#the second max is like hey i’m really upset by this

[normalgirlatron]

people acting as if chloe doesn’t love max is always so funny to me because every single time max feels slightly bad she jumps to make it better. just like idk i feel like she’s always reassuring max you know

[jungwnies]

f1 grid (1/2) | forgetting their birthday

୨ৎ : featuring : max verstappen, lewis hamilton, george russell, carlos sainz, charles leclerc, lando norris, oscar piastri (click here for part two) ୨ৎ : synopsis (requested by @holycastles) : pretending to forget their birthday but actually having a huge surprise for them planned

୨ৎ : genre : romantic comedy ୨ৎ : word count : 3719

୨ৎ masterlist ୨ৎ

ᡣ𐭩 a/n : god FORBID you forget one of their birthdays... i fear everyone but verstappen and piastri might overreact a tEEEEENY bit...

ʚ・max verstappen

you knew max didn’t love big birthday celebrations. he wasn’t exactly the cake and balloons type. but still, he deserved something special. and if you had to fake forgetting the day just to throw him off? so be it.

it started that morning. he came into the kitchen, hair sticking up on one side, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. you were already at the stove, flipping pancakes like it was any other tuesday.

“morning,” he mumbled.

you glanced back over your shoulder. “morning.”

that was it. no ‘happy birthday.’ no mention of it at all.

you saw the subtle twitch of confusion in his brows, but he didn’t say anything. just grabbed a mug and poured himself some coffee.

you didn’t feel bad. okay, you felt a little bad. but it would be worth it.

by the time afternoon rolled around, max was quieter than usual. he’d disappeared into the simulator room for a couple hours, re-emerging only to plop onto the couch and scroll aimlessly on his phone.

“everything okay?” you asked, settling beside him.

he shrugged. “yeah. just… thought today might feel different.”

you leaned your head on his shoulder. “tuesdays are weird like that.”

he didn’t answer.

but when you stood up a bit later and said, “i’m just running out to grab some groceries, be back in an hour,” and kissed the top of his head, he nodded, not suspecting a thing.

what he didn’t know was that the "groceries" were actually a mad dash to finalize the surprise party you’d been planning for weeks. all his closest friends were already at the venue. there were red bull-themed decorations, his favorite food, drinks, and even a mini go-kart course set up just for him.

when you texted him an hour later, “hey, can you come meet me at this address? i need help carrying stuff,” he didn’t hesitate.

he pulled into the lot, looking around curiously. then walked inside.

and everyone yelled, “surprise!”

max blinked. for a second, you saw that classic verstappen processing face, the one he made when someone overtook him unexpectedly. then he turned to you.

“you little liar,” he said, breaking into a grin.

you shrugged. “thought tuesdays were weird like that.”

he pulled you into a hug so tight your feet almost left the ground.

“i really thought you forgot,” he murmured into your hair. “i was trying not to be upset.”

“i know,” you said, pulling back to smile up at him. “that’s how i knew it would work.”

max kissed you, soft and slow and a little overwhelmed.

“simply lovely,” he whispered.

and it was.

ʚ・lewis hamilton

you figured lewis wouldn’t throw a fit if you forgot his birthday. he wasn’t that type. but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t hurt him.

and that’s what made the plan a little risky.

the morning of, you played it cool. real cool. too cool.

“morning,” you said, breezing past him in the kitchen as he fed roscoe.

he looked up with a sleepy smile. “morning, love.”

you kissed his cheek, grabbed a banana, and scrolled through your phone. no ‘happy birthday.’ no card. not even a cheeky joke.

you saw the faint change in his expression. his smile dipped, just slightly. like he wasn’t even sure if he was allowed to be disappointed.

but he didn’t say anything. just nodded and went back to scratching roscoe behind the ears.

you left the house an hour later, saying you had errands to run. lewis stayed behind, probably expecting you’d come back with cake or something. but you didn’t. at least, not right away.

the rest of the day, he barely said a word. he worked out, took roscoe for a walk, sat out on the balcony with a tea. every now and then he checked his phone, like he was expecting someone, maybe you, to send a text. a call. anything.

nothing came.

you got home just before sunset, acting casual as ever. “you hungry? i was thinking we could order thai tonight.”

lewis looked at you, finally speaking after what felt like hours. “you didn’t… have anything else planned today?”

you tilted your head. “should i have?”

that hurt flickered in his eyes. he hid it well. but you noticed it, because you always noticed him.

he nodded slowly. “nah. just wondering.”

you stepped closer, and before he could pull further into himself, you said, “actually… yeah. i do have something planned. but i need you to come with me.”

he raised an eyebrow.

you handed him a hoodie. “put this on. we’ve got somewhere to be.”

the drive was quiet, but you saw the gears turning in his head. he was curious now. hopeful, maybe.

when you pulled up to the small venue you’d rented for the night, he looked confused.

until he walked inside.

there was soft music playing. his closest friends, family, and team were all there. dim lights, candles, vegan food lined up buffet-style, and roscoe’s favorite treats in little bowls around the room.

photos of lewis through the years played on a loop on a big screen. gp wins. childhood go-karts. that time he dressed up as batman for halloween. all of it.

he turned to you, eyes wide.

“you didn’t forget?”

you shook your head, stepping closer, arms wrapping around his waist. “how could i forget? you just had to let me lie a little first.”

he pulled you close, forehead pressing to yours, that quiet smile finally breaking through.

“you got me,” he whispered.

“i always do.”

lewis kissed you like he’d been holding his breath all day. and maybe he had.

later that night, after the crowd thinned and it was just the two of you swaying in the soft light, he said it again.

“i really thought you forgot.”

“i know,” you murmured. “and i’m sorry for letting you think that.”

he looked at you for a long moment, thumb brushing over your cheek.

“this… this was perfect.”

and you could tell he meant it.

ʚ・george russell

you knew george would make a thing out of it.

the man had a flair for dramatics. you loved that about him. but it also meant pretending to forget his birthday was going to be a test of your own acting skills.

you woke up early on purpose, slipped out of bed before he opened his eyes, and left a post-it on the mirror that said, “went out to run errands, be back later x.”

no ‘happy birthday.’ no breakfast in bed. not even a cheeky wink.

the silence from your end was deafening.

by the time you returned home mid-afternoon, george was sitting on the couch like a man freshly betrayed. wrapped in a blanket, arms crossed, tv playing some mindless nature documentary that he was definitely not watching.

you dropped your keys on the counter and glanced over. “hey. everything alright?”

he didn’t move. “oh, splendid. never better. just enjoying the slow decay of time.”

you bit your cheek to stop from laughing. “cool. i got almond milk, by the way.”

“oh, fantastic. we can toast to that instead of, i don’t know, birthdays or being alive another year.”

you blinked. “was it someone’s birthday today?”

he whipped his head around, lips parting like you’d slapped him.

“i cannot believe this,” he said, standing up and letting the blanket fall like a cape. “you’ve forgotten. i’m going to spiral. i’m going to become a menace to society. this is your villain origin story.”

“i think you’ll survive,” you said, barely holding it together.

he threw a hand to his forehead. “i wore the nice socks today. the ones with the tiny stars on them. i thought we’d at least go out.”

you walked over to him, leaned in, and kissed his cheek. “get dressed, drama queen. we’ve got somewhere to be.”

george paused. “wait. what?”

“no more questions. just put on something that won’t wrinkle when you sit down.”

still confused but too intrigued to argue, he changed into something sharp, because of course he did, and let you drag him into the car.

you drove for about twenty minutes before pulling into a private racetrack on the outskirts of town. george stared.

“you didn’t.”

“oh, i did.”

there was a single vintage aston martin waiting on the tarmac. helmet. keys. and a sign that read “happy birthday, t-pose king.”

he looked at you with the most ridiculous expression of glee and disbelief. “you made me think you forgot. you let me sit there in existential crisis mode, wrapped in fleece, contemplating my place in the universe.”

you nodded, smirking. “and now you get to race a car that costs more than both our kidneys combined. so… you're welcome?”

george burst out laughing. “this is evil. i love it.”

he pulled you into a hug, rocking you side to side like a goof. “you are insufferable. i was actually about to text my mum.”

“and say what?”

“that you were a monster. but now i take it all back.”

you handed him the keys and grinned. “happy birthday, george.”

he kissed your forehead and gave you the most dramatic bow he could manage. “best gift ever. even if you did emotionally traumatize me first.”

“adds character.”

and with that, he took off toward the car, already shouting something about lap times and not crashing it.

you just shook your head and laughed.

he’d never let you live it down — and honestly, you didn’t mind one bit.

ʚ・carlos sainz

carlos wasn’t the type to make a fuss.

he didn’t expect fireworks or a giant party. but a little something? a kiss, a card, maybe even just a soft “happy birthday, amor” in the morning? that didn’t seem like too much.

so when he woke up to an empty apartment and a quiet kitchen, he frowned.

you were already gone. no message, no balloons, no surprise breakfast. just a sticky note near the coffee machine that said “be back later <3.”

that was it?

at first, he tried to reason with himself. maybe you were planning something. maybe he was overthinking. he went through his normal routine — showered, made coffee, and replied to dozens of “happy birthday” texts from friends and family.

but with every hour that passed and nothing came from you, the more that quiet little sting in his chest grew.

you didn’t call. you didn’t text anything special. just a casual “need anything from the store?” and a “don’t forget to hydrate.”

hydrate? on his birthday?

carlos wasn’t mad. not exactly. just… disappointed. the kind that sat heavy in his chest and made everything feel a little dull.

by the time you got home that evening, he was sunk into the couch, arms folded and mouth pulled into that very specific pout he swore wasn’t a pout.

you walked in like everything was normal, bags in hand, smile in place. “hey. you okay?”

he didn’t look at you. “fine.”

he was not fine.

you sat beside him, and he barely shifted. “you sure?”

he shrugged, voice low. “i just thought maybe today would be a little different.”

and there it was. not angry. just honest. soft, but it hit you like a punch.

“i didn’t forget,” you said gently.

he turned his head, eyes meeting yours. he didn’t say anything, but his expression asked all the questions he couldn’t put into words.

“come with me,” you said, standing up. “just trust me.”

carlos followed. quiet, still wearing that guarded expression, like he didn’t want to hope just yet. like hoping would make it worse if he was wrong.

you drove for a while, and he didn’t ask where. he just stared out the window, wondering if he had overreacted. maybe he had. maybe he hadn’t. but it still kind of hurt.

and then you pulled up to the beach.

he recognized it immediately — the quiet spot just outside the city. no tourists, no noise, just the waves and a little stretch of sand. it was the place he told you once reminded him of summer nights in mallorca.

when he stepped out and saw the setup, he froze.

there were candles tucked into the sand. a low table, set for two, his favorite food already waiting. soft string lights swaying in the breeze. a bottle of wine. a tiny chocolate cake with “feliz cumple, mi campeón” written on top.

his chest actually ached a little.

you stepped beside him. “i wanted it to be private. just us. i thought you’d like that.”

carlos stared at you, overwhelmed in that quiet way only he could be. he ran a hand through his hair and shook his head with a small laugh.

“you really let me sulk all day.”

“i didn’t think you’d get that sad.”

“i had a full sadness, cariño,” he said, grinning now. “i almost went for a drive just to feel something.”

you laughed and leaned into him, arms slipping around his waist. “happy birthday, carlos.”

he kissed your forehead, arms wrapping tightly around you. the kind of hug that said thank you and i missed you and you know me better than i know myself.

“don’t think i didn’t notice the silence,” he whispered. “you were evil for that.”

“but you love me.”

he rested his chin on your head. “unfortunately for me,” he said, smiling, “yes. i really do.”

ʚ・charles leclerc

you didn’t mean to emotionally destroy charles. but, to be fair, you also kind of did.

because pretending to forget his birthday seemed like a harmless little prank. he was dramatic anyway. he overreacted if the grocery store ran out of his favorite chocolate mousse. he once said “this is betrayal” because you changed the netflix profile photo without telling him.

so yeah, forgetting his birthday?

he would be insufferable. but it would be hilarious.

and it was.

it all started when you woke up and kissed his cheek, said “don’t forget to take out the recycling,” and walked away. no “happy birthday.” no breakfast in bed. no gift.

charles blinked at the ceiling for a full five minutes like he was processing a national tragedy.

by mid-morning, he was fully spiraling. you ignored his very obvious attempts to fish for attention — him humming happy birthday under his breath, sighing deeply while scrolling through birthday messages, and dramatically opening and closing drawers just to see if you’d hidden something.

nothing.

at noon, he facetimed arthur and told him, loudly, “yes, it’s been a very lonely birthday, merci.”

you were in the other room.

by the time 4 p.m. hit, he was flopped across the bed like a man who had lost everything. face down. motionless.

you peeked in. “charles? you good?”

he didn’t lift his head. “i have been disrespected.”

you laughed. “come on. you’re being dramatic.”

“i am a monegasque man. i feel things.”

you rolled your eyes, fighting a smile. “put on something nice.”

he finally lifted his head. “why?”

“just do it. i’m taking you out.”

he narrowed his eyes. “out where?”

you shrugged. “it’s a surprise.”

he sighed, loud and exaggerated, but he got up. grumbling. mumbling something about emotional wounds. but he followed you anyway.

you drove up the hillside to one of his favorite spots overlooking monaco. he liked it because it was quiet. and because the view reminded him of home in a way that didn’t involve flashing cameras or team meetings.

when he got out of the car and saw the little table set up, the candles flickering, the box of pastries from his favorite bakery, and the tiny red-and-white checkered flag stuck in the cake… he froze.

“you didn’t forget?”

you grinned. “of course i didn’t forget.”

his mouth fell open like you’d told him you were actually a secret agent. he turned around in a slow, dramatic circle.

“you let me mourn. i was mourning.”

“yeah, i saw that.”

“i told arthur i was emotionally abandoned. you made me lie to my own brother.”

you handed him a fork. “eat your cake, romeo.”

charles laughed, stepping closer and pulling you into the tightest hug you’d ever gotten from him.

“you’re terrible,” he whispered.

“but?”

he kissed your forehead. “but i love you. even if you are a little monster.”

you smirked. “happy birthday, drama king.”

“never do this to me again,” he said, full pout back in place. “i aged five years today. emotionally.”

ʚ・lando norris

you didn’t actually forget lando’s birthday.

you just didn’t say anything right away.

why? because watching your boyfriend slowly unravel in quiet confusion while trying so hard to act like he doesn’t care? prime entertainment. especially when it’s lando and you know his first response to emotional distress is going live on twitch like a victorian child playing the piano in a thunderstorm.

you left him a kiss on the cheek that morning. said something casual like, “i’ve got errands today, might be gone for a while.” no happy birthday, no gifts, no hints.

he blinked. “okay… cool.”

then you walked out.

lando sat there for a while. fully dressed in his comfy hoodie, expecting a “surprise!” to pop out from the bedroom or kitchen or shower. nothing. the apartment was silent.

he gave it an hour. then opened twitch.

“yo,” he mumbled into the mic. “what’s up, guys.”

chat immediately popped off:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KING!!!

WHERE’S Y/N??

ISN’T IT DATE NIGHT??

YOU STREAMING ON YOUR BIRTHDAY?

BE FR, ARE YOU OK

lando forced a smile. “yeah… nothing planned today. just thought i’d chill with you guys instead.”

he sipped his red bull dramatically. “no big deal or anything. just a regular day. like any other. i’m not sad.”

he absolutely sounded sad.

even his “poggers” had less energy than usual.

at one point he read a message and went, “no no, she didn’t forget, i don’t think… i mean, probably not. right?”

silence.

he died in-game two seconds later.

an hour into the stream, he looked directly into the camera and said, “if anyone asks, i’m emotionally strong. like… very mentally resilient. super fine.”

right on cue, your voice came from the door behind him: “hey, lan?”

he turned around so fast he nearly fell out of his chair. “yeah?”

you peeked in. “can you come downstairs real quick?”

“what for?”

you shrugged. “just come on.”

lando hesitated, told chat “brb maybe she finally remembered i exist” and followed you downstairs.

waiting outside was a surprise birthday setup on the rooftop deck of your building. pizza, cake, his favorite snacks, party lights, a mini projector set up to play shrek 2 (because of course), and all his closest friends quietly waiting with party hats on.

he blinked. then laughed. then rubbed his face like he was overwhelmed but also completely relieved.

“you’re evil,” he said, pulling you into a hug.

“you were really about to stream all night, huh?”

“i was playing the long game. guilt stream.”

“happy birthday, twitch boy.”

he looked around at everything, grinning like an idiot. “okay yeah. worth the emotional damage. ten out of ten.”

ʚ・oscar piastri

you weren’t actually going to forget oscar’s birthday.

please. you’d had the whole thing planned for weeks. the idea was simple: pretend to forget, act super casual all day, then hit him with a surprise dinner, a stack of his favorite snacks, and a handmade card that said “happy birthday, nerd <3” in glitter glue.

classic. easy. foolproof.

except there was one flaw in the plan: oscar literally didn’t care.

the day started normally. you woke up, kissed his cheek, got out of bed like it was just any other morning. no mention of birthdays, no presents, not even a wink.

he just stretched and went, “do we have any cereal left?”

you expected some reaction. a confused glance. maybe a suspicious squint. but nope. he poured cereal, sat at the table, and started talking about tire degradation in the australian grand prix like it was a normal tuesday in april.

you were still waiting for the shift. for the "heh… you forgot something?" moment. it never came.

by lunchtime, you started to panic.

you casually said, “nothing special going on today?”

he looked up from his sandwich. “nah. not really.”

no sarcasm. no hint of drama. just full, honest indifference.

that’s when it hit you: he actually didn’t care that you hadn’t said anything. not even a little.

and that made you spiral.

“oh absolutely not,” you whispered to yourself, already grabbing your bag.

by the time oscar finished his sim session, the apartment was unrecognizable.

the lights were dimmed. candles were everywhere. a blanket fort was in the living room, fairy lights tangled in the sheets. on the table: pizza, garlic bread, a mini chocolate cake, and a birthday card shaped like a tire that said “p1 in being born.”

he blinked. “uh.”

you appeared from behind the couch, slightly out of breath and holding a party hat. “sit down. we’re celebrating your birth. no arguments.”

oscar raised an eyebrow. “i thought you forgot.”

“that was part of the plan. but then i realized you didn’t even care, and that was way worse.”

“i really didn’t,” he said honestly. “it’s just not a big—”

you shoved garlic bread in his mouth. “it is. you’re my favorite person and you were born today and that is a top-tier event.”

oscar slowly chewed. then smiled a little. “this is ridiculous.”

“you deserve ridiculous.”

he sat down, pulled the party hat over his hair with zero resistance, and looked around at the chaos.

“i seriously didn’t expect this.”

you nudged the cake closer to him. “good. i wanted to catch you off guard. you never let people do stuff for you.”

he paused. “yeah. i guess i don’t.”

you sat beside him. “well, too bad. today’s not about what you think you need. it’s about me forcing love upon you in the form of carbohydrates.”

he let out a quiet laugh, eyes soft as he looked over at you.

“thank you,” he said. “really.”

you smiled. “happy birthday, oscar.”

and for a guy who “didn’t care,” he looked suspiciously close to being emotional.

but he just picked up a slice of pizza and said, “do i at least get to pick the movie?”

“absolutely, birthday boy.”

2021-2025 © jungwnies | All rights reserved. Do not repost, plagiarize, or translate

[sxcretricciardo]

impossible (l.n) - pt. 4

part three here

author’s note: hi guys, i’m really happy you’re enjoying the story <3 this chapter is a smaller one, but bare with me :) love u

-

(Y/N) had barely gotten any sleep after the argument with Lando. Even though he had called and asked to talk, there was nothing left to say—not right now, at least. She had a flight to catch, a tour to finish, and she refused to let all of this mess with her head before one of the biggest shows of her career.

So she did what she always did: she pushed it aside, got on the plane, and prepared for her final concert of the tour.

The energy in the venue was electric, the crowd louder than ever, and for a few hours, she let herself get lost in the music. But the moment she stepped off stage, sweaty and exhausted, reality crashed down on her again.

Lando was here.

She spotted him the second she walked backstage, standing beside Magui. Max was with them too, his arms crossed like he was just waiting for things to go south.

Lando took a step forward, his expression hesitant. “Hey.”

She forced a small smile, even though her stomach twisted. “Hey.”

“I just—I wanted to apologize,” Lando said, rubbing the back of his neck. “For everything. I overreacted, and I wasn’t fair to you. You were just… confused. And maybe a little drunk. I shouldn’t have gotten so upset.”

(Y/N) stiffened slightly at his words, but she didn’t let it show. Of course, this was how he was going to play it. It wasn’t that she might have been right—just that she was confused, intoxicated, seeing things that weren’t there.

She could feel Max’s eyes on her, watching closely, but she ignored him. Instead, she nodded, forcing a lighter tone into her voice. “Yeah. Maybe I was.”

Lando seemed relieved, giving her a small smile. Magui, standing beside him, looked just as satisfied.

“Good,” Magui said sweetly. “I’m glad we’re all good now.”

(Y/N) didn’t trust herself to respond, so she just smiled. She wasn’t stupid—she knew what had just happened. Lando wanted to smooth things over, wanted to believe that she hadn’t actually seen anything, and because she still wanted to be his friend, she let him believe it.

But deep down, something still didn’t sit right.

She excused herself soon after, saying she needed to change and cool down from the show. But as she made her way down the hall toward her dressing room, she heard footsteps behind her.

Turning around, she found Magui standing there, her arms crossed over her chest.

“You and I need to talk,” Magui said, her voice low.

(Y/N) exhaled slowly, already exhausted. “Magui, I really don’t—”

“I’m only going to say this once,” Magui cut her off, stepping closer. “Stay away from Lando.”

(Y/N) blinked, caught off guard by the sudden change in demeanor. “Excuse me?”

Magui’s expression hardened. “You heard me. I don’t know what your little stunt was, but it stops now. Lando and I are happy. I don’t need you getting in his head, making him doubt things. He trusts me. And I’m not going to let you ruin that.”

(Y/N) clenched her jaw, her heart hammering. “I wasn’t trying to ruin anything.”

Magui tilted her head, smiling slightly. “Then prove it. Stay out of our relationship. Stay away from him.”

(Y/N) opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, another voice cut through the tense silence.

“That’s interesting,” Max said, stepping out from the shadow of the hallway. “Because it sounds to me like you’re afraid of something, Magui.”

Magui’s face paled slightly as she turned toward him. “Max.”

Max gave her a pointed look, his arms crossed. “You really thought no one would hear you? That no one would notice?”

(Y/N) glanced at Max, confused but relieved that he was there. He had heard everything.

Magui straightened her shoulders, regaining some of her composure. “This isn’t any of your business, Max.”

Max let out a short, humorless laugh. “See, that’s where you’re wrong. Because when you start threatening one of my friends? That makes it my business.”

Magui’s jaw tightened, but she said nothing. After a moment, she huffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Whatever. Just stay out of it.”

She turned on her heel and walked away, leaving (Y/N) standing there, still processing everything.

Max sighed, shaking his head. “And Lando thinks you were the one confused.”

(Y/N) let out a shaky breath, looking up at him. “What do I do?”

Max gave her a reassuring look. “We’ll figure it out. But one thing’s for sure—you were never the problem here.”

He didn’t waste any time. As soon as Magui walked away, he turned to (Y/N), his jaw clenched. “I’m telling Lando.”

(Y/N) hesitated. “Max—”

“No,” he cut her off. “He needs to know.”

She wasn’t sure how this was going to go, but she nodded anyway. Maybe—just maybe—Lando would finally listen.

They found Lando still backstage, scrolling through his phone while he waited for Magui. When he saw them approaching, he frowned. “What’s up?”

Max didn’t bother sugarcoating it. “Magui just told (Y/N) to stay away from you.”

Lando’s expression immediately darkened. “What?”

(Y/N) shifted uncomfortably. “She pulled me aside after the show. Told me to stay out of your relationship and away from you.”

Lando’s jaw clenched, but instead of looking shocked or even concerned, anger flickered in his eyes. “Are you serious?”

Max folded his arms. “Yeah. I heard the whole thing.”

Lando let out a sharp, bitter laugh, shaking his head. “This is unbelievable.”

(Y/N) took a small step forward. “Lando, I’m not making this up. Max was right there—”

Lando’s gaze snapped to her, and she instantly knew she had lost him. His expression was cold, defensive. “I should’ve known. You just can’t let this go, can you?”

(Y/N) blinked, caught off guard. “What?”

“You want to ruin this for me,” Lando snapped. “You and Max, both of you. You can’t stand that I’m happy with Magui, so now you’re making up some bullshit to try and make me doubt her.”

Max groaned, running a hand down his face. “Lando, are you even listening to yourself?”

“I’m listening just fine,” Lando shot back. “And I’m done with this. First, (Y/N) starts throwing accusations around, and now you’re in on it too? This is insane.”

(Y/N) swallowed hard. “Lando, I didn’t want to fight with you. I didn’t want any of this to happen—”

“Then why are you doing this?” Lando demanded, his voice rising. “Magui hasn’t done anything to you. She hasn’t done anything to either of you!”

As if on cue, Magui appeared beside him, her eyes wide and glassy with tears. “Lando, what’s going on?”

(Y/N) stiffened. She wasn’t sure if Magui had heard anything or if this was just perfect timing, but the second Lando turned to her, his entire demeanor softened.

“They’re trying to turn me against you,” Lando told her, his voice heavy with frustration. “Max and (Y/N), they won’t drop it. They keep twisting everything, trying to make me think you’re some kind of villain.”

Magui’s bottom lip trembled, and tears spilled down her cheeks. “Why would you do that?” she whispered, looking at (Y/N). “I thought we were okay.”

(Y/N) felt her stomach churn. This was exactly what Magui wanted—to play the victim, to make it look like they were the ones hurting her.

“I—” (Y/N) started, but Lando was already pulling Magui into his arms, glaring at them over her shoulder.

“I don’t want to hear another word about this,” he said coldly. “From either of you.”

Max exhaled sharply. “You’re making a mistake.”

Lando shook his head. “No. The mistake was trusting you two in the first place.”

(Y/N) felt something inside her crack. She had known this wouldn’t be easy, but she hadn’t expected him to turn on them so quickly, to believe Magui so blindly.

Max shot her a look that said leave it, and she nodded, swallowing back the lump in her throat.

They walked away without another word, but as they left, (Y/N) couldn’t shake the feeling that this was far from over.

(Y/N) felt numb as she walked away with Max. The echoes of Lando’s anger still rang in her ears, but it was Magui’s fake tears that unsettled her the most. She had played the part perfectly, twisting everything to make Lando believe she was the one being hurt.

Once they were far enough away, Max let out a sharp exhale, running a frustrated hand through his hair. “Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable.”

(Y/N) barely had the energy to respond. “I knew he wouldn’t believe me. But you… I thought maybe he’d listen to you.”

Max scoffed. “So did I. But Lando’s got his head so far up Magui’s ass that he can’t see what’s right in front of him.”

She winced at his words, but he wasn’t wrong. Lando had made up his mind, and nothing they said would change it.

“Maybe it’s just not worth it anymore,” she muttered. “If he wants to believe her so badly, then let him.”

Max shook his head. “No. I’m not giving up on him that easily.”

(Y/N) shot him a tired look. “Max—”

“No, listen to me,” he interrupted. “Lando’s an idiot, but he’s not stupid. Magui’s got him wrapped around her finger right now, but sooner or later, she’s going to slip up. And when she does? He’s going to realize that we were right all along.”

(Y/N) let out a bitter laugh. “Yeah? And what if he doesn’t?”

Max’s jaw tightened. “Then that’s on him.”

She sighed, leaning against the wall. “I just don’t get it. Why is he so blind when it comes to her?”

Max hesitated, then shrugged. “Because it’s easier to believe the lie than to admit you were wrong.”

(Y/N) stayed quiet, letting his words sink in. Maybe he was right. Maybe Lando wanted to believe Magui because the alternative—admitting she wasn’t who he thought she was—was too painful.

But that didn’t mean it hurt any less.

Max’s voice softened. “Are you okay?”

She swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. “Yeah. Just… tired.”

He sighed, nudging her shoulder. “Look, I know it feels like we lost him tonight. But trust me, (Y/N). This isn’t over.”

She didn’t know if he was right. But for now, she nodded anyway.

Because deep down, a part of her wasn’t ready to let go of Lando just yet.

- months later -

It had been months since that day, the day Magui had warned you to stay away from Lando. Since then, things had been quiet. Too quiet. The once-easy camaraderie you shared with him had turned into a distant memory, the connection severed by his choice to believe his girlfriend over the people who cared about him. You hadn’t heard from Lando, and, truthfully, you’d stopped waiting for a message that would never come.

You had tried to move on, focusing on your own career, and it was working. Your music had started gaining traction, and you’d been invited to various events and shows. One day, out of nowhere, you received an invitation to the Aston Martin garage during a race weekend. It was a huge opportunity, and you couldn’t pass it up, even if it felt strange to be back in the paddock after everything that had happened.

As the race day unfolded, you tried to focus on the excitement of the event, the thrill of being at the paddock, after a long few months. But there was still that nagging ache in your chest when you thought of Lando. You tried not to think about him, but his absence felt like a hole in your heart.

But then, something happened during the race that you could never have predicted.

Lando’s car crashed.

The screech of tires, the sudden roar of sirens, and the chaos that followed was enough to make anyone’s heart drop. You didn’t even realize you were running toward the pit until you were there, your legs moving on their own. There were frantic calls on the radio, people shouting orders. The crash was serious. Lando’s car had spun out of control, and he was taken away in an ambulance with the paramedics.

You didn’t think. You just acted, rushing to the hospital where Lando had been taken.

-

The sterile smell of the hospital brought you back to reality as you stood in the hallway outside Lando’s room. Your heart raced, the last few hours feeling like a blur. You weren’t sure what you expected when you stepped into that room, but seeing him—his face bruised and battered, the cast on his arm, and the cuts along his forehead—made everything come rushing back. He looked so vulnerable, so unlike the confident driver who had once brightened every room he walked into.

Lando’s eyes flickered open, and when they met yours, there was a brief flash of recognition. But instead of the usual warmth, there was something else—something quieter, more remorseful.

“Lando…” you whispered, your voice shaky despite your attempts to hold it together.

He swallowed, his voice hoarse. “I’m so sorry.”

You blinked, taken aback. “What?”

He winced as he shifted slightly in the bed, clearly in pain. “Magui… She… she did cheat on me.” His words came out in a rush, his gaze dropping to the blanket as if he couldn’t bear to look at you. “I didn’t want to believe it. You tried to warn me… but I was too stupid to listen.”

Your heart ached at his words, the frustration and sadness that had been building over months finally breaking free. “Lando, I—”

“I know,” he cut you off, his voice barely above a whisper. “I know you tried to tell me. You were right. I should have believed you. She—she was with that guy the whole time, and I didn’t see it. I was so blind. But… one night, there was a guy at a party, one of her exes, who pulled me aside and told me that she had cheated on him too, and… I went trough her phone saw and saw the text messages between them… they’ve been meeting up for months… that’s when everything fell into place.”

Tears welled in your eyes, but you fought them back. “Lando, I never wanted this. I never wanted to be the one to tear you two apart. I just didn’t want to see you get hurt.”

He finally looked up, meeting your gaze with raw regret. “I hurt you. I pushed you away, and for what? I chose to believe someone who didn’t care about me. I hurt you in the process, and I—I’m sorry. I’ve been such an idiot.”

You could see the pain in his eyes, the guilt and the sorrow that weighed on him. It was hard to believe that just a few months ago, he hadn’t wanted to hear the truth. But now, there was no escaping it. Magui had betrayed him, and in a way, he had betrayed you too.

“I should have listened,” he whispered again, his voice full of regret.

You took a shaky breath, trying to steady your emotions. It had been a long time coming, and as much as you wanted to be angry with him, the sight of him—so broken, so remorseful—made it hard to hold onto that anger.

“You’ve been hurt, Lando,” you said softly, your heart aching for him. “And I know I’m not the only one who’s been hurt. But I think you need time to heal. Both of us do.”

Lando nodded slowly, his hand reaching out, trembling. “I don’t expect you to forgive me right away… but if you can, I want to try to make things right. I don’t want to lose you again.”

You stared at him for a long moment, considering his words. The hurt was still there, deep in your chest, but so was the understanding. It wasn’t just his fault. You had both made mistakes, but maybe, just maybe, there was a way to move forward.

“Let’s take it one step at a time, okay?” you said softly, your voice steady but filled with the weight of everything that had happened.

Lando gave you a small, tentative smile, the kind that hadn’t been there in months. “One step at a time,” he agreed.

And maybe that was all you could ask for—one step at a time.

The days after Lando’s accident were a whirlwind of emotions. He was released from the hospital a few days later, his body bruised but recovering. But emotionally? He was a mess. It wasn’t just the crash that had shaken him to the core; it was the realization that the woman he had trusted, the one he thought he loved, had betrayed him. That, combined with the guilt of pushing you away, left him feeling raw.

You had agreed to take things slowly, and that’s exactly what you did. You stayed in touch with him, but not in a way that felt forced. It was a lot of texting, some phone calls, and slow-paced catch-ups. Lando seemed to be going through a personal transformation, one that required time and space to really grasp what had happened, and what needed to change. He wasn’t asking for forgiveness—at least, not yet—but it was clear that he was committed to earning your trust back, step by step.

-

A few weeks later, Lando invited you to dinner. It wasn’t anything extravagant—just a quiet, intimate place where you could talk without the pressure of anyone around.

When you arrived, he was already there, seated at a table in the corner, looking a little nervous but hopeful. The air between you two had shifted, but it was still filled with uncertainty.

“Hey,” he greeted you softly, his smile small but sincere.

“Hey,” you replied, taking a seat across from him. “How are you feeling?”

He shrugged, running a hand through his hair. “Better. Physically, at least. But, you know… mentally, it’s a process.”

You nodded. “I get it.”

The waiter brought the drinks, and for a while, the two of you just talked—about everything and nothing. You shared stories of what had been going on in your life, and he did the same. It felt different than before, though. It wasn’t just small talk; there was a genuine attempt to rebuild a connection that had been strained.

Eventually, the topic shifted.

“Lando, what happens now?” you asked gently, leaning in a little. “You and I… I think we’ve both been through a lot. And I don’t want to rush into anything, but we have to figure out if we’re even capable of rebuilding what we had.”

Lando took a deep breath, his eyes meeting yours with vulnerability. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “But I want to try. I want to prove to you that I’m not the same guy I was before. I was stupid for not believing you, and I can’t change that. But I want to be better—for you, for me, and for us. If you’ll let me.”

There it was—the raw honesty. The same honesty you had tried to offer him months ago, but he had been too blind to see.

“I’m not saying everything will be perfect,” Lando continued. “But I want us to start fresh. And I want to take things slow. No pressure. Just… us figuring it out, together.”

You could see the sincerity in his eyes. There was no doubt in your mind that he was genuinely trying to make amends.

“I think… I think that’s all we can do,” you said after a pause. “I don’t want to rush either. But I’m willing to try if you are.”

A weight seemed to lift off both of your shoulders as Lando’s smile widened. “One step at a time, right?”

You chuckled softly. “Exactly.”

-

part five here

-

taglist: @angelluv16 @yara011 @olivia-zaq @formulaal @chloes-book-corner @freyathehuntress @dodo1328 @henna006 @chlmtfilms @sailorinthesie @at-a-rax-ia @star73807-blog @hurtblossom @thatsnotaddy @couppy

[no-144444]

catch-up- l.norris (no.4)

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summary: lando after Monza.

pairing: land norris x fem! reader.

warnings: talk of workplace harassment

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Lando walked into your apartment with a sour expression on his face. You’d been waiting for him all night. P1 to P3, not exactly a good result. 

“Hey darling,” you sighed, walking up to him and wrapping your arms around his neck. He didn’t hug you back. You tried to press a kiss to his cheek, but he shrugged you off and moved further into the apartment and left you in the living room as he went to your bedroom. 

Your day hadn’t been great either, if he’d cared to ask, but you didn’t really think faulting him right now was a smart idea. Emotions were high, you’d seen the interviews, you’d seen his face on the podium, and you’d seen him. It still stung.

You followed after him and leant against the doorframe, watching him take off his clothes to be left in his boxers. He didn’t look in your direction once. He lay down in the bed, his back to you, and that was that. 

Shit. 

“Great discussion,” you mumbled under your breath, and closed the door. Imola to Monaco was only a 3 hour flight and he’d left Imola at about 10pm. It was only about 2am now, and you had work in the morning. Work that you didn’t want to go to. The new co-worker you were teaching was probably the creepiest guy you could ever imagine, and he decided that you were his to touch all day on Friday. Disgusting. 

You saw the door open as you settled on the couch, just hoping to drown out the worried and upset thoughts that ran through your head. You were worried about Lando, worried about the Driver’s Championship, worried about Oscar, worried about Lando and Oscar’s relationship, worried about Lando’s confidence, worried about going to work, trying to think about a strategic outfit, worried about the other girls in the office, worried about-

“Hi,” his soft voice invaded your senses, and you turned to face him. There he was, beside you, his hand in yours. 

“Hi,” you answered, your voice hoarse and tired. “I’m sorry about today.”

He nodded. “It’s my fault,” he shrugged. “Oscar made the pass, and I was allowed to race him-”

“Lando, you’re not seriously blaming yourself for today, are you?” You asked. He didn’t answer, just staring down at where your hands connected. “It would’ve been a 1-2 finish if Stella and the team didn’t take a page out of the Ferrari handbook of how to fuck shit up. Papaya rules can fuck off, and so can Zak Brown. You deserved that 1-2. Both of you do. P3 is still good, but I know it’s not enough for you. But Lan, think about where you were last year, or the year before. The progress you’ve made this year alone? Unimaginable. Don’t get tunnel-visioned into hating yourself because of one bad race result when you know how talented and skilled you are, and how you won against Max with a fucking 22 second gap. Monza wasn’t your weekend, but next weekend will be and that’s what matters. Also, P3, standing on the podium being a bad result? I’d say you’re doing pretty well then.”

He smiled softly as you reminded him of who he was, but also how important you are to him. Speeches like that from you made him feel a thousand times better than any consolation pity pep-talk he could’ve gotten from someone in the team. “Thank you,” he pressed his lips to your cheek. “Please come to bed.”

You chuckled softly. “I doubt I’ll be sleeping much tonight.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “Why?”

“Just… head busy,” you shrugged. “But I’ll come in if you want me to.” 

He pressed his lips to your neck in a soft kiss. “I always want you near me.”

You chuckled. “Ok Romeo,” you scoffed, getting up. 

“How was work this week?” he asked, following you into your bedroom. 

“Shit,” you sighed, lying down. “But probably better than yours.”

“What happened?”

“It’s fine Lan,” you brushed it off. “You’re tired.”

“Not enough to not hear what you have to say,” he sat up, waiting for you to speak. 

You sighed and turned to him, resting your head in his lap as he ran his fingers through your hair. “I was training this new guy at work and he decided to make it his personal mission to make me as uncomfortable as possible. He just kept touching me, and not seeing how it was inappropriate. Now I have to think about what I wear even more, and tell the rest of the girls at the office, and-”

“Baby, you shouldn't be dealing with that,” he sighed. You could tell he was angry. “You need to tell HR.”

“That’s the worst part, he’s the HR guy,” you groaned. “Anyways, I just want to sleep, and I know you do too.”

He nodded, lying beside you and wrapping his arms around your waist to hold you close. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” you whispered. “Please don’t come to my place of work and threaten this guy Lan.”

He scoffed. “I wasn’t going to threaten him, I was going to get Max to do it.”

You chuckled. “You’re a child.”

“I’m a problem solver,” he shrugged. “Ok, but he needs to be fired. I can come in and I’ll pretend like he’s insulted me massively as a customer, boom, he’s gone.”

“Ok Superman, whatever you say,” you giggled.

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navigation for my blog :) (masterlist)

[halfwayhearted]

HII, you could make a Lamine fic, where he's jealous of another player because you're a fan of the other team and that player. that it's something with a lot of silliness, and fluff at the end

By the way, I love the way you write 💋

(Isn’t It) Obvious — Lamine Yamal.

Pairing: Lamine Yamal x Fem!Reader

Summary: The moment you mention a team you support and your ‘favorite’ (…) player, the boy is instantly on you about it.

Word Count: 410+

Disclaimer/s — None I can think of…

A/N: Idk how I didn’t get to this request sooner, I loved this???

You quite honestly didn’t think that accidentally mentioning another team you were a fan of would lead to this: Lamine asking you question after question about the team and, to his dismay, your favorite player. Which wasn’t even your favorite player; all you said was that you enjoyed seeing what he brought to the match. That’s it. That’s all.

Yet here you were, both of your brows pinched.

“I really don’t understand what you’re doing,” you voiced softly, pulling your knees up to your chest.

Your boyfriend ignores you. “When did you start liking them? Or, sorry, nevermind, I have a better question, when did you start liking your player?”

That elicits a groan from your mouth. “I—excuse me? My player? This conversation has officially reached its max stupidity status. First of all, he is not my player. Second of all, all I said was that I was invested in how he plays. He’s literally new!”

“It’s basically the same thing if you think about it.”

“Then stop thinking about it, you idiot. Sit down and watch. That’s all I’m asking—he is not my favorite player, you already know who mine is.”

Lamine lets out a small huff, plops down beside you, and slides his arm around your curled-up legs, resting it on your calf. “I don’t. Who is it?”

“Don’t play coy and humble. Come on, answer it.”

Letting a smirk slowly take over his features, he clears his throat before responding, “Is it me?”

You click your tongue. “What? Not you. It’s Balde.”

Just as he’s about to stand up, you’re quick to grab his arm. A laugh bubbles out of you. “I’m kidding! I’m just kidding! I’m messing with you, Lamine. Of course it’s you. Always, I promise.”

“Not funny at all,” he grumbled, settling back into his seat. Despite his words, you can tell he’s not truly upset; the smile on his lips gives him away.

“Did I get you? Actually, no, I so got you. I know.”

With feigned annoyance, he gently pushes you. “Good to know I’m the only one who’s humble.”

Your smile only widens at the slight shove, and then you’re leaning into him, patting his thigh. “Hey, I played it well! Maybe one day you can get me back.” You pause, then frown. “Actually, maybe don’t get me back. Yeah. Uh, thanks…”

Flickering his gaze over to you, he chuckles and rolls his eyes. “Uh-huh. Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Likes, reblogs, and comments are always appreciated ^_^.

DT(s) — @planetpedri + @spidybaby + @iovepoem + @sakashq + @joaoflms ! ౨ৎ

[theemporium]

Idk if you like to write about like real life events but maybe a daniel fic or a daniel x sunshine about Daniel and his injured hand and just like looking after him and sunshine fussing over him super fluffy🥺🥺

it doesn't really fit with the daniel and sunshine timeline, but i made it a normal danny blurb! thank you for requesting!🫶🏽

.

“Oh, baby.”

Daniel’s head snapped up at the sound of your voice, something in his chest easing when he saw you standing in the doorway of the hospital room. Everything had been a blur since the crash. His focus had been on the pain in his hand, the uncertainty of whether he would be able to drive this weekend or not. He had been going back and forth between different doctors and nurses and medics, it exhausted him. 

But now, here you were and something about the whole situation felt so much easier. 

“Do I really look that rough?” He asked, his brows raised when he noticed the small moment of hesitance in your step. 

“I just…I was so worried,” you admitted as you slowly made your way to his bedside. “Nobody knew if you were okay, and they wouldn’t tell me anything—”

“Hey, baby, shhhh, it’s okay,” he murmured as he lifted his good arm to reach for you. The second you were close enough, he tossed his arm over your shoulder and tucked you into his side. “I’m fine. They did an x-ray, it’ll be fine.”

“That doesn’t make me feel much better,” you grumbled with a sigh. “They wouldn’t even let me see you in the medic tent.”

His brows furrowed together. “How did you even get here?” 

“I…borrowed Max’s car,” you said slowly. 

Daniel glanced at you warily. “Borrowed?”

“He may not be aware I borrowed it but I’ll thank him nonetheless,” you said with an innocent smile.

Daniel snorted as he pressed his lips against your temple. “I’m glad you’re here.”

When the doctor came back with the news that his wrist was broken, you could see how disheartened and upset he was. He was trying to put on a brave face for everyone: for the nurses who were putting his cast on, for the team he felt like he let down, for the cameras so the fans wouldn’t suspect anything.

But the second you made it to the hotel room, you saw the way his shoulders sagged in defeat.

“Danny?”

His head turned to look at you, his eyes a little glossy and his smile shaky, but it was enough for you to open your arms and let the boy sink into your body.

“Let it out, baby,” you cooed softly, rubbing your hands up and down his back as he let out a small sniffle.

“I just wanted to prove them wrong,” he murmured against your shoulder.

“I know, honey,” you sighed, turning your head to press a soft kiss against his cheek. “How about a night in? We can watch some Ace Ventura, order some room service…anything you want.”

Daniel let out a soft chuckle. “That would be nice.”

“Go get changed into something comfy, big boy,” you grinned before nudging him towards the bathroom. “Better yet, wearing nothing at all.”

He snorted. “Subtle, baby, subtle.”

“It’s my specialty,” you said with a shrug.

.

[angelasscribbles]

The Pizza Caper

Series: Unbothered

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Riley x Drake, Riley x Liam, Riley x Hana

Rating: MA

Warnings for this chapter: Mature Themes

Word Count: 1,817

A/N: @karahalloway sent me an AITA post about guests ordering pizza to a wedding reception after not getting any food before it ran out and the bride getting upset about them ruining her aesthetic. And I thought, what if Riley ordered pizza that night in Lythikos when Olivia didn't feed them? It was going to be the Bad Romance gang but as I started writing, I was like you know what? This gives Unbothered vibes. So here we are.

“Hey!” Riley watched as yet another waiter passed by without stopping to serve their table. “What about us?”

“I’m sorry, ma’am.” The waitress gave her an apologetic look. “I’m just following orders.”

She huffed as she threw herself back into her chair. “This is bullshit!”

“That’s Olivia.” Drake drummed his fingers on the tabletop. He was used to Olivia treating him like a second class citizen, but she had never starved him before. “She must really hate you.”

“Eh,” Riley shrugged dismissively. “She’s just jealous of me, that’s all.” Her eyes scanned the room until she found Liam. She smiled and waggled her fingers at him. He rewarded her with a huge smile from his table at the front. Olivia noticed.

“Damn. If looks could kill, I’m pretty sure you’d be dead, Brooks.”

“So, are we supposed to just sit here and starve?”

“Doesn’t look like we have much choice.”

“Oh, there’s always a choice.” She smirked as she drew her cell phone from her clutch.

“What are you doing?”

“Ordering pizza. What do you want on yours?”

Drake stared at her with his mouth open. “You can’t just have pizza delivered in the middle of a formal ball! Can you?”

“Why not?”

He stared at her for a few more seconds and then threw his head back as laughter bellowed out of him. “I want meat. Lots of it. Pepperoni, bacon, sausage, whatever they got.”

“What about you, Hana?”

“Oh! I… uh… I’ve never had pizza before. I don’t know what to order.”

“It’s ok, girl. I got you.” Riley gave her a wink.

Drake watched as Hana turned pink under Riley’s flirtations. His hand slipped under the table to adjust himself, amazed at how this woman could make anything sexy. His gaze darted to the front table. Liam might like her, but he wouldn’t be able to marry her, right? He still had a shot.

Riley ordered the pizza and then instructed them to text her when they arrived so she could meet them at the door.

Thirty minutes later, Hana delicately picked up her knife and fork and started cutting her pizza. “It smells great!”

“That’s probably just ‘cause you’re starving,” Drake mumbled through a mouthful of pepperoni and bacon.

Riley lifted a slice laden with cheese and vegetables to her mouth and sank her teeth in. She closed her eyes in appreciation. “Mmmm! I didn’t know they made pizza this good in Europe!”

Drake lowered his hand to peer at her over his pizza. “What do you mean?”

Her brows furrowed. “What do you mean, what do I mean?”

“I mean,” He leaned back in his chair, as he sat his slice down on the empty plate in front of him. “What do you mean you didn’t know Europe had good pizza?”

Riley shrugged. “Why would I know that?”

“Where do you think pizza originated?” he scoffed. “I mean, Italy is right—” his train of thought completely derailed as he watched her lick her fingers, one at a time.

She glanced up at him when he went quiet. “What?”

“Never mind. Pizza totally originated in Chicago.” He would agree with her that the sky was green if that’s what it took to make her notice him.

Max approached their table. “Excuse me, Riley, but they’re about to start the dancing and I was wondering if you would do me the honor of…. Is that pizza? Where did you get pizza?” He grabbed an empty chair from the table behind them and shoved it between the two women, forcing Hana to scoot over. “Can I have a slice of that?”

“Of course!” Riley lifted a cheesy, steaming slice from the box and handed it to him with a smirk. “Your brother paid for it.”

Max shoved half the piece into his mouth and bit down. He closed his eyes as he chewed, savoring the explosion of flavors that danced across his tongue. “Oh, this is so good!”

“Didn’t you have lobster, Beaumont?” Drake shot him a disdainful look.

“I did. It was delicious. But so is this.”

“It is really good, Riley,” Hana interjected. “Thank you for introducing me to it.”

The tap tap of stiletto heels interrupted the conversation. “What the hell is this?”

Riley looked up at the hostess with a disarming smile. “Oh, hi, Olivia. This is an American dish called pizza.”

“Yes, Riley, I know what pizza is! I’m not an imbecile. Also, it’s not an American dish, you plebeian.” If the duchess clenched her jaw any harder, her teeth might shatter. “What is pizza doing at my formal ball?”

“Oh, well,” Riley paused to swallow and wipe her fingers on a napkin before explaining. “Your staff never fed us and we were hungry.”

“Yes,” the redhead smirked. “That was by design, but it still doesn’t explain—”

“What was by design?”

Olivia jumped as Liam appeared behind her. “Oh! I….” her mind spun frantically. She couldn’t admit in front of the prince that she had purposely sabotaged her own guests. How would that look to a man who was interviewing women for the position of queen? “The meal! It was meticulously planned to please both the eye and the palate. Bringing a pedestrian food like pizza into the room has ruined the aesthetic!”

Liam’s eyes scanned across the table, taking in both the pizza boxes and the guests. His gaze settled on Riley’s face with an adoring grin. “I’m sure Riley had a good reason.”

Riley smiled back at him as she leaned forward, giving him a better view of her ample cleavage. “We were starving! The waitstaff never brought us a stitch of food, and as you can see, dinner is now over.”

Liam glanced around the room. It was true. People were milling about, the band was tuning up, and the wait staff were clearing tables, not serving food. His attention went back to the table, noting the still clean place settings. Other than streaks of pizza sauce on Drake’s plate, which he was now licking, there was no sign that anyone at the table had eaten. “What an unfortunate oversight.”

Olivia’s face flamed red with anger and embarrassment as she tried to distance herself from the situation. “Yes, a terrible mishap. I’ll speak to the kitchen staff personally to find out how this happened and ensure it never happens again.”

“The music is starting.” Max stood up and offered his hand to Riley. “I’m sure Liam will be dancing the first dance with the hostess, per tradition. As one of your sponsors, I would be happy to escort you through the Cordonian Waltz.”

“Yes,” Olivia gloated, her hand landing on Liam’s arm. “We should go dance.”

“Of course,” Liam gave her a forced smile as he tamped down his disappointment. The smile he gave Riley was real. “I’ll see you later, Lady Riley.”

As they walked away, Olivia glared over her shoulder at Riley.

Drake shook his head. “She really hates you!”

“She really doesn’t,” Riley laughed. “You’ll see. Once we aren’t competing for the same man, Olivia and I will be friends. I’m sure of it!”

Drake watched as Max led Riley out on the dance floor. It was the first time in his life that he wished he had learned the damned Cordonian Waltz. He should have distracted himself somehow, but instead, he sat there like an idiot watching Max holding her close. “Fuck.” He sat back in his chair with a sigh and reached for another slice of pizza.

“You really like her, don’t you?”

“What?” He fumbled the pizza in his hands as he looked up at Hana in panic. He had forgotten she was still at the table. “Why would you say that?”

“Because it’s true.”

“No more than you.” He scoffed.

“What?” Pink splotches suffused her face and neck. “I… n…no, I mean, yes, she’s my friend but—”

“Hey, hey!” he reached across the table to pat her hand. “It’s okay. I’m not going to tell anyone. There’s no need to panic.”

Hana looked down at the tablecloth and then up at the ceiling. No response came to mind, so she didn’t give one.

“One thing you should know, though.”

She finally looked at him. “What’s that?”

“Liam’s not going to marry her. But I am.”

She was staring at him with her mouth agape when Riley made it back to the table.

“Hey guys, what are you talking about?”

“Ah, nothing!” Hana sat up straighter. Her eyes jerked from Drake’s face to Riley's. “I was just thinking…. I saw a magnificent piano in the music room. I would love it if you’d let me play something for you.”

Before she could answer, Drake interjected, “Actually, Brooks, I was hoping you’d want to explore this place with me. I know where the wine is.”

“Oh, she can drink wine any day,” Hana told him sweetly. “But it’s rare to find a Steinway Centennial Concert Piano!”

“But—”

“Guys, stop it!” Riley giggled. “There’s no need to fight over me!”

“No, we weren’t—”

“It’s not like that—”

A collective gasp from the rest of the room drew their attention. Riley turned around just in time to witness Olivia in a lip lock with Liam.

Drake and Hana’s eyes met in mutual concern about how Riley would take this turn of events. But when she turned back to them, she was smiling.

Hana reached for her hand. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Drake answered. “Because you just watched Liam kiss Olivia.”

“So? Liam didn’t look that into it. Besides, I’d kiss her so I can’t blame him for it.”

“Oh!” Heat flamed across Hana’s face again. “So, you like girls, too?”

“Absolutely!” Riley leaned closer to Hana with a smirk. “Especially sweet, shy girls.”

Hana’s eyes went wide as she lost the ability to speak.

“What about guys?” Drake drew her attention back to himself. “I mean, other than princes. Do you have a type?”

“Why?” she countered. “Are you hoping you’re my type?”

His response was quick and unabashed. “Yes.”

“Tell you what,” she moved away from Hana to position her lips right next to his ear. “After I spend some time with Hana tonight, I’ll meet you in that wine cellar and we’ll find out. How’s that sound?”

“That….yes!”

“Bring the leftover pizza. Now I have to go find Liam.” She turned to Hana. “See you in the music room when this is over.”

They both watched her walk away. Both were determined to sway her from Liam’s side.

When Riley disappeared out the French doors onto the patio, they turned their attention back to each other. Their eyes met over the half empty pizza boxes, both sets filled with understanding. They liked each other and it wasn’t personal, but the battle lines had been drawn and neither one was pulling any punches.

[gentlebilady]

Even MORE of Casual

Steve’s phone rang just as he was pulling the meatballs out of the oven. He slid the pan onto the range top quickly, tossing the towel he used as an oven mitt over his shoulder as he grabbed the phone off the wall. 

“Yello,” he greeted the caller.

“...Steve?” The voice was young, feminine, familiar.

“Max? Hey. How are you?”

In response, the young woman sobbed.

Oh shit.

“Oh shit. Max? Are you okay?” Steve was frozen. He and Max were not exactly close and Billy was still keeping very mum on their…non-relationship. Despite this Steve’s first thought was that there must be something wrong with Billy.

“Billy told me to call you.”

OH SHIT. Steve’s blood ran cold. If Billy told his little sister to call him, things were bad.

“What’s going on, Max? Is Billy okay? Did something happen in California?” Billy had left to visit his mom’s family earlier that week.

“Oh. Yeah, he’s fine. He told me to call you if I, um, if I needed anything while Billy was gone?” The statement sounded like a question. Steve was stunned, then felt heat flood his system - Billy had told Max to call him. Before he let himself get lost in the knowledge that Billy trusted him with his family, Steve refocused on Max.

“What do you need, Max? I’m here.”

She sniffed, hard.

“Um, my mom and Neil are having a huge argument, and usually when this happens I call Billy and he’ll come pick me up and we’ll go to his apartment, but he’s gone, and mom is REALLY upset, she’s, like, trying to kick Neil out of the house? And-,” she hiccuped. “- I know I’m, like, a little old for this, but I hate it when they fight, it reminds me of when Billy lived here and Neil would, would-. Steve, I don’t know what to do.”

“I’m gonna come get you, okay? Can you get out of the house and wait for me somewhere? There’s a park nearby, go to the swings and wait there and I’ll be there in 15 minutes. Okay, Max?”

Her voice was small but relieved when she whispered “Okay,” back.

“I’m leaving right now, Max. I’ll see you soon.” He waited for her to hang up, then grabbed his keys and wallet, barely remembering to turn off the oven, leaving the meatballs on the stovetop, and running out of his front door. 

Ten minutes later he was pulling into the park. It was dusk and the area had only a few older kids hanging out. Max was sitting on a swing, casually pushing herself with one leg back and forth. She spotted Steve as soon as he pulled in and jumped up to run to his car. He had barely parked before she was throwing open the passenger seat and sliding in.

In the brief glow of the overhead light, Steve saw her eyes were red but dry, and she looked calmer than she had sounded earlier. As soon as she was buckled in, Steve put the car in drive.

“Where to, Mad Max?”

“Can we get something to eat? I’m starving. This ALWAYS fucking happens at dinner, I swear.”

“Language,” Steve muttered, unthinking. Max scoffed then giggled.

“You’re such a grandpa.”

“Yeah, yeah, smartass,” said Steve the hypocrite. He smiled. “Spaghetti and meatballs sound good?”

“Are you kidding?! Holy crap that sounds perfect. I have been CRAVING pasta.”

It took the full 15 minutes to get back to Steve’s place. Max filled the drive with chatter, about Lucas, the classes she was taking, and the car she was saving up for. She carried on when they got into his duplex. While he heated sauce (his mom’s) and cooked the spaghetti (store bought), she complained about her job at the arcade. As she scoured his kitchen cabinets for plates and cutlery, then loaded up their plates, she bragged about her high scores on five of the games they carried. When they sat down in front of the TV and Steve put on the news, Max had something to say about every story. An hour later, after she’d gotten seconds, perused his VHS collection, and told Steve about a book she was reading (in detail), she finally seemed to lose steam. It was getting a little late, but Steve didn’t want to take her back to someplace she didn’t feel safe. Before he could figure out how to broach the subject, she piped up.

“Could I use your phone?”

“Of course!” Steve stood up to take her to it, then sat back down when she whizzed past him to grab it from the wall. As she was dialing, Steve gathered their plates to take to the sink. He didn’t want to eavesdrop but also felt a strange responsibility for the girl that demanded he stay near, so he leaned back against the counter to wait with her. 

Max was tense, but she shot him a grateful smile when he took up his post. Whoever she was calling answered, and Max relaxed.

“Hey mom. … I’m at Steve’s. … What? … I don’t know! … Can’t I- Okay! I’ll ask! Hey, Steve, can I stay with you tonight?” 

Steve was flabbergasted. His face must have shown it.

“Please? Mom doesn’t want me going home.” Max was putting on a strong facade, but there were large, obvious cracks in it; Steve could not turn her away.

“Of course.” 

She nodded quickly, her eyes wide and wet.

“He said yes, mom. Will you tell me what’s going on?” Max got quiet as she listened, and Steve decided that this was something he could leave her to. He went to his bedroom to change his sheets - Max could sleep in his bed, and he’d sleep on the couch. He found a pair of Dustin’s sweats that the boy had left here the last time they’d had a movie night and an old tshirt of his own that he’d grown out of before it got too ratty, and put them aside for her to sleep in if she wanted. Then he changed into his own pajamas - flannel pants and a too large shirt.

He made his way back out toward the kitchen. Max was still on the phone and she looked like she had cried, but there was a lightness to her face. She saw Steve and gave him a small smile.

“Yeah, mom. I love you, too. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Max hung up the phone and walked to Steve, then surprised the hell out of him by throwing her arms around him and hugging him tight.

“My mom’s leaving Neil,” she whispered.

“Oh. Um, wow. Is that-?” Steve did not know how to respond to this.

“It’s a good thing. He isn’t a good person.” Max burrowed her head into Steve’s chest. “Something bad happened tonight, she won’t tell me what, but. Mom says she’s getting a restraining order against him for her and me.” Steve didn’t know what to say to that. A restraining order? Jesus. 

“Are you going to be able to go back home?” He asked. She shrunk in on herself. “Sorry! I don’t know what happens with restraining orders. I don’t know how they work.” He awkwardly patted her back; strangely, it seemed to help.

“Mom says the sheriff says Neil will have to leave the house and find somewhere else to live. I guess there’s a lot of court stuff involved? I don’t know, but she said I should be able to go home tomorrow.” 

Steve nodded, then asked the question that had been burning in him.

“What about Billy?”

Max looked up at Steve, her face worried.

“I- I don’t know. Mom didn’t say anything about him! Oh god. Do you think Neil will hurt him? Can Billy get a restraining order?” She seemed to be genuinely asking Steve, who was left grasping for calm.

“Billy’s not going to be back until next week, right? Your mom needs to call him and tell him what’s going on. I don’t know- he doesn’t tell me-.” Steve took a deep breath. “Max, does Billy need a restraining order against his dad?”

Her voice was small and her eyes shifted away when she said, “I don’t know.” She was quiet a moment, chewing on her lip, before she finally met his eyes, held them, and nodded her head. Steve nodded back, his mind racing.

“Tomorrow, we’ll talk to Billy. For now, I think we should watch a movie, eat some ice cream, and get some sleep.” 

Max obviously wasn’t expecting this response, but she agreed readily. Steve offered her the sleep clothes, which she accepted, and gave her the spare toothbrush that had come in the two-pack he’d bought last time. She closed herself in the bathroom to change, and appeared moments later, demanding ice cream and to watch Fright Night. Steve sighed at the movie - not his first choice, especially after an emotionally wrought night, but if that’s what would take Max out of her head, then that’s what they would watch.

Thirty minutes into the movie Max was nodding off against the back of the couch. Steve paused the tape and chivvied the girl toward the bedroom. She didn’t argue, drifting sleepily down the hall and climbing into the bed, face soft and eyes half closed. She laid down and turned over with a quiet “Night.” 

“Good night, Max.” Steve left the door open and went into the bathroom to brush his teeth and prepare to sleep. He kept the light in the bathroom on and pulled the door almost fully closed, so Max could find it if she needed it in the middle of the night. Then he grabbed a spare pillow and blanket from the closet. After making sure the front door was locked and the kitchen wasn’t a disaster, he made up his couch nest, turned off the lights, and put on Sixteen Candles. 

~

This came in fits and spurts after a long day on the road. I read over it to check for any glaring errors but I know I missed some stuff.

ANYWAY!!!! I really enjoyed writing this scene. It would definitely come after the last scene I posted, but I'm not sure if there will be anything in between.

I have a good bit written for this story, but I'm kind of just writing as it comes to me, and posting little bits here and there. I will be editing it into a cohesive THING at some point and posting it in its entirety.

I really hope y'all are enjoying this! Cause I am LOVING writing it.

[jakexneytiri]

Post a blurb for each draft you have

bet lol but i’m only gonna do the ones i feel pretty confident with/small blurbs/ones that night never get posted :’)

nima squeals, running straight to neteyam. “daddy! daddy! 'nuk teasin' me!”

neteyam scoops nima up in one swift movement, glancing down at txonuk unamused.

“txonuk. what have i told you? no riling your sister up before bed.”

—

"does he ever have you like this?" jake's words come from above you, while his glistening skin smacks against yours in sharp, rough thrusts.

—

"hey...hey. what's wrong? what is it, talk to me, baby." you encourage, gently rubbing his cheek, but it's no use. his strong arms scoop you up carefully, carrying you over to the woven mat you both sleep on.

—

"hey. hey. look at me. keep those pretty eyes open f'me.”

—

jake scoffs at your silence, continuing to try and get you to speak. “c’mon, you're still upset with me from earlier when I left you all hot n bothered?”

“i think the clan members could’ve spared you five minutes.”

—

norm laughs at this. "we will, tomorrow. Don't you remember what day it is?"

"….it's sunday, right?"

“jake, it's father's day. go spend some time with the kids.”

“father's day, huh? haven't remembered any of those stupid holidays from back on earth.”

“really? you seemed to remember valentine's day just fine!”

jake chuckles at this, fondly recalling the night your second son was conceived. “all right, all right. i’m goin.”

—

the olo'eyktan that is very closed-off, reserved. never smiles. only speaks when he has to. who's presence makes other clan members slightly uncomfortable. but he wasn't always this way, of course. no, neteyam used to be happy. used to smile. hell, he even used to laugh. but all of that changed that day. that damned day.

—

neteyam opens the flap to your marui then, flashing you a cheeky smile as he's attacked by three sets of little hands reaching for him.

—

jake looks out of the corner of his eye, noticing neteyam fiddling with his old polaroid camera.

“where'd ya find that? thought i lost that thing years ago.” jake smiles, reaching out to take it.

—

his smile matches yours, full of love as he moves to place a gentle kiss to your lips.

"ewwww! they're doing the sex!" txonuk yells, running to the mat he sleeps on with se'ayl.

neteyam's eyes nearly pop out of his head as he pulls away from you, staring at his youngest son in shock.

"tonuk. what did you just say?" neteyam asks, getting on one knee to be eye level with him.

—

who were you to come in between an olo'eyktan and his duties? stupid, stupid girl.

—

jake can’t stand being away from you, but you both know he has to leave when duty calls. even as he’s currently at high camp with norm & max, he can’t help but let his mind drift to last night. the way your innocent eyes were squeezed shut, lips parted just enough to let your desperate moans escape, begging for him to—

“jake? that sound okay to you?” norm’s voice brings jake back to the lab, waving his hand in front of his face.

“…huh? sure, yeah.” jake replies, raising an arm to scratch the top of his head.

[imawreck]

Lead

Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier x Original Character

Summary: Finally, the Avengers get wind of an upcoming attack from Hydra, and they all scramble to prepare for it in order to get Max back.

Author’s Note: Hey! Hope you’re all doing well! Just want you to know, we’re getting closer to catching up to where I’m currently writing on the story. I also have some ideas for this story’s future, or perhaps a second part to this series (once I finish it) where Max intervenes in the series Falcon and the Winter Soldier. If you have any interest in that, just comment!

Warnings: nudity, most warnings from the last chapter, suicidal thoughts (read with caution please), branding

Word Count: 4,177

Steve-

Twenty-seven reported murders in a month. That didn't include Pietro Maximoff. Twenty-seven people dead with no leads, no prints, no evidence. All of which were people in high power who were replaced almost as fast as they had gone. There were no connections and no leads. Tony watched the news every morning and listened to the police chase their tails over this 'Serial Murderer'.

We all knew who it was. There just weren't any leads for us to figure out who she'd kill next.

The realization that Max was being used the way the Winter Soldier was had broken Bucky. He never left his room during the day. He had completely isolated himself.

Wanda... She had stuck to staying in her room and only coming out for plates of food to take back with her. No one wanted to stop her.

The team was in shambles. I wasn't even sure we could really be called a team anymore. The missions we went on hardly did anything worthwhile, and those were few and far between. Tony had alerted the authorities about the situation at hand but since there wasn't any evidence or leads, there was nothing they could do.

We were sitting ducks.

That was, until Wanda stormed into the commons room with wild eyes. "I know where she will be hitting next."

"What? How?" I stood from the couch, "That's impossible."

Wanda pursed her lips, "I was upset after... after everything, and my powers got the better of me and it just happened."

"What just ‘happened’?" I met her in the middle of the commons area, searching her face. "You aren't making any sense."

Her fingers ran through her ratty red hair as she looked wildly around the room. "I heard them. I heard her name, Ghost, and I heard his thoughts. He said that they were going to be hitting s-some sort of, like, safehouse or something. A government building in the states. They are going to send her there tonight to destroy it."

I shook my head, taking it all in. "Do you know the exact location?"

"No, but I saw an image in his mind on a map. I can find it." 

I nodded, "Go to Tony. Now. Tell him what you told me and make sure not to leave anything else out. And Wanda?"

She had started toward the elevator and stopped short, "Yes?"

"Your powers, you sure it just happened? You weren't trying to do anything?" I knew she was lying. I had seen it in her eyes the minute she walked through and said it.

"Yes. I was upset and it just happened." Wanda held my gaze and didn't waver a bit.

I sent her off with a nod. Even if she was lying, it was a lead. We couldn't risk not looking into it. I just hoped that Tony would have enough to convince the Feds to let us hunker down and try and catch her in the act.

_____

Max-

A pile of stale, bland porridge sat on the floor in front of me.

I hadn't touched it, couldn't. Not with the harrowing images still clinging to mind. Simply staring at it for too long made bile rise in my throat. 

I had been stripped naked after Giles had gone. I was left to fend off the cold with nothing more than my own skin. Which wasn't working very well at all. My fingers had long since turned blue and gone numb. I didn't know why, perhaps it was another form of torture or simply to take what little dignity I had left. 

My weakened body had adopted a tremble in order to generate even the smallest amount of heat. I didn't want to acknowledge that it didn't leave me even when I was allowed into the heat. Still as death, I remained laid on the floor with my eyes open. Maybe if I wished hard enough, I would just pass on. Maybe death would be better than this. There wasn't anything or anyone waiting for me if the miracle of escape happened, it wasn't like anyone would miss me. 

A flash of Bucky and Natasha kissing in his room swept through my mind and the sting of tears met my eyes. Not even he would be waiting for me.

I curled my arms tighter around myself as the sound of boots echoed through the crack under the door, a dozen at least. No one had been sent to move me since Giles used the scepter, so they had probably already moved me while I was out. So, I waited, trying and failing to prepare myself for whatever would walk through that door next.

I was not prepared for Rumlow and his seeping ego to sling open the steel door with a dozen goons on his heal.

I stared at him, taking note of the suit he wore and his polished shoes. And that awful gaze scouring over every inch of exposed skin bared to him. "My eyes are over here, dipshit."

A laugh rattled across the walls, "Even all weak, you've still got a mouth on you, huh?"

"I still bite, too." I gnashed my teeth at him to punctuate my point. 

Rumlow sighed, a smile curling onto his scruffy face. "Are you not surprised to see me here, of all places?"

I made a point to furrow my brows, pretending to think on it. "No, not really. Sleazeball men are right on brand for Hydra." I grinned wickedly at him, "You fit the bill to a tee."

His smile left, and I savored it, however small a victory it was. "You should learn to shut your mouth, bitch."

"Can't teach an old dog new tricks, didn't you know?" I sat up, folding my legs in such a way to preserve as much of myself from him as I could.

A feral kind of rage flickered in his eyes. "I came to give you a gift."

Gifts and Hydra definitely don't go well together, and my history with Hydra's 'gifts' weren't exactly pleasant. I chose to just stare at him, waiting for him to do something.

"What, no sarcastic remark? No questions? I've been working with your beloved Avengers. Don't you want to know how they're doing?" He crossed his arms as if he'd won something, the cocky asshole.

"I'd just be wasting precious air." I gave him a tight smile, "Conversation with brick walls aren't very productive."

The men waiting behind him coughed and teetered on their toes. It did nothing but irritate him further. "Haul her out."

They moved right on his words, swinging the cell door open and gripping my arms to drag me out. I screamed at them, thrashed as much as I could and knocking a few of them off, but I was weak. Very weak. After nearly five minutes of fighting against their insistent pulling I was spent. My knees buckled and hit the cement with a painful thud. 

My heart pounded in my ears and my vision went foggy as I tried to catch my breath. The itching in my veins thrummed back to life and wriggled in the back of my mind once more. I felt, more than saw, them drag me through several halls. We turned a few times, but my head was pounding too hard for me to pay too much attention to it. The men constricting my arms finally slammed me onto a metal table where they strapped me down. 

I was unwillingly restrained and exposed. And pissed. "What could you possibly want from me? Haven't you taken enough?"

Rumlow's lips curled, "Darling, as long as you're breathing, we still have much more to take." I jerked at the straps keeping me in place, but it only served to spur his joy. "You know, I really wanted to dance with you a little longer that night. You remember, don't you? You looked so delicious in that little dress."

I could only watch as he picked something off the table one of the doctors had rolled up. I felt the air shift along my bare legs as one of the few people bustling around the room in white coats threw a thin sheet over my lower half. I silently thanked them for the scrap of fabric.

"But you had to go and call me names for asking a pretty lady like yourself if you were screwing that barbarian." Rumlow's words were low and violent. "I just wanted to have a good time, you see, but you had to go and call for help. We both know you don't need him to defend you." A metal rod rolled between his fingers as he paced out of view. 

I didn't like not being able to see him.

"I've been feeling a little upset that you turned me away, I'll admit. I thought you'd be flattered to have someone wanting you. After all, you're just an animal really. You should be grateful that someone shows any interest in you at all." His tactical clips caught the light as he rounded the table on my left side, the rod gone from his grip.

"If I'm just an animal, that must make you one sick bastard." His hand came down hard across my cheek, and the skin stung there. I refused to take my eyes off of his face. "You're pathetic."

Rumlow snarled at me, slamming his fist down on the metal table next to my arm. He hung his head for a moment, collecting himself, before his black eyes met mine once more. "I nearly forgot your gift. I wanted you to know that your little Avengers are doing well without you, better really. Your toy soldier is off with that redhead having the time of his life. I figured you'd want to know that they're happy without you slinking around any longer."

I knew he was lying, he had to be. Tony was my friend, and so was Wanda and Peter, Thor too. I knew that they wouldn't stop looking for me. Not if they knew I was still alive. "You're lying."

But he just shrugged, "Believe me or don't, but I'm telling you the truth." He disappeared once more, only to reappear a few moments later with the rod he had earlier. 

The scent of burning metal drew my eyes up the pole in his hands to the red-hot insignia sizzling against the cool air. My stomach bottomed out. "What are you doing?"

If a man could look like a demon, Rumlow sure did. His eyes glowed with the red metal swinging in front of him and his teeth gleamed in the light of it. "I'm repaying you for turning me down. No one gets away with turning me down. Giles told me I couldn't hurt you too bad with the mission coming up, so I had to get creative." He swayed the rod in emphasis, and I flinched at the heat rolling off of it. "I want you to have a reminder for forever. You're weak enough now that it won't heal quick enough before they pump you full of drugs and your little healing trick won't work. Not after what they're going to do to you." He motioned to the white coats that had lined themselves along the wall.

Waiting and watching.

I wanted to scream at them. I wanted to claw at the straps keeping me on the table. I wanted to shred Rumlow until he was nothing but ribbons, but I couldn't. I was too weak, too drained to do anything but stare at him wide eyed and cry as he lowered that rod until it was level to the left side of my neck. "Please, you don't have to do this."

Rumlow's laugh was long and deep, skittering over my bones as the heat of the Hydra insignia crept ever closer. I had begun to sweat. "Oh, but I want to."

I wrenched against the restraints, pulling with every last bit of energy I had. I felt it groan, and then one of them gave way. My arm was free. I swung it down against the arm that held the bar just a few feet from me, swiping my jagged nails against his arm. He yelled out, dropping the rod with a curse and waving over a few men. 

There wasn't enough time for me to pry my other hand free before they were on me, pulling and shoving me back down against the metal table. I could hardly see much through the tears pooling in my eyes, only vague outlines of faces leaning over me against the overhead lights. I felt the heat once more nearing me, "Please." But no one would listen.

And then he was pressing it against my skin. My eyes rolled back as I screamed, but then it all drowned to darkness.

_____

Bucky-

The room still smelled like her perfume. Lavender still clung in the air where her candle sat unburned for months now. Satin sheets caressed my unshaven face where my body had pulled the covers from their neat display. I didn't remember passing out, or how I ended up in here again. Sometimes I would find myself at the door without realizing it, like I had forgotten she was gone.

The lights were out, and the curtains were pulled to keep the sun out. My stomach growled in the silence of the room, and I pressed my hand over it to silence it's complaining. I didn't feel like moving, so it would wait. I breathed in, closing my eyes to try and recall the way her skin felt against my own. The way her hands would scrape gently against my scalp to lull me to sleep on the nights my nightmares got a little too much. 

I yearned for her like a drowning man yearned for air.

But she wasn't here, and the weight of her absence was suffocating me with each day. I didn't know it was possible to miss someone this much. Not until her. With her soft eyes and love for poetry, her strong heart and tenderness. She had somehow dug herself a home in my heart that would search for her until the day I took my last breath. And it pained me.

The door rattled as someone knocked against it. I didn't so much as flinch at the sudden sound, too drowned in my own mind.

"Bucky, it's Steve."

I really didn't want to talk to him. I didn't want to talk to anyone, really. But Stevie had given up trying to invite me to their dwindling team get-togethers for a while now, so whatever it was he had to say must be important.

I hauled myself up, stumbling over to the door as I blinked my bleary eyes from the fog that seemed to cling to them often with my inability to sleep. I pressed the handle, slipping through the door and shutting it behind me. I didn't like to share our- her room.

I blinked a few more times to adjust to the damn LED lights that lined the hallway before I could see enough to take in the urgent expression on Steve's face. "What is it?" I didn't really bother with being polite nowadays.

His brows pinched, "Wanda thinks she knows where Max is going to hit next. Tony believes we might be able to intercept it and get her back. He's called a mandatory meeting. Seeing as you've chosen to ignore most of those now, I figured I would come get you myself." He wrung his hands, "It's best if we hurry. Tony says it'll be in a few days, and we need to be as prepared as we can get."

I nodded, letting his words roll through my head once more. A chance to get her back. "Let's get on with it."

_____

Tony-

Wanda sat across from me vigorously scratching her pen against the blank paper I had handed her. A map, now marked with the location of the building Max was supposedly targeting, sat on the table between us. I had pulled up the information about her target as well, noting that it was another Politician of high power. She was more than likely targeting them to be replaced by Hydra members to gain more of a stand in society. 

My eyes drifted back to Wanda who resembled a madwoman as she tore out a page and slapped it against the steel table only to repeat her scrawling once more on a brand-new sheet. I had no idea what she was scribbling on there, didn't dare mess with the piles stacked haphazardly across its face. She had explained vaguely that she had somehow tapped into one of the Hydra agents mind and that he was directly involved in the missions that Max was sent on. She guessed he was a handler of sorts, or a pilot, someone she had to come in contact with frequently.

The elevator toned down the hall as Banner and Clint made their way towards us, Natasha lingering in the hall for a few moments before following them. I had made a point to keep the information vague. I didn't want Shield to have an opportunity to stop us from the slim chance that we could get Max back. 

Since her disappearance, the government has fallen into a frenzy in an attempt to quiet the worry rippling through the ranks. They hadn't had an issue this big since Barnes and having a repeat of history this soon was really rattling them. I had heard whispers of what they were planning to do with her if they ever caught her. Mentions of containment or even execution had been thrown around and it worried me. It had taken the worlds hero, Captain America, to plead for Barnes's freedom. What would it take to get hers?

Just thinking about it made me sick. I was itching to do something about it. Just then, the elevator tolled again, and in came the two super soldiers followed by Vision who didn't even bother to use the elevator. He just dropped in through the ceiling and nearly sent me into cardiac arrest. No biggie. "Jesus, Vision! Use the door!"

"My apologies, Mr. Stark. This way preserves energy and time. You seemed to be in a hurry." He seated himself beside Wanda, shooting her a look I couldn't read.

"Yeah, yeah, just sit and stay quiet till the rest of them get in here." I took note of each of them as they took their seats. We all looked like we'd been drug through the mud. I felt like it, too. "Thank you all for coming on such short notice. I'd apologize for being vague, but I'm really not. I wanted this to stay within the team."

None of them spoke, letting the silence swell. Only Barnes's arm clicked and shifted in the silence where he sat clenching his fist and Wanda's constant scribbling. 

"Wanda has gotten a lead on Max's whereabouts and we have a small window of opportunity to intercept her on a mission." I picked up the remote from the table, "This here," I motioned to the screen display, "Is the area she's scoping out for her target, Chairman Houser. It isn't in use at the moment, but it has the facilities to function as a safehouse. Somehow, Hydra has figured out his movements and plans to kill him while he's touring the building. Our job is to prevent her from killing the Chairman and restrain her. If we can get Max back, we can stop this whole ordeal."

Wanda had stopped writing. 

Steve leaned against the table, "Okay, so we restrain her. How exactly do we plan on doing that? She's stronger than all of us. It's not going to be easy."

Wanda shifted a paper in front of her. "They said she's weak. It should be easier to handle her."

"What do you mean weak?" 

All eyes went to Bucky. He sat rigid in his chair with his eyes glued to the side of Wanda's face. It had been a long while since any of us had seen him. Months, maybe, since he'd come out in the day when all of us were around. 

Wanda didn't look at him as she adjusted her stacks of paper. "They didn't specify, they just said that she was weaker than she used to be. Slower, less strong. She bleeds and bruises like the rest of them. That's what I heard, anyway."

 Steve dropped his head, "What else did they say about her mission?"

Again, she shifted a stack of papers and thumbed over a page in particular. "They said that it would be in three days. Something about a recovery time. We have three days to come up with a plan to save the Chairman."

"And save Max." 

This time, Wanda looked at him. Bucky hadn't pulled his eyes from her since she had mentioned Max. Like her name was one of his trigger words and held him captive whenever it was said. 

The air grew tense before she nodded, "Yes, and save Max."

The look on Bucky's face didn't say that he believed her, but he didn't say anything else as I grappled for their attention once more. "Alright, so we're going to need a solid plan. All ideas need to be thrown on the table. Max might not be in her own head, but she's smart, and I don't want to risk losing this opportunity while we've got it. Wanda will brief us on the information she's gathered about Max's mission, and we will go from there."

_____

Three and a half hours later, we had all hammered out a strategy to split Max from the Chairman and get her into an enclosed space. We figured if she was confined, it would be easier for us to tag team her. The risk of her overpowering us was still there, but with both Wanda and Vision on this mission, I had a good feeling we would come out on top. 

The team thumbed through the pages we had compiled which contained the layout of the building and all possible exits. We had plotted points for the drop and discussed multiple non-fatal weaponry we would load the jet with. Barnes had been adamant about them and pushed that we reserve fatal weapons in case we were ambushed as a last resort. I agreed just to keep him from tearing a hole through the table if any of the members so much as thought about refusing him. 

I understood what he was feeling though. I missed her too, and I knew that what Hydra was doing to her was a fate worse than death. I wanted her back nearly as much as he did, so much so I was willing to risk security for her. Shield would shut this operation down the second they smelled a hint of it. Windows like this were rare, especially with how careful and calculated Hydra had become with Giles heading it all. He was an intelligent bastard.

A chair slid out from the table, drawing my attention from the documents at hand. Steve aligned his papers against the table and gazed at all of us. "I think it would be wise to practice in pairs. None of us should try and take her on alone even if she's weak. Don't tire yourselves but be prepared."

We all nodded, taking a moment to soak in what we had discussed. 

None of us had fought against Max in a genuine fight. Only Barnes had gotten a glimpse of what fighting against her would feel like and she'd given his nose a clean break. Cap had gotten bruised ribs too, that time when she had stopped us all from attacking Bucky when his head was all blended up. But all of those instances were defensive and not at all serious, not really. Sure, we had seen her fight, and it was brutal, but it had never been against us with fatal intent. With a job like ours, that made all the difference.

"I think it would be best if we made the most of the time we've been given and get as prepared as we can. Even with a solid plan, we have no idea what she'll do or what orders she's acting on." I pushed out from the table, "Wanda, I want constant updates. I want to know the tiniest bit of change if it's made. This whole ordeal depends on it."

She nodded, her magic fluttering just over her skin as she dug around in whoever's poor mind that had leaked Hydra's information.

With a final breath, I took in their tired expressions. "I know these last few months have been difficult on us all, but now is our chance to make things right. Get some rest and be prepared. It's time we bite Hydra in the ass."

Tags<3

@greatenthusiasttidalwave / @cjand10 / @imdoingathingmom / @hzdhrtss / @calwitch / @blackbirdwitch22 / @greatmistakes

[captainnameless]

here to request grumpy little Max upset about having to share Daniel with Austin please >.<

“What’s wrong?” Daniel asks as soon as he closes the door to Max’s drivers room behind him, catching Max’s eyes but only for a second before the younger turns away from him. Arms crossed, lips pouted, Leo clutched tightly in his arms.

“Max?” Daniel frowns walking over and crouching down, putting a hand on Max’s knee.

“No.” Is all Max says, taking Leo and hiding his face into the soft plush.

Daniel wrecks his brain, surely Max isn’t this upset about qualifying. Not with both championships in the pocket and a really good chance to still move through the field. GP hadn’t given him much information either; a simple text saying. “Maybe go see Max when you get the chance. 🦁 ” The lion emoji means it’s something to do with regressed Max, a little code to let Daniel know who he’s dealing with before entering a situation.

Daniel rubs his hand softly into Max’s knee. “Muffin?” He tries again. “Can you tell me what’s wrong?”

“No.” Max huffs, voice muffles from behind his lion hand coming up to smack at Daniel’s arm.

“Hey.” Daniel frowns, hand moving from Max’s knee to wrap around Max’s wrist. “Don’t do that please.”

“No touch!” Max whines, face appearing with a disgruntled pout, trying to tug his wrist free.

Daniel lets go, tries to catch Max’s eyes now that they’re there. “Thank you for telling me, using your words is much nicer than using your hands.”

Max’s eyes are wet with unshed tears, glaring daggers at Daniel, his foot kicks out in a weak kick.

“Max.” Daniel warns, raising an unimpressed eyebrow, trying to figure out his next move. Clearly something is wrong, Daniel would much prefer finding out what that is without a tantrum.

He decides to get up, moving back a little back to give Max some space, hopefully prevent having to put the younger in a time out. Max seems less fond of that idea.

“No, stay!” He cries out, distress taking over his features. It upsets Daniel, confuses him even more.

“I’m not leaving.” Daniel soothes, sitting down with his back against the wall, crossing his legs. “Just giving you a little space.”

“No space!” Max whines, a tear rolling down his cheek, clutching Leo tight to his chest while a sob sneaks out.

Daniel’s heart aches a little more, trying to contain his frown of confusion. “Muffin, you can come to Daddy any time you want, I’m right here.”

“Daddy.” Max just cries, so Daniel scoots a little closer, holds a hand out.

It’s enough for Max to flop himself forward, dropping all of his weight in Daniel’s lap who lets out a huff wrapping his arms around the younger. “Good boy.” He hums.

Max just cries, buries himself into Daniel’s chest, body shaking with heavy sobs while Daniel rocks them, presses soft little kisses to the top of his head.

“You don’t like me here.” Max eventually gets out, hiccupy breaths still shaking him while he looks at Daniel with wet eyes.

Daniel cannot hide his confusion this time, face contorting in surprise and a little bit of hurt. “Max- what? I like you everywhere.”

“Not as much here.” Max pouts, hand coming up to rub at his eyes.

Something clicks in Daniel, he has barely spent time with the younger ever since Max had stepped foot on American soil. With this being his first race back, media duties for both Alpha Tauri and RedBull, the circus that is Austin for him and his merch drop they had barely seen each other.

Daniel feels like a dick, Max had expressed his excitement about Daniel being back but also voiced a little bit of nervousness about Daniel possibly hurting himself again and Daniel had done absolutely nothing to soothe him.

“Oh muffin, I’m sorry.” Daniel breathes, arms wrapping around Max in a tight embrace, lips pressing onto his temple. “I’m sorry.” He mumbles into the soft skin.

Max just sniffles into the embrace.

“I should’ve checked in sooner, I’m sorry.” He repeats. “It’s been a little crazy, but I promise you,” Daniel gently tips Max’s chin up. “I promise I like you more than Austin.”

“Pinky promise?” Max whispers, eyes wide and wet.

“Pinky promise.” Daniel nods, holding his pinky out for Max to take.

[miahxrrington-blog]

I miss, you

⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ ⋆ ˚｡⋆

steve Harrington x henderson reader

warnings- angst (and un prof read work promise I’ll do it later I’m just really tired

also feel free to leave feed back this is my first time writing anything like this and feed back would be great fully appreciated practice makes perfect!

summary: steve and reader had broken up they now have to fight these supernatural beings together what happens when dustin confronts steve while y/n’s in the car and asks him about how he basically threw himself at nancy

I had broken up with steve a month ago its not that i didn’t love him still. it’s more that i knew he didn’t love me. his heart belonged to someone else. and i was foolish to think that someone was me.

because how could steve harrington ever love me. when he still not over his first love. at first I thought it was in my head. but i see the way they look at each other. the stolen glances here and there. and who was i to deny him the person he truly wants to be with.

so i had to let him go. because i loved him. and he loved her. he always has and always will.

it was the spring of 86 and once again we had gotten sucked into fighting the supernatural once again.

we had just been in the shed that eddie was staying in when we started hearing sirens with confused glances towards each other we look outside and see a bunch of police cruisers. we quickly tell eddie to hide under the tarp while we go investigate.

we all get in steve’s car and I get into the front seat while robin and the kids sit in the back. dustin and max look shaken up.

“hey it’s gonna be okay.” I console them turning around to look at them.

once we get to the scene, we quickly recognize a familiar face. nance. what was she doing there? I wondered. she gives steve a little wave and nods at him.

which steve returns.

we all make our way to the trailer park in which most of these events have taken place. we all sit at a picnic table I take a seat by steve being as thats the only seat that was left. I smile at him and then return to the conversation at hand. it doesn’t have to be awkward.

right?

“so you’re saying this thing that killed fred and chrissy is from the upside down?” asks nancy

“if the shoe fits.” mentions steve

“our working theory is that he attacks with a spell or a curse. and whether or not he’s doing the bidding of the mindflayer or just love killing teens, we don’t know. ” dustin says trying his best to fill her in.

“all we know is that this is something different. something new” I mention.

“this doesn’t make any sense.” said a confused nancy

“it’s only a theory” reassures my brother

“no fred and chrissy don’t make sense. I mean why why them.” said nancy trying to figure out what the connection was.

“maybe they were just in the wrong place.” I answered

“they were both at the game”

“and near the trailer park” said dustin and max listing things on how this could all be related

“were at the trailer park. should we maybe not be here?” asks a concerned steve

“fred started acting weird the second we got here” said nancy

“acting weird as in??” asked robin

“scared, on edge, upset.”

“max said chrissy was upset too.” said my brother

“yea but not here. she was crying in the bathroom at school” adds max

“serial killers stalk there pray before they strike right? so maybe fred and chrissy say this vecman ” asks robin

“vecna” corrects my brother.

“i dont know about you guys but if I saw some freaky wizard monster, I would mention it to someone.” says steve I nodded agreeing with him

“maybe they did. I saw chrissy leaving ms. kelly’s office. if you saw a monster you wouldn’t go to the police they’d never believe you. but you might go to your.”

“your shrink” I said finishing max’s sentence

once we were all done talking we headed to steve’s car. nancy clearly taking a different direction. i started opening the car door when i heard a

concerned steve yell over at nance

“whoa. whoa, nance, nance! where you going.” he asks. ouch. i try not to let this affect me. I mean isn’t this what I wanted. and more importantly what he wanted. I ignore the pain in my chest.

“something I wanna check on first” she answers

“something you wanna share with us?” asks my brother

“I mean yea I thought we were all in this together.” I say

“I don’t wanna waste your time, it’s a real shot in the dark.”

“yea, okay are you out of your mind? flying solo with this vecna creep on the loose no it’s too dangerous, you need, you need some to” steve tried to think of something

robin stares at me and clearly sees my discomfort.

steve then tosses his keys to robin.

“here. I’ll stick with nance, you guys take the car, check out the shrink.” if only he was that persistent when we broke up. I thought rolling my eyes at his behavior.

“I don’t think u want me driving your car” says robin

“why?” asks steve

“I don’t have my license.”

“why don’t you have a liscense”

“because im poor.”

“I can drive” says max

“no, no, no never again. please. anybody but you no.” said steve persistently

“alright just give the keys to henderson.” my brother raises his eyebrows and reachers for the keys.

“no obviously not you dipshit your sister”

“I mean yea I could drive but I don’t necessarily have my license either. are you sure you want to trust me with your car?”

“you’ve driven my car plenty of times I trust you.” said steve reminiscing those times he would teach you how to drive when you were first considering getting your license.

robin then stares at me obviously noticing I didn’t want him to leave with her. robin didnt really understand steve and how so clearly he could’ve chosen you the girl he loves but he keeps doing stupid shit like this.

“alright this is stupid.” said robin grabbing dustins walkie to insure we have communication she smiles and winks at me.

“us ladies will stick together. unless you think we need you to protect us.” I snort which then causes steve to glare at me they both make there ways to nancys station wagon.

my heart aches.

“be careful.” steve yells

ouch. see I was okay with them being together but them rubbing it in my face like this hurt. and maybe it wasn’t intentional all I knew is I never wanted to see this again.

“your just gonna stand there and gawk harrington.” noticing the same thing i noticed

“shut up.” answers steve

I enter the front steve of the car while dustin and max head for the back. I roll my eyes.

“why don’t we go okay?”

“shut up and get in the car and wipe your feet.”

“on the outside not the inside.” says steve in a disappointed mom tone I laugh

steve eventually get in the car.

“always the babysitter. always goddamn babysitter!” he hits the steering wheel.

we arrive at ms. kellys house and we watch from the car as she goes inside

“okay. she’s in”

“we can see that. im missing collarbones not my eyes.”

“so…. dustin continues. we gonna talk about it?”

“im sorry talk about what?” asks steve

“your temporary insanity earlier today when you basically threw yourself at nance.”

i snort.

“that’s not what happened.” steve mutters

“pretty sure that’s what happened it was pretty public. there were a lot of witnesses including my sister.”

“don’t bring me into this.” I say

“are you implying I have a thing for nance?” asked steve

“no im not implying. im stating as it relates to your steadfast refusal to get back together with my sister it’s pretty much the only logical explanation.”

“no way your the one putting these ideas in your sisters head henderson? that im still into fucking nancy”

“I don’t know steve you tell me”

“why are we talking about this situation as if I’m not here.” You mention

“no because you and your brother seem have this stupid idea that im still in love with nancy when so clearly the only person i care for is u.”

“steve can we not do this while my brothers in the car. please.” you pleaded tears threatening to fall out of my eyes

“alright so get out and cover your ears henderson. the adults need to speak ” he rolled his eyes looking out the window

“steve i promise we’ll speak later can we just focus on max.” I asked he nodded and we continued on our journey.

—————

later in the day we made to nancys house we all had to keep an eye on max after everything we had just found out.

once all the kids were sleeping and only me and steve were awake he dragged me to the bathroom and locked the door.

“ we’re talking and I swear to god if henderson is putting ideas into your head that I’m in love with nancy-“

“steve it’s not dustin it’s everyone, we all notice the way you look at her you never look at me that. ever.”

“I don’t want to be in the middle of that you deserve better.”

“baby…..” steve whispers holding my face as he sees the tears I push him off.

“no steve i can’t keep dating someone who is still in love with someone else. I mean look crazy you got back at the trailer park”

“because she’s a friend and I care about her. I don’t see a future with her y/n I see it with you.”

“steve you can’t say things like that.”

“y/n im serious I see you being mrs. harrington one day and carrying my babies. I don’t see that with nancy I see it with you. and im tired of fighting because I miss you. and im sorry if I haven’t been verbal about how much you mean to me y/n but your my entire world..” I stare at him letting him console my cheek while starring into my eyes

“not nancy. you henderson. and I’d kill my self before I’d ever let anything happen to you.”

“im sorry…”

“it’s okay baby it’s, okay just come here.” he says pulling me in for a hug.

[faeyun]

to the first and second anon, idek if they’re the same person. writers owe you nothing and since you mentioned that you’re a writer yourself, you should know this.

there is a difference between getting 200 likes on smth (because on a platform like tumblr, it actually does nothing) vs 3 nice comments like, ‘hey, I really enjoyed this.’ ‘thanks for sharing.’ or even keysmashes expressing excitement does something because it makes the author feel like they’re not pumping out fics like a soulless robot to a void that will not say anything or respond back.

the point is that it gets discouraging over time. friend engagement is not comparable to engagement she gets with her reader audience. do you not talk to your friends everyday??

likes tell an author nothing. and on blr, it does and gives nothing. the least you can do is reblog it. because it helps boost the posts so others who can interact will be able to find it.

that’s the least you could and should do, it will take you maybe ten seconds max to hit a reblog button and another ten seconds to leave like a heart or smth. no one is asking for an arm and a leg 😭 let’s be serious.

comparing a tired author begging (yes, because she was begging in her post) to a millionaire being ungrateful and complaining abt prices of things is an unfair, and insane analogy. do you hear yourself????

if you want to say smth, come off anon and say it with your chest instead of hiding behind anonymity because it makes your words less credible. If you don’t want to shoot an ask, send a dm, and have a honest, open conversation idk.

there were so many better ways for you to have approached a situation you didn’t agree with to typing out paragraphs and paragraphs that reek of entitlement to my friend. and I am upset about it.

I will assume you’re following her and her works for a while if you know about her old pieces and how many notes they have. You had time to send out these long, weird anon msgs, you definitely had time to have say smth nice if you enjoyed her works in the past. and they would’ve costed you sm less time and effort to do so.

i’m just gonna let my yvie speak for themself. i agree 100% with what you said

[will-noble-owns-my-ass]

Count on Me|| Rash Masum x Amy Knight

(Not my GIF)

This constitutes as Day 4 of @goodboybadrep-ooc's advent calendar and contains angst and illness is implied . I hope you enjoy ❤️❤️

They were on shift but Amy was feeling a bit off before shift but she decided to push through anyway. She had spent hours doing charts and other admin and now she was starting to regret her decision to come to work. Her vision was blurred and she kept getting hit by waves of dizziness.  Looking down at the paperwork she was completing and noticed that her handwriting was slowly getting worse as her hand was starting to shake. 

She put her pen down and watched it for a second, then, closing her non shaking hand over it “No, no, no. Not yet. Please, not yet. I can’t do this now.” she took a deep breath and stood up moving into the staff room slowly and flicking on the kettle. Amy made herself a cup of tea and sat at the breakfast table, being hit again by an unwanted wave of dizziness. She took a deep breath trying to stabilise herself but it was unsuccessful. She closed her eyes as she felt herself slip off her stool and hit the floor, losing consciousness. 

It was nearly an hour later and Amy was still on the floor in the staff room as Robyn walked in to start her shift. She threw her bag down on the floor and immediately knelt down to check  her pulse “Oh my God, Amy? Can you hear me?” As she calculated and realised that her pulse was racing she sighed “Oh Sweetheart how long have you been lying here?” she twisted so she could see the doorway and yelled “Can I get some help in here!”

Zoe and Dylan looked over and ran over. Zoe directing Max to grab a gurney “Alright Robyn. What happened?” she asked kindly “I uh.. I don’t know… I’ve only just come in. I found her like this.I don’t know how long she’s been here but her pulse is really really fast.” Zoe nodded as Max arrived with the gurney “Alright. Dylan Let’s get her through to Resus. Robyn? Can you go and alert Rash and Ethan?” robyn nodded and ran off to find the two as Max,Dylan and Zoe gently lifted Amy and quickly moved her into resus. 

Robyn found Rash and Ethan still stood at the coffee dock where she’d seen them as she came in. she looked at them sadly “Oh hey Robyn! What’s wrong? You look upset.” Rash asked looking concerned. 

“I need both of you to listen to me… it’s Amy. She’s in Resus” Ethan looked confused “Wait, wasn’t she on admin today?” Rash nodded “I found her collapsed in the staff room… ber pulse was racing, Dylan and Zoe are in with her now.” “Oh my God” Ethan said quietly as Rash shot off toward Resus and shot through the door to hear “Alright let’s try and wake her up, her vitals have stabilised, Doctor Masum. You shouldn’t be in here right now.” “I don’t care Dylan! I’m not going anywhere, I need to be here when she wakes up. She won’t panic as much if I’m here.” Zoe looked at him eyes full of sadness for him, pulling a stool closer to Amy “Come here. Sit. Hold her hand. We think she’ll wake up soon, Dylan and I will split yours and Ethan’s cases between us.” she said kindly, watching them. “Thank you Zoe” She nodded “It’s not a problem Rash. We’ll be here if you need anything” Dylan said quietly as Ethan walked into the room and sat on her other side. Dylan and Zoe leaving the three in peace 

A few hours later Rash and Ethan were still sat by her bedside. Amy woke with a groan “Oh God…” Rash squeezed her hand “What happened love” she looked at him and, holding back tears said “I think it’s.. I.. I’m scared” Ethan hugged her then “Amy it’s okay” Amy shook her head then “It’s not okay I’m scared.”

Rash squeezed her hand again then but I will always be here. You can count on me. I promise.” he kissed her forehead then and Ethan left the room to alert Zoe to the fact that his sister was awake

[luna-is-lost]

UnderWelcomed

PART ELEVEN

Mentions of blood

Slight, non-descriptive injury…

Fainting

Panic Attack (hemophobia)

Papyrus POV:

…ughhh….

What is that…?

It sounds like…

CRYING!

I sit up suddenly and turn to my side. Sans has tears brimming from his eye sockets. He’s shaking… “Brother, Are Y-You Okay? I gently try to shake him awake… It doesn’t work… I think I remember him being a heavy sleeper… “Sans! Please wake up.” I pick him up and hug him. He doesn’t wake up… He’s making a sort of strangling noise. He’s trying to get away from me. Mumbling something about being a ‘dirty brother killer’. I don’t believe I’ve killed anyone’s brother. “Sans! Wake up!” It’s hard to get loud. Makes my scar sting… He finally opens his eyes, slowly. With a whine of lethargy he finally comes to. “…papyrus…?” He asks slowly. “Are You Alright, Brother?” He wipes his eye-sockets with a very confused expression. “yeah… guess i had a bad dream again… heh…” He seams disheartened, well, more than usual… “sorry, didn’t mean to ‘rattle your bones’” “That Was Awful…” “your smilin’” “I Am And I Hate It.” Maybe a bit too swiftly I scoop him into a big hug. After a few seconds he returns it, though his prosthetic arm painfully scrapes the burn mark on my shoulder. I don’t say a word. I don’t want to upset him… His mental state is fragile enough. It really didn’t hurt that much. “Sans?” Instead of a response all I get is a quiet snore. I don’t remember much, but this feels very familiar… I’d like to think we were always close. Maybe, with enough optimism, I’ll remember everything… Maybe…

Undyne’s POV:

PAPYRUS IS ALREADY AWAKE?!

It’s currently FIVE in the morning and PAPYRUS IS CLEANING THE BASE! Nobody even told him to! “Hey, Papyrus!” I smile at him, then laugh when he drops the broom he was holding and jumps up startled. “O-Oh, Hi, Undyne!” He tries to smile (rather painfully) and brushes himself off like he didn’t just float like a cartoon character. “What Are You Doing, Nerd?” “Just Cleaning, It’s Going Pretty Well!” He picks back up his broom to finish sweeping the room. It DOES look a lot better now. Though, I want to hang out with him… “PAPYRUS!” He jumps ( not as much as last time) “I’m Joining You, We’re Going To Have A Competition! Who ever Cleans The Most In The Least Amount Of Time Wins!” He looks at me and nods excitedly. “Let’s Do It!” We both count down from three and begin cleaning faster than ever before! He’s more meticulous than fast. THIS’LL BE AND EASY WIN! I EASILY Wipe down counters with max speed. Sprint around while I gather trash. I even sweep THE CEILING! He’s probably still trying to remove mud tracks from the entrance HA! I walk into the room where we sleep to see Papyrus silently and carefully cleaning. Seeing him so quiet is kind of weird. I… I’ll… leave him be… He can have the room, I’m winning anyway! I’m almost finis- “OW!” A piece of metal cut my hand while I was running by…! “Undyne, Are You Okay?!” Papyrus says, louder than he’s been in a while, as he rushes in. “HA! Yeah Just A Small Scratch.” I look down at my hand to see a drop of crimson. I hiss slightly… “Oooh That’s Going To Need A Bandage…” At the sight of blood Papyrus’ body wavers. “Are You Alright, Paps?” He looks pale for a skeleton. Tears brim at his eyes… What’s going on?!

Papyrus POV:

She’s bleeding, I feel sick. My head hurts. She’s bleeding, I feel sick. There’s blood! No, NO, Nope, n-no, NOT ok,…!

stop!

Stop!

STOP!

I can’t breathe! ! !

It hurts!

I don’t like this, I feel sick! PLEASE STOP!

HELPHELPHELPHELPHELPHELPHELPHELP

No! Stop! Please! Blood?!

SIR, PLEASE!

No more, please! No more!

I don’t like this!

I feel sick

It hurts

I CAN’T MOVE

I can’t

I CAN’T!!

!

I ca-

Undyne’s POV: I watch as his breath quickens, tears falling to the floor… He’s shaking… Murmuring under his breath. Papyrus sways for a moment. He falls… “PAPYRUS?!” I catch him before he crumples to the floor… “Hey, Papyrus?…” I lower my voice… “It’s okay, Paps, it’s just a small cut…” He doesn’t respond… I feel awful… It’s not my fault, but still… My best friend just FAINTED!! “Come on, Papyrus… Wake Up!… Please?…” I pick him up a bring him to a hammock… Please… Wake up…

Maybe I should tell Sans…

Sans’ POV:

…!

whaa…?

-ans! Wake Up! Pap… Ainted!”

“…what…?”

“PAPYRUS JUST FAINTED!!”

“…!”

“what happened?!”

“I-… He… Well… I Got A Scratch And When He Saw Blood…He Just… Yeah…!”

He passed out when he saw blood… I don’t remember him doing the before… Just another thing humans did to my bro, huh… I getting pretty sick of that…

“i’m gonna check on him…”

Undyne looks uncomfortable and guilty. Huh… Guess I can’t blame her… Anything happening to Papyrus makes us feel guilty… Especially when we were the last ones around… (and you slept as he was taken…) As soon as I go to the hammock Undyne put him down on I notice to things…

1. When was the bunker ever this clean

2. Where is Papyrus?!

“ hey, pap, you over here?” I find myself looking up at the 6’1 skeleton cleaning as if nothing was wrong.

“Hello, Brother, Is Undyne Alright?” “yeah, are you?” “I Think, I Just… Felt A Bit Worried… It Made My Soul Hurt…” “that scary huh? … need a hug paps?” “…Yeah”

Papyrus has always been the best at hugs

Chapter 12 soon…

[sohmiya]

Nikka! I’m crying and banging my head against the wall at how talented you are when it comes to songwriting because I could neverr have the skill set 😫 however I do have angst & Evren lyrics for you <3 (they’re shit though so don’t perceive me!!)

Less angsty to start with—after Second Coming and Evren meet and become friends, I see him happily name-dropping them in their new song (I’d like to think the song is just a fun vibe, it’s currently title-less though):

More angsty! Evren going to the studio at like 3am after that ‘breakup’ argument with Max, and he’s hurt and pissed off.

I imagine he called Cypress on the way there because ✨rant about the girl you love to your best friend✨ and Ev’s all like “Cy, you’re awake!” “I’m more worried that you are” “it’s cute you’re concerned about me, I’m driving to the studio anyway” “why…? Evren, wait, are you still hung up over Maxine? you can come over and we can chat, my siblings are asleep” and Cypress is genuinely upset and concerned bc he’s seen Evren heartbroken before “Cy, as much as I’d love that, I do need to let some frustrations out”

He calls his band and FaceTime’s them whilst he’s at the studio too—and they all pretty much know about Max and him—but also that when any of them call each other at stupid o’clock it means that there’s a song idea brewing.

Obvs had to name the song after their ship name:

I imagine when he performs this on stage that the fans sing back the bits that are in italics.

And when he has to go on talk shows and social media and promote the song, the question he gets every single time is “who’s the pretty red head?”, and he’ll just genuinely smirk and come up with witty answers like “well, listening to the song won’t be fun if I tell you”

And when nice interviewers ask how he’s doing I imagine him saying, “oh, yeah, I’m okay now. it happened, I wrote a successful song about it, and the good things I said about her are true and that won’t change”

But also him being nervous af to contact Maxine bc she could absolutely hate the song and he’d be ready to apologise for the argument in the first place, but he’d text after a few days like ‘hey, are we good? x’ and then like another one an hour later like ‘by any chance, do you know if your ex hates me??’

MILA SHUT UPPPPP OH MY GOD

no wait cause after the second coming name drop i can imagine max hitting evren up as soon as she hears the song and tease him like “if you wanted to collab all you had to was ask” NDJSJSKSKSK and the tennis references mhm i think he did it for me 😌🥂

and oh my god the cypress cameo 🥹 my favorite boys talking about love problems 🥹 no cause you don’t understand. i love ev’s friendship with everyone but his bond with cy just sits SOOOO right with me. it’s like cy acts like a big brother to him and evren acts like a cool uncle to the mini de veras <3

“i could never have the skill set” NOT YOU LYING TO MY FACE AS IF THE LYRICS OF SOMEWHERE THIS WORKS DONT FUCKING SLAP ?????????

knows i’m better than her ex, ain’t even talkin bout the sex

like after every ride we weren’t fucking high and she hits me with “we should be friends”

SHADE HER EVREN!!!!!! SPEAK YOUR TRUTH!!!!!! HDJSSKKSSJ PLS IM GOING INSANE OVER THESE LINES ACTUALLY

and the miracles verse….. “prayed to lady jesus in church”……… i just know your pen was on fire like i’m not kidding i wish i wrote that verse i’m gonna steal your brain

and the “calm during our storms” he really said OUR 😭😭😭😭😭😭

evren acevedo if things also don’t work out with miko i’m single and ready to mingle

But also him being nervous af to contact Maxine bc she could absolutely hate the song and he’d be ready to apologise for the argument in the first place, but he’d text after a few days like ‘hey, are we good? x’

i don’t think maxine could be pissed at him calling her out at the “we should be friends” line even if she tried like. she’d be impressed tbh 😭😭😭😭 like she would reply with a spotify screenshot with stw on repeat then she’d quote that line in the first verse to him and go “YOU DID NOT” NDNSMSKS but before evren could think she was serious she’d send another text “JK YES WE’RE GOOD EVREN THIS IS SOOOO GOOD” and considering the emotional weight of the argument that inspired the song, maxine 100% would stop herself from making a joke about how he “prayed to lady jesus in church” because she definitely had him kneeling a few times 🫢 sdhdjskkaks

‘by any chance, do you know if your ex hates me??’

HE’S SOOOOO 😭😭😭 the contrast between the wild ace and evren is so funny yet so endearing to me he’s such a cutie pie <333

max would say something like “idk and idc. i like you- *backspacebackspacebackspacebackspace* “idk and idc”