#summer sprint 2023

[drawingitwrong]

I'm back as a volunteer artist for @inkblot-app's Summer Sprint 2023 drive! Donate 10USD or more to their Kofi and get a nice sketch from me or another artist from our talented line up!

[azurearts13]

Refreshing A piece made for the Inkblot Summer Sprint (2023) to help encourage people to check out the drive when it was in full swing. I wanted something cool and summery to pair with the sites mascot Bo & Tai.

[silhou-draws]

Inkblot Summer Sprint 2023!

Hello there, Lovelies! Helping out Inkblot as one of the artists for their Summer Sprint Art Drive! Make a one-time donation or buy merch of 10USD or more, from now till August 30th, and you'll get a free sketch from one of the amazing artists on the team!

Inkblot is a Queer BIPOC owned & artist made community space!

Inkblot Site

KoFi Link

[ask-azurearts]

Summer Sprint celebration!

The summer sprint for @inkblot-app is on and I couldn't help but make some art to celebrate the cause with the help of Bo & Tai, the inkblot OBH I designed , and two personal ocs Umbra and Eclipse! I had a lot of fun making this silly little piece and figuring out colours and setting.

Please check out Inkblot and if you can donate to the Summer Sprint for a sketch! There are SO MANY amazing artists on the project and the team has done so much work to make things run as smooth as possible, I'm really glad I'm able to help out with this drive!

[shanicetjn]

Sybil

🦋 Summer Sprint Doodle for @boneless-art. Thank you so much for supporting @inkblot-app!

Doodled - 26 August 2023

[silverstoneddd]

daniel ricciardo fans are so traumatised by last season that after things inevitably didn’t go too well for him today (tis a shitbox :)) they’re actively having mental breakdowns

[turb0fox]

Proud to announce I'll be a return guest artist for @inkblot-app 's summer sprint drive! Come get a free sketch with a donation from either me or one of the many talented artists also volunteering Here's a link to the direct post for further information

[lewishamiltonstuff]

Sprint Race (derogatory).

[perigiggles]

I'll be posting any drawings I do for inkblot summer sprint!

[dilemmaontwolegs]

Any chance you’ll be updating The Best Kept Secret on the Grid anytime soon?? And if so can there maybe be some focus with Oscar and how well his rookie seasons going? (Podiums & sprint wins etc)??

The Best Kept Secret on the Grid || Part Five

MV, LN, OP x fem!reader Summary: Japan 2023 - the first time both McLarens were on the podium together Warnings: 18+ only, nsfw, smut, m x m, foursome, voyeurism, anal, mctwinks. WC: 2.6k F1 Masterlist || Part One || Part Two || Part Three || Part Four || Part Five || Part Six

The setting was more reserved than usual for an after party. It appeared everyone was still recovering from the massive hangover from Singapore a week ago. Despite not being on the podium for the first time in forever, the biggest upset of the season, Max had still been more than happy to celebrate the race results with you. 

This week there had been an upset of a whole different kind. Max had been back in his rightful place but it was two McLaren’s that had stood alongside him to receive their trophies. 

You licked your lips at the thought of sinking your teeth into the rookie again. Some people may have hated having the sprint races, but you had the pleasure of the added company on a Saturday night during those weeks.

“Do you think they fuck too?”

Max looked up from the ruby he was rolling around in his fingers and he dropped the large pendant back into your cleavage where he had hung it earlier. “Who?”

“The papaya boys.” He followed your gaze to Lando and Oscar who were sitting close together. Lando’s hand covered his lips as he spoke to the rookie and whatever he said brought a blush to the Aussie’s cheeks and a nervous laugh. 

Max chuckled and drew a hand up your thigh until it disappeared beneath the thin fabric you wore. “Guess we’ll find out. Ready to go?” His fingers reached the juncture of your thighs as your legs parted for him and his smirk grew as he found nothing stopping him from touching your pussy. 

“Stupid question, M. I’m always ready for you.”

Max rose to his feet and the movement instantly caught the attention of the two others who shared the podium with him hours earlier. Lando eagerly jumped to his feet but Oscar was more relaxed as he finished his drink in one go before following. Oscar was always calm and collected, even after his first podium finish in the sprint race before summer break. He was the polar opposite of Lando’s hyperactivity.

“These walls are a little thin,” Max commented as he led the way to the penthouse suite in the hotel. He sent a smirk your way as he waved his key card in front of the door. “Aren’t they, baby?”

“We may have received a noise complaint, or two,” you admitted as you took Lando and Oscar’s hand and pulled them inside with you. “But I’m sure between the three of you you can find some creative way to keep me quiet.”

Max closed the door and leaned against it as his keen eyes surveyed the dynamics between the three of you. He made no move to start undressing, in fact he rolled the sleeves of his dress shirt up to his elbows before crossing his arms. “Hmm, someone’s in the mood for watching us have fun,” you said with a wink his way.

His lips tipped up into a smirk that left your knees weak. “Make it good for me, baby.”

You moved first, grabbing Oscar’s collar as you pressed yourself against him and crushed your lips to his. His hands immediately found your ass, pulling you tighter to him as his tongue slipped into your mouth.

Not one to forget you weren’t alone, you hooked your finger into the necklace Lando wore and guided him closer so you could give him the same greeting. You felt the smile on his lips and when he squeezed your ass you heard his quiet moan against your lips, “Bunda.”

You giggled as you stepped back and decided to see how well the teammates really got along. “Now I want to see you two kiss.”

The way they moved together told you they were intimately familiar with each other and despite being the younger one, Oscar took control. You couldn’t tear your eyes away from the pretty scene but you felt Max’s fingers brush your spine as he dragged the zip of your dress down your back.

“I knew it,” you whispered to him as the material pooled at your feet leaving you naked between them. “I knew they fucked.”

Their attention was drawn away from each other and they turned their heated gaze to you, drinking in the skin that had been bared. “We haven’t shared anyone else before,” Oscar admitted with flushed cheeks.

“Relax, mate,” Max chuckled, tracing the curve of your spine with his fingertips until he reached your ass and gave it a short sharp spank. You knew without looking he would have smiled at the gasp you gave. “She’ll show you what to do.”

When he had his first podium in Belgium for the sprint race it had taken the rookie a while to grow comfortable. He was more than up for the night's activities, but was also just content to watch at first and see how Max and Pierre interacted with you. Once he found his place in the dynamic there was no holding back and he had kept you in the throes of ecstasy longer than anyone else. He was always ready to prove he was up for a challenge and tonight would be no different.

“He knows exactly what to do, M,” you purred as you began to unbutton Oscar’s shirt. “I still have wet dreams from last time.”

Max took a seat in the leather single seater, a lazy smile playing on his lips as he watched you guide Lando to the large sofa. The back of the British man's knees hit the edge first and he fell down with a grin, his arms reaching to pull you down with him. 

“I need you both to fuck me, right now,” you shamelessly begged as you straddled Lando’s thighs and sunk down on his cock with a moan. “You don’t know how long I have been waiting for you two to get on the podium together.”

Lips brushed your nape before Oscar’s breath warmed your neck and he sucked at your racing pulse. “You think you can take us both, baby?” His strong fingers caught your throat as he craned your neck so he could kiss you harshly, a clash of teeth and lips as they parted for his tongue.

“Just fuck me already, Osc.”

“Don’t forget to breathe,” he warned.

“Fuck,” Max moaned as he unzipped his trousers and stroked himself at the sight before him.

Your head fell to Lando’s shoulder, mouth open in a silent cry. Your back arched and your unprepared body stretched with a delicious burn as Oscar inched himself inside your cunt, brushing his cock along Lando’s.

“Breathe,” Oscar reminded with a chuckle as he gripped your hips hard enough to leave bruises. “Breathe or I won’t move.”

You tried to roll your hips but his hold was too strong so you forced a shuddering breath in and out of your lungs. “Good girl.”

Your cunt clenched at the praise and a chorus of deep moans filled your ears as your pussy gripped them even tighter.

“Osc, please.” You buried your teeth in Lando’s shoulder as he begged for the both of you and you were rewarded with the slow, languid rocks of Oscar’s body behind yours. The hands on your hips pulled you to meet each thrust and your eyes fluttered shut at the growing warmth between your legs.

Spreading his legs wider, Lando braced his feet on the ground and began to slam up into you, adding to the already overwhelming sensation of them moving inside you. You were already well on your way to your first orgasm when Lando sealed his lips around your breast and flicked his tongue over your nipple. Fire erupted across your skin and your stomach tightened when you felt his teeth next, a cry of delight quickly being cut off by Oscar’s hand.

“Shh,” he chuckled as he muffled the sounds of your pleasure. “Don’t want another noise complaint, so keep quiet.”

He eased his hand away and you shared a smirk with Lando before you looked over your shoulder. “Make me.”

Oscar snapped his hips forward as he pushed your face into the crook of Lando’s neck. “Two brats, huh.”

Suddenly you were empty as Oscar pulled out and tugged you to your feet, a whimper escaping at the loss of their cocks that had stretched you so good.

“On your knees,” he purred in your ear, pushing down on your shoulder until you sunk into the carpet between Lando’s legs. “Let’s see if you can run your mouth when it’s full.”

Lando’s cock glistened with your juices and he watched as you eagerly wrapped your fist around his thick base and parted your lips for him. The moment you met his ice blue eyes you were reminded of Max’s, the shade so close thanks to their Belgian heritage. The blue was almost swallowed by his pupils and that black hole grew when you teased him with your tongue.

You licked the bead of precum welling at his tip and as when you took him deeper your own taste coated your tongue in a delicious mix that had you humming. The soft vibrations had Lando screwing his eyes shut and his head fell back with your touch.

“Do you ever get jealous?” Oscar asked Max while he palmed your ass and lined himself up with your dripping folds. “Watching everyone fuck your girlfriend? Or whatever you guys are.”

Your eyes burned as Lando gripped the back of your head and bucked his hips, fucking your mouth.

“Why would I be jealous?” Max chuckled, his hand gripping his dick tighter, squeezing out another drop of precum that he rolled his thumb through. “We are all having a good time and enjoying ourselves. Does it matter how it happens?”

You pulled back and wiped your swollen lips as you looked up at Lando. “I don’t think I have ever heard him talk so much.”

Your ass smarted with the smack Oscar landed on it and you bit your lip as you moaned loudly. “Is that the best you can do?”

Lando’s smirk grew as Oscar raised his hand. “Such a brat.”

“Look who’s talking.” Your eyes fluttered shut as Oscar brought his hand down harder on your ass and your body erupted. Waves of pleasure rocked through you and Oscar’s rhythm faltered as he felt your walls tighten around him.

Your cheek fell on Lando’s thigh as you lost the ability to hold your head up while Oscar still fucked you relentlessly, keeping your body in the rush of the high. Your panting tickled the dark hairs on Lando’s thigh and he squirmed as he stroked his length, running the wet tip of his cock over your lips with a smirk.

“Don’t forget about me,” he teased.

Flicking your tongue out, he shuddered as it lapped at the sensitive underside but before you could wrap your lips around him again you were lifted to your shaking feet. 

“Hey, I was enjoying that,” you said with a pout to Oscar as he turned you in his arms and crushed his lips to yours, tongue dominating your mouth. 

“Don’t worry, we are far from finished,” he promised as Lando’s fingers dipped between your thighs to feel how wet you were. Teasingly slow, he withdrew those fingers and held them out for Oscar to taste. Your core throbbed at the sight of him cleaning your essence off Lando’s fingers with a deep hum and a small sound from your lips. 

“You liked watching us, didn’t you?” Oscar teased with a secretive smile and he leaned closer so his lips brushed the shell of your ear. “Do you want to watch me fuck Lando?”

“Yes, please,” you whined with need. 

“But I want to watch him fuck you,” Oscar mused, chewing his bottom lip as he debated the conundrum. 

The throb in your core beat harder at his words and you curled a finger under his chin as you sent him a wink. “Like Max said, I’ll show you what to do.”

You stepped back and looked at Max to see his cheeks flushed pink as he watched you sink back down on Lando’s cock, only this time you were facing away from him. You reached between your legs and dug your nails into his thighs, tugging them open wide as Oscar took a deep breath. 

“Isn’t our little minx clever,” Max chuckled with a proud smile. He had the perfect view of you bouncing on Lando’s cock, your pussy stretched and glistening so prettily. His hand pumped up and down his hard length in time to the pace you set and Oscar knelt between Lando’s legs.

“Fuck, yes,” Oscar exhaled as he stole your arousal to used it to prep Lando ready for him.

You nearly came at the vision of Oscar easing his dick into Lando and the sounds in the room grew louder with each inch until he couldn’t go any deeper. Bracing your hands on Oscar’s shoulders, you used him to ride Lando, both of your eyes fixated on the way you all moved together, him in and out, and you up and down.

Max rose from the chair, kicking his trousers off before pulling his shirt over his head. You lost sight of him as he walked around the back of the couch but you heard him when he stopped behind you. “Lando is a fucking mess.”

Oscar tore his eyes away to peek over your shoulder and a proud smile grew on his face. “Oh, he is so fucked out right now.”

Unable to resist, you slowed down and looked over to see the utter bliss on his face. His eyes were half hooded, his jaw slack as he succumbed to the pleasure you were giving him, unintelligible sounds whispered with dry lips from his panting. Behind him Max was barely in a better state with the vein in his temple pronounced as he overstimulated himself. With one hand fisted his cock and the other combed through Lando’s damp hair, tugging the strands until his head fell further back into the cushion and his mouth opened wider. 

“Oh fuck,” you moaned when Lando’s tongue swirled around the tip of Max’s cock. Your legs were quaking and a fine tremor traced your spine as another orgasm ripped through you hard enough to send colours dancing around your eyes. “Fuck, I-I-oh...my…god.” 

Oscar had watched your orgasm take hold and couldn’t help licking the pad of his thumb before pressing it to your clit until you were just as fucked out as Lando. Overstimulated, your legs fell twitching either side of his and jolts of aftershocks pulsed down them. Within seconds Lando cried out around Max’s cock as he came just as hard. 

“Oh, shit, so fucking tight,” Oscar panted as Lando’s orgasm tipped him over the edge and he buried himself as deep as possible before spilling in him.

Max was still trying to hold on, but when you laid back against Lando’s chest and your lips parted with heavy breaths he needed to reach the same high. Pulling out he pumped his fist twice more before grunting as thick ropes of cum splattered Lando’s lips.

“Mhmm,” you hummed happily as you caught Lando’s chin and guided his face to yours. You shared the taste of Max with a messy kiss and his cock twitched where it was still buried inside you. “You papaya boys need to get on the podium together more often.”

Oscar laughed as he fell back on his heels and wiped the sweat from his forehead. “How does next weekend sound?”

Click here for next part.

[drawingitwrong]

1st sketch for @inkblot-app's summer sprint DONE!

Here is a sketch of 2ndrandomizr's (Twitter) OC Kathryn!

Thanks for the donation and hope you like this as much as I enjoyed sketching her! :D

[azurearts13]

Summer Sprint celebration!

The summer sprint for @inkblot-app is on and I couldn't help but make some art to celebrate the cause with the help of Bo & Tai, the inkblot OBH I designed , and two personal ocs Umbra and Eclipse! I had a lot of fun making this piece and figuring out colours and setting.

Please check out Inkblot and if you can donate to the Summer Sprint for a sketch! There are tons of amazing artists on the project and the team has done so much work to make things run as smooth as possible, I'm really glad I'm able to help out with this drive!

[zegrasdrysdale]

Thinking of: reader going to one of Ethan’s games with their son/daughter and once the kid sees his dad he’s so excited! Jumping up and down and screaming “daddy!! daddy!!”

AHHH IM HAVING BAD BABY FEVER!!!!!

[ memorable ] e. edwards

paring : Ethan Edwards x fem!reader

summary : Ethan plays first game as a Devil in October 2025 after signing his entry level contract over the summer so his fiancée brings their three year old son to the game to surprise him

warning(s) : none really (a suggestive comment it were getting picky)

author’s note : i also had baby fever so here we are lol

༺═──────────────═༻

The day Ethan came home one afternoon and told her that he made the Opening Day roster for the Devils, there was excitement in the air. She couldn’t be any prouder of her fiancé than she was at that moment, except for maybe when he was drafted by the Devils in 2020. There were a handful of days between the end of the preseason and the start of the regular season so that excitement only grew as Opening Day got closer.

Ethan can’t wait to get on NHL ice with the Devils for the first time. He’s looking forward to sharing the ice with Luke and Seamus again for the first time since the three of them played at Michigan.

No one is more excited than their three-year-old son Chase though. He has told everyone at his preschool over the last few days that his “daddy is gonna be on TV”. He can’t wait to watch Ethan play hockey on TV.

Or so he thinks.

She hasn’t told Chase yet because she knows he’ll tell Ethan but she isn't taking him to preschool because they're going to spend the day getting ready for the game. She's taking Chase to the Prudential Center tonight so he can watch Ethan play in person. Both of them have no idea of her plans.

Yes, Chase has seen Ethan play in college, but playing in the NHL is so much bigger than playing in college. Plus, she's not sure if he even remembers watching Ethan play in college. He was barely a year old when she took him to Tampa in the spring of 2023 for the Frozen Four.

Now he's three and all he can talk about is how excited he is that his dad is playing in the NHL. It makes her heart so warm and she can't wait to bring Chase to the arena for the game. Ethan's parents came in too as part of her surprise. All four of them will be at the glass for warmups to celebrate his first NHL game.

Her alarm goes off on game day at the usual time so nothing seems off to Ethan, though he's already up and in the mini gym doing his pre-practice workout by the time her alarm goes off.

At seven, she leaves her shared bedroom to go wake Chase up like it's a normal day. She throws on a hoodie on top of her tank top and boxer shorts she usually sleeps in before she goes to get Chase up.

She walks into his bedroom and he's already sitting up in bed like he's been up for a few minutes already. She turns the lights on and smiles. "Good morning, Chasey," she says.

"Hi, mommy," Chase giggles. "Daddy's music woke me up."

She leans down and presses a kiss to her son's head. "I'll let daddy know that he needs to turn down the music in the morning so he doesn't wake you up," she promises. "Should we go tell him to turn it down?"

Chase nods and sprints out the door at the suggestion. She lays out his outfit for the day and quickly walks out after him. When she gets down the hallway to the gym, Ethan has Chase in his arms and Chase is hugging his dad.

"Good morning, buddy," Ethan greets Chase. "Sleep well?"

"As well as I could with your music too loud," Chase comments. She covers her mouth with a smile as she watches her fiancé and son. "Mommy said she'll tell you to turn it down."

Ethan smiles and turns his attention to her. "Did she?" he asks. "I'll make sure keep it down in the mornings when you're sleeping, okay?"

Chase smiles and hugs his dad. She bites her lip and looks at her boys. It's the little things that make her happy, and watching her son and her fiancé together makes her incredibly happy.

"Chasey, why don't you go get ready?" she suggests. "I'll make sure you get to say goodbye to daddy before he leaves for practice. I laid out your jersey so you can wear it to school today."

Their son nods and Ethan puts him down. Chase giggles and runs back to his room, leaving her alone with Ethan for the first time that morning. She kicks the door closed, but not all the way so she can hear Chase run back down the hallway.

She takes a few steps toward Ethan as he turns down the music. She wraps her arms around her sweaty fiancé's neck. "Good morning to my favorite NHL player," she comments. Ethan's hands rest on her waist. "Excited for tonight?"

"I feel a lot of things about tonight," Ethan admits. "Excited, nervous. I have been looking forward to my first NHL game and I wish you could be there so it's going to be a bittersweet moment."

"You know I'll be cheering you on from wherever I am, even when I'm home," she tells him with a frown to sell her lie. "Both Chase and I will be rooting for you tonight, and every game after."

Ethan shoots her a sad smile. She surges up to her tiptoes to press a quick kiss to his lips because she hates seeing him so sad.

When she lowers herself, Ethan cups her jaw and pulls her back into the kiss. It's a deeper kiss than the last one they shared and neither of them pulls away this time. Her arms slide from around his neck to around his bare torso so he can't go very far.

"I'm so proud of you," she mumbles against his lips.

He hums and deepens the kiss even more. She laughs as Ethan's fingers curl in her messy locks. "Love you," Ethan tells her between kisses. "Both of you."

There are quick footsteps in the hallway so she pulls away quickly. Ethan runs his fingers through his hair as they step away from each other so they don't traumatize their three-year-old. "Mommy, can we have chocolate pancakes for breakfast before school?" Chase asks as he pushes open the door. "Pretty please?"

"I think it's a special day so I think we can have chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast," she replies. "You look handsome in your little Devils jersey. Do you think your friends will like it?"

Chase nods and does a little spin. A little "Edwards 73" being on his back could make her cry. This is truly Ethan's moment, and she can't wait to celebrate at the arena with their son and Ethan's parents.

"I'm going to go shower really quick but we can eat some breakfast together before I leave for practice and you leave for school, okay?" Ethan says to Chase. Chase nods and grabs her hand. "I'll be out in a few minutes. Maybe mommy will let you help her with breakfast if you listen to her."

She shoots Ethan a look as Chase drags her out of the room. Her three-year-old pulls her down the hallway to the kitchen. She grabs ingredients for pancakes and the chocolate chips. As much as she would love to have Chase help with breakfast, she doesn't want his jersey to get dirty so she puts him at the table with some coloring books so she can cook breakfast in peace.

Down the hallway, she can hear Ethan in the shower as she mixes the ingredients together. Chase gets her attention to show her one of the pages that he colored. She tells him it looks good as she begins to pour the batter into a pan to cook some pancakes. She makes some smaller pancakes for Chase and full size pancakes for her and Ethan.

He emerges from the hallway in a Devils hoodie with his number on his chest and compression shorts that don't hide much. She's piling the already made pancakes on a plate for the three of them. She grabs plates out of the cabinet and puts them on the table for them.

"They look amazing, baby," Ethan tells her. He presses a kiss to her cheek before he sits down at the able.

"If I didn't have to bring Chase to school in a little bit then I would have cooked something healthier for you since it's game day," she replies.

Ethan grabs two pancakes and starts to cut them up. "It's okay," he says. "I'll make it up with a healthy lunch. I'm pretty sure that Luke, Jack, Shea, and I are going to lunch so I'll suggest something on the healthier side. Maybe Chipotle since I know Luke and Jack love it. I'll probably head to Shea's to hangout before the game, maybe nap. I don't know yet."

She cuts some pancakes up for Chase. "Sounds good to me," she tells him. "I think I'm going to do some shopping today. Grab some groceries, maybe some new outfits for when I do attend games this season." Ethan smiles at the last comment. "Then I'll pick Chase up from school at the normal time and we'll both be here for the game."

She hands Chase's plate to him and takes away his coloring book and crayons so he can eat. He shoves some of the pieces into his mouth.

Her phone dings with a text. She pulls it out of her hoodie pocket and glances at the nofication.

from: tara edwards - 7:38 am lee and i are landing in about 30 mins. has e left? does chase know about the surprise?

to: tara edwards - 7:40 am eating breakfast w the boys rn. eth is leaving when i "leave" with chase at 8. i'll tell him in the car about the surprise

"Who's texting you so early this morning?" Ethan questions.

"The groupchat I'm in with the other wives and girlfriends," she lies. "They're all excited for you to play in the game tonight and they wish that Chase and I could be there."

Ethan smiles and swallows a bite of pancake. "I'm happy you're getting along with them," he tells her. "Especially since I have no idea what's going to happen this season. I'm on the roster today but I could be sent to Utica any day. I think you could use some extra support just in case."

She matches his smile and nods. "It's nice to have a group that was so welcoming too," she replies. "The girls really welcomed us with open arms, and they adore Chase."

His phone starts buzzing and he realizes what time it is. "Oh, I gotta get going," he tells them. "It's almost eight and Keefe wants to hold a meeting before practice. I don't want to be late today."

Chase finishes eating as Ethan talks. "Time to go to school?" he asks. He looks at his mother.

"Time to go to school," she confirms. "All done?" Chase nods and she takes his plate. She grabs Ethan's plate as well as her own and puts them all in the sink. Ethan goes to grab his things and she pulls Chase out of his seat.

She holds Chase on her hip as she grabs his backpack sans lunchbox since he's not actually going to school. She slides on her slippers by the door as Ethan emerges with his new equipment bag with the Devils logo on the side. She smiles as he puts on his slides with his socks that go halfway up his shins. "Wow, you look like a hockey player on his way to practice, E," she teases him.

He rolls his eyes and opens the door for the two of them. Chase has been put down but holds his mother's hand so he doesn't go running down the hallway. Ethan follows close behind them.

Their apartment is on the third floor so they just take the stairs down to the first floor. Ethan struggles a little bit with his large equipment bag. He's good once he's on solid ground on the first floor.

Ethan throws his equipment in the trunk of his car. She stands next to him with Chase as the trunk is shut. He picks up Chase and holds him on his hip. "Good luck tonight, daddy!" Chase says. "Score a goal for me and mommy!"

"I always do, Chasey," Ethan tells him as he presses kisses to his son's cheek. "You look good in your jersey. Have a good day at school and I'll see you in the morning." Chase wraps his little arms around Ethan's neck. She smiles at the two of them.

He holds his extra arm out for her and she steps into a hug with her son and fiancé. Ethan presses a soft kiss to her forehead as she wraps an arm around his waist. "I can't wait to see you in Devils red, E," she tells him when she looks up at him. "We'll be looking for a 73 on the ice."

Her fiancé presses a quick kiss to her lips before he hands Chase over to her. "I love both of you," he says as he walks around to the driver's side of the car. "I'll be thinking of both of you while I play tonight."

She blows a kiss in Ethan’s direction, and Chase mimics her. She laughs as Ethan catches both kisses then gets in his car. She and Chase wave goodbye to him since it will be the last time either of them see him before they see him on the ice tonight.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Needless to say, Chase was estatic when she told him the plan for the night. In the car on the way to pick up Ethan’s parents, she told him that they were going to go to the arena to watch him play. She has never seen him so excited for anything in his very young life. He was even more excited when grandmom and grandpa got in the car. He wouldn’t stop talking about seeing Ethan on ice.

She leaves Chase with his grandparents to actually go shopping for groceries and an outfit for that night. She wasn’t lying when she said she needed to go pick up a couple of groceries and outfits.

Plus, she needed some time alone since the day is already super chaotic.

Ethan does text her after lunch to tell her while she’s out that he is going over to Seamus’ apartment before the game to hangout and maybe nap so she doesn’t have to tell his parents to take Chase out since he’s supposed to be at school. She tells him to let her know when he’s up from his nap, if he naps.

When she gets home, Tara and Lee are playing with toys in the living room with Chase. Her son greets her at the door despite her hands being full with bags. “Hi, my handsome boy,” she says when she drops her bags and embraces Chase. “What are you playing with?”

“Animals,” he replies. “All my favorite animals. Lions and wolves too.”

She smiles when she sees the setup on the coffee table. “I’ll join in the game in a little bit, okay?” she tells him. “I have to put away the food.”

Chase nods and runs back to his toys. She hauls the bags onto the kitchen island and begins to unpack them.

It’s not until she’s nearly done when Tara walks up to her. “He’s so excited to watch Ethan play hockey at the arena tonight,” she tells her. “It’s all he’s been able to talk about since you left. I’ve never seen him so excited.”

She smiles. “You should’ve seen him in the car,” she tells Tara. “I mean, he went from looking miserable because he thought he was going to school to being the happiest kid in the world when I told him. He was so excited and asked so many questions. I think this is going to be a core memory for him.”

“It’s going to be memorable for all of us,” Tara replies. “I mean, it’s Ethan’s first NHL game after four years of college. I didn’t think he was going to sign his contract for the longest time, especially after Chase was born. It makes me so happy that he has the life he wants. A beautiful baby boy, a beautiful wife-to-be, and an NHL career.”

The women both laugh and she wipes away tears that have rolled down her cheeks. “I can’t wait to see Ethan’s reaction when he sees all of us there tonight,” she says. “He has no idea that we’re coming.”

“Thank you for flying us in for this,” Tara says. “It means so much to me and Lee that we’re here.”

“It was no problem,” she replies as she pulls Ethan’s mom into a hug. “I’m going to start getting ready. I have one of Ethan’s Michigan jerseys if you want to wear it?”

Tara pulls back from the hug. “I think his wife and son should wear his name and number,” she tells her. “Lee and I will be just fine in our Devils gear.”

She smiles and nods. Tara goes back to playing with her grandson and she takes her outfit into her bedroom to get ready for the game since it’s about three. She was out a lot longer than she thought she was going to be so she has less time to get ready since she wants to be ready and have Chase fed by five.

Knowing that Chase is occupied by his grandparents and Ethan isn’t coming home before the game, she takes an everything shower and takes her time. She shampoos and conditions her hair, washes and exfoliates her face and body, and then shaves all necessary parts of her body.

She has some soft music playing as she showers to calm her nerves about tonight. All she wants is for Ethan to have the best game and all she wants is for her son to have fun at the game. She hopes for the best tonight.

A Devils win with an Ethan goal is the ideal outcome for the night, but as long as Ethan has the best time on NHL ice then she’ll be happy. If Chase has the best time at the game watching his dad then that’s a win in her book, no matter what the score of the game is.

Once she’s out of the shower, she wraps a towel around her body and secures it under her arms. She blow dries her hair before she leaves the bathroom.

She throws on a robe to check in on Chase and Ethan’s parents. Tara is in the kitchen while Lee and Chase are at the table. “Hi,” she says, confused. “What’s going on in here?”

“I thought I would make some dinner,” Tara replies. “Just some chicken nuggets before we leave. Chase requested chicken nuggets.”

She kisses the top of Chase’s head. “Ah, okay,” she says. “Thank you. I was going to make something before we left.”

“I got it,” Tara says with a smile. “Go finish getting ready. I’ll have some chicken nuggets for you when you’re done.”

She looks at Chase. “Are you being good for grandmom and grandpa?” she asks. Chase nods and looks up at her. “We’ll leave when I’m done getting ready. Make sure you eat whatever grandmom makes for you, okay?”

He nods again and goes back to playing with his animals with Lee. She runs her fingers through his dark locks and decides in that moment to take him to get a haircut over the weekend. She goes to do her hair, put on her makeup then get dressed.

She straightens her hair and does some neutral makeup when she gets ready. She puts on a pair of loose ripped jeans that she bought today and black ankle boots with a two inch heel to give her some height. She puts on the red Devils jersey that Ethan got her and tucks in the front of the jersey into the waist of her jeans.

“Mommy!” Chase calls. “I’m done my nuggets! Can we go see daddy?”

“Yes, Chasey,” she calls back. “We can go see daddy!”

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

The ride to the Prudential Center is the most exciting and nerve wracking experience of her life. Ethan has no idea that the four most important people in his life life are on their way to watch his first NHL game.

Chase basically vibrates in the backseat as she drives to the arena. He is very awake and didn’t take his nap after lunch because of how excited he is.

They pull into the player parking lot and sees Ethan’s car parked next to Seamus’. Chase is on her hip and Ethan’s parents walk behind her when they walk into a back door to get into the arena. She plays with her engagement ring as they get their credentials so they’re free to watch warmups with the other wives, girlfriends, and families.

“Have a good time,” the security guard says as soon as the three adults in the group get badges that hang on their neck. She puts her on and checks the time.

Warmups start in ten minutes. She quickly walks through the hallways with Chase still on her hip. The four of them come out at the glass in the opposite corner of where the players will come out.

She looks around at the stands that are filling up and puts Chase down for a few minutes since she’ll have to hold him once warmups start.

Fans are gathered at the glass to watch warmups. A sea of red, white, and black jerseys are lined up with signs. A handful of families, wives, and girlfriends are standing in the corner, and she sees Seamus’ parents at some point.

Then warmups start. Per NHL tradition, the rookies get a lap when warmups start. Seamus and Ethan take their lap before the the lights come up. As soon as they do, the other Devils players come out onto the ice, as well as the other team. Ethan takes a shot and skates right by the four of them without a second glance.

Chase notices though. He bangs on the glass in front of him and yells, “Daddy! Daddy!”

She pulls out her phone to get a picture of this moment. Chase has the biggest smile on his face as he tries to get his father’s attention. She even manages to grab a video of Chase banging on the glass.

Once the boys start stretching and taking line rushes instead of shooting pucks at the net, she notices Ethan standing with Seamus and Luke at the blue line. The trio talks about something but she has no idea what.

It just ends with Ethan looking directly at them. His jaw drops and he glances at his friends before he skates over to them.

Curtis Lazar stands at the glass talking to his wife and kids when Ethan skates up to them. Chase is moving so much in her arms that she stands him up on the boards. Lazar says something to Ethan that she can’t hear but it makes Ethan smile.

“Daddy!” Chase yells. Ethan waves at his son and Chase happily waves back at his dad. She has one arm around Chase so he doesn’t fall. She presses her lips in a line and holds back tears as she watches the interaction they’re having.

Ethan waves at his parents then makes a hand heart at her and Chase. She blows him another kiss and he smiles at her before he skates away to warm up. She smiles and watches her fiancé as he does his warmup routine.

The moment when Chase saw Ethan was everything she wanted. Her boys interacting at a game was a beautiful experience.

Tears roll down her cheeks and Chase asks, “Mommy, why are you crying?”

“I’m okay, Chasey,” she tells him as she wipes them away. “They’re happy tears, I promise. I’m very proud of your daddy. That’s all.”

Chase smiles and hugs his mom. She wraps her arms tightly around her son. Her eyes fall on Ethan as he takes a line rush. He is already proud to wear the Devils logo and she knows he’s about to put his all into this game.

Her son turns her attention back to his dad on the ice. He is so fixated on watching Ethan. It’s like he’s mesmerized by Ethan skating around on the ice. He passes the puck back and forth with Seamus for a second before he leans down to grab it.

Ethan skates back over to them and holds the puck up for Chase to see. He smiles and giggles as Ethan gets the puck between the net and glass. She catches the puck for Chase and hands it to their son.

While Chase is preoccupied with the puck, Ethan puts his hand up to the glass. She rests hers on his and smiles at him. “Love you,” Ethan mouths.

“Love you too,” she replies before he skates off.

One by one, players begin to leave the ice. Ethan is one of the last players to leave the ice and he makes sure to stop by one more time before he does.

She puts Chase down so she can get herself together. It was a very emotional moment for her, and it was everything she expected and more. She’s incredibly proud of Ethan and can’t wait to see what he does during the game.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Because it’s so late when the game ends, she takes her son home to try and put him to bed. Chase isn’t going to sleep anytime soon because of how exciting the game was. He watched his dad score his first NHL goal from the blue line and a Devils win. It was a 2-1 win over the Wild.

There’s no way he’s sleeping any time soon. She’s almost a hundred percent sure that he’ll still be awake when Ethan gets home. It was truly an exciting and memorable game for her, her son, and Ethan.

Tara and Lee stayed behind at the arena to come back to the apartment with Ethan while she went home with her son.

She looks back in the rearview mirror at Chase and he’s holding his puck. He’s turning it over and over again as he looks at it. “Did you have fun at the game?” she asks.

“Yeah!” Chase giggles. “Daddy scored a goal for us.”

With a smile, she nods. “Daddy did score a goal for us,” she replies. “His first NHL goal. Are you proud of him?”

Chase nods. “Yeah,” he replies. Then he yawns. “Will I see daddy before I go to sleep?”

“I don’t know, Chasey,” she tells him. “You look a little sleepy.”

He smiles as she pulls into the parking lot of their apartment building. She parks the car and gets out before she gets Chase out. The spot next to her is still empty so Ethan isn't back. She assumes he's doing media since he had an incredible NHL debut. He'll probably be back late, but Chase will probably force himself to stay awake anyway.

She pulls Chase out of his carseat and takes the elevator up to their apartment with Chase on her hip. His head rests on her shoulder. He really is tired.

Once inside their apartment, she kicks off her shoes and walks right to Chase's room to at least get him into his pajamas. He puts the puck on his pillow. "I wanna sleep with the puck daddy gave me," he tells his mom.

"That's all up to you, Chasey," she laughs as she pulls out a pair of pajamas for her son. "You can sleep with the puck or put it on your table. Whatever you'd like to do, my love. Get changed and we'll wait for daddy to get home together, okay? Maybe watch his interview." If he did any interviews.

Chase gives his mom a little thumbs up and she laughs as she leaves the room to let him get into his pajamas. She changes out of her own outfit into one of Ethan's old Michigan hoodies that she stole and checkered pajama pants.

When she emerges from her room, she sees Chase on the living room couch already. She smiles and shakes her head as she joins her son. She grabs her laptop and goes to the Devils’ YouTube page to see if Ethan did any media after the game.

He did. The most recent video was uploaded ten minutes ago and is titled “Edwards, Hischier, J. Hughes, Keefe talk about Wild win over Minnesota”. She smiles and clicks the video. Ethan does his interview first, and it’s about two minutes long.

“Ethan, how did it feel to get your first NHL goal so early in the season?” one of the reporters asks.

“Really good,” he replies. “Takes a lot of pressure off of me early so I don’t focus on that and focus on bettering my play this season.”

He looks around as another reporter asks, “Was there anyone special in the building for your first NHL game? We saw you interacting with a group behind the glass during warmups.”

A smile grows on Ethan’s face as he says, “Yeah, uh, I had a few people here today. it was a surprise that my fiancée planned at some point. She flew in my parents from Canada and brought our son to watch the game. Chase had so much fun during warmups. I could see him from every angle on the ice and it was a really special moment for me to have them all here tonight.”

“Daddy said my name!” Chase exclaims. “He mentioned you too, mommy.”

“Yeah he did,” she replies. “Keep watching, buddy.”

The first reporter asks another question. “Do you consider your roster spot safe after tonight?”

Ethan shakes his head. “I will keep fighting hard every single game and practice to keep my spot,” he explains. “I scored one goal tonight and blocked a couple of shots throughout the game but I don’t believe my spot is safe. I’m aware I could be sent down at any moment and I want to make sure that doesn’t happen. As long as I keep fighting and producing then I don’t see why I couldn’t be on this roster for all 82 games.”

She smiles at Ethan’s response. He’s told her so many times over the last few days that he’s worried about his roster spot. It sounds like he knows what he has to do to stay on the NHL roster.

“How was the locker room before the game?” another reporter asks. “Was it intense or were the boys ready?”

“Oh, the locker room was buzzing before the game,” he replies. “I mean, everyone was ready to start this season on a winning note, especially after getting knocked out in the first round last year. I came in and realized what kind of team I’m on this season and I’m ready to fight with them to get further into the playoffs and get the Cup.”

The reporters thank Ethan and it cuts to Nico’s part of the interview. She pauses the video and looks at Chase. He has a proud look on his face, like he’s showing how proud he is of his dad.

“Mommy?”

“Yes, Chasey?”

“Will daddy have an interview after every game?”

“I think it depends on what he does during the game,” she explains. “If he scores then he’ll most likely do an interview. If he has a good game then he might do an interview. I don’t think it’ll be after every game.”

Chase nods in response.

The sound of the door opening sounds behind them and they both look behind them. Tara and Lee walk in first. Ethan follows them in his game day suit. Chase is off the couch immediately as he goes to greet his dad.

She’s slower to approach them so the boys can have their moment. Tara and Lee say their good nights and go down to the extra bedroom. Ethan picks up Chase and hugs his son. “Did you have fun at the game, buddy?” he asks Chase.

“Yeah!” Chase giggles. “Thank you for the puck.”

“You’re very welcome,” he replies. “Let me say hi to your mom and we’ll go put you to bed. Can you go get ready for bed? We’ll be right in.”

Chase nods as he is put down. He scurries down the hallway and Ethan turns to his fiancée.

She smiles. “That goal was very sexy of you, E,” she tells him. “I’ve never found you hotter than when you scored in the NHL.”

“I have a bone to pick with you,” Ethan laughs. “I did not know that you guys were coming to the game. Of all days to surprise me at a game.”

As she drapes her arms around his neck, she says, “I was able to surprise both you and Chase. I wanted the game to be memorable for both of you.”

“It was,” he tells her. “I’ll never forget my first NHL game. It makes it so much more special since you and Chase were there.”

She smiles and surges up to press a lingering kiss to his lips. Ethan’s hands rest on her waist and he holds her there for a second. “We’re going to end up having another baby by the end of the season if you think me scoring goals is sexy,” he mumbles against her lips.

“It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world,” she tells him without breaking the kiss. “Having another little Edwards running around. Plus, I’ve always thought you scoring goals was sexy.”

Ethan laughs.

“Mommy!” Chase calls. “Daddy! Come put me to bed!”

༺═──────────────═༻

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As the prior post noted, I'll be part of inkblots Summer Sprint this year! Excited to help raise money for the site once more and make art for those who donate, please be sure to check it out theres tons of amazing artists on board!

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Doodled - 7 September 2023

[slutforpringles]

The key difference to McLaren that makes Ricciardo's revival real

Ricciardo drives the car very differently to regular driver Yuki Tsunoda, but also to Pierre Gasly - who was Alpha Tauri’s spearhead for several seasons. They prefer a later-braking approach with a sharp, later rotation - the V-style we often hear drivers talk about, and that Ricciardo wanted to move away from at McLaren but couldn’t. The way Ricciardo brakes and approaches a corner puts very different demands on the car and tyres, and requires (and instigates) a different kind of car behaviour. What you saw in Mexico was the result of Alpha Tauri really adjusting the car to that for the first time.

“The driving style is different and not only from the mechanical or aero platform, but we know the Pirelli tyres are quite sensitive,” says Alpha Tauri’s chief race engineer Jonathan Eddolls. “The way he drives we can see different tyre temperatures, different tyre temperature balance. We're not talking big numbers, it's not massive, but we can see differences in the way he drives. And he makes the laptime in different parts of the corner. Therefore he exposes different weaknesses to say Yuki does - he drives it in one way, Daniel in a slightly different way. So we just need a slightly different set-up direction for him.”

Ricciardo prefers to carry more speed through the corner by making it more of a ‘U’ shape. To do that he needs a little rear instability on entry to turn in, and enough grip to rotate the car mid-corner without the rear braking away. The McLaren had a lot of peak downforce but it was not always usable, making the car unstable and inconsistent to drive in certain corners and conditions. That was murder for Ricciardo’s preferences. And even now, in a McLaren regularly scoring podiums, Lando Norris says he wants to ‘U’ a corner but has to ‘V’ it off because the car can’t handle that.

Ricciardo admitted he’d had a limitation exposed by his failure to switch styles in the way Norris could, and even how Ricciardo’s replacement Oscar Piastri has. But give him the right car and he was adamant he could still work wonders. That’s what he seems to be moving towards with the AlphaTauri. But achieving that by pursuing this set-up direction was not the work of a moment. AlphaTauri started to experiment after the summer break but Ricciardo only managed one and a bit practice sessions at Zandvoort before breaking his hand.

Then the first attempt at his second comeback of 2023, at Austin, was hamstrung by it being a sprint weekend. Given it was his first race back, upgrades had changed the car’s behaviour in his absence, and the sprint format meant just the one practice session before qualifying, AlphaTauri played it safe and put Ricciardo on Tsunoda’s set-up. That didn’t really work for him. So it was all about getting to Mexico and working on different set-ups to try to unlock a bit more potential from the car based around his driving style. “One of his big limitations has been the front end,” says Eddolls. “So the [new set-up] directions have been able to improve the front end of the car for him, accepting the stability compromise and how that impacts the tyre temperatures through the corner and through the lap.”

It may sound surprising given this was his Kryptonite at McLaren but what Ricciardo has been clear on from the start at AlphaTauri is that he could live with a bit more rear instability. There were signs of this right back in Hungary, where Ricciardo drove the car for the first time. There, and in his second race in Belgium, there was some under-rotation in the car. While the AlphaTauri lacks the aerodynamic peaks of what Ricciardo was driving at McLaren, it seems to have a more stable platform. It’s consistent, and understandable. So Ricciardo actually found that he could cope with some more rear instability than it had, to help give him the front end he needed, without it prompting the kind of inconsistency in car behaviour that he could not handle the way Norris could at McLaren.

The key to understanding the difference is to consider that not all rear instability is the same. AlphaTauri has battled some specific corner entry trouble all season, mainly when its drivers were braking late into heavy braking zones. Given he generally struggled with rear instability at McLaren, it was initially a concern that this might be an issue for Ricciardo. But with the way he drives compared to Tsunoda, Ricciardo didn't counter the same issues with the AT04. Instead, Ricciardo knows what to expect from the car and is able to take it to its limits more comfortably.

“Probably the car that we've got, the characteristics, it behaves,” says Eddolls. “Maybe we haven't quite got the load or efficiency of some of the top teams. However, there's no big fundamental weaknesses of the car other than a lack of a bit of load. He knows what it's going to do. And the fact that it does the same thing, every lap, corner to corner, it's given him the confidence to be able to throw the car into the corners and know that it's going to stick and knows that it’s going to do the same every time. Once we've got that platform in those couple of races earlier in the season, then we can start working on changing the balance corner to corner or through corner with the set-up to try to extract a bit more performance. It's a car that's given him the confidence to be able to push it closer to the limit than maybe he had in McLaren.”

Since Ricciardo’s early races before the summer break, the team has added a bit more aero load through upgrades, and the new set-up direction has now unlocked an even more Ricciardo-friendly balance. In Mexico, Ricciardo was able to use the stronger front end to rotate the car through the corners more to his style - braking a little earlier but riding it a little longer, giving him the grip to turn the front in mid-corner and carrying speed through. The result was being at ease with the car in qualifying, visibly leaning on the front and throwing the car around more.

It doesn’t mean he was on another level to Tsunoda, who looked like he could have been just as quick were his qualifying not sacrificed because of a predetermined engine change and grid penalty. But it did mean Ricciardo was more at the limit of this car for the first time, and feeling more like his old self. This continued in the grand prix itself. The controlled tyre management and comfortable race pace was different to the vast majority of his grands prix for McLaren. Were it not for a red flag, Ricciardo probably would have finished fifth – the final stint suggests he’d have had the race pace to fend off George Russell’s Mercedes (who jumped him at the restart instead), and Norris would have been too far back to catch and pass him on his recovery drive from the back of the grid. Ricciardo also looked feisty at both the start and the post-red flag restart, doing a good job amid frenetic runs to Turn 1 and beyond, and even launched an attack on Russell the final lap. It didn’t quite come off, but how often did you see him able to try that in papaya?

“It was a little weird, at the start of the stint, I didn’t feel as good as towards the end,” Ricciardo said of the second part of the race. “It felt like it took me a little bit to get a rhythm with the tyre. Then the last probably 10 laps, I was able to really start pushing harder. Lando getting George probably hurt George’s tyres a little bit, so that brought him back to me. It was tough. I probably didn’t expect to get that close. When you’re that close, you’re like ‘ah, we could’ve!’. But he protected well in Turn 4. At one point, I was trying to go on the outside, but I could see we were both going to run off and had to abort the mission. We tried, but ultimately, just to be battling a Mercedes at the end, that makes me more happy than just missing out on sixth.”

Ricciardo probably does need a Red Bull Racing promotion to start doing that on a regular basis. Getting the most out of the car he has now must be the objective for the rest of the season – and on this evidence, it should be sustainable. “After last week, it’s funny,” he said. “You can never guarantee a good weekend [but] I’m not surprised we had a good weekend. I was just ready for it, and I think the direction we went with set-up, I knew that would allow me to have a bit more confidence with the car. There’s still certainly some things to get out of it. Even in the race, my first sector was a little average, I wasn’t very consistent there through the first chicane. For sure some things I could improve on, but overall I was very happy with the weekend.”

via: The key difference to McLaren that makes Ricciardo's revival real | The Race