#texts from alex rider

[textsfromalexrider]

[deadrobinsclub-est1988]

Propaganda:

Stormbreaker claims he appears to be in his late 20s

Eagle Strike claims he appears to be in his late 20s but explicitly states he is 35y/o

The Russian Roulette prologue, which takes place at the end of Stormbreaker, explicitly states he is 28y/o

The Eagle Strike prologue takes place when Yassen is 19y/o and Alex is newborn or about to be born. Plus 14 years to the start of Stormbreaker would make Yassen approx. 33 or 34y/o

[povlnfour]

ੈ✩‧₊˚ PADDOCK TO PADDOCK (LN) PART ONE

lando norris x fem!horse rider!reader

series masterlist | next part

yourusername just posted a photo ੈ✩‧₊˚

liked by flo_norris_showjumping, lilymhe and 128,303 others

yourusername nice little practice today in between interviews. ready for a relaxed weekend

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user1 give bean all the carrots from us!

user2 so excited for the showjumping season!!!!

flo_norris_showjumping what a duo you two are already👏🏻

user3 i love that you practice in a full face of makeup. go girl slay!

yourusername @/user3 LMAO my makeup did not look that good by the end of it. p much had to redo it all for interview no.2

lilymhe OBSESSED

yourusername @/lilymhe GIRL I MISS YOU

lilymhe MISS YOU MORE. gotta link up when you’re back around :’)

user4 lily + y/n. my fav duo. i’ve missed their flirting

landonorris just posted a photo ੈ✩‧₊˚

liked by yourusername, alex_albon and 277,098 others

landonorris not meant to be today but we bounce back

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user5 we love you🧡 you did so well

mclaren onto better things🧡

user3 @/yourusername ARIANA WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE

liked by yourusername

user6 @/user3 SHE KNOWS HIS SISTER OFC SHE FOLLOWS HIM

user3 that’s hot

oscarpiastri 🧡🧡🧡

user7 the loves of my life fr

f1updates just posted ੈ✩‧₊˚

f1updates star studded turn out today for @/lilymhe’s golf game! joining f1 stars such as lando norris, charles leclerc and alex albon is lily’s friend and pro showjumper y/n y/l/n!

user1 SHES SO CUTE

user3 the way this is just her jumping off a flight to go support her bff…. i’ll cry she looks so pretty

user7 WITH LANDO ALEX AND CHARLES???

user5 I KNOW I DONT KNOW HOW MORE PEOPLE ARENT FREAKING OUT

user8 i mean we know she knows alex bc of lily but…. lando and charles

yourusername stop looking at these photos i was so jet lagged….

user4 AND STILL CUTE!

user2 not bestie following f1updates😭

user3 @/user2 i bet she’s a lewis girlie. she has that vibe

twitter reacts ੈ✩‧₊˚

lilymhe just posted a photo ੈ✩‧₊˚

liked by yourusername, landonorris and 202,311 others

lilymhe good game, better celebrations

👤tagged yourusername, alex_albon, landonorris

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user1 Y/N AND LANDO??? DANCING N HANGING OUT?????

alex_albon y/n is a terrible photographer but lando is a bad dancer. it equals out

yourusername SLANDER ON MY PHOTOGRAPHY SKILLS

landonorris @/yourusername i’ll teach you to drive, you teach me to dance?

yourusername @/landonorris … meet my horse i’ll consider it

landonorris @/yourusername i said it last night and i’ll say it again… NO! no reason for an animal to have that long a neck

yourusername @/landonorris wow. friendship over before it began

alex_albon @/landonorris giraffes are calling

user7 what is going on in these comments…

user5 damn they just met and are already flirting? the devil works hard but lando works harder

yourusername just posted a photo ੈ✩‧₊˚

liked by charles_leclerc, carlossainz55 and 152,009 others

yourusername life lately

👤tagged landonorris, lilymhe

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user2 OH SO UR HANGING OUT NOW?

flo_norris_showjumping MY BROTHER?

yourusername @/flo_norris_showjumping ANSWER MY TEXTS

user6 why texts what’s going on miss y/n👀

user3 beauty

user5 all the grid boys liking… oh you know lando is talking about her

user7 who can blame him i mean LOOK AT HER

alex_albon how come lily gets a cute ass photo and the one you posted of me last week made me look like a demon

yourusername she’s my favourite parent🩷

y/nupdates posted a photo ੈ✩‧₊˚

liked by landonorris and 21,335 others

y/nupdates the showjumping season is officially underway! sending all our love to @/yourusername and mr. bean today on their first competition🩷

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user5 lando creeping in the likes lmao

user2 what is going on between lando and y/n…

y/nupdates all we know is that they’re friends and we love that!🩷

user9 hm

user1 ?

user9 @/user1 he doesn’t need any distractions.

user1 @/user9 bestie it’s a post announcing a competition season not a marriage proposal💀

a/n: first part down!!! not super interesting but this is self indulgent as a horse girl myself LMAO. welcome to my acc i guess???

to be tagged when the next part goes up (won’t be long): taglist

- giselle

[hotmessmaxpress]

Rosquez Horror AU

Vale turns up at Marc’s motorhome after his crash with Pecco. 

Marc stares at him, where he is on the front step, and genuinely takes a moment to wonder if it’s really happening. Vale barely looks at him, much less speaks to him. Despite Marc’s deepest desires to move forward with Vale, he can’t even get the other man to acknowledge him. 

Until now, he supposes. 

He lets Vale in the door, and stands a healthy distance away from him. Suddenly the motorhome feels entirely too cramped, too close. Marc doesn’t know why he feels like he needs space from him; it’s not like Vale will hit him. 

Vale looks at him with narrow eyes. 

“Your crash-” 

Vale gets no further before the siren starts and they both freeze. 

It’s been a long time, years, since one has appeared in the paddock. 

The mandated emergency screen in the corner of Marc’s trailer flares to life with a crackle and an animatronic voice speaks. 

“Attention all drivers, staff, and guests. A void creature has been spotted in your vicinity. Take shelter immediately. Lock all doors and windows and arm yourself if possible. Take cover and stay quiet. Do not respond to voices you cannot see. Repeat. Attention all riders, staff, and guests. A void creature has been spotted in your vicinity. Take shelter immediately. Lock all doors and windows and arm yourself if possible. Take cover and stay quiet. Do not respond to voices you cannot see. May Mercy be with you all.”

Vale and Marc move quickly and silently. Vale locks the door, while Marc checks the windows. He shows Vale how to pull down the metal safety panels in front of the doors and windows, and Vale helps him secure the rest of the motorhome. 

Marc sends off a text to Alex with a half moon emoji and waits for the avocado Alex is supposed to send in return. Their code, unable to be mimicked by an outsider pretending to be one of them, and meant to signal “I’m safe and sheltered.”

The avocado pops into his messages shortly after, and Marc lets out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. Vale seems to be doing something similar, staring at his phone in concern. 

“Okay?” Marc whispers. 

Vale nods, but Marc can see the tension in his shoulders. 

“Bedroom,” Marc suggests. “It’s the safest.”

They carry food and water from the kitchenette to the bedroom, and Marc closes the door. Another metal safety panel comes down, and latches into place, and Marc breathes a sigh of relief. 

“Is Alex okay?” Vale whispers. 

Marc nods. 

“Safe and secure. Are all of your riders?”

Vale looks nervous. 

“I’m still waiting to hear.”

Marc nods. 

He has the urge to reach out and comfort Vale, but the space between them in the tiny room feels vast. It’s not lost on him that Vale is only here because he wanted to yell at him. The ongoing anomaly event may be uniting them for now, but Marc has no doubt that when the threat is gone Vale will be back to hating him. 

He reaches out anyway, squeezing Vale’s hand. He pulls him to the bed and they sit.

“We may as well be comfortable,” he suggests. 

Vale doesn’t relax, though. He checks his phone again.

There’s a scream, so far off in the distance that Marc wonders if he heard it. He glances at Valentino, who has frozen in place, and assumes it must have been real. 

He has a terrible thought that at least it was far away. At least it wasn’t near them. If it has to happen, let it happen somewhere away from himself and his family. 

He wishes Alex were with him, like the first time he experienced an anomaly from the void. They were so young, at home in Cervera. He remembers watching television after dinner, then the screen cutting to a news anchor. 

The news anchor had said something confusing, and Marc had looked over at Alex, who was similarly confused and annoyed that their show had been interrupted. Whatever the anchor had said terrified Roser, though. She had come running, grabbing Marc and Alex by the arm and dragging them down the hall to the small room under the stairs that they weren’t allowed to play in. 

Alex had started crying, scared and startled by the way their mother had roughly grabbed them, and Roser had hissed at him to be quiet. Marc thought she was being mean; he remembers yanking Alex out of her arms, as if to protect him from her, and he pulled Alex against him. They’d been almost the same size at this point, long before Alex had his massive growth spurt and shot up past Marc’s height. 

Marc had held his little brother in his arms, petting his hair, as Alex calmed down. He glanced at Roser, seeing her silently praying. At the time he hadn’t known the danger they were in– he didn’t understand the sirens surrounding them and the noises outside that he’d never heard before. 

Roser brushed his hair back from his forehead, and her hands were shaking. It felt like hours that they sat there in that small closet-room, legs sore from squeezing together and sweating from the close space. 

Marc and Alex hadn’t dared to complain though, sensing that now was not the time to press their mother for information or to whine. Once the wind outside died down and the sirens finally stopped, Roser had released them from the room and fed them dessert like it was a special occasion. She kept touching their faces, kissing their cheeks and their foreheads, and she spent most of the rest of the evening on the phone. 

It was only once they reached school-age and got their first mandatory anomaly safety lesson that Marc really understood what might have happened to them.  

Vale is still tense. Marc sees it in the lines on his face, lines that weren’t present the last time Marc and Vale shared a shelter during an anomaly. 

They had been in a hotel that time, toward the end of their relationship, but before things got awful, and the hotel was expensive enough that they hadn’t had to leave the bed for more than to close the curtains. The doors and windows were already secured, and it was easy to forget the void creature lurking outside, far below them. They had climbed back into bed after they ensured the curtains were closed, and they muted the TV. 

They treated it almost as if it was a thunderstorm, wrapped up in blankets and waiting for it to pass. Vale had pressed kisses along his neck, whispering reassurances in his ear. 

“You’re safe,” he had said. “I won’t let anything hurt you.”

At the time, Marc had believed him. 

Marc swallows the lump in his throat, and reaches for a water bottle. He cracks the top and takes a long drink, trying to soothe the dry feeling in his throat. 

Vale checks his phone again. 

“Pecco hasn’t checked in,” he says, so quiet that Marc barely hears it. Marc’s heart jumps into his throat. His brain races through the full spectrum of possibility. It could be that Pecco was separated from his phone, and when the sirens go off it’s instinct to run without reaching for something like a phone. It could also be much worse– Marc’s ears strain for another scream. 

“He might just not be near his phone,” Marc says, reaching for Vale’s hand again. 

Vale allows Marc to take his hand, and he squeezes it. 

They sit in silence for another long while, simply holding hands and waiting. 

“I’m sorry about the crash,” Marc says. 

“No you aren’t,” Vale says, giving Marc a dry look. 

“I don’t want to crash. I don’t want anyone else to crash either.”

Vale grits his teeth, and Marc tries to pull his hand away. Vale doesn’t let him, and it reminds Marc of all the arguments that ended with Vale trapping him in his arms until they both calmed down. 

“You race like you want to crash.”

Marc doesn’t have anything to say to that, at first.

“I’m getting older,” he finally breathes. “Things are changing for me,” he adds, leaving it at that.

Vale turns and stares at him, appraising him. 

Marc wonders if Vale can see the lines that Marc himself sees when he looks at himself in the mirror. He wonders if Vale’s eyes pick up on the way that Marc’s body hurts; he wonders if it shows on his face how tired he is of being in pain. 

Vale opens his mouth to speak, but they’re interrupted.

“Valentino!”

Marc’s entire body freezes. Pecco’s voice is outside, calling through the walls. 

Marc squeezes Vale’s hand hard. He knows Vale is smart enough not to respond, but he can’t take that chance. He hoists himself up and straddles Vale, pressing his forehead to Vale’s. He stares Vale in the eye, keeping Vale’s focus on him. 

“Don’t,” Marc warns, nearly silently. 

Vale wraps his arms around Marc, and squeezes him tightly. 

“Vale, please,” the voice outside begs. “I don’t know where the thing is. I know you’re in there- I need shelter.”

Vale buries his face in Marc’s shoulder. 

“I left my phone in the garage and got locked out,” the voice yells. “Please, Vale! Please don’t let it get me.”

Marc thinks Vale might break his ribs with how tightly he’s holding him. Marc wonders how loud his heart is; if Vale can hear it from where his face is pressed against him. Marc puts his hands gently over Vale’s ears, trying to spare him the trauma of being targeted by an anomaly. He knows how it feels to have the voice of someone you love trying to tempt you into welcoming your own death through the door. 

“Valentino!” Pecco’s voice yells again. It sounds desperate, pleading, and Marc can feel tears well up in his eyes. He hopes Vale can’t hear it. It’s a wretched thing, copying the voice of another.  

Marc has never seen a void creature. He knows that people have seen them; he went to school with someone who claimed to have run from one. Marc knew that was ridiculous; you can’t run from them and live. But they have been captured on camera, and seen through windows. Marc only knows that they’re ungodly things, wrong and twisted and otherworldly. 

He wonders now what the one outside must look like. He wonders if it bothers to take on Pecco’s appearance, or if it looks like the shadowed monster his school teachers had taught them to protect themselves against. The horns and claws made from the absence of light; sucking in light from everything they are near. 

Vale is shaking now. He’s still gripping Marc tightly, and Marc still has his hands sealed over Vale’s ears. 

There’s a scream outside, so nearby that Marc physically flinches. For a minute he has a horrified thought that it could be in the motorhome with them, and he wrenches his body around to look at the door. The metal sheeting is still in place, just like the metal over the windows. 

It won’t break in, he reminds himself. He presses his lips against the crown of Vale’s head like a blessing, like it might protect them both. 

He thinks of the time he had been in Vale’s position and thought Alex was outside. They were in Vale’s motorhome that time, before they had started to put a name to the thing that was developing between them. 

“Marc! Are you in there? Please let me in!” the thing had screamed in Spanish. 

Marc had shot up from where they were seated on Vale’s couch in silence, and Vale had thankfully gotten to him before he reached the door. Vale had gripped him around the waist, yanking him backward. 

“No!” Marc had said, and Vale had clapped his hand over Marc’s mouth. 

“Marc, that is not Alex,” Vale had hissed in his ear. He had dragged him away from the door, and Marc had struggled and cried. 

“Marc!” the voice outside called, coming nearer. Marc sobbed against the hand pressed to his mouth. Vale dragged him into the toilet of his motorhome, shutting the door behind them and bracing his body against it. He forced Marc to look at him, keeping a hand over his mouth. 

“Marc, that is not your brother. It’s not him and you know that,” he had whispered desperately. Marc had pressed his face hard against Vale’s neck and sobbed silently, and Vale had covered Marc’s ears for him. 

It was a long time that they sat there, pressed tightly together while Marc prayed to every God that his baby brother was safe. 

It was after that experience that Vale had suggested Marc and Alex have a code; a way to prove to one another that they were safe. 

Marc can’t remember if he ever thanked Vale for that.

Marc thinks of that now, as he sits with his own hands over Vale’s ears. Marc wishes he could make it end, but he knows that if the anomaly is still outside now it will be a long time before they’re released from the lockdown and fear. 

The voice outside has stopped, at least, so Marc takes his hands off of Vale’s ears. Vale doesn’t let go of him, but his arms relax a little. 

“I think it’s gone away,” Marc whispers. “It’s silent, at least.”

Vale takes a shuddering breath. 

A scream sounds from outside; Marc guesses it’s a motorhome or two over, but it sounds as if it’s in their ears. Marc flinches hard. 

“Not gone,” Vale hisses. 

Marc glances apologetically at him, then sighs and wraps his arms around Vale’s neck. They’re already in too close and intimate a position as it is. They’ve crossed a line that Marc knows they’ll regret later, but he doesn’t care. His heart has been racing since the whole ordeal started, and if pressing himself against Vale makes him feel a little less terrified he’s going to do it. Vale doesn’t seem bothered, and his arms are still around Marc’s waist. 

“It’s going to be okay,” Marc whispers. 

Vale snorts. “Are you telling that to me or yourself?”

“Both,” Marc admits. “It’s been so long since I’ve heard one so close.”

Vale is silent for a moment. 

“We had one a few months ago in Tavullia. I was there with the boys.”

Marc can only imagine how tight Vale’s security is at the ranch. 

“It was you outside.”

Marc’s heart stops in his chest.

“What?” Marc asks, voice coming out just slightly too loud. Vale squeezes him a little tighter and they both sit silently for a moment, holding their breath and listening. 

Nothing makes a sound, so they relax slightly. 

“It had your voice. I almost opened the door.”

Marc has no idea what to say about that, so he rests his head on Vale’s shoulder. He wonders how the academy riders must have reacted to that; he’s surprised Uccio didn’t open the door to run outside and punch him in the face. The mental image of Uccio running full force at a void horror because of his hatred of Marc is such a fine line between hilarious and disturbing that Marc has to cover his mouth to muffle the high pitched, hysterical laughter bubbling up. 

Vale runs a hand through his hair. 

“Calm down,” he whispers flatly. “I don’t know what you’re laughing at.”

Marc shakes his head. If he tries to explain he can only imagine he’ll laugh harder. 

Once he calms down he climbs off Vale’s lap and lays down on the bed, coaxing the older man into joining him. At first Vale stays far from him, but Marc gives him a dry look and Vale gives in. It’s not as if they haven’t already been on top of one another; pretending like they need to be separated is almost funny. 

Vale allows Marc to cuddle up to him, and after all these years Marc still slots against him easily. Their bodies both still remember how to fit together; where to put their arms and legs so that they match up like puzzle pieces. 

“I miss this,” Marc says, heart still pounding. It’s a cliche, he knows; it’s a notorious joke that there’s nothing that makes you want to bare your soul like a void event. There’s just something about thinking you’re going to die that brings out the honesty in people. 

Vale is so quiet that Marc wonders if he’s pretending he didn’t hear him. 

“I do too,” Vale says. 

“What?” Marc asks, freezing. 

“I miss you. I’m still angry, though,” Vale admits. 

“I’m sorry,” Marc says. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I never hurt you on purpose.”

He knows Vale doesn’t believe him, and the silence hangs heavy between them. Marc wishes he could make Vale see the truth in his words. He wishes he could do anything that would make Vale understand. 

The next thing Marc knows, he’s waking up to the blare of the release sirens. 

“Attention all drivers and staff. The void creature has been neutralized and the anomaly event is over. You may leave your shelter and resume regular activities. Please stay alert for any further emergency communications. Repeat. Attention all drivers and staff. The void creature has been neutralized and the anomaly event is over. You may leave your shelter and resume regular activities. Please stay alert for any further emergency communications.”

“Pecco,” is the first thing Marc says, and Vale jolts up from the bed and scrambles for his phone. It’s already vibrating with incoming messages by the time he picks it up, and Marc can see as Vale’s entire body relaxes. 

“He’s fine,” Vale says, voice cracking. “He’s okay.”

Marc sits up and pulls Vale toward him, hugging him tightly in relief. They’re both shaking now, from the rush of adrenaline and relief. 

“He’s okay,” Marc repeats. “Thank God.”

Marc’s own phone is vibrating with messages of friends checking in, but he and Vale stay holding one another anyway. 

When they finally have the energy to release one another, they don’t hurry to get up. The rest of the paddock will be recovering, taking stock of who was injured. Everything will no doubt be cancelled for the rest of the day. 

They take their time opening the metal shields and restoring the motorhome to normal. They don’t move far from one another either, though they don’t acknowledge that. 

“Why did you want to open the door? In Tavullia?” Marc blurts. 

He thinks that there’s a non-zero chance that Vale leaves here and never speaks to him again anyway, so he may as well ask. 

Vale is quiet for a moment, but he puts his phone down. 

“It was a moment of panic. I thought– I thought that if I didn’t open the door for you I’d really never see you again; nevermind that it didn’t make sense for you to be there. I just thought that I couldn’t let you die.”

Marc has a lump in his throat that makes it hard to talk. 

“I know you don’t believe me when I say it but I love you. I never meant to hurt you.”

Vale isn’t looking at him, and when he doesn’t raise his head to look at him Marc turns his back, busying himself with putting away the bottled water and snacks they didn’t use when they were under lockdown. 

“I know, I think,” Vale says. “I think I know that you didn’t mean it.”

Marc’s heart is racing and he freezes in place.

“I love you, Marc. I’m still so angry but I do love you.”

“Just give me a chance,” Marc says desperately. “Let me fix things.”

Vale looks at him for a long moment. 

“Okay.”

[formulapookie]

rosquez for on a scar pls<3

20. on a scar

Marc is tracing a pattern between all the moles on Vale’s chest, head resting on the older’s arm as he strokes his hair.

This is one of the moments Marc prefers in their newfound routine. The domestic feeling of belonging somewhere that’s not a place per se, but the arms of someone you love so dearly, like Marc loves Vale.

Vale is home to him as much as he is home to Vale.

It’s enough to look one of the two in the eyes while he’s watching the other do anything.

It’s pure love.

Vale watching Marc pace around the house? Love Marc watching Vale cook? Love Vale watching Marc getting ready to go train? Love Marc watching Vale while he explains to him all the different kinds of wines he has in his cellar? Love

Vale is looking at Marc right now, and he wants nothing more than to hug him tight and never let him go again.

He’s divine, perfect body, out of this world face, amazing personality and that god forsaken smile that never fails to brighten up Vale’s days.

Vale’s eyes lock on that scar, one of too many, the one which had Marc almost stop racing, the one he got back in 2020, when he was so high on painkillers and antibiotics he hallucinated Vale being with him, in Cervera, holding him at night when the pain was too much.

Vale hates it.

Not the scar as a thing, but what it means.

They weren’t speaking back then, not even a greeting.

Not even “hello” if they met in the hallways of some hotel they were both in.

And when Marc had gotten injured, and declared he was going to miss the season because he had to get surgery, and because his arm hurt too much and had to undergo rehabilitation Vale hadn't called.

Or texted. Or sent anything to say “I’m sorry you’re going through that, as a rider I know how awful that must be”

Nothing. Complete Radio silence.

The scar reminds him of what he had managed to get of those years, 2020 especially, when he wasn’t there.

Marc didn’t like to talk about it, he hid his scar for the majority of times, either with sleeves or bandages or simply sitting, standing or laying making sure to cover it.

But Alex did.

He told Vale everything, how awful he was for letting his brother suffer alone, calling for him during the night, blindly reaching out to someone who wasn't there, who was probably at some club getting shitfaced with his friends, who was probably making fun of him.

He had told him how Marc, in his less lucid moments, thought Vale was really there, and he would find his brother hugging a pillow, sleeping while hugging it tightly and sometimes telling Alex not to yell because he would’ve woken Vale up.

Vale’s fingers find their place tracing the outline of the scar, slowly, feather-like touches.

Marc tenses up, his hand not moving anymore.

Vale leans down tentatively, slowly, he doesn’t want to do something that will drive Marc away.

But Marc lets him, waits to see what will happen.

He presses a light kiss on the boy’s scar, then locks gazes with him.

There’s tears in Marc’s eyes, while he looks at Vale, because the scar is something they never talk about.

Vale just knows that if Marc is hurting 90% of the time it’s that arm.

“You’re beautiful, every part of you is, even the ones you don’t like, they’re perfect”

Marc can’t keep the tears in anymore, he just breaks down in Vale’s arms, sobbing loudly as Vale hold him tighter than ever before.

It’s not often he sees Marc crying like this: real, deep, hurt.

The last time he had seen him like that was after Sepang, when Vale had doubted Marc ever being a fan of his and had called him other names too.

That night, when Vale was in his hotel room with a bunch of the Yamaha crew and some friends Marc had gone to him, lips red and patchy from Marc obviously biting them till they bled, fingernails bitten and the area surrounding them coloured of a bitter red.

He was standing in front of him, a sad face on, looking up at the man who was supposed to be the love of his life.

“Can we talk Vale please?”

“What do you - CUT IT FOR A MINUTE GUYS MARQUEZ CAME HERE - what do you want?”

Vale remembers his crew getting up from wherever they were sitting and going to the door to see how destroyed that kid looked.

“Can we talk like - without all these people?”

Marc was hurt, Vale could fucking see that, could feel the desperation coming from him.

“Talk or I’m shutting the door Marquez”

“I - why did you say that? About me, my room with your poster - you know they are there. You’ve been to mine you saw them”

Marc had looked for confirmation in Vale’s eyes, but had only found hatred and sick fun.

“If I was ever in your house it was in your wet dreams Marquez, surely I never set foot there”

And he laughed. Alongside with all the others.

Marc had stood there, heart caught in his throat, feeling laughs like daggers in every part of his body.

And he had cried, hot tears streaming down his face as he tried to walk away, shame surrounding him like a cloud.

Marc feels like that right now, ashamed weak, stupid.

Because he hates crying, much more so doing it in front of the man he loves.

And Vale is just holding him, cuddling him and stroking his back lulling him to make him calm down.

“I love you Marc, I love all of you, I always will”

He kisses the scar again, this time it calms the sobs down, Marc hiding his head more in the crook of Vale’s neck, waiting for him to finish.

“I love you too” Vale is happy, happy Marc is as well, because he deserves happiness more than anything right now.

Marc manages to fall asleep in his home, Vale’s arms, and slowly gets Vale back into his comfort zone.

“I am so sorry baby, so so sorry I wasn’t there”

A cut sob comes from Vale.

“But I promise I’m not letting go of you anymore, I want to bring you to the altar”

A third kiss on the scar, softer this time, like a peck, like a butterfly just rested her tired body on Marc’s scar, giving him a little relief.

Semd me a Ship name and a Number and I’ll write a kiss

[ur-mom-did-69]

My heart is yours

Nika Mühl x Bull Rider

Word count: 974

Hey yall I’m back! Im sorry for taking sorry long work has been extremely busy💀 Anyways here’s part 2!

Watching Alex’s face fall was like watching a heartbreak in real-time. The fire in her girlfriend’s eyes dimmed, replaced with sadness and disbelief. Nika hadn’t intended to hurt her, but the urgency of schoolwork and training was pressing down on her, clouding her judgment. In a moment of selfishness, she had let her words cut deep.

As Alex turned and walked out, her silhouette disappearing as she walked out the door the sound of her truck engine fading into the distance, Nika had watched, frozen in place as the realization hit her like a bucket of cold water. She had driven Alex away with her words. The reality of their relationship hung heavy in the silence, one they had built together now threatening to crumble.

That night, Nika lay in bed, replaying the argument over and over in her mind, each loop echoing her failures. In her heart, she’d known Alex’s bull riding was more than a hobby—it was a passion, a dream, something that, until that moment, she had failed to appreciate. The distance between them felt impossibly wide, the anger fresh but the love underlying it all undeniable.

The next morning Nika woke up with puffy eyes and tear-stained cheeks, only being able to get two hours worth of sleep with the rest of her night being a mixture of her clutching Alex’s favorite hoodie and tossing and turning trying to sleep without the heat and warmth of Alex beside her. Nika immediately checked her phone to see if any new messages or calls had been from the only person who mattered to her when she checked the messages between them only to find that her spam of texts had been left unanswered by Alex.

After sulking in her apartment until noon, she knew what she had to do. She knew that this was her fault. She also knew that she needed to be the one who fixed things between her and Alex. The thought of Alex not forgiving her gnawed at her heart. Sure they had argued before, but it had never escalated to the point of one of them walking out and leaving. Nika sighed as she tried planning out what to do to hopefully make Alex forgive her. Suddenly an idea came to her that was too good for her not to put to use.

With the way Nika drove to Alex’s new farm, a normal person would’ve thought that someone was in the car dying or that the person driving was a self-proclaimed Formula 1 driver. She sped the entire way not letting her car go under 75 on her speedometer. Nika parked beside Alex’s truck and stepped out, taking in the peaceful surroundings. The sounds of nature fluttered around her, but she felt her heartbeat thud loudly in her chest.

Nika found Alex in the barn, tending to the horses, her body moving gracefully as she brushed the silvery mane of a gentle mare. When Alex heard her approach, she turned, her expression softening like an instinct and then hardening as she remembered what Nika had said to her the night before.

“What are you doing here? How’d you find me,” she said, her voice flat, as if bracing for a storm.

“I checked your location,” Nika replied timidly, her heart trembling and eyes teary. “I came to apologize. What I said last night was so uncalled for and out of line from me and I am so sorry, Alex. Please, I really didn’t mean it, baby.”

Alex shook her head, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “You said some hurtful things, Nika. I don’t want to keep going through this cycle of arguments and silent treatments. It hurts too much.”

“I know, and I promise to do better,” Nika pleaded, stepping closer, her heart in her throat. “No more belittling what you love. I will make time for us—I don’t want to lose you.”

“Are you just saying what you think I want to hear?” Alex challenged, her vulnerability visible in her posture. “I need to know you mean it.”

“Feelings are complicated. Life is complicated,” Nika answered earnestly. “But I know one thing: I want you in my life, Alex. I want to be here helping out on the farm and have you here supporting me on the court. We can make it work if we communicate. I’ve realized you're more than my girlfriend; you’re my partner in everything. How can we get past this?”

The silence stretched between them, thick with emotion. At last, Alex took a deep breath, her walls slowly crumbling as she stepped closer. “I want that too, Nika. But it’s gonna take time and trust.”

Nika nodded, tears pricking her eyes. “Then let’s take that time together. I’ll prove to you how much you matter, no more distractions. We’re a team.”

With that, Alex reached out, breaking the distance, and took Nika's hand in hers. “Oh, I almost forgot”, Nika said as she ran back to her car coming back with flowers and Alex’s favorite candy. “I had to have a plan B in case this wasn’t enough”, she said sheepishly. Alex grinned as she took the gifts from Nika and gave her a soft kiss as a thank you.

“You know how many stores I had to go to for me to get your candy?”, Nika asked jokingly.

“Let me guess, uh three? Wait no, four! Yeah, four”, Alex responded confidently.

“Wrong. I had a secret stash at home. I had to stop to get the flowers, silly”, Nika said barely containing her laughter and running away.

“Hey, you totally set me up!”, Alex pouted. “That isn’t fair!”, she said chasing Nika.

The warmth of the gesture enveloped them in understanding and hope, as the sun shone down on the farm, illuminating a new chapter they would write together.

So what did y’all think? Also I please feel free to send requests as I’m really new to this so I don’t know how to do a lot but I promise to try💀 I also have some ideas that I might write soon so stay tuned!

[arshipweek]

AR Ship Week - Fandom in 2024

Another year, another shipweek, and another State of the AR Shipping Fandom post. This is the first weekly post leading up to the Alex Rider Ship Week. Just under 4 weeks to go!

This post focuses on pre-S3 fandom, since the data was scraped before the season was released, but we might do an update for post-S3 fics. For methodology, it can be found both on the graphic analysis pages and in the notes at the bottom of this post. For those only curious about the popular pairings this year (1), feel free to read right on.

This year, we have analysed a few specific shipping stats to get a look at us as a fandom.

We have also created an interactive dashboard of all the graphs for you to explore. This is where the following data was taken from, as well as some bonus visuals!

A Timeline of AO3

For a blast from the past, we took a look at the shipping timeline - the count of fics and authors per year for the top ten most popular AR ships - and found immediate proof that as a shipping fandom, we're still small enough that a few, determined people can make a difference. AR fandom's use of AO3 as its primary fandom purveyor is fairly recent, as most of its history can be found on FFnet, but with a total of just under 3k fics as of April 20th, we're gaining on FFnet's 4.5k of AR fics at a very respectable pace.

Some particular developments were:

The number of Yalex authors was about the same in 2021 - 2023 (just around 40) but the number of Yalex fics in 2022 was almost double that of 2021 and 2023. This was not due to a sudden, imported backlog that we could see but a handful of popular events/challenges and potentially the release of S2 in December of 2021.

Tom/Alex and Yassen/Ian both had a peak of fics in 2021, most likely because of the release of S1 that gave Tom a much larger part and offered an intriguing look at Yassen and Ian's potential past.

Fiona/Sabina had a huge spike in fics in 2023 due to a Femmeslash February event (2) that sent it firmly up the ranks of popular ships.

The State of the OTP

For the top ten AR ships, we also took a look at how many of the writers that had written other AR ships (and which ones) to look for interesting patterns and to see if there was any real difference to spot. As it turns out, the answer was a resounding yes:

At one extreme, we have Alexmis (Alex Rider/Artemis Fowl) which is a fandom unto itself. Only 20 percent of the writers of the pairing have written for other pairings in AR fandom fics, and Alexmis fics as a whole tend to lean more towards adding Alex to the Artemis Fowl world rather than vice versa (3).

In the middle range, we have Yalex and Alex/Wolf - two pairings about as old as the fandom itself, and which both have an OTP percentage around 55 - as well as (mostly) newcomers Tom/Alex and Kyra/Alex, both with an OTP percentage in the 40-50 range.

At the other extreme, we have Yassen/John with an OTP percentage of just 4. Fiona/Sabina does it one better with an OTP rate of 0 (!) but the sample size here is so small it makes no meaning to compare it.

So what other pairings do these writers enjoy indulging in, then?

Yalex writers really like their Yassen pairings. Out of the combined number of non-Yalex fics the Yalex authors have written, 24 percent of them are Yassen/Ian and 22 percent are Yassen/John. This means that almost half of their non-Yalex pairings feature Yassen in some way.

70 percent of John/Helen shippers have written other pairings, too - probably because of the pairing's nature as a background part of Alex's story and not necessarily the focus of a shipfic they're in. 30 percent of the fics written by John/Helen writers outside of the ship are Yalex (and 6 percent are Yassen/John).

The case is even more extreme for Yassen/John, which is firmly entwined with the Yalex pairing. 96 percent of the writers have written other AR ships, with three quarters of those fics being Yalex.

Text Analysis

Interactive dashboard with graphs and visuals

We also ran a text analysis on the shipfics to look for patterns and recurring details in the writing - first in general, then for specific ships. The amount of detail for each ship depends a lot on the sample size, which results in a detailed, varied word cloud for Yalex and somewhat less so for several of the smaller ships.

For that analysis, we recommend clicking around to explore the word clouds and get a feel for the different ships, but for the ambitious types, we have a word hunt ready as well (4):

Word Hunt, Significant Phrases edition:

Tools of the Trade:

Duct tape

Frying pan

Krav Maga

Sniper rifle

Zip ties

I Know That Reference:

Fer de Lance

Air Force

Albert Bridge

Point Blanc

Brecon Beacons

Getting Kinky:

Boxer briefs

Dimly lit

Lower lip

Pressed a kiss

Yes sir

Feel free to comment with any particularly entertaining/intriguing/otherwise just plain fun word cloud combinations you've spotted, and we will see you again next week!

______ 

Note on methodology:

The two Alex Rider sections (main + TV) were scraped over the course of two days in early March 2024, except for fics that were locked to AO3 users only (5). For the author specific statistics, we excluded orphan_account and anonymous authors. Median measures were chosen over average the majority of the time to account for outliers, especially in the case of the rarer pairings (6).

For ship-analysis, a fic counts under every pairing it has. This means that someone who writes Yassen/Alex, Yassen/John and Yassen/Ian in the same fic (7) will count as an author for all three pairings and under the Yalex OTP analysis, they will have an additional fic marked under both Yassen/John and Yassen/Ian.

(1) Yalex. It's Yalex. Look, we're not even going to bother posting the stats for that. It's still Yalex, trust us. Though we can talk again next year, considering how well Kyralex is currently doing post-S3. (2) Proving that a few, determined writers can make or break the non-Yalex ship rankings. Please use this power for good; if someone manages to get Sayle/Nadia Vole or something into the top three next year, I'm outsourcing that part of the stat post to a particularly enthusiastic raccoon with a keyboard. (3) Canonically, the wholesale kidnapping of Alex is pretty on-brand for Alex Rider supervillains so really, Artemis is in excellent company. (4) Technically two, but there is unsurprisingly a lot of overlap between the general wordcloud and the Yalex one. For those curious, here's the Word Hunt, Yalex edition:

Adam's apple

Bottle of lube

Cock

Index finger

Nerve endings

Pale skin

Scar tissue

(5) As of April 20th, 225 out of 2961 fics were locked to AO3 users. (6) Meaning anything non-Yalex, let's all be honest here. (7) Because sometimes, like a particularly persistent Pokémon player, Yassen also needs to catch them all. Traumas or Riders is dealer's choice.

[natduskfall]

I’m not good at putting my feelings into text, nor am I a writer, or good at literature analysis, but I do have thoughts.

I never liked SSO’s writing to begin with. The writing of SL was okay for a game of that scope. I loved the mystery of a seaside town and strange powers that be. But SSO’s writing is confusing to me.

Dialogues almost always try to be funny, relatable, and it comes across as shallow or boring. I try to read all the dialogue because I am invested in the universe by now and I want to know everything about the events of the world and it’s characters. But lord is it hard sometimes to not skip the repetitive, shallow dialogue.

The characters lack debth and it is hard for me to like any of them. It feels like the Soul riders are just written as stereotypes. Don’t know something? Talk to Linda, she knows everything and loves doing research! She’s a nerd! Alex is the hurr durr let’s do shit without thinking anything over. Haha, Lightning goes zap zap!! Elizabeth is our teacher. A druid. And? Fripp? What even is Fripp? “Mysterious” leader who I don’t know anything about or don’t spend any time with. Who comes across as emotionless and disinterested in his charges. Avalon? Recluse who barely shows up and when he does, he always disagrees with everything.

I like that SSE has been trying to focus on the characters more. Elizabeth’s death didn’t make me feel anything because I just didn’t know her, didn’t have any attachments to her. If anything I laughed during that scene because of the way she ass slammed Darko like that Ground Slam Ash of War from Elden Ring, then got turned into Annie from Attack on Titan, and then blew herself up. That scene should have been an emotional story beat that should have gripped me and made me sad. Red Dead Redemption does that so well. I cried a lot during that game. I wish SSE took the characters seriously tho. It’s like every quest is an episode of The Simpsons where shit happens, it never gets acknowledged after, the characters don’t change. Every episode is a new start. I really like that they commited to the darker and real events, such as Lisa losing her mother, Alex having a dysfunctional low income family, and Anne getting over the real trauma of Concordes death, her kidnapping, and isolation. BUT THEY DON’T GO ANYWHERE WITH IT.

I want to love these characters and I want them to feel like real people, but it’s hard when they get treated as a joke, or the real and traumatic things that happened to them never get acknowleged and have no impact on them or the story. What about Linda and the betrayal of the Baroness? What about Meteor being lost. She didn’t even mention Meteor until the spymaster sent MC to tell her where Meteor was. And I am still waiting for the new Fort Maria quest to see the dynamic between the druids and the Soul Riders after the events of Justin’s rescue.

And the story…. Sometimes it just feels too whacky to me. I don’t know if the witches and golden apples are some folklore from Sweden, but I did not expect that when I first played through, and I did not like it. It felt like the game was spreading itself too thin? It felt out of place to me.

And sometimes, the quests feel like they have no impact. We need to do a difficult thing. Ha let’s do it this way. Go there. Click the ground. Done, we did it, yay!! It just feels very childish, lacking weight. I’m not sure how to put this into words, and I think there are people out there who are much better at this then I am.

I disliked the new Alex quest and felt unsatisfied. The whole questline had me anxious because the job of an event planner is so hard for me as a person with zero organisation skills and confidence. I am sure it is a very important and difficult job, and I was waiting for how SSE handled it. The entire time I felt like MC and Alex were not making any actual tuall progress. Then the whole thing got derailed to “let’s record a narrated tour of the CIty”. And when the quest ended, I was like “that’s it?”

The cinematic for Alex shows a resourceful, hard working and strong individual who got delt a bad hand, but found hope in Elizabeth. But the game keeps treating her like a stupid comic relief character who can only do one thing, and that is use her lightning power no matter the occasion. Even the Freeing Anne quest felt off to me. Why would Alex chose to go back and face Darko alone, when they keep rehashing the theme of “we’re stronger together”. Her power can be fueled by anger, but her main thing is to protect her loved ones. They got Anne, her priority should have been to get Anne out of there, not come back alone for Darko. It just felt like the writers did that because they needed Elizabeth to die, and MC getting stranded in Pandoria so that Lisa could use her singing power. And how would getting blown off a cliff into a bottomless space get rid of a powerful individual who can easily teleport himself and other people?

I really wish SSO would hire actual writers do deal with their story, the structure of the story, and the characters. Helena did such a good job making the main cast feel real, and structuring the story.

TLDR: SSE please hire a writer, and stop treating your characters like stereotypes. Stop treating Alex like a stupid person who goes zap

[thecedarchronicle]

I played through the new beginning of the game and I have to say it's much better than I was afraid it was going to be. I like the angle of MC first discovering another side of Jorvik through the Moon Circle, it feels like a good introduction. Especially since it happens right after you create the first connection with the canonical soul steed!

Except - what's the deal with seeing the Soul Riders right out the gate? I understand wanting to introduce your new players to the main characters as soon as possible, and maybe I am put off since I'm already familiar with them, but it just seems way off. Why is Lisa taking complete beginner classes at Moorland when she's already learning under Herman at Jorvik Stables? Why are all five of them so keen on befriending this random kid? I'm glad they didn't introduce more NPCs to immediately abandon but it doesn't feel like the right fit. Also, am I missing something? Why is Maya the instructor? Isn't she a stable girl trying to save up to start taking riding classes?

I'll be clear I don't want this to sound like I'm bashing on SSE. I really really like the new start of the game. I think it's a much gentler introduction and in general a way better tutorial. I actually feel like I know why the MC is here and what's going on, and as a result immediately feel way more grounded in the story. I just think their choice of characters did them a disservice.

I'm no professional writer, but I think it would have been really cool if Maya was the student learning with us. She could even be the person sharing the cabin with MC. Give MC and Maya a chance to bond as the "newbies" and become friends during the first day, and you immediately have a good reason as to why the MC would be invited into the Soul Riders' group.

Maybe the next day, after having a strange dream, Alex comes and visits Maya, and when you approach them to start the day, you overhear snippets of the conversation they didn't really intend for you to hear --- something about Dark Riders following Anne to France, and hopefully she's safe, or that Lisa just got back from tour, but she's not responding to any of Alex or Lisa's texts, asking Maya maybe Lisa's done with all the magic and danger?

Or maybe MC mentions something they see in their dream that Maya recognizes. MC overhears Maya mentioning it to Alex and realizes these two girls know way more than they let on, and later MC follows them to eavesdrop and gets the drop on the two of them + Linda saying some really incriminating stuff about the druids and Aideen, and once they realize MC is there, they finally give an explanation. It would give MC some more agency in the story, too. Instead of being told to "go here with me and you'll be given answers" MC decides to explore the underbelly of this place themselves.

Although. A really cool thing. Would be if you advanced along the main story to get to the druids and they admit to you that Fripp or whoever sensed a huge energy shift and realized someone of huge power had arrived on the island, and you find out that the entire first couple of days on Jorvik all five of them were just doing this huge undercover operation on you to figure out what your deal was. Because if I was a new player and wasn't familiar with SSO's brand of storytelling I would have been so suspicious of them the entire time.

[textsfromalexrider]

[gracies-blorbos]

🎀🍇NAVIGATION POST🍇🎀

Hiii I'm Gracie and this is a blog for my silly little motorsport ocs 🩷 motorsports in question includes F1, F2, F3, maybe F4, Fe, FRECA, WEC, WRC, WRC2, MotoGP, Moto1, Moto2, Moto3.

It's mostly gonna be reblogs and maybe occasional text posts from myself.

All of the posts are from my au (Gracie's au), basically it's pretty much the same, but some drivers are replaced by my ocs and no wags (my blorbos are the wags hehe) (absolutely no hate to any of the irl drivers or wags🩷)

I also have an 18+ blog for oc stuff, it's @graciesfuckedupplace

Now for the blorbos:

Template: Name(s) Last name(s) (Nationality, Occupation, partner if there's one, other family if theres some, DOB)

🍇

• Lucielle Livia Bernardes Vasconcelos (🇧🇷, Olympic archer, girlfriend of Felipe Drugovich, 2001-10-12)

• Daniela "Dani" Jay Ross Hamilton (🇬🇧, Olympic rock climber and kickboxer, wife of Lewis Hamilton, 1986-08-17)

• Milda Kristina Þorfinnsdótter (🇮🇸, F2 Campos driver, girlfriend of Pepe Martí, 2005-05-16)

• Floris Timo Von Stroheim Hülkenberg (🇦🇹, karting driver, son of Nico Hülkenberg and Emil Von Stroheim, brother of Rafaela VonStroheimHülkenberg, 2015-15-05)

• Ke'ala Lilia Lailani (🇺🇸, Olympic surfer, girlfriend of Tina Hausmann, 2006-05-16)

• Rafaela "Rafa" Nicole Von Stroheim Hülkenberg (🇦🇹, karting driver, daughter of Nico Hülkenberg and Emil Von Stroheim, sister of Floris Von Stroheim Hülkenberg, 2018-02-21)

• Winter Ocean Rush (🇺🇸, model, girlfriend of Victor Martins, 1999-04-07)

• Luke James Hunt (🇬🇧, F2 Van Amersfoort driver, boyfriend of Eliza Chavez Jones, grandson of Felicity and James Hunt, 2006-07-07)

• Sabina Maria Eliza Lonska (🇵🇱, MotoGP Ducati Lenovo rider, girlfriend of Marc Marquez, 1994-06-25)

• Alexander "Sasha" Radko Vranchev Iliev (🇧🇬, WEC BMW driver, single, 1998-11-05)

• Ceyda Narin Demir (🇹🇷, archeology student, girlfriend of Arthur Leclerc, 2001-07-15)

• Mercedes Amina La Placa (🇸🇲, F2 Trident driver, girlfriend of Dennis Hauger, 2004-07-31)

• Lauri Matti Räikkönen (🇫🇮, karting driver, son of Fabiane and Kimi Räikkönen, twin brother of Robin Räikkönen, 2015-01-27)

• Erin Amanda Easton (🇨🇦, F2 Hitech driver, girlfriend of Jak Crawford, 2005-04-18)

• Liekki Herrta Läverot Vettel(🇫🇮, WEC Ferrari driver, wife of Sebastian Vettel, mother of Syngrid Vetter, 1986-10-09)

• Victoria Juana Alonso Herrera (🇪🇦, WRC Toyota Gazoo driver, daughter of Fernando and Gabriella Alonso, daughter of Estrella Alonso, 2015-08-21)

• Chavela Marcela Fanucci Ríos (🇦🇷, F3 MP Motorsport driver, girlfriend of Jack Doohan, 2003-11-01)

• Alina Orlova Sokolov (🇷🇺, Kawasaki motocross rider, girlfriend of Guanyu Zhou, 1999-12-13)

• Fabiane Lina Schumacher Räikkönen (🇩🇪, F1 Aston Martin test driver, wife of Kimi Räikkönen, mother of Lauri Räikkönen, sister of Michael Schumacher, 1976-11-24)

• Eli Petra Naas Rossi (🇳🇴, retired F1 Mercedes driver, wife of Valentino Rossi, 1981-09-12)

• Berta Julieta Garcia Ruiz (🇪🇦, F1 McLaren mechanic, girlfriend of Jacque Laricox, 1999-11-08)

• Efrat Anna Pereira (🇮🇱, violin teacher, girlfriend of Pierre Gasly, 1999-03-18)

• Andrea Elio Di Angeles (🇮🇹, F1 Visa CashApp RB driver, boyfriend of Alex Albon, 2000-08-23)

• Syngrid Heike Vettel (🇩🇪, F1 Redbull reserve driver, girlfriend of Mick Schumacher, daughter of Liekki and Sebastian Vettel, 2003-06-30)

• Marinho Lucas de Sa Silva (🇵🇹, retired F1 Ferrari driver, boyfriend of Nico Rosberg, 1985-09-10)

• Tokasa Natalina Gavidi (🇫🇯, F1 Visa CashApp RB reserve driver, single, 2002-12-22)

• Mikaela Katarina Lindelöf Lauda (🇸🇪, retired F1 McLaren driver, wife of Niki Lauda, grandmother of Ottilia Lindelöf Lauda, 1949-12-05 - 2019-05-30)

• Vija Elvira Krievina (🇱🇻, karting driver, girlfriend of Tomass Štolcermanis, 2007-11-18)

• Helle Lisbeth Jøsenberg (🇩🇰, WRC Škoda driver, girlfriend of Ollie Bearman, 2005-05-05)

• Willhellmina "Billie" Thea Hülkenberg (🇩🇪, F1 Haas race engineer, girlfriend of Esteban Ocon, cousin of Nico Hülkenberg, 1998-01-07)

• Gabriella Monica Herrera Alonso (🇪🇦, WRC Škoda driver, wife of Fernando Alonso, mother of Estrella and Victoria Alonso, 1981-07-19)

• Gloria Sally Wolff (🇦🇹, F1 academy PREMA driver, girlfriend of Doriane Pin, 2006-03-13)

• Kriti Alexis Sarkella (🇬🇷, F3 Trident driver, girlfriend of Nikola Tsolov, 2006-05-27)

• Valeria Inna Yakovna (🇷🇺, Olympic figure skater, girlfriend of Pecco Bagnaia, 1998-01-18)

• Marcelle Lisette Jeanne Marie Leclerc (🇲🇨, F1 academy Rodin driver, girlfriend of Bianca Bustamante, sister of Charles, Arthur and Lorenzo Leclerc, 2004-10-19)

• Larysa Natalia Shevchenka (🇺🇦, F1 Ferrari strategist, single, 1998-02-28)

• Valencia Yvette Chavanne (🇨🇵, F1 Mercedes driver, girlfriend of Désirée Favre, 1999-09-07)

• Tae Sho Yoon (🇰🇷, full time Twitch streamer, girlfriend of Lance Stroll, 2002-07-19)

• Sulani Komal Khatra Ricciardo (🇮🇳, sports paramedic, wife of Daniel Ricciardo, mother of Pari Ricciardo, 1988-04-22)

• Shelby Gracie-Lynn Campbell (🇺🇸, F2 Dams Lucas Oil driver, girlfriend of Kimi Antonelli, 2006-05-13)

• Aurelié Sylviane Bianchi (🇨🇵, horse riding instructor, wife of Jules Bianchi, 1989-06-16)

• Estela Eduarda Pérez Mendoza (🇲🇽, F1 Redbull reserve driver, girlfriend of Carlos Sainz, sister of Checo Pérez, 1994-10-25)

• Emilian "Emil" Robert Von Stroheim Hülkenberg (🇦🇹, F1 Haas driver, husband of Nico Hülkenberg, father of Floris and Rafaela Von Stroheim Hülkenberg, 1995-09-30)

• Lėja Marija Dumbliauskaitė (🇱🇹, Olympic equestrian, girlfriend of Paul Aron, 2005-04-11)

• Désirée Amanda Favre (🇫🇷, F1 Mercedes race engineer, girlfriend of Valencia Chavanne, 2000-10-30)

• Flavia Olimpia Stefanescu (🇷🇴, model, girlfriend of Kevin Magnussen, 1999-04-08)

• Ekaterina Vaska Juravisch Grosjean (🇲🇰, F1 Haas race engineer, wife of Romain Grosjean, 1990-03-15)

• Annika Tuva Söderholm (🇸🇪, Olympic figure skater, girlfriend of Dino Beganovic, 2004-09-26)

• Aoefe Lana O'Rilley (🇮🇪, PREMA intern, girlfriend of Gabriele Mini, 2005-08-30)

• Felicity Heart Conner Hunt (🇬🇧, street musician, wife of James Hunt, grandmother of Luke Hunt, 1951-05-25)

• Edda Pascale Frey (🇨🇭, F2 PREMA driver, girlfriend of Franco Colapinto, 2004-03-26)

• Rosaria "Rosa" Sara Sophia Prasci Montes (🇸🇻, actress, girlfriend of Pato O'Ward, 1999-12-02)

• Ottilia Nikola Lindelöf Lauda (🇸🇪, F2 PREMA driver, granddaughter of Niki and Mikaela Lindelöf Lauda, 2007-02-22)

• Eloa Manoela Senna da Silva Schumacher (🇧🇷, redired WEC Ferrari driver, wife of Michael Schumacher, mother of Gina and Mick Schumacher, 1969-03-11)

• Iori Rai (🇯🇵, ARRC rider, girlfriend of Yuki Tsunoda, 2000-03-21)

• Verusya Irina Vinogradova (🇷🇺, F1 Kick Sauber mechanics intern, girlfriend of Zane Maloney, 2004-12-10)

• Evelyn Layla Russell (🇬🇧, F3 AIX driver, girlfriend of Sebastian Montoya, sister of George Russell, 2006-04-26)

• Emmanuela Lia Saenz Céspedes (🇲🇽, MotoGP interviewer, girlfriend of Enea Bastianini, 1998-02-03)

• Elodie Delilah Gardner (🇬🇧, fashion design student, girlfriend of Lando Norris, 2001-05-03)

• Arlette Larisaa Klein Häkkinen (🇩🇪, F1 McLaren head of race engineering, wife of Mika Häkkinen, 1971-08-28)

• Vera Patricia Rosa Barreto Senna (🇧🇷, retired McLaren performance engineer, wife of Ayrton Senna, 1960-07-25)

• Estrella Fernanda Alonso Herrera (🇪🇦, F2 Invicta driver, daughter of Fernando and Gabriella Alonso, sister of Victoria Alonso, 2007-12-12)

• Karla Sanja Železnjak (🇭🇷, MotoGP Gresini rider, girlfriend of Kalle Rovanperä, 2000-07-27)

• Erika Amelia Rose Newman (🇬🇧, full time Twitch streamer, girlfriend of George Russell, 1998-12-30)

• Nelleke "Nelly" Lotte Salvera (🇳🇱, Formula e Maserati driver, girlfriend of Nyck De Vries, 1995-04-12)

• Oriana Aida Castro (🇮🇹, Ferrari intern, girlfriend of Maya Weug, 2005-02-17)

• Eleanor "Ellie" Ophelia Williams (🇬🇧, F1 Williams race engineer, girlfriend of Logan Sargeant, 1998-01-23)

• Karolina Olga Plushenka (🇷🇺, Olympic figure skater, girlfriend of Luca Marini, 1997-09-28)

• Freya Shila Wagriwa Giovinazzi (🇺🇲, NASCAR Chaverolet driver, wife of Antonio Giovinazzi, 1994-01-23)

• Emmilie Annette Allaire (🇫🇷, architecture student, girlfriend of Alex Powell, 2007-07-17)

• Kertu Laura Kotka (🇪🇪, trapeze circus artist, girlfriend of Ralf Aron, 1998-05-08)

• Vu Mai Hao (🇻🇳, professional golf player, girlfriend of Arvid Lindblad, 2007-02-08)

• Rene Libia Montoya Freydell (🇨🇴, F3 Campos driver, girlfriend of Luke Browning, sister of Sebastian Motoya, 2003-03-29)

• Caitlin Ruth McLaren (🇳🇿, medical student, girlfriend of Zak O'Sullivan, 2005-01-20)

• Marcia Gabriella Alvez Cattuzo (🇧🇷, F1 Mercedes race engineer, girlfriend of Fred Vesti, 2002-12-08)

• Marlena Cecília Escoda (🇦🇩, neuroscience student, girlfriend of Lorenzo Fluxá, 2005-03-09)

• Tanja Stefana Vukašinovic (🇷🇸, F1  academy MP Motorsport driver, girlfriend of Enzo Fittipaldi, 2001-02-23)

• Yentl Hella Reinherz (🇮🇱, MotoGP Redbull KTM rider, girlfriend of Robert Shwartzman, 1998-06-20)

• Fleur Margo Glorieux (🇧🇪, journalism student, girlfriend of Juan Manuel Correa, 1999-07-08)

• Anna Fanya Borushko (🇧🇾, theater academy student, girlfriend of Oliver Caldwell, 2002-10-21)

• Ximena Luana De La Torre Carballo (🇻🇪, photography student, girlfriend of Rafael Câmara, 2005-10-29)

• Riccarda "Ricca" Mirella Mara Grasso (🇮🇹, Formula 1 journalist, girlfriend of Gilles Villeneuve, 1951-05-08)

• Christa Fiora Stier (🇩🇪, professional football player, girlfriend of Kean Nakamura, 2006-02-07)

• Ginette Marie-Claire Massè Button (🇲🇨, F1 Redbull aerodynamicist, wife of Jenson Button, 1987-03-30)

• Muna al Sami (🇦🇪, F3 PREMA driver, girlfriend of Dion Gowda, 2007-07-10)

• Pari Ashima Ricciardo (🇮🇳, karting driver, daughter of Sulani and Daniel Ricciardo, 2009-01-26)

• Lotje Madelien Verstappen (🇳🇱, F1 Ferrari race engineer, girlfriend of Sally Linderwood, 1986-08-12)

• Farida Marina Orazova (🇰🇿, photographer, girlfriend of Alex Marquez, 1998-10-17)

• Sinera Rinime Kolonja (🇦🇱, F3 Rodin driver, girlfriend of David Almansa, 2006-05-30)

• Lavinia Leontina Fausto (🇮🇹, Moto3 CFMOTO Aspar rider, girlfriend of David Alonso, 2006-01-15)

• Annamarije Elis Fockens (🇳🇱, F1 academy Rodin race engineer, single, 1986-12-17)

• Aistis Marijus Mackevičius (🇱🇹, F1 McLaren driver, husband of Freina Mackevičienė, father of Aivaras and Živilė Mackevičiai, 1997-09-03)

• Aleksandra Jaana Oiva (🇫🇮, F3 MP Motorsport driver, girlfriend of David Malukas, 2003-08-25)

• Esteri Helli Sillanpä (🇫🇮, photography student, girlfriend of Jesse Love, 2005-10-01)

• Olivia Hera Miller (🇬🇧, F3 Van Amersfoort race engineer, single, 1997-07-18)

• Francesca Lonza San Filippo (🇲🇹, F2 Art GP strategist, girlfriend of Kaeya Wills, 2001-08-15)

• Grace Indie Forde (🇮🇪, F2 Invicta race engineer, girlfriend of Alex Rins, 1996-03-06)

• André Fontez de Freites (🇵🇹, F1 Aston Martin team principal, single, 1982-04-16)

• Leo Faustas Enea Bitė (🇮🇹, F2 Invicta driver, single, 2005-12-16)

• Lili Veronika Váradi Novák (🇭🇺, model, girlfriend of Marco Bezzecchi, 1998-04-14)

• Michalina Roksana Odziemkowska (🇵🇱, kindergarten teacher's assistant, girlfriend of Celestino Vietti, 2002-01-20)

• Livia Carina Lorena Castillho De Salles (🇧🇷, culinary student, girlfriend of Gabriel Bortoleto, 2004-04-20)

• Sanija Franciska Marija Bukovec (🇸🇮, model, girlfriend of Luca Lunetta, 2003-09-13)

Estienne Jean-Pierre Delcroix (🇫🇷, F1 Alpine mechanic, single, 1999-08-22)

Juana Angela Castañeda Vega (🇲🇽, model, girlfriend of Max Verstappen, 1999-06-14)

• Fahima Halah Kharim (🇵🇸, professional hockey player, girlfriend of Ugo Ugochukwu, 2007-09-16)

• Ragnar Ville Viggo Lindelöf (🇸🇪, F1 Redbull driver, single, 2007-05-30)

• Pascale Cynthia Veber Hunt (🇱🇺, journalist, wife of Freddie Hunt, 1987-05-22)

• Eden Evangelinne Lehmann (🇨🇦, meteorology student, girlfriend of Sami Pajari, 2003-04-27)

• Teodora Nicoletta Di Cellette (🇮🇹, true crime youtuber, girlfriend of Nicholas Latifi, 1997-10-19)

• Greta Haldis Helgeland Mälkönen (🇳🇴, tattoo artist, wife of Enni Mälkönen, 1992-02-01)

• Oksana Vasylivna Semenko (🇺🇦, model, girlfriend of Jorge Martin, 2000-12-05)

• Sima Alise Aramyan (🇦🇲, IndyCar McLaren driver, girlfriend of Callum Ilott, 1998-04-28)

• Jesca Ella Källström (🇸🇪, law student, girlfriend of Oliver Solberg, 2001-06-30)

• Novella Floriana Ferrari Di Gran (🇮🇹, F1 Ferrari engineer, girlfriend of Lorenzo Leclerc, 1998-09-22)

• Tallulah Vienna Evergreen (🇬🇧, english literature student, girlfriend of Isack Hadjar, 2005-11-24)

• Heidi Irene Ginerva Notz Webber(🇨🇭, F1 Williams strategist, wife of Mark Webber, 1987-03-11)

• Miguel Blanco Juan Dominguez Carrizo (🇦🇷, pre school education student, boyfriend of Abbi Pulling, 2004-08-28)

• Piera Rosalinda Stella (🇮🇹, F1 McLaren engineering intern, girlfriend of Oscar Piastri, daughter of Andrea Stella, 2001-07-11)

• Antonia Noa Laura Valente Ferreira (🇵🇹, author, girlfriend of Charles Leclerc and Camilla De Santis, 1998-11-26)

• Florence Elise LaRue (🇫🇷, F1 Ferrari media manager, girlfriend of Liam Lawson, 2001-02-11)

• Simonne Joelle Aude De La Croix (🇫🇷, singer, girlfriend of Fabio Quartararo, 1999-02-04)

• Adelina Riikka Köskinen (🇫🇮, MotoGP Yamaha rider, girfriend of Valtter Bottas, 1992-03-19)

• Camilla Riva Cecilia De Santis (🇮🇹, psychologist, girlfriend of Charles Leclerc and Antonia Valentes, 1996-11-30)

• Salvatrice Marigold Flores (🇺🇾, Formula 1 Redbull performance engineer, girlfriend of Checo Pérez, 1992-11-23)

• Fernanda Carmen Messi (🇦🇷, professional football player, girlfriend of Franco Colapinto, daughter of Lionel Messi, 2004-01-24)

• Lina Samira Farouk (🇪🇬, high school student, girlfriend of Rashid Al Dhaheri, 2008-04-22)

• Isla Red Harrington (🇦🇺, photography student, girlfriend of Christian Mansell, 2004-11-18)

• Amélie Raymonde Dupont (🇫🇷, literature student, girlfriend of Lauren Van Hoepen, 2006-03-15)

• Valentina Vera Elisea Bellini (🇮🇹, graphic design student, girlfriend of Alessandro Giusti, 2005-07-04)

• Sofia Hana Kovač (🇭🇷, professional track athlete, girlfriend of Evan Giltaire, 2006-08-22)

• Elena Lydia Novikova (🇷🇺, biomedical engineering student, girlfriend of Yaroslav Vaselaho, 2005-12-05)

• Leona Maya Nellie Johansson (🇸🇪, marine biology student, girlfriend of Lia Block, 2006-01-29)

• Elin Anni Larsson (🇩🇰, professional handball player, girlfriend of Ritomo Miyata, 2000-03-11)

• Natalia Stanisława Kowalsa (🇵🇱, professional ballet dancer, girlfriend of Piotr Wiśnicki, 2003-10-03)

• Ava Frankie Harris (🇳🇿, competitive sailor, girlfriend of Louis Sharp, 2007-07-22)

• Isabella Paloma Martinez Castrillon (🇪🇸, contemporary dancer, girlfriend of Olive Goethe, 2004-11-14)

• Clara Lucka Novak (🇨🇿, ballroom dancer, girlfriend of Alex Dunne, 2005-03-03)

• Luna Amaia Serrano Fuster o Fúste (🇪🇸, Formula 3 MP data analyst, girlfriend of Mari Boya, 2004-10-12)

• Claire Thalia Rikke Müller (🇩🇪, motorsport photographer, girlfriend of Carrie Schreiner, 2002-06-08)

• Maddison Angel Brooks (🇺🇸, mechanical engineering student, girlfriend of Chloe Chambers, 2004-08-14)

• Karoline Stine Magnussen (🇩🇰, automotive engineering student, girlfriend of Jüri Vips, cousin of Kevin Magnussen, 2001-04-03)

• Blair Scarlet Buchanan (🇬🇧, industrial designer, girlfriend of Marcus Armstrong, 2000-06-16)

• Pia Cecilie Nørgaard (🇩🇰, freelance writer, girlfriend of Christian Lundgaard, 2001-06-03)

• Maarja Kairi Tamm (🇪🇪, aerial silks performer, girlfriend of Marino Sato, 2000-10-09)

• Briar Eimear O'Malley (🇮🇪, full time Twitch streamer, girlfriend of Roman Stanĕk, 2005-11-02)

• Matilda Lauren Harrington (🇬🇧, history student, girlfriend of John Bennett, 2004-03-14)

• Aniežka Gita Horakova (🇨🇿, Formula 3 MP driver, girlfriend of Max Esterson, 2004-05-18)

• Lyra Danica Vaskova (🇸🇰, high school student, girlfriend of Max Karhan, 2007-02-17)

• Tsiuri Eliso Andronikashvili (🇬🇪, psychic medium, girlfriend of Théo Pourchaire, 2003-10-31)

• Ma Yun Ji (🇰🇷, geography teacher, girlfriend of Jamie Chadwick, 2000-11-30)

[justforbooks]

How to read 225 books in a year ?

A self-confessed bookaholic who read 225 books last year shares tips on how to increase your reading capacity

In 2023, I read 225 books or over 80,000 pages, depending on your preferred metric. Rather than being surprising, this is just the culmination of my interest in reading.

Like any skill, I’ve worked on it—whether that’s making sure I can access books, looking at when, how and what I read, or considering how I can best reflect on what I have (or haven’t) enjoyed.

It's often noted that reading and collecting books are two different hobbies—and buying books can get expensive. Charity shops are one solution, especially if you aren’t looking for recent releases.

The emergence of online charity marketplaces makes it even easier to find books when you’re looking for something specific. If you’re struggling for space, why not return books to charity shops after you’ve read them?

Libraries are also a great resource. However, it can be tough to find time to visit and the pandemic has often shortened their opening hours. There’s a simple solution. Many libraries now have online offerings, from e-books to audiobooks to magazines, all accessible via apps like Libby. All you need is your library card.

You can even request books and they’ll be automatically downloaded to your device when ready. It’s a great way to support libraries and authors (they still receive a payment when books are borrowed) while saving space and limiting your spending.

This does tie your reading ability to your phone’s charge and could increase your screen time. But it’s also a great way to associate reading with something you already use, alongside providing free access to books. The library system also encourages immediate reading rather than an endless “to be read” list—if you don’t use it, you lose it.

Once you’ve got your books, the next step is reading them. That’s not as easy as it sounds, as anyone with shelves of pristine, unread books can testify.

Building a new habit into your daily routine can be tough. James Clear’s method of habit stacking is a good solution. Just as reading on a phone or tablet associates reading with a device you already use, habit stacking involves using activities you already do to build reading into your daily routine. For example, brushing my teeth prompts me to read before bed. This causes a new habit to emerge and it’s relatively easy to keep this up.

Often, though, it’s not simply a matter of practicality. It’s easy to feel we aren’t reading “properly” and this can arouse complex feelings.

To someone still traumatised by secondary school English, the world may seem to be full of dull classics. While there’ll probably be a piece of canonical literature for everybody, there’s no benefit in forcing yourself through a book you hate. Instead, find something you think you’ll enjoy and then look to expand your horizons.

In recent years, I’ve re-read a children’s book series each summer, ranging from Alex Rider to A Series of Unfortunate Events. Often these remain enjoyable in themselves. They’re also an opportunity to reflect on how my perceptions have changed. The typically disabled villains of Alex Rider, for example, went unnoticed as a child but now I find this pattern troubling. Regardless of its social capital or place in the canon, any book can provide a rewarding and enriching experience—and if you pick something you enjoy, you’re much more likely to finish it.

Non-traditional formats like audiobooks, similarly, often cause worry. It’s not the way we’ve been taught to read—so is it “real reading”?

There are some clear advantages. The slower pace allows more time to digest information. This is particularly relevant for non-fiction (where it can be tempting to skim pages of facts). Audiobooks can also make texts more accessible, particularly for those with busy schedules or who struggle with the act of reading.

They can also be more impactful. My experience of David Olusoga’s Black and British was so powerful because of Olusoga’s narration, adding another layer of emotion to his unflinching and vivid history of Britain’s troubled past. Audiobooks provide another tool for readers, allowing them to alter their approach to a book.

If a 2024 resolution is to read more, keeping track of your progress can be a source of encouragement and motivation, reminding you how far you’ve come. I also love seeing what I tend to read rather than imagine myself reading— I never realised how much I skewed towards modern literature.

GoodReads is the most established tracker with the largest community while newcomer The StoryGraph offers beautiful graphs of monthly and yearly reading. Analogue trackers like reading journals are also an alternative if you want to get offline. A middle ground is Excel trackers; they also tend to be more customisable as you choose the data you’d like to analyse but do require more upkeep.

However, tracking can also be being detrimental; like all social media, there’s a tendency towards unhealthy comparison. If it aids your focus on reading experience, then go for it. But, if it causes disruption, there’s no shame in not tracking your reading and considering more holistic measures of enjoyment.

Ultimately, that’s all there is to trying to read more. It’s easy to over-theorise whether reading after making your morning coffee or your evening tea will best optimise your reading journey. Read what feels natural—whether that’s comforting, challenging, both or neither—in a way that feels right. The important thing is simply to start and go from there.

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[povlnfour]

ੈ✩‧₊˚ PADDOCK TO PADDOCK (LN) PART 3

series masterlist | prev part | next part

lando norris x fem!horse rider!reader

yourusername just posted a photo ੈ✩‧₊˚

liked by landonorris, flo_norris_showjumping and 210,331 others

yourusername i CANNOT BELIEVE i am writing this post😭 so so so insanely excited to announce that mr. bean and i have qualified for paris 2024!!!!! we have an insane year of training ahead of us, but i could not be happier. thank you to every single person who made this possible. i’m gonna go cry now. maybe get drunk. WE ARE OLYMPIANS BABY‼️

view all 47,029 comments

user6 OH MY GODDDD Y/N CONGRATULATIONS

user3 omg i’m officially an olympian stan

flo_norris_showjumping AHHHHH y/n congrats!!! knew you could do it from the first time i met you🫶

yourusername i miss you crazy girl, let’s meet soon!

flo_norris_showjumping @/yourusername i’m sure you’ll be at family dinners soon enough🤪

lilymhe ALEX AND I JUST BURST INTO TEARS THATS OUR BABY!!!!!

user1 omg mr. bean is a living legend

charles_leclerc congratulations, friend!

user5 CHARLESSSS🥹

yourusername thank you charles!❤️

user8 i love how y/n changes the colour of her hearts based on the drivers’ team😭

landonorris guess i’ll meet him now he’s an olympian🙄 congrats though, y/n/n🧡

yourusername posted stories ੈ✩‧₊˚

twitter reacts ੈ✩‧₊˚

landonorris posted stories ੈ✩‧₊˚

f1updates just posted a photo ੈ✩‧₊˚

f1updates lando norris and y/n y/l/n snapped cosying up on holiday to celebrate y/n’s olympic qualification👀 the duo were joined by alex albon and lily he as they played around in the water. couples holiday, perhaps?

view all 104 comments

user7 please just let them figure this out on their own terms

user1 oh guys we’ve lost him. he’s whipped

user3 HIS HANDS ON HER KNEES!!! WHEN WILL THAT BE ME

user4 no fr that photo SCREAMS couple👀

landonorris just posted a photo ੈ✩‧₊˚

liked by yourusername, oscarpiastri and 218,119 others

landonorris back to work and another p2 baby!!!!

👤 tagged alex_albon

view all 12,303 comments

user3 so proud of you🥹

lilymhe mom and dad? @/yourusername

yourusername a plot twist i didn’t see coming…

user1 soooo mr. norris are we gonna talk abt those photos

yourusername was gonna call u cute then saw what u texted me🙄

user5 expose him queen

landonorris i take it back pls give me praise

yourusername @/landonorris fine🙄 ur cute ig

landonorris @/yourusername 🥰🥰🥰

mclaren posted a photo ੈ✩‧₊˚

liked by yourusername, oscarpiastri and 90,461 others

mclaren belgium race weekend! who’s excited?🧡

view all 1,006 comments

user11 LETS GO AGAIN‼️

yourusername ME ME ME IM EXCITED MCLAREN!!!!

liked by landonorris

mclaren we 🧡 you!

user3 she’s such a fangirl this is not what i had on my 2023 bingo card😭

f1updates posted a photo ੈ✩‧₊˚

f1updates lando norris’ rumoured girlfriend y/n y/l/n seen leaving the belgian grand prix EARLY. sources say she seemed tense all morning, and left the mclaren area for williams mid way through the practice sessions yesterday👀

view all 270 comments

user9 finally😍

user1 ur awful. get a life?

user3 no but she was so excited :( why would she leave early?

user7 f1updates get out of everyone’s business challenge

user1 she looks tired :/

user4 read a source that said she and lando were seen having a ‘heated conversation’ earlier :(

yourusername posted a story ੈ✩‧₊˚

a/n: that’s it for part 3!!! cute holiday and then boom. angst???? gonna have to come back to find out what happens👀

get added to the taglist here

- giselle xx

[hotmessmaxpress]

Rosquez Horror Au, Part 2

When the notification goes out it is met with groans and disappointment. 

Today’s sessions have been postponed indefinitely due to the rapid onset and opening of a Cavity. Expect more updates as the situation develops. Watch Your Step, Walk Carefully, and Stay Safe.

A safety alert goes out in the local area a few moments later, pinging into all cell phones. Some fans begin leaving the stands, while others wrap themselves in blankets and stay put.

Marc sighs, leaning back for a moment and staring at the ceiling of the garage. Conversation develops around him, debating whether it’s best to stay put or go back to the hotel. Frankie gets notification that the radius of the Anomaly isn’t that large, so some of the staff start to filter out and evacuate with the promise that they’ll stay tuned for a guidance to return. 

Michele offers for Marc and Alex to go with the staff back to their hotel, but Marc shakes his head. 

“I’ll go back to the trailer.”

Frankie seems apprehensive at that, but shrugs.

“Keep your eyes and ears open. We can’t have you going Misplaced.”

Marc grins. 

“What would you do without me?”

“We don’t want to find out,” Michele offers, before making his way out of the garage quickly. Alex follows, but not before reminding Marc to keep his eyes peeled and stay in contact. 

The paddock is rapidly clearing out. Cavities aren’t something that always calls for an evacuation, especially if it’s only one, but some people prefer to keep it safe rather than sorry. 

Marc tries to grapple with the disappointment of having the race postponed. It’s hard to get pulled abruptly out of his racing mindset and then return to it later in the day. He finds himself for a moment hoping they’ll cancel the race, but shakes the thought from his head. They’ll only cancel the race if it becomes a security threat; right now they’re just playing it safe. After all, having a rider speed through a Cavity and disappear wouldn’t be ideal. 

Marc heads out of the garage and heads toward his motorhome. He considers texting Vale to ask him what he’s doing, but he’s apprehensive. Since they’ve rekindled this thing between them, Marc has been trying to keep a careful distance from the older man; to play it cool. 

It’s not working. Marc has always been entirely too obsessed with Vale for his own good, and now that he is allowed to talk to Vale again it’s all he wants to do. He wants to talk to him about everything all the time. 

Still, he doesn’t want Vale to become annoyed by him. Vale himself even said that he is still working through his anger. Marc worries that the more he bothers Vale the more likely he is to inadvertently reignite the man’s anger. Marc would never forgive himself if he ruined his second chance with Vale demanding too much time and attention. 

Marc is nearing his motorhome when his phone vibrates. As he takes it out of his pocket, he hears a whooshing sound, loud in the air like when the jets do flyovers before races. It’s followed by a boom, loud enough to rattle the metal stairs of the motorhome closest to him. 

He steps forward and looks to his right, where he can see through a gap out into an open area between garages and motorhomes. 

A Cavity has opened, and Marc gasps as he sees a woman in Pramac purple scramble away from it. Time feels like it slows as he watches her get up to try and run. He knows without a  doubt that she’s too close, and it’s too big, but he holds his breath.

Long black arms stretch from the Cavity, shooting through the air like ropes. A hand wraps around her ankle, and another around her neck. Another wraps around her waist, holding her in place as she tries to scream and fight. She kicks and flails but they’re holding her too tightly, and the hand around her neck tightens. Marc sees her eyes bulge as it cuts off her oxygen. 

The arms drag her backward before Marc can suck in another breath. 

He backs away slowly, hoping that this one is sated for now. The edges of the black hole quiver and shake, flickering like a candle, and then it seems to suck all sound out of the area as it collapses in on itself and disappears with a hiss. Marc stands silently for a few long moments, feeling as if his lungs aren’t drawing in enough oxygen. He feels like one of the arms is wrapped around his chest, though he knows it isn’t. 

He says a quick prayer for the Pramac woman, casting his eyes upward. 

“Marc!” a voice hisses. 

Marc violently startles, jerking backward. He turns toward the voice to find Vale, huffing as if he’s been running. 

“They’re getting worse,” Vale says flatly. “We need to leave.”

Marc isn’t going to argue. He follows Vale, who leads him between motor homes toward the parking. 

“Did you see-” Marc starts, brain now trying to process what he saw happen to the Pramac woman. 

Vale turns to glance at him, concern flitting across his face, and Marc loses the words he was trying to say. He doesn’t think he can speak about what he just saw without taking time to process it, and time is something that isn’t on their side right now. He takes Vale’s hand instead, and Vale squeezes it as he tugs Marc along. 

They’re near the gate when a loud crack pierces the air. Marc lets go of Vale’s hand, stumbling as the earth around them seems to rock and shake. 

He falls, landing on his backside and looking up at Valentino. Vale steps toward him, but retreats as the earth between them splits and widens, opening into a chasm deep down into the earth. It shimmers and fills with darkness.

“Run!” Vale yells, as the crack in the earth between them widens further. Arms reach up from the depths of the Cavity, reaching for them. 

Marc drags himself to his feet, scratching his knees and palms in the process. Vale runs toward the parking, and Marc runs in the opposite direction, deeper into the paddock. 

He weaves between motorhomes until he can’t breathe anymore, and he finally slows down enough to turn and check behind him. He can’t see the hands reaching for him, but he hears a scream. The blood pounds in his ears as he prays that it wasn’t Vale; wasn’t someone he loves. 

A siren sounds across the paddock, finally announcing that the situation has gotten out of hand. Marc’s heart sinks. If they’re sounding the sirens it means an evacuation; the situation is going to get worse, not better. The disembodied voice of the emergency announcement system echoes across the landscape. 

“Attention all drivers, staff, and guests. Cavities are opening at random across the area. These Cavities present an immediate threat to health and safety. Local law enforcement and the Anomaly Bureau have issued an immediate evacuation order. Please proceed cautiously to the nearest exit and move as far away as you are able. Watch Your Step, Walk Carefully, and Stay Safe. Repeat. Attention all drivers, staff, and guests. Cavities are opening at random across the area. These Cavities present an immediate threat to health and safety. Local law enforcement and the Anomaly Bureau have issued an immediate evacuation order. Please proceed cautiously to the nearest exit and move as far away as you are able. Watch Your Step, Walk Carefully, and Stay Safe. May Mercy be with you all.”

“Fuck,” Marc says aloud, taking off again. 

He hears another boom, somewhere off in the direction of the track, and then another, far behind him. It’s not a good sign that they’re opening so quickly. He has a moment of regret for not agreeing to leave with Michele, Alex, and Frankie. 

He needs to find Vale and evacuate. The smart thing to do would be for him to evacuate and then try to meet up with Vale, but as another shout echoes from the track Marc can’t help but want the older man in his sight. 

He finds a corner to hide in, and calls Vale. 

Vale doesn’t pick up the first time, so Marc calls again. The call connects on the first ring this time, and Vale sounds out of breath once again. 

“Where are you?” 

Marc looks around. 

“Ducati hospitality,” he wheezes in response. 

Vale swears loudly on the other end of the phone. Marc hears a boom from the other line and holds his breath as he waits to make sure Vale is safe. 

“I’m coming to you,” Vale huffs. “Don’t move.”

The line drops, and Marc swallows thickly as he hears a crack nearby. He sees around the corner as a crack appears in a nearby building, hands stretching out blindly. Marc drops to the ground, squeezing himself under a metal box attached to the side of the red hospitality building. 

He knows the Cavities don’t see; he could be perfectly hidden and they’d still find him if they wanted him, but hiding feels like the right thing to do. It feels slightly safer to make himself small like this. 

It reminds him of playing hide and seek with Alex when they were little, wedging himself into tight spaces and making it impossible for anyone to find him. He tucks his face against his knees, and squeezes them as he hears a blood-curdling scream from nearby. His heartbeat pounds in his chest. 

He thinks of the Pramac woman and wonders where she is. Being Misplaced can mean a lot of things; he wonders if her family will ever see her again, and if they do, will she be the same as she was before?

Alex had a friend named Manuel when they were growing up who carried his dog everywhere. Marc remember’s scratching its scruffy face as he watched his baby brother race. He doesn’t know when it happened, but he remembers one weekend Manuel showed up without the dog. 

“Where is he?” Marc had asked innocently. 

Manuel made a face that Marc hadn’t been able to recognize at the time; grief. He pretended as if he hadn’t heard Marc, and when Marc opened his mouth to ask again, Alex took his hand and gripped it so tight that it hurt. Marc jerked his arm away, but was silent at the serious look on his normally joyful baby brother’s face. 

He waited patiently until Manuel was gone, then asked Alex. 

“It was Misplaced,” Alex says uncomfortably. “And it came back–”

“That’s good!” Marc interrupts. Alex shakes his head.

“When it came back it was… different. It watched Manuel sleep and it never slept. It bit people and killed birds. He said that its eyes were different, and its teeth were longer. They, um, they had to get rid of it.”

Marc hopes the Pramac woman comes home like normal. 

He hears the quiet rumble of an engine, and when he looks up he sees Vale’s shoes. He drags himself up from his position to see Vale on a scooter, looking haggard. 

“Let’s go,” Vale says. Marc is only barely seated when Vale is off, pushing it to the very limits of its speed. Marc grips his waist, trusting Vale to get them out safely. He tucks his face against Vale’s back, trying not to listen to the cracks and booms they pass by. He tries to think of anything other than the screams of the Pramac woman and the scruffy face of Manuel’s dog all those years ago. 

He must have talked himself into some sort of trance, because the next thing he knows he and Vale are on the highway, passing through police evacuation checkpoints. Marc feels like his ears are stuffed with cotton, and he doesn’t let go of Vale even as the police look at him in concern. Whatever Vale tells them satisfies them, and then they’re off again. 

When they reach the hotel, Marc has difficulty standing off the scooter. His eyes are dry from the speed they rode here at, and his face feels dirty. His hands are shaking desperately. 

“We are okay,” Vale says gently. “We are out of the radius.”

“The Pramac woman,” Marc says, nonsensically. “Will she be okay?”

Vale doesn’t answer, but he tugs Marc against his chest. He wraps an arm tightly around his waist and cups the back of his head with another, holding Marc entirely too tenderly for where they’re standing. 

Eventually he stops shaking so hard and Vale releases him. 

He holds Marc’s face gently in his hands for a moment, and then presses a soft kiss to his lips. 

“We’re okay,” he repeats. 

Marc follows him through the hotel to Vale’s room, taking out his phone in the elevator to check in with Alex and the others. He informs them that he’s at Vale’s hotel, and they’re all happy to know he’s safe. Michele informs him that the race will probably be cancelled altogether due to the volume of Anomalies. 

He stays within arm’s reach of Vale, and if Vale is bothered by it he doesn’t say. He just silently starts the shower for both of them, herding Marc in and then following closely behind. He takes care of Marc, washing his hair and keeping his hands on him. 

Marc still feels stuck in a haze, unable to keep his mind off the Pramac woman. He lets Vale wash him and dry him off, and he slips into one of Vale’s sweatshirts and a pair of his boxers. The sweatshirt is a little more snug on him than it is on Vale, but it’s still comfortable enough for Marc to join Vale in bed. 

Vale is quiet, and Marc wonders what’s running through his head.

“I was so afraid of losing you,” Vale finally says. “I didn’t know what to do.”

Marc is a little shocked by that statement. 

“You got us both out,” he responds. 

Vale is silent for another long moment. 

“I can’t ever lose you again.”

Marc isn’t sure if he’s talking about being separated by the Cavity or by Sepang, but he agrees. He doesn’t ever want to let Vale go.

[paigeswiftsea]

she lives and drops another chapter of the fanfic (:

as always the full story is on ao3

here is chapter 10

wc: 3.7k

The next few days were among the busiest for Blaire. After the Keepers of Aideen abruptly left Valedale to find the rest of the Light Ceremony book, Blaire, Alex, Anne, Lisa, and Linda were left to handle everything on their own. The Keepers' departure was sudden, marked only by a brief "Bye, we’re leaving!" This abrupt farewell left Blaire feeling frustrated and overwhelmed, as it added to their already considerable responsibilities.

Valedale was a place that thrived on harmony and cooperation, and the absence of the Keepers created a noticeable void. Blaire, usually adept at juggling tasks, now found themselves stretched thin. The duties that once felt manageable now seemed like an insurmountable mountain of work. Each day brought a new set of challenges, from maintaining the magical barriers that protected Valedale to ensuring that the village's daily routines continued smoothly.

Despite the flurry of activity, Blaire couldn't shake a lingering sense of frustration. It felt as though all the revelations and progress they'd made—discovering crucial research about the balance of Jorvik and the encounter with Sabine—had regressed. The sudden departure of the Keepers of Aideen had disrupted the momentum, leaving Blaire feeling as if they were starting over from scratch.

However, amidst the chaos, Blaire had an important realization. This challenging period could actually be an opportunity to implement strategies for building a foundation for balance in Jorvik. The absence of the Keepers meant there was room to explore new ideas and take initiative. Blaire began devising plans to strengthen the magical defenses of Valedale, enhance their own magical abilities, and foster better coordination among their friends.

Blaire knew that achieving balance was a long-term goal that required patience and resilience. They started by organizing regular training sessions with Alex, Anne, Lisa, and Linda, focusing on honing their collective skills and understanding of magic. Blaire also reached out to other allies in Jorvik, seeking advice and support in their efforts.

In addition to these practical steps, Blaire took time for self-reflection. They revisited the ancient texts with a fresh perspective, searching for overlooked insights and connections. Through this process, Blaire found a renewed sense of purpose and determination. They understood that setbacks were a natural part of any journey and that true progress often came from navigating through difficult times.

Blaire dismounted Diamond, walking to the table where the other soul riders sat.

The Soul Riders gathered around a rustic wooden table in a cozy corner of Silverglade Village. The village was bustling with activity, but the table felt like a small sanctuary where they could discuss their concerns. The mood was tense as they talked about the Keepers' sudden departure and the responsibilities left on their shoulders.

"Can you believe they just left like that?" Alex said, her voice laced with frustration. "We’re supposed to be fighting against the darkness, and they just up and leave us to deal with everything!"

Anne nodded in agreement. "It’s irresponsible. How are we supposed to maintain the balance without their guidance?"

Blaire, who had been quiet, finally spoke up. "Well, I did have a… conversation with Sabine recently." The room fell silent, and all eyes turned to Blaire.

"You what?" Alex's tone was sharp. "Blaire, you know we can't trust her!"

Blaire held up her hands defensively. "I know, I know. But it wasn’t like that. She invited me to the city for a night out. It was… different. She even opened up a little about her past. But then she just… flipped, told me to leave, and shut down completely."

Anne crossed her arms, clearly irritated. "Why are you even hanging out with her, Blaire? She's dangerous and unpredictable."

Blaire sighed, feeling the weight of their disapproval. "I just thought… I don't know. Maybe there's more to her than we think. And there was this woman I met afterward. It was weird. Like she knew something about me. she said some cryptic words then disappered. like poof!”

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Poof? What do you mean, 'poof'?"

"Yeah," Blaire continued, trying to find the right words. "She was just there, talking to me, and then she was gone. It was like she vanished into thin air. It freaked me out, to be honest."

Anne leaned back in her chair, looking skeptical. "Great, so now we're dealing with mysterious old women who vanish into thin air. Are you sure you're not just getting caught up in all this?"

Linda, however, was intrigued. "What exactly did she say, Blaire? It might be important."

Blaire thought back to the encounter, trying to recall the woman's words. "She talked about balance being delicate and how it’s not just about light defeating darkness. She also said something like, 'Sometimes the greatest battles are fought within, and understanding is the key to true balance.' Then she was just… gone."

Lisa's eyes widened slightly. "That sounds a lot like some of the teachings in the old texts. The idea that balance isn't just about one side winning over the other, but about maintaining harmony. Maybe she was trying to tell you something important."

Alex looked unconvinced. "Or maybe she was just some weird lady who knows how to do magic tricks. We can't afford to get distracted by every mysterious person who crosses our path."

Linda shook her head. "No, I think there's more to it. We've been so focused on fighting the Dark Riders and Dark Core, maybe we're missing a bigger picture. If this woman knew something about the balance, we need to figure out what it is."

The group fell silent, each of them lost in thought. Blaire felt a mix of frustration and determination. She wanted to believe that there was more to Sabine and the balance in Jorvik than just an endless battle between light and dark. But convincing the others, especially Alex and Anne, was going to be a challenge.

“She looked familar too. but i couldn’t quite place it. she had the energy of elizabeth or something.”

“Elizabeth. Like our Elizabeth?” Alex asked

Blaire nodded. “Yes, the same. I know it sounds strange, but something about this woman’s presence reminded me of Elizabeth. It’s like she had a similar aura or wisdom.”

Anne’s eyes narrowed, struggling with the news. “Are you saying that this mysterious woman is somehow connected to Elizabeth?”

Lisa, still processing the information, spoke up. “Elizabeth was such an integral part of our lives. Her loss was monumental. If there’s someone out there with a connection to her, it might be worth investigating.”

Blaire sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. “I just… I don’t even know if I could find her again. She just vanished. It was like she was never there.”

Alex looked thoughtful, then said, “Sometimes, people like that show up when we least expect them. Maybe she’ll reappear when the time is right, or maybe we’ll find some other clue.”

Anne nodded, though her expression was still skeptical. “It’s frustrating, though. It feels like we’re chasing shadows. But if there’s a chance this woman can help us, we should be ready.”

Lisa offered a small smile. “We’ve faced tough odds before. Elizabeth believed in us, and we’ve come this far because of her guidance. We can’t let this slip through our fingers.”

Blaire felt a sense of determination growing within her. “You’re right. We need to stay vigilant. If this woman appears again, I’ll be ready to follow any leads she might offer.”

The group continued chatting, moving to lighter subjects, like their chores and they drinks they had ordered. eventually the converstation slowly steered back to blaire and sabine.

Blaire hesitated for a moment, glancing around the table. She knew this was a sensitive topic, especially given the group's complicated history with Sabine. “I know it sounds crazy, but I just… felt like there was more to her than the whole Dark Rider thing. I thought if I could understand her better, maybe we could find some common ground. So when she offered to take me into the city, I decided to go along.”

Anne frowned, her skepticism clear. “And how did that go?”

Blaire sighed, running a hand through her hair. “It was… interesting. We talked a bit, she showed me around, even let me see some of her personal stuff. For a while, it felt like we were just two people hanging out, not enemies.”

Linda nodded thoughtfully. “And then she turned on you?”

“Yeah,” Blaire replied, frustration lacing her voice. “One moment, we were actually connecting, and the next, she shut down and told me to leave. It was like she couldn’t decide whether to trust me or keep up her walls.”

Lisa leaned forward, her expression curious. “Do you think she’s conflicted? Like, maybe she doesn’t fully believe in what she’s doing with the Dark Riders?”

Blaire shrugged. “I don’t know. But there were moments where she seemed almost… normal. Like she wanted something different. It’s hard to explain.”

Alex crossed her arms, still wary. “Just be careful, Blaire. Sabine’s dangerous, and we can’t afford to take any chances.”

“I know,” Blaire said, meeting Alex’s gaze. “But I can’t help thinking that if there’s even a small chance of reaching her, we should try. We’re all about finding balance, right? Maybe that includes helping Sabine find hers.”

"Maybe she has an evil crush on you and wants to keep you all to herself," Alex said with a grin.

Blaire rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help but smile. "Yeah, right. More like she’s just trying to mess with my head."

Linda's expression turned serious again. "Regardless, we need to be cautious. If Sabine is conflicted, it might make her even more unpredictable."

Lisa nodded in agreement. "We should stay focused on our goal of maintaining balance. If there's a way to reach Sabine, we'll figure it out. But we can't lose sight of what’s at stake."

Anne leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "And in the meantime, we need to keep an eye on Dark Core and the other Dark Riders. They’re not going to stop just because Sabine’s having second thoughts."

"Do you think the others would even know?" Blaire asked, her tone skeptical. "I mean, Sabine’s always been pretty independent. I doubt she shares her personal struggles with the others."

Alex shrugged. "Even if they do know, it’s not like they’d just let her switch sides. They're all in too deep with Dark Core's plans. Sabine could be playing both sides, for all we know."

Blaire frowned, thinking about the complexity of the situation. "It’s hard to tell with her. She’s always been hard to read, but I felt like I was getting through to her. Maybe she’s just… stuck."

Linda nodded thoughtfully. "It’s possible. But we can’t afford to wait around for her to make a decision. We have to stay proactive and protect Jorvik from whatever Dark Core is planning next."

Lisa chimed in, her voice steady. "Right. We should be prepared for anything. And if Sabine decides to help us, we’ll figure out how to handle it. But until then, we have to assume she’s still working with the enemy."

But Blaire wasn't exactly telling the complete truth. Deep down, she knew that if Sabine showed any ounce of good or a desire to help the Soul Riders, she would take that opportunity and run with it. Blaire truly wanted to befriend Sabine, to understand her and see if there was more to her than the dark, antagonistic persona she usually presented.

As the conversation continued, Blaire found herself zoning out, lost in her thoughts. She replayed her recent interactions with Sabine, recalling the moments of vulnerability and the hints of something deeper beneath Sabine's tough exterior. Blaire couldn't shake the feeling that Sabine was struggling with her own identity and choices.

She felt a strange kinship with Sabine, a desire to bridge the gap between them. It was a risky endeavor, one that could easily backfire, but Blaire believed in the possibility of change. She knew the others would be wary, maybe even opposed to the idea, but she couldn't help but hold onto the hope that Sabine could be more than just an enemy.

Blaire sighed internally, knowing she had to keep her thoughts to herself for now. The last thing she wanted was to create tension within the group or make them question her loyalty. But in her heart, Blaire was determined to pursue this path, even if it meant going against the grain. She wanted to see if there was a chance for redemption, not just for Sabine, but for the balance in Jorvik as a whole.

Sabine couldn't help but feel a pang of something she couldn't quite name as she watched Blaire laugh and converse with her friends. There was a part of her that wanted to join them, to be a part of that camaraderie, but she knew it was impossible. Her loyalty to the Dark Riders and her own complex emotions made it too dangerous to even entertain the thought.

Katja, noticing Sabine's intense gaze, finally spoke up, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Still think you can change them? Or maybe you’re the one who’s changing."

Sabine shot her a sharp look, her voice cold and controlled. "Mind your own business, Katja. Just keep an eye on them."

Katja shrugged, a lazy smirk on her lips. "Whatever you say, boss. Just don't let your little crush get in the way of our plans."

Sabine's jaw clenched, but she said nothing, turning her attention back to the group below. She couldn't afford to let her feelings interfere with her duty. Yet, as she watched Blaire, Sabine couldn't deny the growing conflict within her. She was torn between her role as a Dark Rider and the strange, unsettling emotions that Blaire stirred in her.

Katja, seemingly oblivious to the tension in Sabine, yawned and patted her horse's neck. "Can we go now? This is getting boring."

Sabine finally tore her gaze away from Blaire and the others. "Fine. Let's go."

As they rode away, Sabine felt the weight of the choice she would eventually have to make. The loyalty she had to the Dark Riders and Dark Core, the teachings that had shaped her, clashed with a growing desire for something more. Blaire represented a possibility she had never considered: redemption, friendship, and perhaps even love. But to pursue that path meant betraying everything she had known and standing against her comrades.

Sabine's thoughts were interrupted by Katja's voice, cutting through the silence like a knife. "You know, if you're not careful, they’ll sense your weakness. The Dark Riders won't tolerate a traitor in their midst."

Sabine's eyes narrowed. "I know where my loyalties lie."

Katja smirked, her eyes glinting with mischief. "Do you? Because from where I’m sitting, it looks like you're more conflicted than ever."

"Sorry, are you the leader here? Who's the general?" Sabine spat harshly, her voice sharp and cutting.

Katja raised an eyebrow, a mocking smile playing on her lips. "Relax, Sabine. Just making an observation."

Sabine's eyes flashed with anger, and she leaned forward slightly in her saddle, her tone icy. "Your observations aren't needed. Remember your place."

Katja shrugged nonchalantly, unbothered by Sabine's anger. "Sure thing, boss. Just remember, even generals can fall."

Sabine clenched her jaw, refusing to let Katja's words get to her. "Focus on your own tasks, Katja. Leave the strategy to me."

Katja's smirk widened, but she didn't push further. "Whatever you say. Just make sure you don't let those pretty eyes distract you from the mission."

Sabine's grip on the reins tightened, her frustration palpable. "Enough. Let's go."

With that, Sabine spurred her horse into motion, leading the way back to their hideout. Katja followed, still wearing that infuriating smirk. Sabine's mind raced, struggling to maintain her composure. The encounter with Blaire and her friends had stirred up feelings she didn't want to acknowledge, and Katja's taunts only made it worse.

As they rode in silence, Sabine tried to push the conflicting thoughts and emotions aside, focusing instead on the mission at hand. But no matter how hard she tried, Blaire's face kept appearing in her mind, her laughter, and the sense of connection they had shared. It was a dangerous distraction, one that Sabine knew she couldn't afford.

endless stream.

Jay, who was riding beside her, glanced at Sabine with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. "Sorry about her. She tends to go off on tangents."

Sabine's face remained impassive, though her mind was still preoccupied with thoughts of Blaire. She barely registered Erissa’s chatter, her focus slipping between the present and the lingering memories of their time in the city.

Erissa, seemingly oblivious to the tension in the air, continued her rambling. "And did you know that there are rumors about a secret passage under the city? Imagine the possibilities! We could explore it and find hidden treasures or—"

Sabine interrupted, her tone more clipped than she intended. "Erissa, maybe save the stories for another time."

Erissa blinked, taken aback by the abruptness, but quickly bounced back. "Oh, right! Sorry, I just get carried away sometimes."

Jay gave a reassuring smile, trying to smooth over the awkward moment. "We’re just heading back to regroup. We have a lot to discuss."

As they rode on, the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows across the landscape. The group moved in silence for a while, the earlier conversation fading into the background.

Sabine’s thoughts remained fixated on Blaire, her internal struggle unresolved. The sense of connection she had felt with Blaire clashed sharply with her responsibilities and the mission at hand. It was a conflict she knew she couldn’t ignore, but one she was determined to suppress for now.

The sound of Erissa’s cheerful babbling slowly faded as the group approached their hideout. Sabine took a deep breath, trying to regain her focus and prepare for the tasks ahead. Despite the turmoil within her, she knew she had to stay on course. The mission was too important to let personal feelings interfere, no matter how powerful they might be.

“So when can I strike the soul riders!?” Erissa said as they walked in

Sabine frowned at Erissa's question, her mind still tangled with thoughts of Blaire. She took a moment to collect her thoughts before responding, her voice measured and controlled. "We need to be strategic about this. The Soul Riders are more formidable than you think. Rushing in without a plan will only make things more difficult."

Erissa's eyes widened with eagerness. "But what about the Dark Core? Shouldn't we do something to distract them? I’ve got a few ideas that might cause some chaos."

Katja, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up, her tone disinterested but sharp. "We don’t need distractions. We need a plan that’s going to hit them where it hurts. Making a move too soon could backfire."

Jay nodded in agreement. "Exactly. We need to understand their weaknesses, not just charge in blindly. If we’re going to act, it needs to be well-coordinated."

Sabine sighed, rubbing her temples. "For now, we need to regroup and reassess our strategy. We’ll discuss our next steps in the meeting tonight. Until then, focus on gathering information and preparing."

Erissa pouted, “I wanna hurt them now! They wouldn’t see it coming Sabine!”

Sabine’s gaze hardened as she looked at Erissa, her patience wearing thin. “Hurt them now and you risk giving away our position and plan. It’s not just about striking—it's about striking at the right time and in the right way.”

Erissa’s enthusiasm wavered, but she still fidgeted with impatience. “But why wait? They’re out there, making things difficult for us. It feels like we're just sitting around while they keep pushing us.”

Sabine took a deep breath, her irritation masked by a veneer of calm. “Because every move we make needs to be calculated. We don’t just react; we plan. We gather information, we prepare, and then we act. Rushing in without strategy only makes us vulnerable.”

Jay stepped in, trying to defuse the situation. “Erissa, we get it. You’re eager. But Sabine’s right. We need to be smart about this. We have to anticipate their moves and be ready.”

Katja nodded, her disinterest evident but her agreement clear. “Patience is part of the game. We have to wait for the perfect moment.”

Erissa huffed but nodded reluctantly. “Fine. I guess I’ll wait. But when we do strike, I want to make sure it’s a big hit.”

Sabine gave a curt nod, trying to refocus the group. “We’ll make sure it is. But for now, let’s use this time to prepare and gather as much intel as we can. We’ll reconvene tonight to discuss our next steps.”

As the group dispersed to handle their tasks, Sabine couldn’t help but feel the weight of her dual roles: leading the Dark Riders while grappling with her own conflicted emotions. The mission ahead was crucial, and she knew that she needed to keep her personal feelings in check to ensure their success.

Erissa's fingers moved swiftly with the yarn, her face a mask of intense concentration. The rhythmic clacking of the needles was the only sound in the dimly lit room, punctuated occasionally by the soft hum of her voice as she muttered to herself.

She glanced over her shoulder, ensuring the others were occupied with their own tasks. A mischievous smile curled on her lips as she envisioned her plan coming to fruition. The Soul Riders might think they had everything under control, but they were about to face a surprise they would never see coming.

"I’ll show them," Erissa whispered to herself, her eyes gleaming with a dangerous mix of determination and excitement. "They think they know everything, but they don’t. They’ll regret underestimating me."

She continued knitting, her mind racing with the details of her plan. It was a cunning strategy, designed to exploit the Soul Riders’ weaknesses and catch them off guard. Erissa knew that the key to her plan was precision and secrecy, and she was determined to see it through, no matter what.

The more she thought about it, the more confident she became. She had always been underestimated by the others, seen as a mere annoyance rather than a serious threat. But this time, she was ready to prove them wrong. The Soul Riders wouldn’t know what hit them.

[sugarcarnation]

i’m bored. so you get an alli trivia quiz! made by yours truly. let’s see how strong this alliance really is (no pressure but this will determine the rest of our relationship)

1. what type of characters tend to be my favourite?

2. who’s music do i listen to the most?

3. who is my favourite male character in bsd? female character?

4. what’s my favourite crime?

5. why did i stop watching the latest show i started?

6. what book series am i currently rereading?

7. what au idea do i attach to frazel?

8. who’s at the bottom of my bsd character ranking?

9. which taylor swift song did i assign to alex rider?

10. why do i find yassen’s (from alex rider series) name so funny?

and bonus question: what is something that i’m afraid of that many people keep in their homes?

love that you decided to do this publicly. gotta make it embarrassing for me if i fail to answer anything

(answers under the cut to not make this get too long lmao)

what type of characters tend to be my favourite?

main characters!!! i know that one. you also generally like a character who suffers™️

whose music do i listen to the most?

okay idk if i can say who you listen to the most but you do listen to a lot of taylor swift. and ariana grande tends to end up in your spotify wrapped as well. and i think you used to (still do?) listen to little mix

who is my favourite male character in bsd? female character?

i can confidently answer this. dazai has been your favorite from literally the first day i decided you had to join me on this journey. i was trying to tell you about atsushi and you went yeah what about that guy in the river though?

and your favorite female character is yosano. even if i’m pretty sure you keep forgetting that that’s her name since you only refer to her as akiko

basically you have great taste in characters

what's my favourite crime?

🔥🔥🔥 ARSON 🔥🔥🔥

why did i stop watching the latest show i started?

the last show you started from the beginning was how to get away with murder and you stopped it because they killed of wes (your favorite character 😔)

what book series am i currently rereading?

alex rider!! the book series about people repeatedly traumatizing a child

what au idea do i attach to frazel?

i know we talked about this but i don’t remember 😔 that being said while trying to think about what it could be my mind repeatedly went hades and persephone au so here’s my au proposal where hazel rules over the underworld and starts dating flower boy frank

who's at the bottom of my bsd character ranking?

lmao it’s verlaine. my extensive chuuya backstory essay really didn’t paint him in the best light

which taylor swift song did i assign to alex rider?

had to think about this but i believe it’s dear reader. i remember this because i texted you like i think dear reader is an oda song because ✨vibes✨ and you were basically like well i think it fits alex and you wrote an entire essay about it where you analyzed the lyrics 😭

why do i find yassen's (from alex rider series) name so funny?

because it rhymes with assassin. and he is an assassin. he’s yassen the assassin

what is something that i'm afraid of that many people keep in their homes?

idk if i’m gonna give the right answer to this 😔 i think there was something else but i can’t remember so i’m gonna have to go with dogs. that counts right??

i hope my answers were satisfactory and this won’t be the end of our friendship <3