look back into his apartment. “Yeah, I don’t think dinner will be salvageable but that’s alright.”

“No it’s not,” the guy you presume is Jack’s brother grumbles. 

Jack whacks him across the stomach. “Shut up. This is Luke, my younger brother.”

You nod with a smile. “Nice to meet you, Luke.” An idea pops in your mind. “I was gonna try a new lasagna recipe today. Do you three wanna come over in a bit?”

“You don’t need to do that,” Nico assures. 

But you wave him away. “I never proportion my shit right anyways, so you’d actually all be doing me a favor. It shouldn’t take too long either.”

“Nico’s right,” Jack says. “That’s a really nice offer, but-”

“I won’t set off the smoke alarm,” you sing playfully. That seems to do it, as they laugh. They still seem hesitant, so you compromise. “How about this? Got any vegetable dishes up your sleeve?”

Jack brightens up. “I was gonna make a greek salad as a side before we almost burnt down the apartment.”

You beam. “Perfect. You guys can go make that while I get started on the lasagna.”

Before you can turn on your heel, Nico pipes up. “I can help you with the lasagna, if you want?” He casts a look at Jack and Luke. “I don’t wanna be around in case they somehow mess up the salad.”

The brothers start protesting as you laugh, slightly nervous at the prospect of spending some decent alone time with Nico. “Sure. It’ll probably go a bit faster with a set of extra hands.”

With that, Jack and Luke head back to their place while you fiddle with the key to yours, feeling Nico’s presence behind you. You push open the door and kick off your shoes as he does the same. He surveys your apartment as you hang up your coat. You pat yourself on the back for actually cleaning it yesterday rather than flopping in bed like you had initially wanted to. 

As you start gathering ingredients, you let Nico explore, his eyes darting around your living space. You wonder what he thinks about the pictures you have on your wall of your family and friends, half expecting him to ask about them. But he keeps quiet as you turn on the stove, meandering over and waiting for instructions. 

He’s a good sous chef, all things considered. Not that lasagna is particularly a hard recipe, but there’s something quite intimate about cooking with someone you barely know. Though, as you’re cooking, you tell Nico about your job, your background, how you didn’t necessarily think you’d end up in Jersey but that you’re happy to be here anyways. In turn, he tells you about his family, Switzerland and hockey, though you can tell he purposefully glazes over the latter. Judging from the basic research you’ve done — and whatever praises your hockey-loving cousin drawled on about over the phone yesterday — you immediately conclude that Nico is humble, always turning the conversation back to you. 

It’s quite lovely, even if unexpected. The lasagna is almost done by the time Jack and Luke knock on your door. 

For a few brief moments, you panic, wondering why you thought this was a good idea. What do you have in common with three pro-hockey players? But that panic quickly dissipates, Luke seeing the tiny Ohio State magnet on your fridge (your uncle’s, not yours) and immediately lightheartedly trash talking you as Jack and Nico take over setting up the table and plates. 

You close your front door that night with three new numbers in your phone and an unofficial promise from you to catch a game in person sometime. 

*****

You love Gretchen, you really do, but damn, she’s a lot of work. 

You’re lucky that your job has flexible hours, because Gretchen’s barking would probably drive your neighbors insane if she was left alone in your apartment all day. She’s starting to drive you insane. 

Somehow, she was well behaved at the outdoor market you went to today, so you give her a few treats to nibble on as you go back downstairs to grab everything else. As you’re shutting the door of your car, a bag slips out of your grasp and everything spills out, causing you to groan. 

“You alright there?”

You look up from where you’re bending down to grab your things to see Nico briskly walking over from his car, an amused look on his face. You chuckle a bit. “Yeah. This bag decided just to crap out on me. Luckily, there’s nothing really breakable in there.”

He picks up some bath bombs and a loofah in minor confusion. The furrow in his eyebrows is kinda adorable. “What’s this for?”

“One of my coworkers is about to get married so all of us pitched in to get some spa products. I volunteered to put it together to make a gift basket of sorts.”

He hums, swinging the now-filled bag over his shoulder and walking alongside you as you head into the building. “That’s really nice of you. And a good idea for a gift too.”

“Yeah. To be fair, the spa stuff wasn’t necessarily my idea. I just had time to buy them today and I have a knack for making pretty baskets.”

“I should take some notes,” Nico says. “I have a couple friends back in Switzerland getting married soon and need to get them gifts.”

“You wanna come up and help me put it together?”

Nico visibility hesitates as you two wait for the elevator. “I don’t want to intrude in your plans.”

“I have no plans,” you deadpan. “It’s a Sunday. I’m surprised I even got myself to go to the market today.”

He laughs. “Well, in that case…” he presses the button for your floor, but not his. “Any dogs you got in your home right now?”

“Still Gretchen,” you say. “She’s being extra bitchy today though, so sorry in advance for all the barking.” You guys walk into your apartment, and Gretchen barks once before perching her head, begging for pets. Nico gives them to her and she curls up against him. You snort. “Oh, I see how it is, Gretch. You see a cute boy and suddenly you’re well behaved?”

Nico looks up from where he’s crouched to pet Gretchen. “You think I’m cute?” Oh. Shit. You just glare at him as he smirks, nodding at your bags. “What else are you putting in the basket?”

“A bunch of soaps, a really fluffy bathrobe one of our other coworkers found on Amazon, some candles, these facemasks I ordered from Korea…all the good stuff.”

He watches as you take out the empty basket, some wrapping paper, and a few colorful ribbons. You honestly don’t consider yourself very crafty, but after doing a few gift boxes like this in your life, this is something that you pride yourself in doing decently well. 

“Can you reach into the drawer across from the sink and hand me the scissors, please?” You ask. Nico abides, sliding the scissors across the counter. 

“I think the same, by the way.”

You blink, measuring out the length of the ribbons correctly. “Hm?”

“I think you’re cute too.”

It takes all your control to cut the ribbon carefully before looking up at him. You see him swallow, confident with a hint of hesitation. You look down and try to steady your hands. “Well, depending on how good you are at cutting wrapping paper, I might have to keep you around.”

“Helping you out with dinner that night wasn’t enough?”

“The real test is seeing if you know how to wrap gifts.”

“I don’t.”

You can’t help but snort. “Figures.”

“So, what?” You look up to see Nico giving you a look that makes your stomach flip. He tilts his head to the side, trying to find something in your face. You’re not sure what. “You’re gonna kick me out?”

One side of your lips quirk up as Gretchen barks. “I guess I’ll keep you around.”

*****

You and Nico become fast friends. To be honest, it’s not like you see each other all the time, with your normal work schedule and his abnormal one. But more often than not, when Nico asks if you’re around, you usually are. It starts with more homecooked dinners, which turns into trying new restaurants because it’s more reasonable to go with someone else so you can order more at a time, which turns into you seeing some new event happening or shop opening up and thumbing over to your text thread with him asking him if he wants to join. Nine times out of ten, unless he’s on a road trip, he’s free. 

Sometimes Jack and Luke join. Most times they don’t. You’re not offended. Jack and Luke are a bit younger and have their own friends. They remind you of your younger cousins.

The thing is, you just enjoy Nico’s company. You learn about his goals, his insecurities, the things that bring him joy. He’s kind, considerate and so incredibly interesting. You feel so comfortable around him, whether you’re yapping away about childhood stories or in silence walking around the streets of Newark. 

When you finally take up your neighbors’ offer to go to a Devils game after many nagging texts for the Hughes brothers, Nico knocks on your door within minutes, unexpectedly pulling you into a tight hug. You’re taken aback, but his dimpled smile is worth it. 

You take one of your closest friends and have a wonderful time. You’re not much of a hockey fan, but your friend is, happy to talk you through icings and delayed penalties and offsides. Your eyes track 43 and 86 as your friend raves about the “Hughes skating.” But most of the time, you’re eyeing the one with the 13 and the C, who takes a deep breath before every face off. 

For your first game, it’s a fun one, a nail biter that ends in a 4-2 win against the Minnesota Wild. You shoot Jack, Luke and Nico all a text congratulating them on a good game.

It’s when you’re in bed that night do you really thumb through their replies, Nico’s simple heart emoji making you fall asleep with a smile. 

*****

Besides being a nice person, you also consider yourself to have a decent memory. 

Until there’s a knock on your door that has you confused. You put down your tea, petting Moose, the dalmatian you’ve been looking after recently, as you walk to the door. 

Nico looks so cozy, a black Kith sweatshirt with a beanie over his hair. He blinks at you. You blink back. 

“Hi.”

“Hi,” you say, amused even if a bit confused. “What’s up? Did we have plans tonight?”

“No, well, not pre-planned.” Nico bends down to pet Moose, who he met yesterday when you guys went to a new coffee shop. “You busy?”

“And what if I was?”

“You’d cancel for me anyways,” he teases. 

And the thing is, he’s right. You sigh playfully. “Fine. Gimme a few minutes to get dressed.”

Nico grabs the leash off the hook. “Moose is coming too.”

“Oh?”

He flicks his hand. “Go get dressed.”

“Bossy,” you comment, before walking to your bedroom. 

It turns out your plans are a newly opened dog park that you’ve heard about but haven’t gotten the chance to check out. Moose is immediately excited, and your heart does something funny when you see Nico calm him down so he doesn’t run anyone over. Nico told you he hadn't grown up with dogs, but you wouldn’t know with how gentle he is with every dog you’ve fostered during your friendship thus far. 

After playing with Moose for a bit, he collapses on the grass, allowing you and Nico to sit and also relax. 

“You look happy.”

You turn to Nico with a smile. “I am.”

“Good. All I want is for you to be happy.”

You swallow and take a deep breath. “Nico.”

“What?”

“You can’t just say things like that.”

“Why not?”

“Because,” you whisper. You swear the space between you both has decreased. 

“Because what?”

You huff. “Are you really gonna make me say it?”

“Yes.”

You roll your eyes fondly, staring down at the grass for a few seconds before looking into his eyes again. “You can’t say things like that because then you’ll make me believe that I have a chance to be with you. To be more than friends.”

“And why is that so hard to believe?”

What?

“What?” You ask. 

“Is it such a hard thing to believe?” Nico asks gently. His cologne is filling your senses now and you’re so overwhelmed. “The chance to be with you would be an honor.”

“Nico.”

“What?”

“You’re fucking with me.”

He chuckles, “I’m not.” He leans in to place a chaste kiss on your cheek and you kinda wanna die. “So, what do you say? Wanna give it a shot?”

“Are you sure?”

“Never been sure of anything more in my life.” His confidence is back and it makes you wanna kiss him silly. 

You take his hand and squeeze it in yours. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay, yeah. Let’s give it a shot. On one condition though.”

“Anything.”

“You’re helping me with all these dogs. I still don’t know how you got Gretchen to like you. She barely liked me.”

Nico laughs loudly. It makes you grin. “What can I say? I must be special.”

You bite your lip. Yeah. He really is. 

You watch as Moose suddenly has energy again and trots between you two, licking Nico’s face. He scrunches his nose in delight and you feel like the sun is suddenly shining brighter. 

[libraryofloveletters]

Written In The Photos - Social Media Series

decided to take a little break from writing (I will still be writing after this, don’t worry!) but I didn’t want to leave you guys without content so I present the Written In The Photos series. each driver/player has a song and their post is inspired by said song :) I hope you guys enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed making it <3 // special thank you to my bestie @themandaloriansdiaries for all her help with song choices and all the cracked out convos we had to put it together. 

Carlos Sainz Jr - Smooth Operator by Sade

late nights, jet leg and messed up sleep schedules lead to words spoken which would normally be kept to themselves. 

Jack Grealish - Hot Girl Summer by Meg Thee Stallion 

party after party, Jack seems to be spotted with the same girl over and over again.

Lewis Hamilton - Loveeeeeee Song by Rihanna and Future 

he’s sick and tired of seeing you in private, he wants the world to know you’re his. 

Sergio Ramos - Way 2 Sexy by Drake 

working for a footballer isn’t easy, it’s even harder when everyone thinks you’re dating. ( footballer x pr manager)

Max Verstappen  - Can We Still Friends by Tyler, The Creator

even the best of the friends can have falling outs, especially when you’re on opposites side of the track.  (teammate/rival!reader)

Andy Robertson - I’m Still In Love With You by Sean Paul ft. Sasha and Jeremy Harding

so many years apart and you’re still in love with the same guy you’ve always been in love with.

Lance Stroll - Stuck With You by Ariana Grande 

every relationship goes sour, except for the one you had with a certain brown eyed boy. 

Pato O’Ward -  Sunday Candy by Nico Segal 

snapshots of love and life with the love of your life.

Jude Bellingham - P Power by Gunna ft Drake  

young and in love, you two find yourselves making headlines more often than not. 

Sebastian Vettel - Promiscuous by Nelly Furtado and Timberland 

can’t keep his hands off you and can’t keep the flirty comments away. (redbull seb) 

Kylian Mbappe  -  Hotel Room Service by Pitbull 

secrets unravel when you’re caught together in spain.  

Jenson Button - Money by Cardi B 

diamonds are a girl’s best friend after all (sugar daddy!jenson)

Ruben Dias - Golden Hour by JVKE 

you supported him through it all, it only made sense you were the one there in the end. 

George Russell - London Boy by Taylor Swift 

grey weather is a bit of a downer, unless you have someone by your side. 

Bukayo Saka - Star Boy by The Weeknd

proud, proud, proud; you showed everyone just how proud you really were. 

Mick Schumacher - Dark Red by Steve Lacy 

he only has eyes for one girl and it’s the one girl he wasn’t supposed to be looking at. (vettel!reader)

Neymar Jr - Tití Me Preguntó by Bad Bunny 

he promised to change, you were stupid enough to believe him but people never really change do they?

Lando Norris - Young, Dumb and Broke by Khalid 

regret makes people do crazy things. 

John Stones - I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston 

your husband winning the treble calls for celebration and you two finally get the night out you deserve. 

Esteban Ocon - Sure Thing by Miguel 

attached at the hip; the sunshine to his rain. you were everything to him. 

Erling Haaland - Sunday Mornings by Maroon 5

sunday mornings were a bit of a tradition for you, everyone notices when the pattern changes.

Pierre Gasly - Creepin’ by The Weeknd 

loyalty runs both ways, until it doesn’t anymore but nothing ever really changes, does it?

Virgil Van Dijk - Let ‘Em Know by Bryson Tiller 

some things never change, no matter how much you try. 

Fernando Alonso - I’m Still Standing by Elton John 

looking up and looking down, it never felt so right. 

Jordan Henderson - If I Ain’t Got You by Alicia Keys 

with your 10th anniversary around the corner, you both get a bit in your feels.

Charles Leclerc - A Sunday Kind Of Love by Etta James 

races, weddings and races again; sundays hold a special place in his heart. 

Trent Alexander Arnold - One Kiss by Dua Lipa

all it took was one kiss and the floodgates were opened. 

Daniel Ricciardo - Woo by Rihanna

monaco is good to those who are good to it, especially those who win. every winner deserves a prize worthy of a king.

Christian Pulisic - Unforgettable by French Montana and Swae Lee

the star player and the ex girlfriend of his closest teammate are spotted together; you’re too unforgettable.

Kostas Tsimikas - Boyfriend by Ariana Grande and Social House

you were his until you weren't, but then you were again. the two of you tangled in the sheets and in a web of confusion; were you or were you not?

[marimayscarlett]

@spinnenpfote6 ok so here are some I've found (had found some more and must check for the links again, and search some more in general, because Martin & Andy are just. 🤌🏻🫶🏻):

'What counts as truth'

the following oneshots are only accessible when you're logged into AO3:

'A matter of trust'

'Everybody lies'

'Sunglasses hide more than eyes'

'The sweetest eyes' (actually just Hugo/Russel)

[twopoppies]

On a recent London outing, Styles dressed down in black Under Armour shorts, tortoiseshell Jacques Marie Mage aviators, worn-in Adidas Sambas, and a JW Anderson crossbody bag that Vogue suggested could be a token of interpersonal goodwill, given Russell’s ambassadorship at Anderson’s Loewe. Interestingly, the musician also wore a maroon crewneck printed with the small serif-font logo of Cadogan Tate, a London fine art logistics firm that specializes in transporting valuable objects.

Eagle-eyed Styles fans quickly surmised that the sweatshirt, which is not publicly available for purchase, must be part of the firm’s staff kit. And while an art-handling company like Cadogan would typically assist dealers and auction houses, it seems Styles may too have had some valuables that needed moving.

In an email to GQ, a Cadogan Tate representative confirmed the musician’s maroon sweatshirt “is part of our team-member uniform program. Mr. Styles acquired the garment after a recent project that our team completed with him.”

The rep declined to comment further on the specifics of the project.

Harry Styles is a big art guy. He posed for David Hockney. He gallery hops. He’s been collecting since he was in his early 20s, when his personal holdings reportedly included a small museum’s worth of taxidermy, gun sculptures, and paintings such as an Andy Warhol–style print of Kate Moss. According to UK tabloid the Daily Star, he once tried to commission the covert British street artists Bambi and Banksy to paint frescoes in his home, but was thwarted by the fact that going to a famous singer’s house would have revealed their identities.

x

Given that Harry moved at least some of his belongs out of Erskine last year prior to the renovation that happened there, perhaps it was the art from that house that they helped him with. But, who knows? I’m here for art collector Harry wearing random merch, though.

[fatecantstopme]

If I Love You Too Much, I’m Sorry

Pairing: Chris Evans x reader

Summary: I got the idea from Russell Dickerson's song “Sorry”. Chris expresses his feelings for you via karaoke.

Warnings: RPF. Use of pet names. Cursing. Smut, Oral (M & F receiving), unprotected sex (P in V)

You'd met your boyfriend purely by chance. Your friends had dragged you out to a karaoke bar one night and he happened to be there with some of his own friends.

You were slightly embarrassed to say that you didn't even notice him until he got up on stage to sing a song. The moment you heard him speak, you recognized his Boston accent.

"Tell me that's not Chris Evans," you whispered to your best friend, Andi.

She turned towards the stage, eyes widening. "That is one hundred percent Chris Evans."

"What the hell is he doing in a karaoke bar in the middle of the week?" you hissed.

She laughed and shrugged. "Girl, everyone loves a good karaoke night. Even famous people."

One of your other friends rushed over to your table with a couple drinks. "Dude, did you see Chris freaking Evans? He's on stage!"

"Yeah, Nic, we saw him," you said. "Hard to miss the hot guy singing freaking Led Zeppelin."

"Who picks a Led Zeppelin song for karaoke?" Cole asked in annoyance.

You chuckled. "Apparently Chris Evans does."

Cole rolled his eyes. "Straight guys are so weird." He took a long drink. "At least he's pretty."

You bit your lip as you turned to look over at him. "Pretty is not the word I'd use," you mumbled.

Andi smacked your arm and you laughed.

"Okay, so you're getting up there next, right?" Nic teased you.

"Absolutely not."

"Why not?! You always sing karaoke."

"Not when Chris Evans might see me. No way in hell."

"Oh come on," Andi said with a grin. "Maybe he'll fall in love with you after he hears you sing."

You threw a napkin at her and she giggled.

"One of you can get up there and sing instead. I'm gonna get another drink."

You crossed the room to the bar, not really noticing that the song had changed. You ordered your drink and patiently waited for the bartender to make it. He handed you the drink with a smile and you grabbed it with a thanks. You turned around, not really paying much attention, and ran directly into a firm, broad chest, spilling your drink all over yourself and him.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry," you said quickly, before looking up at the man you'd run into.

"It's alright, I kinda ran into you."

That thick Boston accent would have told you exactly who he was even if you hadn't been staring into his blue eyes.

You gulped, mouth suddenly dry.

He smiled at you warmly, taking you in slowly, eyes trailing over you before making their way back to your face. "How 'bout I buy you another one?"

"You--you wanna buy me a drink?" you squeaked.

He laughed. "Yeah, if you'll let me."

You nodded rapidly. "Sure."

He placed his hand on your hip to gently slide you over so he could get to the bar. Your whole body lit up, sparks igniting every nerve ending. You cleared your throat, trying desperately to be normal again.

Chris ordered you another drink before turning to address you again. He put his hand out to shake yours and said, "I'm Chris."

You shook his hand and mumbled, "I know."

He laughed, smile widening.

"Sorry--I don't mean to be awkward," you fumbled. "It's not every day you meet Chris Evans."

"Don't worry about it. Just think of me like a normal guy, buying a pretty girl a drink."

"I can work with that," you said with a smile, trying not to die when he called you 'pretty'. "I--uh, I'm (Y/N)."

"(Y/N)," he said your name as if he was tasting it. "Beautiful name."

"Thanks," you said, face heating up as a blush creeped into your cheeks.

Thankfully, the bartender finished your drink, handing it to Chris. He turned to you and handed you the drink. "Would you like to sit with me? I'd love to chat with you."

You gave him a smile you hoped looked normal. "I'd love to."

He put his hand on your lower back and gently guided you to a small table at the back of the room where it was quieter.

The two of you stayed and talked for hours, about everything and anything. You were surprised by how down-to-earth he was and you found yourself feeling incredibly comfortable with him.

You were still talking when last call went out. Chris looked surprised and you glanced around the mostly-empty bar, noticing your friends had left you.

"I didn't realize it was so late," he said.

"Yeah, my friends already left."

He glanced around. "Mine too. Can I get you a ride home?"

"Oh, thanks, but I actually live a couple blocks away. I'll just walk."

"At this time of night? Absolutely not."

Surprise lit up your face. "I do it all the time."

"What kind of gentleman would I be if I let you walk home by yourself?"

You raised your eyebrows. "Are you offering to walk me home?"

He stood up and reached out to help you up. "I am, indeed."

You laughed and slid your hand into his, letting him pull you out of your chair.

"Let me just go pay the tab," he said.

"Oh, I have to pay mine too."

"I've got it," he insisted.

"You don't have to--"

He waved you off. "Please let me. My mama raised me right."

You chuckled. "Alright, if you insist."

"I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere."

You watched as he walked away, disbelief suddenly sinking in. You'd spent hours talking to Chris and now he was paying your tab and walking you home. What the hell is happening with your life?

"Ready?"

You smiled at him. "Absolutely."

"Lead the way, beautiful."

You couldn't help the soft sound that left your lips, but you hoped he hadn't heard you.

It was a beautiful night and the walk only took about 15 minutes. When you reached your apartment, you stopped and turned to him. "This is me."

He looked a little sad, as if he didn't want the night to end. "I have to say, I haven't enjoyed myself this much in a long time."

"Neither have I," you said honestly.

"Could--could I maybe call you?"

Surprise lit up your face for what had to be the millionth time that night. "You--you wanna call me?"

He smiled warmly. "Yeah, if you're okay with it."

"I'd love that, actually."

He took out his phone and handed it to you so you could put your number in. When you handed it back, he slid it into his pocket and took a step towards you.

You froze, allowing him to stop within an inch of touching you. He looked down at you and your eyes met his. You desperately wanted him to kiss you, but you weren't about to beg him for it.

He leaned down, pressing his lips gently to yours, taking your breath away with a soft kiss. You leaned into him, hands sliding around his neck to pull him closer.

The kiss was incredible, but so much shorter than you would have liked. When Chris separated his lips from yours, you let out a soft whimper at the loss of contact. He didn't step back and his hands didn't leave your face.

You heard yourself whisper, "Would you like to come in?"

He smiled at you, warm eyes filled with desire. "I would like that very much."

He followed you into your building and up to your apartment. The moment you were inside, he pulled you against him, lips attaching themselves to yours once more.

You weren't even sure how you made it to the bedroom, let alone how you'd lost every piece of clothing either of you had been wearing along the way.

To say the sex was incredible would be an understatement. It was, without a doubt, the best sex of your life. Chris pulled you into him afterwards and you fell asleep almost instantly.

When you woke up the next morning, you were surprised to feel an arm draped across your midsection. You turned your head and saw Chris sound asleep beside you, arm holding you tightly. You smiled at the sight, heart warming as you watched him sleep.

"You're staring, beautiful," he murmured softly.

"Sorry," you said sheepishly. "I thought you were still asleep."

"I was until you started staring into my soul," he teased, blue eyes opening to take you in.

You suddenly felt self-conscious, knowing you probably looked like a hot mess after everything that had happened the night before.

"You're so beautiful," he said reverently, reaching up to tuck a hair behind your ear.

You blushed. "Thank you."

You glanced over at the clock and gasped. "Shit! I'm gonna be late for work." You scrambled out of bed and ran to the attached bathroom.

"Sorry about that, sweets," Chris said, getting out of the bed and following you into the bathroom. "You're more than welcome to blame me for your lateness."

You laughed. "I just might." You turned on the shower and looked over at him. "Wanna shower with me real quick?"

"You don't have to ask twice."

What had begun as a night out with friends had magically turned into one of the best nights of your life and the beginning of something truly amazing.

**********

Six months later, you were back in the same karaoke bar on a Saturday night with your friends and Chris, whom you'd been secretly dating since that first night.

Well, it wasn't entirely a secret. Your friends and family knew about the relationship, but it hadn't been made public yet. You and Chris had been very careful to keep it as private as possible, for your sake more than anything. He didn't like the idea of people invading your personal life just because you were dating him.

You'd begun asking him about making the relationship public a few weeks ago. You were willing to sacrifice your privacy if it meant being truly with him. It hadn't been very long, but you both already knew that this was going to be a long-term thing. You couldn't keep living like this and you knew it was taking a toll on him as well.

Your best friend, Andi, had suggested getting together at the karaoke bar you and Chris had met at. In her estimation, it was past time for the two of you to be together in public. Much to your surprise, Chris agreed.

You were all sitting comfortably at a table towards the back of the bar, relaxing and chatting. Your friends were talking about some nonsense and you turned to look at Chris. He was completely engaged in the conversation, nodding and laughing along with your friends' antics.

It warmed your heart to see him so happy and engaged with the people you loved. He was always so sweet and good with them, just like he was with you. You loved him so much, but you hadn't been completely comfortable admitting it to him just yet. It's like that old saying, 'when you know, you know'; and you sure as hell knew.

"Babe," Chris said again, waving his hand in front of your face.

"Hmm?" you hummed, shaking your head to clear it.

"Where was that pretty little head at?" he asked lightly.

"I was just thinking...nothing important."

He clearly didn't believe you, but he let it go. "I'm gonna go sign up to sing. Wanna come with me?"

"Oh lord. I think I'm going to decline tonight."

He shook his head. "You're missing out," he teased as he got up and headed to the other side of the bar.

"Hey," Andi said as she elbowed you gently. "What's up with you tonight?"

You shrugged. "My mind is somewhere else, that's all. But I'm okay, I promise."

Her eyes narrowed as she took you in, but her expression softened as she clearly decided to believe you. "He's really great, you know."

"I know," you smiled as you looked across the room at him.

"Oh I know that face."

"What face?"

"The one you're making, (Y/N)."

"I'm not making a face."

She raised an eyebrow. "Mhm. Sure." She leaned in closer and whispered, "You love him."

Your eyes widened and your head whipped in her direction. "Shh!"

"I whispered it!" she insisted. "Tell me I'm wrong."

"You're not wrong," you mumbled.

"Have you told him?"

"Not yet."

"You have to!" she insisted.

"You love 'love' a little too much," you teased.

"I know," she said dreamily. "I just love seeing you so happy, babe."

You leaned against her. "I really am happy."

She wrapped you in a tight hug. "Love you."

"Love you too, weirdo."

Chris made his way back to the table. "I'm up in two songs."

"What did you pick to sing?" you asked.

"It's a surprise," he said with a wink.

"As long as it's not WAP or something like that," Cole said dryly.

Everyone laughed.

"I would pay to hear you sing that," you said, laughing loudly.

"I promise it's not that," Chris insisted, still giggling.

The conversation drifted to other topics and you were engrossed in it. So much so, that you missed Chris getting up to go to the stage.

"Hey, everyone," he said into the mic.

You turned your head to look in the direction of the stage at the sound of Chris's voice.

"This song goes out to someone very special to me."

"Aww," Andi whispered.

"Shut up," you said lightly.

The first notes of the song started and your breath caught in your chest. It was a newer song, but Chris had been walking around his house and yours singing it for weeks.

Girl I wanted to apologize

For the way I've been acting lately

I been doing all kinda things

I probably just drive you crazy.

Gotta get it off my chest

Oh, and it just can't wait

It's something I ain't told you yet,

Baby, I just gotta say

Your heart was thumping in your chest loudly enough that you were certain your friends could hear it over the music. You knew every word to this song since Chris loved it so much.

Girl, I'm sorry for kissing you in front of everybody

For saying that we should leave the party

Soon as we walk in it

Have you outta that dress in a minute.

You hate it when I say it

You're so beautiful you oughta be famous

My bad.

Go ahead, you can blame it on me

If I love you too much, I'm sorry.

You couldn't breathe. For the first time since he first started singing this song, you let the words fully sink in. Your only thought was 'Is he saying that to me?'

Your friends were looking over at you to gauge your reaction, but you couldn't take your eyes off the man on stage. His gaze rested on you as he sang and you could hear the emotion in his voice. An emotion you couldn't quite place...or maybe just too afraid to.

Sorry for coming home early

When I was out with the boys downtown,

But there ain't nothing I'd rather do

Than come home and lay you down.

'Cause, baby, you're so perfect

I can't get you off my mind

So if I miss you

Gotta kiss you like a thousand times.

Andi leaned over to you. "Has he ever told you he loves you?"

You just shook your head.

"Well, I think he just did," she whispered.

Oh, I'm sorry for kissing you in front of everybody

For saying that we should leave the party

Soon as we walk in it

Have you outta that dress in a minute.

You hate it when I say it

You're so beautiful you oughta be famous

My bad.

Go ahead, you can blame it on me

If I love you too much, I'm sorry.

Other people in the bar had started looking in your direction, following the direction of Chris's gaze. Normally that would bother you, but in this moment, you couldn't get yourself to care. All you could think about was the way he was looking at you, mixed with the words coming out of his mouth.

'Cause I want you

And I need you

If I tell you too much

Then I just gotta say it

I'm sorry, mmm, I'm sorry.

Your body was reacting to his voice in the way it always did and you wanted him badly, more than you could recall ever wanting him before. You knew the song was coming to an end and you couldn't help but sing along to the last chorus.

I'm sorry for kissing you in front of everybody

For saying that we should leave the party

Soon as we walk in it

Have you outta that dress in a minute.

You hate it when I say it

You're so beautiful you oughta be famous

My bad.

Go ahead, you can blame it on me

If I love you too much, I'm sorry.

"You okay, girl?" Andi asked as Chris finished up the song.

"I think so," you said softly.

She squeezed your hand and you watched as Chris walked off the stage and started coming towards you. Several people's gazes followed him, trying to see exactly where he was going, and more importantly, who he was going to.

When he reached you, he didn't even hesitate. He leaned down and kissed you deeply in front of your friends and a room full of strangers. Your friends started whooping and other people in the bar clapped.

He pulled away from you, expression unreadable. "Wanna get outta here, baby?" he whispered in your ear.

"Please," you whimpered. You blushed, embarrassed by the pleading tone of your voice.

He pulled you out of your chair and practically dragged you towards the door. You gave Andi a look and she grinned ear to ear, waving at you as your boyfriend pulled you away.

He pulled out his phone as soon as you got outside and started typing.

"Baby? What are you doing?"

"Calling an Uber."

"Why? It's a 15 minute walk."

He turned to look at you with a hungry look. His pupils were lust-blown and you finally took the time to notice the desire literally oozing from his pores. "I'm not going to make it that long," he practically growled.

Warmth flooded your core at his tone, coupled with the way he was looking at you. You were lost for words, so you just nodded at him.

He squeezed your hand as you waited for the Uber, and thankfully you didn't have to wait long. You found yourself in front of your apartment door less than 5 minutes later.

Your hands were shaking slightly as you tried to unlock the door. You could feel his erection against your lower back as he pressed against you.

"Baby, unlock that door a little faster or I'm going to kick it down," he said, breathing heavily in your ear from behind you.

"I'm trying, but you're not making this easy, Christopher," you hissed.

He grinned against the skin of your neck, planting kisses and bite marks anywhere he could see.

You finally got the door unlocked and the two of you practically fell inside the apartment. It was reminiscent of your first time together, but his hunger tonight was absolutely unparalleled.

He spun you around and pressed you against the door, lips attacking yours instantly. He wedged his knee between your legs and you gasped as his lips descended to your jaw.

"Chris," you whimpered.

"I've got you, baby," he murmured against the column of your throat. "Gonna make you feel so good."

He gripped your hips and pulled you closer so you were flush to his body. The shift moved your clothed core against his thigh and you moaned at the friction.

He groaned softly. "Use my leg, pretty girl," he moved your hips in a slow rhythm. "That's it, baby."

Your head fell back against the door and you moaned again. "I want you, baby, please," you begged.

"Yeah, sweets? What'cha want?"

"I want you now, Chris. Please. Just fuck me."

He growled lowly. "Anything for you, baby."

He started to take your clothes off, hands tracing the curves he loved so much. He had you completely naked in less than a minute, but the only piece of clothing he allowed you to remove from his body was his shirt.

You watched him as he dropped to his knees in front of you and your eyes widened in surprise. "Baby?"

His eyes flicked up to yours. "Just lean back and let me take care of you."

He grabbed your leg and lifted it over his shoulder, giving him the access he needed to get to your core. He didn't even bother to tease you, diving into you with the hunger of a starving man.

You gasped in pleasure, hand immediately going to his hair, fingers entangling themselves in the thick locks.

Your moans mixed with the salacious sounds coming from between your legs, and you would have been embarrassed if it didn't feel just so damn incredible.

He moaned into your core as he messily slurped up your juices, tongue moving to focus on your clit. He slipped a finger inside of you, followed by another, curling his fingers in a come hither motion.

"Chris!" you cried in pleasure, fingers tightening on his hair.

"You gonna cum for me, baby?"

"Don't stop," you begged.

Chris grinned and went back to work between your thighs, coaxing you to your climax with skilled fingers and mouth.

Your legs began to shake as you reached your high, thighs trying to close around his head. Your voice was nothing but broken moans and whimpers of pleasure.

Chris's hands were the only thing keeping you upright as you came down. He stood up, holding you against him, making sure you didn't fall.

His lips met yours in a searing kiss, hands sliding down to your butt. "Can you jump for me, sweets?" he whispered against your lips.

He held onto your butt as you attempted a jump, his strong arms the only thing ensuring you didn't fall on the floor. You wrapped your legs around him and he carried you to the bedroom.

He tossed you onto the bed with a grin. Instead of crawling onto the bed with you, he started to slowly remove his jeans.

"Are you stripping for me, handsome?" you teased lightly.

He grinned wolfishly. "You like it?"

"I love it." You loved everything about him, physically, mentally, emotionally...all of it. The whole package.

He removed his pants completely, leaving him in just his boxer briefs. You eyed the large bulge, mouth watering as you thought about tasting him.

"C'mere," you said softly.

He smiled and crawled onto the bed, lips meeting yours in a passionate kiss. You pulled him down on top of you, hooked your leg around his hips, and flipped him over.

You straddled his hips, legs spread wide to fit around his width. He looked up at you in slight surprise, not used to you taking charge in the bedroom.

"What'cha doin', gorgeous?"

You smirked at him and slowly moved down his body, allowing yourself space to remove his underwear. You tossed them onto the floor and lowered yourself down to take him into your mouth.

"Fuck--that's it baby," he groaned.

You bobbed your head, tongue tracing the thick vein running down his shaft. You focused attention on his head, eliciting sharp moans from his throat.

Chris's fingers were entangled in your hair and he began to tug on it slightly. "Baby, you gotta stop--I'm--I'm gonna cum."

You moaned around his cock and he groaned in pleasure. He tugged on your hair more harshly, pulling you off his cock. You whined in displeasure, but that quickly turned to a shocked gasp as he flipped you onto your back.

"Sorry, babe, but I wanna cum inside you."

"How can I say no to that?" You pulled him towards you and he kissed your lips roughly.

The tip of his cock pressed against your entrance and you inhaled sharply. "Please, Chris," you whimpered.

"I've got you, gorgeous."

He started to enter you and your nails dug into his shoulders as his thick cock stretched your tight walls. No matter how many times you had sex, he always stretched you more than you'd ever been stretched before.

He thrust into you, burying himself entirely. He didn't give you time to adjust to his girth before he began to fuck you into the mattress, setting a relentless pace.

You cried out in a mixture of pain and pleasure, your nails buried into his back.

He groaned into your neck. "Fuck, baby, you feel so good. Squeezing me so nice."

"Chris, I'm--so close," you gasped out.

"I've got you. Let go for me, pretty girl."

Chris picked up his pace a little, thrusts slamming into your sweet spot, sending bright flashes of pleasure through your body.

Your nails raked down his back, eliciting a growl from deep in his chest. He loved it when you marked him up; he wore them like badges of honor.

"Cum for me baby, I know you're close."

Your moans were loud enough you were certain the neighbors could hear, but you couldn't find it in you to care. You held onto him as your orgasm crashed into you, coming apart with cries of his name.

Your orgasm triggered his and he came with a series of curses and a loud groan of your name, his seed filling you up.

He kissed all over your face and neck as you both came down from your highs. "That's my girl," he whispered. "Did so well for me."

He slowly pulled out and rolled to your side. He kissed you one more time, before getting up to grab a washcloth. When he came back, he cleaned you up gently before crawling back into the bed with you.

You settled in against his chest with a sigh. He pulled you in close and laid a kiss against the top of your head.

You finally had a moment to think about what had happened earlier in the evening and your mind began to race.

Chris seemed to sense your change in demeanor, feeling your body tense in his arms. "You okay, sweets?" he asked softly.

You nodded.

"Hey," he whispered. "Talk to me."

You slowly sat up and turned your body to look at him. You traced the design of one of the tattoos on his chest, eyes watching the movement of your fingers. "So...the song," you began.

"Yeah?"

"I shouldn't read too much into that, should I?"

He gently grabbed your chin, tilting your face up to look at him. "Look at me, pretty girl."

You lifted your eyes to meet his, biting your lip in worry.

He touched your face gently, eyes filled with adoration. "You're so beautiful you oughta be famous," he sang softly. "If I love you too much, I'm sorry."

Your breath caught in your chest and tears welled in your eyes.

"I meant every word, (Y/N)," he murmured. "I know we haven't been together all that long, but I love you so much. I can't imagine my life without you."

"Chris..." you whispered.

"You don't have to say anything, sweets, but I wanted you to know how I felt and that I don't wanna hide this anymore. I want the entire world to know I'm yours."

"Kiss me," you said softly.

He smiled and leaned forward to kiss you gently. He poured everything he was feeling into that kiss, and you did the same.

"God, you're so beautiful," he said reverently when he pulled away.

You blushed. "I love you, Chris," you whispered.

His eyes widened in surprise. "You do?"

You nodded. "I wanted to tell you a couple weeks ago, but I didn't want to scare you."

He chuckled lightly. "I thought I was going to scare you."

"I don't scare that easily," you teased.

"Thank god," he said with a smile.

"So...I guess we're public now?"

"I don't wanna hide this anymore, especially if you don't want to."

You shook your head. "I don't like the idea of strangers being in my business, but I love you, so it's worth it."

He pulled you back into him. "I love you, I love you, I love you," he mumbled into your hair.

You laughed and planted a kiss to his chest.

"Seriously, I'm going to say it all the damn time now. You'll get tired of hearing it."

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing it."

"Good," he kissed your forehead. "'Cause I love you."

You laughed as you curled into him. "I love you too, dork."

He sighed happily. "I don't think I'll get tired of hearing it either."

You settled into him comfortably and traced the words 'I love you' on his chest, just to make sure he knew exactly how you were feeling.

He squeezed you tightly and kissed the top of your head one last time before settling in to sleep. "Sweet dreams, my love."

"Sweet dreams, Chris."

[denimbex1986]

'It should come as no surprise that Russell T Davies, the man behind Queer As Folk, the one who first made Doctor Who tangibly gay, has returned to the franchise with what might be its queerest outing yet. But even we were surprised by quite how integral LGBTQ+ themes would be to the story this time around.

Much has been made of David Tennant and Catherine Tate's return, yet it's Yasmin Finney's brand-new character Rose who's at the heart of this Star Beast special.

Donna's daughter befriends The Meep first, and she's also the one who saves London when The Meep reveals itself to be evil. What's special about this is that it's Rose's trans identity specifically that proves key to her victory.

When we last saw her mother, Donna had absorbed some of the Doctor's energy, creating a 'metacrisis' that would have killed her if the Doctor had not erased her memories. But when she's reminded again of the Time Lord's existence in this latest episode, Donna survives intact, and that's because when she gave birth to Rose, she unknowingly split that energy between them, halving their potentially devastating impact.

As Donna's memories return, Rose's innate Timelord energy is then activated too, enabling her to stop Meep with newfound knowledge and abilities from her position on the ground.

Rose's non-binary identity stems from The Doctor's. (The show finally acknowledges them to be gender-fluid after they presented as both male and female over the course of the franchise). That means the source of Rose's power comes directly from her nature as a non-binary individual, positioning her as a hero because of her gender identity and not despite of it.

That's not to say Doctor Who shies away from the difficulties trans people face in real life. Earlier on in the same episode, bullies deadname Rose in the street and soon after, Donna's own mother, Sylvia, accidentally misgenders Rose as well, despite her good intentions.

Donna's response to all this? "I would burn down the world for you, darling," and honestly, that's how we feel after seeing some of the negative feedback these scenes have received online.

Despite scoring strong reviews from critics and the majority of fans, it seems not everyone is celebrating Doctor Who's much-lauded return.

On Rotten Tomatoes, trolls are review-bombing the episode, bringing the audience score down to 41%, which is a huge contrast from the critics rating of 89%. Of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and the episode won't be to everyone's tastes, but when comments suggest the show 'needs to stop pushing talk of pronouns onto kids', it's safe to say most of these opinions are grounded in hate and ignorance.

Imagine being shocked that a show about an alien who regularly changes their body and gender would dare acknowledge such concepts?

In the days following the special, a hashtag named #RIPDoctorWho continued this backlash on X/Twitter, to which Doctor Who casting director Andy Pryor said the following:

"Just stopped by to say that on @bbcdoctor who (or any of our work) we don't work hard to cast inclusively for publicity. We do it because we like stories. & stories should speak to all of us & include all of us. And if one person feels a little less alone, then."

With more queer cast members on the way, including Neil Patrick Harris as the villainous Toymaker and Ncuti Gatwa as the new face of The Doctor himself, the future of Doctor Who is looking queerer by the day.

But it's not just the future that's queer.

To those who baulk at more inclusivity in future seasons, we can't help but wonder: What show have you been watching this whole time? Because Doctor Who is super queer — and it always has been.

Yes, even before Jack Harkness slapped a guy's arse or Bill Potts fell for a puddle named Heather, the Classic era channeled queerness with how it defied the establishment and stood up for those who need it most. It's hard to exaggerate how much stories like this resonated with LGBTQ+ people at a time when positive representation was almost non-existent on screen.

It's no wonder then that a sizeable chunk of Doctor Who's fandom identifies as queer, even if the show wasn't able to address LGBTQ+ fans directly until (queer lifelong fan) Russell T Davies regenerated the franchise in 2005.

But now, all these years later, The Star Beast ushers in a new chapter for Doctor Who where the show can finally live up to the inclusive ethos it's always striven for.

That's not to diminish the positive steps other showrunners have taken in the interim. 2015's 'Sleep No More' featured Doctor Who's first trans actress, Bethany Black, and season twelve's 'Praxeus' successfully flipped the 'Bury Your Gays' trope, although the less said about how season 13 handled #Thasmin the better.

And it's not like everything is suddenly perfect now. Rose's metacrisis abilities could feed into sci-fi tropes around trans/non-binary identities being considered "alien", plus the inclusion of Rose's deadname has garnered a mixed response from the trans community online.

While some argue this has given trolls the opportunity to use that name venomously against her character, others point out that transphobia is a reality the show shouldn't shy away from.

The moment when Rose calls the Doctor out for assuming Meep's pronouns might feel a bit-on-the-nose for some too, although if this kind of talk immediately heralds the end of the franchise for you, you might want to cast your mind back a few decades to 1972's 'The Curse of Peladon' where the Doctor and Jo discussed Alpha Centauri's pronouns at length.

But still, seeing trans and non-binary identities celebrated to this degree is very much welcome regardless, especially in a family show with such a huge fanbase like Doctor Who. This is the kind of storytelling that saves lives, trolls be damned.

And now, with the impending arrival of more trans actors and characters in Yasmin Finney's wake — including Jinkx Monsoon, Mary Malone and Pete MacHale — Doctor Who's next season promises to be more inclusive than ever before.

If you have a problem with that, remember that your hero, the good Doctor, would never discriminate against trans people, or any other marginalised group for that matter either. So why would you?'

[kelcemenow]

Touchdown - Chapter 5.

Pairing Travis Kelce x Reader

Words 1661

Warnings Some more flirty behaviour, that's all!

CHAPTER 4.

CHAPTER 5.

“The atmosphere is crazy here, isn’t it?” Hannah shouted over the loud music. 

You squinted your eyes and leaned towards her, “What?” You screamed.    

“This…is…crazy!” She yelled back.    

You nodded with wide eyes and looked back towards the commotion. The spectators were still outside enjoying the numerous bars and entertainment, awaiting the stadium to open shortly. Some of the players were out on the pitch, speaking with press. Suddenly, Pete appeared between the pair of you.    

“Girls, I need you out there. Speak to players, coaches if you can. Get something good for the socials.” He answered his phone almost immediately and left as quickly as he arrived.    

Hannah grasped at your hand, “What are we waiting for?” She whispered in your ear as she dragged you towards the pitch entrance.    

People were moving so fast around you that it was hard to focus on one thing. Hannah tugged at your hand, “There’s Andy Reid, let’s go!” She said before whisking you closer to the action.    

“Andy Reid, hi! Hannah and Y/N from The NFL Show on ITV.” Hannah seemed to be completely at home with the technique as you shakily held the iPhone to film the pair of them talking.    

Andy widened his mouth as he smiled and shook Hannah’s hand, “Hey ladies!” He glanced over to you behind the camera and raised his eyebrows, “How’s it going?”    

“This is incredible, the first time you’ve played here for a few years, what is it like being back?”    

Andy clapped his hands together, “Man, it’s amazing. The British fans are awesome and seeing so many different fans from different teams is really something. We’re just hoping to put on a good show, have a good game and enjoy our time here.”    

Andy spoke fast but clearly, looking around himself and glancing at his players who were surrounding the area. He rubbed his moustache whilst Hannah spoke to him.    

“Thank you, Andy. Good luck and we’re sure to see you afterwards.”    

You stopped filming and brought your hands down, prepped to shake Andy’s hand. Instead, he pulled you both in for a hug, “Thank you, girls.” It was warm and comforting. As you pulled away, you both giggled and Andy smiled before darting away amongst the crowd.     

“Ooh, score! Russell Wilson is over there.” Hannah pointed to a Seahawks player that was warming up his throws a short distance away, “Are you okay to quickly post that, while I see if I can speak to him?”    

You nodded and brought the phone back up to your chest, “Yeah sure! See you in a bit.”    

You began typing a quick caption to post along with the video when you felt a large presence in front of you.    

“Girl from the corridor.”     

Your eyes lifted up to settle on the source of the voice. The light eyes, the trimmed beard, the knowing smile.    

You let out a giggle, “Yeah, hi!”    

“Travis, over here man!”    

His head quickly turned away to respond, “Yeah, hold on, Pat.” He returned to your stare and you realised you had been looking at him for too long. He nervously brought his right hand to the back of his neck and looked down. You noticed Hannah was stood about 30 yards away from you with the Seahawks quarterback, waving you over with intense eyes.    

“I, I should go.”     

You began to make your way past Travis but he stopped you quickly with a strong hand on your waist, “To be continued”, he whispered in your ear. The warm breath tickled your neck and made you squirm, in a good way.    

You breathed out and continued on your way. Hannah threw you a confused look as you got closer, “What was that?” She raised her eyebrows and smiled wide.    

“I don’t know, to be honest!”    

“We’ll talk about this later.” Her hair danced as she turned back to Russell.     

“So, rolling?”    

______________________________________________________________

You did a handful of interviews with various people and they were mostly the same each time. Asking how it differed playing in London to over in the States. How the fans were compared to their hometowns and such like. Interviewing Patrick Mahomes was a particular highlight. His energy and passion for the game instantly made you smile, and he spoke so highly of his team. You found yourself so engrossed listening to his words, you almost didn’t notice Travis looking at you from the side of the pitch. His eyes burned into you, filling your chest with heat. Your eyes danced back and forth between him and the interview, but he didn’t look away. Eventually, he turned around and began speaking to his teammates, leaning onto the side barriers of the pitch, bending one knee and making his ass swell in his trousers. Your eyes couldn’t help but to drift downwards, he knew what he was doing. You blinked quickly and continuing focusing on your job.     

“Thank you so much Patrick, have a good one out there!”    

Richard had made his way over by the end of the interview, and gave us a reassuring pat on the back each, “Great work, girls. The videos are getting a good response.” He nodded his head up towards the ITV press box, “People are going to be coming in in about 10 minutes or so, so why don’t we head up there and watch the game?”    

“Amazing!” Hannah squealed.    

______________________________________________________________

“So, now it’s another first down because they carried the ball over 10 yards, right? You get four attempts to get 10 yards. That guy there is the quarterback, so he throws the ball to another player to try and get the ball the furthest he can.” 

Hannah filed through the rules quietly next to you, so that you could at least try to follow the game. You nodded slowly but in reality, it was all moving too quickly for you to fully grasp.

“And that delicious snack wearing number 87 is your new friend.” Hannah said pointing.    

You gripped the plastic cup of Diet Coke that was resting on your knee, “Oh stop.”    

“Stop what? Pestering for information? You know I’ll get it out of you, it’s my job.” She nudged your arm gently.     

“We met in the corridor earlier and we just bumped into each other just before the game.” Your eyes were hovering over Travis as was pacing the field. “Oh, and I spoke to him before on the phone, for that statement, remember?”    

“Well, you’re certainly getting to know him.”    

Your mouth gaped open, “Hannah! I think I’ve said a dozen sentences to him! And after the interview he emailed me." 

Hannah gulped down her Diet Coke quickly, “He what?”    

“He emailed me.” You squirmed slightly as the game stopped for time-out.    

“He emailed you?” Hannah’s eyebrows tightened in confusion. “Wow!”    

“It's just an email. It's no big deal!”    

“That’s not something players do. Well, it's never happened to me!” She nudged you again.    

“Stop that! It’s nothing.”    

The crowd grew louder so you both looked towards the pitch to see Travis just as he caught a 45 yard throw. He turned quickly with the ball safely gripped in his hand and pounded the grass, dodging Seahawks for what seemed like miles. Just as he was edging closer to the endzone, it looked like an opposing player was about to take him down but his legs leapt into the air as he cleared his rival and landed with a roll right into the empty endzone. The stadium roared and fans everywhere jumped onto their feet. The energy soared through your knees as you rose from your seat, screaming and cheering. Down on the field, Travis was celebrating with his team, dishing out high fives and playing up to the cameras. You watched as his head lifted and his eyes scanned across the stadium. He swayed his hips and shook his shoulders as some more Chiefs ran towards him to join in. You giggled and covered your smile with your hand. Just then, as Travis had finished his celebratory dance, he brought his hand to his mouth and blew a kiss before pointing in what seemed like your direction. You felt butterflies instantly.    

“Was that?”    

“That was absolutely for your benefit, hun.” Hannah grinned, “Get it girl!”   

You fanned a hand, “Oh, stop!” You looked back to see Travis heading back to the bench. As he sat down, his large, muscled arms reached up to take off his helmet, revealing the biggest smile. His face glistening with sweat and you could see him breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling, the tight muscles of his arms rippling under his jersey. You closed your eyes just for a second. The noise, the rumbling of the stadium, the feeling in your stomach.   

“Are you okay?” Hannah asked.   

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine. It’s a bit warm, isn’t it? You pulled your long hair from the back of your neck and swooped it in front of your shoulder.  

“Go and get another drink, have some fresh air?”   

“Good idea.” You nodded as you grabbed your bag and empty cup, shuffling your way out to the bar. There were a small number of people around, either heading to the bar between downs or making their way to the toilet hurriedly so that they didn’t miss anything. Just as you were about to approach the bar, you felt your phone vibrate in your blazer pocket.   

‘Hope you’re having a good day. Let me know if you fancy having drinks tonight? Tom’   

You were quite surprised that he had reached out. You hadn’t spoken to him since your last date aside from a couple of short responses or reactions to the odd Facebook status. You stared at the message for a moment, searching in your mind for a response before the noise from the stadium brought you back. Locking your phone, you smiled at the young server in front of you, “Two Diet Coke’s please.”   

______________________________________________________________

It's still a bit of a slow burn, I know I know, but I promise we're going to heat up in the next few chapters! As always, let me know if you want to be added to my taglist :)

Taglist @rd14 @dandelionwrites8 @keiva1000 @fantasywritersstuff @caelipartem

[whitesinhistory]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by I Dissent 🇵🇸🔻🍉 (@katie.blue.is.the.feeling)

So the Republicans are trying to shut down the government to damage their own states so that they make the Democrats look bad before the election… Is that the game plan they’re going with?

Here is the full list of Republicans who voted against the stopgap bill to prevent a government shutdown in September 2024:

Indiana: James R. Baird, Jim Banks, Rudy Yakym III, Victoria Spartz

Ohio: Troy Balderson, Warren Davidson, Jim Jordan, Max L. Miller

Florida: Aaron Bean, Gus M. Bilirakis, Kat Cammack, Byron Donalds, Matt Gaetz, Anna Paulina Luna, Cory Mills, Bill Posey, Michael Waltz, Daniel Webster

Texas: Michael Cloud, Tony Gonzales, Lance Gooden, Morgan Luttrell, Nathaniel Moran, Chip Roy, Keith Self, Randy Weber Sr., Beth Van Duyne, Roger Williams

Arizona: Andy Biggs, Elijah Crane, Paul A. Gosar, Debbie Lesko, David Schweikert

North Carolina: Dan Bishop

Colorado: Lauren Boebert

Illinois: Mike Bost, Mary E. Miller, Darin LaHood

Oklahoma: Josh Brecheen

Tennessee: Tim Burchett, John W. Rose, Andrew Ogles

Missouri: Eric Burlison

Georgia: Andrew S. Clyde, Mike Collins, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Richard McCormick

Utah: John R. Curtis

South Carolina: Jeff Duncan, Russell Fry, Nancy Mace, Ralph Norman, William R. Timmons IV

Kansas: Ron Estes, Tracey Mann

Mississippi: Mike Ezell, Michael Guest, Trent Kelly

Iowa: Randy Feenstra

Minnesota: Brad Finstad, Michelle Fischbach

Idaho: Russ Fulcher

Virginia: Bob Good, H. Morgan Griffith

Wyoming: Harriet M. Hageman

Maryland: Andy Harris

Louisiana: Clay Higgins

Pennsylvania: John Joyce, Scott Perry

West Virginia: Alexander X. Mooney

California: Tom McClintock

Kentucky: Thomas Massie

Montana: Matthew M. Rosendale Sr.

New York: Claudia Tenney

Wisconsin: Thomas P. Tiffany, Derrick Van Orden

New Jersey: Jefferson Van Drew

Alabama: Barry Moore, Gary J. Palmer

Arkansas: Bruce Westerman

Why is this important to me? I would have been out of a job. Government contractors would rather cut you and rehire you for less pay or benefits. Also, if I miss 1 or 2 paychecks I will be homeless.

[andydrysdalerogers]

To The Limit ~ One

F1 Racer Johnny Storm x OFC Maya Levinson

Summary: He's been away from the sport for 2 years. He has 24 races to prove he belongs here. There are two things that could derail this: his family and her.

She's the one thing he is willing to push to the limit for.

This a sequel to my original story, "Following Team Orders" If you want to get caught up in my Formula One world, you can find it HERE

Future Warnings: references to a partner's death, cheating (but not by the MCs,) alcohol consumption, SMUT!, angst, racing incidents, language, grief, etc.

Moon Dividers by @firefly-graphics

Car divider and Banners by me!

Previous Chapter: Prologue

Story Master List // Main Master List

I do NOT give permission for my work to be translated or reposted on here or any other site, even if you give me credit. DO NOT REPOST MY FICS. Reblogs, comments, likes, and feedback ALWAYS appreciated

Winter Testing ~ Bahrain ~ Two Years Later 

Surprising news coming from the FIA.  Newly crowned champion Olivia Williams-Rogers has been pulled as a driver for the season. The only statement made was that Mrs. Williams-Rogers had made the decision with Mercedes.  One can only hope that everything is ok.  Mrs. Williams-Rogers won her first championship last year at the helm of Mercedes following a second championship by her husband Steve Rogers and her former crew chief James Barnes. Mercedes has said that their reserved driver, Cole Riggin, will take her place this year.  

Devastating update from winter testing. After a hard collision with the barrier, Cole Riggin has been medically sidelined for the year due to injury. Mercedes is now scrambling to find a replacement for Riggin as they now only have George Russell in the car. Lots of names are being thrown around, including bring back disgraced racer Ransom Drysdale and semi-retired driver Johnny Storm. Only time will tell who will take the second seat with Mercedes.  

A Wonderful surprise coming from team Mercedes and team Red Bull! Congratulations are in order for former champion Steve Rogers and his wife, current champion Olivia Williams-Rogers. The Rogers family have announced that Mrs. Rogers is pregnant and that is the reason why she is not racing this year. Andy Barber was buzzing in joy as he made the announcement during the post testing press conference. Per Barber, “Olivia is doing well. When she was told by medical of her condition, Mercedes pulled her license immediately. Of course, she was happy to relinquish her license and Steve is overjoyed at the news.  We here at Red Bull are thrilled to have a future driver coming soon.  

No details on how far along Olivia is but here at Sky Sports are sending their congratulations and well wishes to the happy couple.  

With this announcement, there is still no news on the replacement driver. The first race of the season is set to be here in Bahrain in one month’s time and we can only hope that Mercedes announces a decision soon.  

Ari 

“Let’s get this meeting started.” I moved to the front of the room at Mercedes headquarters. My now pregnant driver, Olivia Rogers sat with my current George Russell, on one side. Maya, my public relations expert, Mike, head engineer for George and Lewis, retired driver and former head engineer for Oliva sat on the other of the table.  “Go around the room.”  

Lewis cleared his throat. “Riggin’s injury is significant. He has torn ligaments on both sides of his knee so there is no chance of a comeback this year.  He’s flying back home two weeks after his surgery. We have already arranged rehab for him.”  

“Fuck me,” I muttered.  “Ok then, who is the replacement?”  

“With the way the car is running,” Maya starts, “we need an experience driver. A rookie will have a hard time with the pull we see.  And until we get the updates from the factory, this will continue to be a problem.”  

“What about Drysdale?” Mike asked. The room went quiet. “ I know he made life difficult here but the chance to bring him back for another championship is something we must consider.”  

“No,” Olivia and I said at the same time. I continued, “Drysdale is a liability risk that will harm the team more than help. I am not going to give him a redemption story. Anyone else?”  

The team debated on several other drivers, Riccardo, Hulkenburg, Lawson, before Olivia sat up straighter. “What about Storm?” 

“Storm? Johnny Storm?” George asked.   

“Yeah, Storm was great at Ferrari. He only lost his seat because Nick Fowler is a jack ass who wouldn’t take responsibility of the fact the team fucked up the strategy.” Liv smiled. “He may have been gone for a couple of years but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t lost his touch.”  

I smile.  I love that I kept Olivia as a consultant while she is pregnant. My World Champion has a brilliant mind when it comes to drivers and strategy, and it would have been a shame to not use her. I also couldn’t let her use that brain on her husband’s team. “Ok, let’s see if we can bring him in.”  

Arriving in New York is a trip. After spending so much time in Europe I wasn’t used to the hustle and bustle of the city.  As I headed into Manhattan, I went over my notes for Johnny. 

John Storm  Age: 30  Status: Single  Experience: Formula 3 Champion, Formula 2 Champion, 2 Years – Mcclaren; 6 years – Ferrari; currently without a contract. 

I pulled up to the Baxter Building and looked up. I wondered how an unemployed driver could afford to live here but it wasn’t my place to judge.  I went up to the penthouse. There was a receptionist on the floor. What the hell? “Uh, hi. I have an appointment with Mr. Storm.”  

The lady smiled.  “And your name?” 

“Ari Levinson.” 

“Let me ring him.” She calls out and she smiles.  I take a seat in the waiting room, looking at the memorabilia on the walls.  Johnny has a wall with pictures from his racing days. Another woman, with his coloring, has some pictures as well, but with science stuff. “Mr. Levinson, he will be right out.”  

“Thanks.” I stood up and looked at a photo of Johnny and Charles LeClerc. “We took that in Vegas,” a new voice said.  I turned and looked at Johnny Storm. He looks a little bit older from the photo that was just two years old. I offered him my hand.  

“Johnny, it's good to see you.”  

“Good to see you too Mr. Levinson.”  

“Ari, please.”  

“Sure. Follow me.” He walked towards the living room.  “Can I get you anything?” 

“Coffee, if you have it.”  

“Sure do, one sec. How do you take it?” 

“Black.” He disappeared though a door with a nod and I took in the room.  It was simple yet comfortable. I wondered if Johnny had a girlfriend or wife. “Here you go,” he said with a mug.   

“Thanks.” I took a sip as he went to sit across from me.  “This is a nice place.”  

“It belongs to my brother-in-law. His grants pay for the lab upstairs and the living area.” He twiddles his thumbs and looks at my expectantly. I decide to stop with the small talk.  

“Well, I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m here.”  

“A little bit.” Johnny looked a little apprehensive and maybe a little tired. “I mean, I haven’t been in Formula One for a while, so I am not sure why you are here.”  

“I’m here to offer you a job.”  

“A job,” he repeated. “I don’t have the skills to be a mechanic or anything. That’s more Reed’s speed.”  

“Reed?” 

“My sister’s fiancé, my brother-in-law. He’s the brain around here. I’m just a pilot. Or, well, I was a pilot.”  He patted the back of his head.  He reached for his own cup.  

I smiled. “How would you like to be a pilot again?” 

Johnny stopped mid-sip on his own coffee. “Excuse me?” 

“I don’t know if you have been following F1 news lately, but Liv is out for the season and her replacement had a big bust up at testing.”  

“I heard about Bug. She called me when the new broke. I’m happy for her and Rogers.” He took another sip. “I thought Riggin was supposed to take her seat. So, would you need me as a reserve driver?” 

“No. Riggin’s crash was more brutal than reported.  He tore up his right knee and is out for the year. I want you to be our second driver next to George.”  

Johnny 

This is just a weird day. Like a fucking weird day. I haven’t had a day like this in over two years. That day turned my life upside down. Not that I regret it. I would never regret it. I’m in my thoughts, making some macaroni and cheese for dinner when my sister walks through the door. “Hey bro.”  

“Hey sis.”  She kisses me on the cheek. “How was the lab?” 

“Busy. I’m getting a headache just thinking about it.” She shakes her body. “I don’t want to talk about it.  Tell me how your day was.”  

“Took a walk, read a book and met with Ari Levinson.”  

Susie stopped drinking her water. “Ari Levinson? From Mercedes?” 

“That would be the one. He came into town on business, and he asked to meet.” I stirred the pasta, thinking back to the conversation we had.  

“What do you say Storm? Want to drive for Mercedes?” 

It's the dream, the dream I gave up two years ago. It's the chance of a lifetime to go back to the sport I love and race again.  I was good, fuck I was elite. But sacrifices had to be made when Ferrari let me go and while I miss racing, I wouldn’t change it for the world.  

“Yeah, and what did he say?” 

“He offered me a spot as second driver for this season.”  

“Johnny, that’s incredible. Did you take it?” 

“No, not yet. Told him I had to talk to my family first. I told him everything and that if I went, I would have to take my sister with me. Non-negotiable, you would have to be on my staff.”  

Susie frowned. “I already have a job, Johnny.”  

I plated the food and sat down. She followed me and waited for me to answer her. “You know, if I do this, I’ll only be home for a couple of days a week if not less. And it would kill me to be away. I need you, Susie. You hate your job and research anyways. Take a sabbatical and come with me. The contract that you’ll have will be awesome.”  

“What about your contract?” 

My mind flashes back to the conversation with Ari.  

This is unreal.  

It the chance of a lifetime.  To be able to come back and race after so long.  

“What’s the catch?” Because there is always one.  

Ari pulled a manila envelope from his bag.  “The contract right now is for one year, $2 Million with an option to pick up at the end of the season. Perform well and we’ll renegotiate. But this is a guaranteed one-year contract.”  

One year.  

This season has the most races. Twenty-Four races around the world. Ten months around the world. But life is different now and I have to remember that.  

“I need to explain a few things before I can accept.”  

I look back at Susie. “One year.” She blanches. “It’s probably my last chance.” I stare at the pictures on the wall. “My last chance to prove myself and set us up to be ok.  I mean, you made me smart, and we’ll be ok but then we’ll really be ok.” I look at Susie. “You know you’re the only one I can trust. Please?”  

I give her my best puppy eyes and she rolls her eyes but smiles. “I do need a break and Reed just mentioned needing to spend some time in Florida with NASA.” She sighs. “How good of a contract?” 

I pace my room, evening routine done and I’m alone. I had already spoken to Charles, Liv and Steve. They all said that its one more chance and with everything, this could be the start of a revival and that I should do it. Susie promised that she could handle being on the road, Reed said he could join her when he could. Now it was just me. As I gazed at the picture of Molly, I hit send on the phone.  

Johnny: I’m in

NEXT

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