#a little summary of the races of the 1st half of the season

[dilemmaontwolegs]

Not A Verstappen: Sibling Rivalry {1}

Pairing: F1 drivers (platonic) x fem!reader Summary: A little crack!fic as a driver!reader who is Max's little half-sister. Warnings: 18+ only, lots of bad language, protective big brother, sibling antics, daddy issues. WC: 2k F1 Masterlist NAV: Sibling Rivalry One || Two || Three NAV: Gridlocked One || Two || Three

There was nothing that irked you more than being called a Verstappen. Yes, you were Max’s sister, but that was where the relationship with the name ended. Your sperm donor, as you publicly referred to Jos, had never been a part of your life and that was one blessing you were thankful for. 

Somehow the bastard's genetics had won and that stupid racer’s blood ran in your veins. You liked to go fast. Your mother said that you could run before you could walk and the same went for driving. At 17 years old you had your super licence before your drivers licence, making it legal to drive at 200 mph around a circuit with insane corners but not 30 mph on the street.

Something about that seemed…odd.

It was worth it in the end. You could still remember the look on Jos’ face when you signed for Alpha Tauri. Oh, how the bastard had tried to credit himself with your achievement. But there were more similarities that you shared with your half sibling than you were willing to admit. One of those shared traits was brutal honesty. And you had let your honest thoughts fly when Jos opened his mouth.

Three years later the sperm donor was still bitter. He would surely have to get used to it, especially since you had just been named as a Red Bull driver, alongside Max.

Round One - Bahrain 2022 “This is a historical first, siblings racing together on the same team,” Ted Kravitz said as he walked along the pit, stopping outside Red Bull’s garage. “The two Verstappen's will be fighting each other for the Driver Championship, once again, while simultaneously working together to win the Constructors Championship. A very, very exciting season ahead I can already tell.”

You had been pulling your helmet on, about to climb into the RB18 when you heard the comment. The short temper you were well known for flared and you sauntered into the pit lane. “Hey, Ted Crapitz,” you called out as he stood writing in that little notepad of his.

He looked up a little stunned and his eyes darted at the camera that was always following him around. “It’s, uh, Kravitz.”

“Oh, my apologies, I thought it was just normal to make up offensive surnames. No?” you asked as you arched an eyebrow at him. “Because Verstappen isn’t mine, so don’t ever call me that again.”

“S-sorry, my mistake,” he stammered, but you were already shoving your helmet on and grabbing the halo to climb into your car. “A bit of a slap on the wrist for me there.”

You had no doubt that the video would go viral and the comments would call you a bitch but you didn’t care. Jos was a piece of shit and your mother didn’t raise you all on her own, working two jobs to pay for your karting years, just for you to be called a fucking Verstappen.

There was no better feeling than pulling out of the garage and heading to the track. The finely tuned car purred beneath you and you could feel the restrained power of it just waiting for you to pass the pit marker so you could push the throttle and free the beast you had worked hard to control.

“Radio check,” your engineer, Nicholas, ordered through the headset.

“Tell big bro to keep his mouth closed during the race. It can’t be healthy to eat my dust.” 

“Understood.”

The jeroboam size bottle of Ferrari Trento looked enormous in your hands as you shook it up and sprayed Charles and Carlos back after drenching you first. You may have been on the bottom step of the podium but you celebrated as if you had taken 1st place. Turning the bottle on the crowd, you spotted Max at the front with a wide grin on his face as he cheered with the rest of Red Bull. 

It was a little disappointing that he had DNF’d but there was always next week to battle it out again. In the meantime you enjoyed the adrenaline of the podium finish and the image of Jos standing to the side with a face like a slapped ass. It was a feeling you could definitely get used to.

Round Eleven - Great Britain 2022 The leaderboard changed almost every week, flipping like hotcakes between you and Max. It was labelled as sibling rivalry, and for once the media got it right. Though you hadn’t grown up with Max there was an innate need to know who was better, who could push the limits harder and who could get away with it. Some weeks it was you, some weeks it wasn’t. It was all part of the fun. 

Fun. Now that was something that came in spades. The camaraderie that came with the competitiveness was always something you enjoyed moving up from F3 and F2 before reaching F1. With only 19 other people sharing the same experience with you, it was impossible not to grow close to them. 

“Can you let Max in front today?” Lando asked as you walked along the grid. “Please?”

“Why would I do that?” 

“Because he’d rather look at your ass than Max’s, if he can hold third place.” You turned to the other McLaren driver to see a grin splitting the Australian’s face. 

“Aww, Lando, the real English gentleman,” you tutted sarcastically as you pulled your balaclava off your shoulder and snickered when it slapped Lando across the back of his head.

“Unnecessary violence, Spitfire,” he gasped before muttering under his breath, “I know who you get that from.”

A growl pulled back your lips and you punched him none too softly in the bicep, which was a double edged sword because it was far harder than you were expecting and you felt the hit in your knuckles. 

“Oh, Lando, Lando, Lando,” Daniel chuckled as he walked off to his car. “When are you going to learn?”

“You know the car goes faster with less weight,” Lando said as he rubbed his arm.

“Yeah, so?”

He shrugged sheepishly. “All that baggage you carry is weighing you down.”

“Well, that’s just stupid, metaphors weigh nothing...” You pulled your balaclava over your face as you walked from the second row to the front where the two Red Bulls were parked side by side. 

“Hey Lan,” you called out as you turned back with the urge to lighten the mood after he had looked crestfallen. “Don’t get too excited when I warm up my tires, that’s not me shaking my ass for you.”

You could see the corners of his eyes wrinkle with a smile that was hidden by the balaclava he pulled on. “A lad can dream, Spitfire.”

You had earned the nickname of Spitfire from dog-fighting your way to the front of the pack and it was one you were proud of, it certainly beat being called a bitch day in and day out. 

“Just keep it to your dreams, yeah? I’m already paying too much for therapy.”

“You can talk about your daddy issues later,” Max interrupted, tossing your helmet into your waiting hands. “Get in your car, zusje.”

You grinned to yourself as the formation lap began and you started weaving across the track to warm your tires. All Lando would be able to think about was your ass as the rear wing swayed side to side and the thought of made you laugh since you lived to torment the guys on and off the track.

“Radio check.”

“I can’t wait to show everyone the upgrades.”

“Understood.” There was a pause before Nicholas returned. “Uh, you weren’t scheduled for any upgrades.”

Your start was terrible as Max flew away at lights out and then you were nearly clipped in the first turn by Lando, the swerve you took to avoid a collision letting Charles slip straight past.

“DRS activated this lap.”

You passed the starting line on the heels of Charles, Lando close behind but not close enough to use DRS just yet. The Ferrari was quick but he was out of Max’s DRS range and your straight line speed was far superior, it was only a matter of time before you reached the first DRS zone and made your move to overtake. 

“Did you just use indicators?”

You laughed as you hit the buttons on your console before pulling out of the slipstream, the rear wing opened to reduce the drag, and flew past the red car. You hit the new button the electrical engineer had rewired before pulling in front of Charles and laughed as you saw the replay on the big screens around the circuit.

“It’s only polite to indicate when overtaking. Have you never read the road code?”

“I’m more worried about the FIA regulations than the road code.”

“You worry too much, Christian can afford a little fine.”

“£150,000 for a laugh! Are you taking the mick outta me?”

You tried to keep a serious face as you faced Christian but one look at Max’s amusement had a smile cracking through. 

“No, you don’t get to laugh about this,” Christian snapped, pulling your attention back to him. “You too, Max. It’s like having a couple of fucking children around here.”

“It was nothing to do with me,” Max argued. “I would never pull a stunt like that.”

“You have something on your nose,” you said as you pointed and he wiped at it. “Nope, still brown.”

His lip twitched before he snickered and playfully shoved your shoulder. 

A heavy sigh of disappointment filled the private room in the motorhome and you both looked at Christian. “With Max winning last year we are going to be under even more scrutiny, and this sort of behaviour isn’t going to earn us any favours. Cut the shit out and pay the fucking fine.”

You started to open your mouth to point out the fine was charged to Red Bull not you but a sharp elbow from Max had you clamming your lips closed again. 

“She’ll be better behaved,” Max promised with a glare that warned you to stay silent to save yourself from lying.

“Fine, get out there before the interviews are finished.”

You were never a fan of the post-race interviews but you left Christian’s office like it was lights out, racing ahead of Max to get to the media pit. 

You skidded to a halt at the side of the stage and Charles patted the empty space between him and Lando just as Max arrived. The other space on the couch was at the end beside Lance and you looked at Max with narrowed eyes before making a break for the better seat. Lando had to jump aside as you slammed into the seat just before Max but it didn’t stop him from planting himself on top and you groaned at the weight.

“Second place again, Max Emillian,” you wheezed as you tried to push him off and looked at Charles. “A little help?”

“Sorry, there are universal rules: we can’t interfere with sibling rivalries,” he said with an apologetic smile.

“Arthur’s my favourite Leclerc.”

Max took full advantage while you were distracted, staring daggers at Charles, and shoved you aside to take the cushioned seat with a smarmy grin. “Remember, best behaviour,” he warned as he got comfortable and accepted the microphone handed to you.

He should have known that the challenge couldn’t go unanswered and so you stood up, but you weren’t admitting defeat. His smile fell when you sat down on Lando’s lap, much to everyone’s surprise. 

“Hands off my sister, Norris,” Max quipped, but Lando’s hands were still in the air from where he froze, not knowing what to do with them or where to put them.

“This is quite comfy,” you noted as you wriggled around. “Maybe this can be my spot every week.”

“Fuck, fine,” Max growled as he stood up and walked down the line to sit with Lance. “Take the fucking seat.”

Charles laughed as you slipped into the seat and he held his fist out. “Everytime.”

You bumped his fist and smirked as the interviews finally got underway. “Every damn time.”

Click here for part two.

#crack!fic #Max Verstappen x reader #sibling!reader #platonic!reader #f1 x reader #f1 imagine #f1 fanfic #max verstappen imagine #max verstappen x you #formula 1 fanfic #formula one imagine

[ranaiki]

Hallmark

Sanzu Haruchiyo x reader

summary: Christmas is your favorite holiday. You moved to the city a few years back in pursuit of a higher education and work, but the holiday spirit pales in comparison to your hometown. This year, you begin to realize just how much you miss it, and the people.

wc: 5.8k

warnings: DARK CONTENT. MINORS DNI 18+ ONLY. READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION. Stalking, obsessive behavior, yandere, toxic relationships? naive!reader, implied virgin/inexperienced!reader, drugs/drugging, date r!pe drugs, kidnapping sorta, manipulation/guilt tripping, like one mention of fatphobia.

a/n: I wrote this for a class recently and wanted to share it here as well. It’s a twist on the traditional Hallmark movies, you know, the ones with the same plots. I was considering writing a smutty part two to this that picks up where it leaves off, so let me know if you’d like to see that! Message me or comment idm, but if enough people want it I’ll definitely write it :)

Your lips burned, winter’s cold holding the same power that a fan might have during the heat of summer. Snowflakes drifted onto your eyelashes, clinging on the ends just where you could see, before dropping to rosy cheeks below, melting with the warmth and perfect shades of pink. There was nothing but the heat along your face, the warm hand brushing against your cheek with a featherlight touch, sucking you in...

Oh, how you longed to feel that.

Enraptured, you stared at the screen before you, popcorn practically falling from your mouth as you leaned forward. Heart of the Holidays. It had only just struck November 1st, but holiday festivities were well under way - for you, at least. The scenes of the first Christmas movie of the season danced along the screen of your television, crackling with static and accompanied by the thick scent of a peppermint candle.

Energy burst through your chest as you watched, a giddiness described only as childlike worming through you and sending sparks to your hands and feet. Your eyes never left the screen, not even for a second as you witnessed the final scenes of the film, watching as the girl wrapped herself into a passionate kiss with her old flame - the very same she had been waiting for for the entire length of the movie.

It couldn’t be helped. You squealed.

Your heart raced in your chest, warmth blossoming in the apples of your cheeks that was not from the half finished bottle of wine sitting on the coffee table. A fluffy, green and red blanket wrapped into your hands as you tucked it just a little closer to your chest, fingers woven tightly into the fabric amid schoolgirl excitement.

Your eyes were wide and sparkling as you watched the movie come to a close, basking in the glow of a satisfactory ending and a unique rendition of Jingle Bells blaring from the built-in speakers.

Wonder and excitement renewed with the beginning of each holiday season. Countless years prior became negligible as soon as the clock struck midnight on October 31st - no matter how bad the experiences. Vigor and vitality returned, and you reached your hands as far in front of you as they could go, grasping for those new opportunities, new experiences, new memories and new joys you craved so much.

“This year,” your words were whispered to the dark, empty air, silence filled only by the rolling credits of the movie. Your fingers picked at the little balls of lint collected on the soft fabric of the blanket. “This year will be amazing, I can feel it.”

Bubbling with the effects of the wine, you made your way to the bedroom adjacent, still wrapped in the throes of Christmas spirit, your mind full of snow, fuzzy gloves, fleeting touches and lips as soft as clouds as you flopped onto the mattress, and drifted off to sleep.

⠀

“Morning Yuzuha!”

“Oh. Hey Y/n.” Yuzuha sat behind her desk, nose buried in papers five minutes before the shift clock even started.

Past rows of plain, grey cubicles, you sat in a seat to the far right, opposite Yuzuha, and away from most other occupied spaces. Decorations smiled up at you - shiny tinsel glittering in the harsh fluorescents, tiny paper cutouts of gingerbread men and snow people dancing from one end to the other.

You held out a single finger as you settled into your chair, tapping the hand of the most unique gingerbread man amidst them all - one with long, blond hair that you had pasted on with a piece of double sided tape. Your cubicle was easily the most festive.

“How are you doing today, Hakkai?” You turned to face the man in the cubicle next to you.

He gave a hum, disinterested.

You smiled grimly, turning away from your lazy coworker and back to the computer screen before you. The monitor blinked and whirred as it came to life, a photograph from your childhood displayed as your home screen.

You sighed wistfully, leaning in and gazing at your face, young, naive, and sparkling - ready to take on the world. It was from a party right around your graduation, with all the neighbors in attendance. The Jacksons had been there, and the Wildes, as well as the Hammons, the Fischers, and even the Akashis - though by the time you had finally graduated, most of the Akashi siblings had long since left home.

Pink blossomed in the peaks of your cheeks, born from nostalgia and yearning.

The feeling was short-lived. The weight of reality came crashing down on you, and the brilliance that had emanated from your home screen dimmed with it.

Again, you sighed, though this time with a more somber, regretful air. Your gaze drifted towards the gingerbread man you had high-fived.

“At least I have you, blondie.” You stifled your giggle as the clock struck the top of the hour, and your focus returned to your computer and the pages of work you had lying in wait.

⠀

Knock knock knock.

Startled, you paused halfway through lifting your fork to your mouth, a couple of pieces of food falling back to the plate below. Your barstool scraped against the hardwood as you pushed it back, almost jumping out of your skin at another hard, loud, knock.

“Coming, sorry!” You called, rushing to pull the handle.

The locks clicked and door swung open to reveal an empty hallway beyond.

There wasn’t a soul in sight.

You poked your head from the entry curiously, looking up and down the endless hallway, but it was just as barren as you had left it hours earlier.

Uncomfortable, you shifted your weight from one foot to the other, pulling your arms around your core tightly.

“Hello?” Your call was timid, and you listened closely for a response that never came. The only sounds were the distant shouts of a football match from another room, and the electric hum of heaters and fluorescent lights. Stepping back over the threshold, you began to pull the door closed again, but paused just before it had time to latch into place.

A red envelope rested on your welcome mat, just past where you had stood moments before. It glared at you from its place, perfectly centered, as if it had been placed with the utmost care.

You bent down slowly, the paper stiff between your fingers. It was light, edges sharply creased. Your door locked behind you, bolts sliding into place as you made your way back to your kitchen, eyes never leaving the envelope.

Poinsettias had been engraved into the paper, the curves of the flowers creating dents that damaged the otherwise perfect and pristine envelope. Words were scrawled across the front in gold ink, cursive letters and numbers making up your name and address. The sender had been left blank, an oversight on their part, though how it passed through the mailing system you weren’t sure. Your attention slowly drifted to the top corner, where the stamp that had been pasted on sat pretty - a peace lily proudly showing off her flowers in the center image.

You traced the stamp for a second, admiring the beauty of the photographed green stems and white flowers, before flipping the envelope in your hands.

A stamp of gold wax sealed it, your family’s initials pressed into it. Detail and attention had been poured into the packaging. Love poured from the crisp paper and hardened wax.

You smiled to yourself, caressing the corners, almost reluctant to damage the packaging by pulling the seals apart. Your finger slipped beneath the flap, lifting it away from the envelope in one clean movement.

Enclosed was a Christmas card, one of the traditional ones families always send once the last month of the year began. You stared at the image on the front, captivated by your mother and father smiling back at you, decorated in their best Christmas attire, hand in hand, their faces just a little more weathered since the last time you had seen them.

Your gut sunk, sorrow bubbling up within you and spilling over into your stomach. You stared at the postcard longingly, wishing to hear your father’s laugh again and to feel your mother’s arms wrap around and console you after a long day.

Your fingers tightened on the paper as your throat clenched - what contents were written on the other side of the card? 

You almost didn’t want to know, wondering if the past should be left to settle.

Skin scraped against the card stock as you waited for your queasiness to quell, slowly flipping the postcard over with hesitant hands.

Your mother’s cursive scrawled over the back in green ink.

We miss you. The letters spelled, big and bold. Are you finding everything you want in the city? We’re sorry we haven’t contacted you in a while, we’ve been so busy, and didn’t know what to do after you left. If you’re free, we would love to see you for the holidays again - it’s been so long. We understand if you can’t come, just know we really do love you.

Your eyes swept the paper over and over again, smile broadening each time the words passed through your mind. You knew they hadn’t been ignoring you on purpose. You knew, deep down, that they hadn’t shunned you, despite how it had seemed, and now not only were they apologizing, but they wanted you to come down for the holidays.

Your smile began to falter.

Would you be able to go home this season?

You were given the day of Christmas off from work, and that was it. You wouldn’t have time to travel the several hours to the countryside and back between shifts. You clutched the letter close to your chest, your heart stuttering beneath your fingertips.

“It’s okay,” you said aloud, speaking your reassurances to the empty air. The paper bent beneath the pressure of your hands. “Maybe not this year, but I’ll get to go back eventually.”

⠀

“Did you see what the boss brought in?”

Murmurs circulated the office, filled with cheer and warmth that had been absent just weeks before - a result of the rapidly encroaching holidays. Your coworkers buzzed about the office, some of them donning thick Christmas sweaters, others wearing menorah earrings. You peered over the top of your computer curiously, watching as Hakkai sat and chatted idly with Yuzuha about whatever had the workplace in such a tizzy - something about a gift from the boss.

A stream of people went to and from the break room, each returning a little more spirited than they had been on the way in.

“What’s going on?” Your call was largely ignored, aside from a few spared glances in your direction. The conversations continued, unbroken. Pushing off the unwelcome feeling of dejection, you stood and went to investigate for yourself.

The smell of seasonal spices filled the break room, aromatic and pleasing to the nose. Boxes full of traditional Christmas and holiday desserts lay splayed upon the table in the center, already half eaten. From what you could tell, there was every dessert imaginable - from peppermint bark and crinkle cookies, to Russian tea cakes and Danish kringles.

Your heart skipped with delight.

A perfect, untouched fruitcake sat at the edge of the table upon a plate of silver. You gravitated towards it, mouth watering. A childhood favorite of yours, fruitcake was often an ignored Christmas tradition, or disliked, at the very least. The moist, fruity flavor and hefty undertones of brandy had your tongue itching for a taste.

You proudly sauntered back to your seat with a generous slice of the cake, ignoring the odd looks cast in your direction, and the disgusted glances from those that didn’t quite appreciate the nuances of a good fruitcake.

The cake crumbled in your mouth upon the first bite, the woody flavor of brandy soaked fruit lacking as the dessert turned to ash.

A bitter aftertaste lingered on your tongue as you swallowed it down, nose crinkling with displeasure.

What a disaster of a fruitcake.

It lacked all the traits of your family’s recipe that made it so desirable - the moist base and strong aroma of fruit and alcohol, the way it melted on the tongue and brought with it the very essence of the spirit of Christmas.

City bakeries, as you were learning, were entirely disappointing. 

There was nothing that could compare to the taste of a homemade, slightly imperfect dessert.

⠀

“Y/n. Y/n.”

You startled, spine stiffening. You leaned straight back against your seat, sitting upright. Your eyes blurred and unblurred, struggling to focus on a pissed face and folded arms blocking anything else within your field of view.

Your boss stood above you, staring down at you with narrowed eyes and an icy glare capable of leveling a city.

“Senju-san!” You squeaked, head still spinning. “I’m so sorry, I-”

She cut you off with a slice of her hand. “I don’t want to hear it. I know the holidays are almost here, but you have been getting much too lackadaisical as of late.” You shrunk in your chair, trying to ignore the snickers that rose from the seats around you. “Coming in to work late, looking unkempt and tired all the time, barely managing to get your quota filled, and now sleeping on the job?”

You had half a mind to retaliate, to defend yourself and explain that you didn’t know why you’d been so exhausted recently. You just couldn’t keep your toes from dragging along the floor, or your limbs from filling with sand.

But you stayed silent, shrinking further and further down as the berating continued.

“You have one more chance, Y/n.” Senju finished, straightening again to glare down the bridge of her nose. “You’ve been a good employee until recently. Hopefully you can bring that girl back.”

She disappeared. The snickers only grew louder, Hakkai and Yuzuha leaning in close to one another to swap hisses beneath their breath, slitted pupils drifting your way every few seconds.

You snapped your head back to your computer, away from your snickering coworkers. The bar for your password sat empty, a blurred image of your home screen just barely peeking past. You sighed a little, dragging your hands down your face in a feeble attempt at pulling yourself from the void of zombification. 

Your forehead hit the desk with a soft thunk, another sigh blowing into your arms.

“Must be all that fruitcake she’s been eating.” Subtlety wasn’t a word your coworkers were well acquainted with, but their snide remarks this time around seemed a little over the top. “She’s getting fat and lazy.”

It was impossible to ignore them, but you did your best to tune out the brunt of the rude comments that began to circulate around you.

“Ugh,” you mumbled, lips pursed, head tilting to the side to gaze at the little paper gingerbread men, the blond one standing and waving at you from his perch on the wall.

What was going on with you? The last couple of weeks were a blur, a monotonous series of sleep, work, and sleep again. Whatever happened in between, if there even was anything, had been lost, disappearing in wisps of smoke as soon as they happened. The days crept into one another, moulding and blending, until more than 14 had passed without you even realizing.

The top of your computer screen read the date out - December 22nd.

 Already?

⠀

Your mind spun as you trudged the city streets, water murky and thick running from snow pileups lining the gutters and curbs. Everything that had been white, festive, and beautiful was turned to sludge, marred by pollution and litter.

You stuffed your hands into your pockets, chasing any warmth you could find as bitter winds brushed past, carrying with them the stench of bodily odors and exhaust. Cars flew past as you walked, splashing through puddles and slush, headlights illuminating the slick roadways. Your thoughts lingered on the hours earlier, on your work, and the city festivities that lacked the magic deserving of a mere few days before Christmas. 

Memories of waking the day after Thanksgiving to your mother bustling about at the crack of dawn, stuffing the nice dining ware back into boxes and pulling out the totes of Christmas decor from storage. You recalled the way you and your parents would spend the next three days decorating together, a holiday all its own as you enjoyed music and meals prepped in the spirit of the holidays - the very first of the season. Walking the streets from then on, you would be cast in red and green glows, and never once would there be an instance where you weren’t greeted with the heart and warmth of Christmas cheer.

In comparison, the city was nothing more than brown, grey, and dull. You ran your hands through your hair, dragging it away from your face with grated teeth.

There had been many a time when you wondered if coming here was a good idea, where you doubted your decisions. But never had you regretted it, at least, not until now.

A wave of cold rushed over you.

You froze mid step as icy water and chunks of frozen slush dripped from every inch of your body, soaked into your hair, jacket, and bag. The sludge and mud from the street clung to your skin, and you could feel sand between your teeth as soon as you closed your mouth.

A car door slammed.

“Are you okay?” A voice was yelling, deep and gravelly, strained around the edges in unusual places. You slowly turned to face them, watching as they ran from the side of the road and through the snow, the hazards of their car flashing orangish-yellow hues in the surrounding area.

They were shrouded in darkness. With each flash of the hazard lights, you could see just a little bit more of him. You could see the business suit he wore, and the slicked back hair in shades of purple and black, reaching his shoulders.

“I’m so sorry,” they were saying again, words shallow and coming from the throat. “I didn’t see you.”

Shock plastered you still, cold drops of water sliding down the back of your shirt and down your spine, sending shivers and goosebumps flooding down the length of your body.

“It’s okay…” You mumbled, words slow and forced between chattering teeth.

The man stood awkwardly close, his hands stuffed away in the pockets of his pants. You stared at him, watching the orange glow burst along the side of his face for a moment before disappearing just as quickly. He was gazing at you vacantly, as if looking for something that wasn’t there.

Blink. 

Blink. 

Blink.

His face was blank as he stared down at you, lacking the emotions his voice expressed. It was silent between you for a moment or two longer, before the man finally began to move away.

“Glad you’re okay.” He said, before slipping back into his car, and the light of the hazards disappeared.

Frozen, you slowly began to make your way back to your apartment, mud pooling in the heel of your shoe, your hair freezing into dirty clumps. You ignored the gasps as you entered the complex, the man behind the front desk staring after you with wide eyed bewilderment. It was silent as you were lifted to your floor and as you shuffled down the hallway, tiny droplets of water falling to the carpet with quiet plop, plop, plops.

Your hand dove into your purse in search of your keys as you stopped in front of your door, items in the bag rattling with your movements. Your fingertips dragged all along the bottom, through the corners and into the inner pockets, searching the nooks and crannies and gaps.

Panic set in.

Your keys weren’t there. You flipped the bag upside down, emptying the contents onto the floor, dropping to your knees to rummage through it all.

They were gone.

They weren’t there.

Not your keys, nor your wallet, or your cash, or your ID.

“No, no no no no.” Desperately, you searched through it all a second, third, fourth time.

Chapstick, deodorant. A hairbrush and hairties. Bobby pins and a postcard, but no keys.

No wallet.

No cash.

No ID.

Nothing.

You collapsed backwards in defeat, staring down at the pile of your least important possessions, dirtied by the grime of the city.

“What the fuck,” You whispered in disbelief, chilled to the bone and stuck just beyond the threshold to your apartment. “I hate it here. I hate the city.”

This would never happen at home.

The postcard fluttered at your knees.

You found your fingers wrapping around the paper, and you pulled it up to look at. Upon it was the picture of a smiling couple, complete with the custom handwriting in the back in green ink. The corner was dented from being held for weeks by a magnet.

You stared down at the card, at your parents' faces smiling back at you.

How did you end up with this?

You flipped the card over, scrawling cursive talking about how much you were loved, how much you were missed.

Home.

It sounded so good right now. Where your parents waited for you, where you could walk the streets without fear of losing your keys or being doused with dirty water. Where you felt safe and comfortable and happy and where Christmas was a warm blanket that never left your side.

You rushed back out into the streets, past the concierge, past the revolving doors, and into the cold of the outdoors. You walked down the sidewalks, bag in hand, in the direction of your home. Your real home.

You had no way to leave, nothing to get a ticket with. No car or bike, only your feet. But they would do.

You would get back home no matter what it took.

⠀

“Mom! Dad?” you knocked at the door to your home, shivering on the front porch. Dirt was caked onto you, hair almost completely dry after a long night of travel. You turned around, waving to the truck that stalled at the curb.

“Thank you, Mikey!” You called to the man, a smile on your face. “I can take it from here.”

The man, Mikey, nodded and drove off, towards his own destination just a town over. How lucky you had been to find someone going the same direction and willing to give you a ride. Walking the hundred miles here would have taken you ages, and Mikey had been good company too.

After watching him take off, you turned back towards the door, and knocked again. “Mom!” You called a little louder. You stood on your toes, peering through the glass windows and into the house beyond. It was dark and barren, like nobody had been home for a while. You dropped back down again, frowning.

Where were they?

“Y/n?” A voice cooed from behind you. You whirled around, coming face to face with a rather familiar looking stranger. His hair was no longer blond, instead a dyed shade of pink, but his green eyes remained the same, and the scars that marred his face had yet to fade.

There was no mistaking him.

It was Sanzu. Sanzu Haruchiyo. Your neighbor and childhood friend, and the first boy you had ever liked. Of course, nothing ever came of it. In fact, you were sure he didn’t even know of your highschool puppy crush, but to see him again, like this, had your heart bursting into fluttering fits.

“Haru?” Your jaw dropped, cheeks pink. You rushed to cover yourself with your arms, suddenly hyper aware of the fact that you was covered in city grime, and likely smelled of it too. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m house sitting for your parents.” He said, taking a step upwards. “But I should really be asking you why you’re here. Since when were you home?”

“Since just a few minutes ago.” You breathed shyly.

“What happened? Did you get splashed or something? You look horrible.”

You turned the same shade as an overripe tomato, turning away from him quickly and wiping your face with your hands in an effort to remove the dirt. “Where are my parents?” You asked quickly, hiding yourself from Sanzu’s penetrating gaze.

Sanzu was chuckling to himself, finishing ascending the steps to rest a heavy hand on your shoulder. “I didn’t mean it.” He assured, but you didn’t have the courage to look at him, fearful of his judgement. “Your parents are on a cruise in the tropics until late January.”

Your face fell, and you stared at the ground in front of you. Since when did they leave for the holidays? And after asking you to visit too? Your heart squirmed uncomfortably, clenching in your chest. “Oh.” Was all you were able to muster.

Sanzu gave a gentle tug on your shoulder, leading you away from the front door. “It’s freezing outside. Come back to my place. You can get cleaned up, and we can catch up on everything that has happened since we last saw each other.”

You cast one last glance at your home, before nodding slowly. “Alright,” you agreed, following Sanzu down the steps and to his car waiting in the driveway.

⠀

Something sweet and fruity filled the air as you stepped from the shower at Sanzu’s house, hair wrapped in a towel and fresh, clean clothes warming your figure. You poked your head from the guest room, staring down the long hallway and towards the kitchen, where the scent drifted from. 

“What are you making?” Your voice was soft as you padded into the space, watching as Sanzu bent over the oven, peering inside. An apron was tied around his figure, cinched at the waist and accentuating the curve of his body.

“It’s a fruitcake.” He answered, and your eyes widened in surprise. “Tis the season, after all. And I know it's your favorite.”

“You remembered that?” You asked, the floorboards creaking beneath your weight as you moved to settle at the island bar stools. Sanzu lifted his head from the oven, turning to look at you with a bright smile and pink cheeks.

“How could I forget?” He asked, letting the oven mitt he had been wearing fall to the countertop between you. “Your family made it every year. You used to yell about how good they were, how nothing could compare and how the other family’s fruitcakes were horrible in comparison.”

You flushed with embarrassment. “It wasn’t that extreme…” You mumbled, but even you knew that what Sanzu described was nothing short of the truth.

Sanzu was turned around again, shuffling through the fridge. “I’m glad you’re home. We’ve all missed you.”

“Yeah,” you murmured, leaning your chin into your waiting palms. You body flushed with a heady warmth, filling you from the toes up. “I missed you guys too.”

⠀

The woes of the past were long forgotten. You spent the day enjoying Sanzu’s company and the fruitcake he had specially made for you, relishing in the warm, gooey flavors and the way each bite melted into your mouth so perfectly. You all but forgot the sad excuse for a fruitcake your boss had provided.

The pair of you talked well into the next morning, laughing over glasses of spiked eggnog by the fireplace, sharing stories of things you had experienced in the years since your graduation, and since he’d flown the nest.

Sanzu had become a successful businessman. He traveled often for work, to beautiful places all over the country. He described them all to you in detail, all about the beautiful people he met and the new things he got to try.

You asked him about why he left so young, where he went and what he had done. He told you that he’s only so successful now because he started from such a young age, and that while leaving so early was hard for him, it was a necessary evil.

“The hardest thing was not getting to graduate with you, Y/n.” He’d said, and it had taken your all not to squeal right then and there. “I didn’t want to leave you, but I knew we’d meet again.”

You recounted your days working in the city, omitting the parts where your coworkers didn’t like you, and the days were all the same. You described instead how busy the city is, how there is always something going on - never a bored moment.

The day before Christmas, you and Sanzu went for a walk around the neighborhood to look at the Christmas lights.

“I’ve missed this!” You exclaimed, pausing to look at each house for ten minutes at least, but Sanzu waited patiently with a smile on his face each time, enjoying your wonder and amazement just as much as you did. Warmth spread through you as you walked the streets of your hometown, reminiscing over the past seasons you spent together.

“Remember that time we sledded down the street, and Takeomi crashed into the mailbox?” You asked, relishing in Sanzu’s laughter as he too recalled the moment.

“He rolled the rest of the way down and reached the bottom covered in snow!”

You walked side by side, arms brushing against each other every once in a while. Sanzu radiated warmth and comfort, the touch of his arm against your own sending sparks down your spine.

There couldn’t possibly be a better Christmas than this.

“What’s all this?” Your voice carried into the large office from your spot in the doorway. You stared over at Sanzu, who sat behind a mahogany desk covered in papers. He glanced up from his work, a pen in hand, before smiling and waving you over.

“Some paperwork I have to finish.” He said, finger tapping against the wood surface. “Nothing too important.”

You leaned against it, peering at the papers. There were files and manila folders, individual paperwork full of fine print. There was even a section dedicated to elaborate mailing supplies, stocked with parchment and several rolls of stamps, different kinds of envelopes arranged by color, and special sealing supplies.

Sanzu leaned back in his chair, the furniture creaking.

“It’s a lovely room,” you complimented. “A little messy though.”

Sanzu grinned at you with a shrug. “What can I say?”

Your gaze drifted through the office, observing the bookshelves, disorderly and full, the pictures hanging on the walls, and the decorations placed perfectly all around. You landed on an item on the ground by Sanzu’s desk.

“Oh!” You cried, crouching before it and stroking the soft, perfect leaves with your fingertips. “A peace lily, how pretty.”

Sanzu nodded, leaning forward to watch you as you cupped one of the pristine white flowers and took a deep breath, enjoying the light fragrance that wafted forth.

“They’re my favorite.” He said, and you smiled to yourself.

“Good choice.”

⠀

“Come on Haru, I have to get to the train station before it closes!”

You had to admit. The idea of leaving so soon after getting back to your hometown, of leaving Sanzu after spending some of the best days of your life with him, was less than pleasing.

Sanzu shuffled out the door after you, his hands tucked away in the pockets of a puffer jacket. His keys rattled as he pulled them from his pocket.

“Are you sure about this?” He asked, pausing just before locking the door to glance back at you. You were rubbing your hands together, blowing into them periodically to keep them warm, breath rising into the air in white, puffy clouds.

“Yes,” you said, with much more certainty and confidence than you’d been expecting. Sanzu nodded solemnly, lock sliding into place and clicking closed. You caught a glimpse of his keys as they jingled again.

“Jeez, so many keys,” you giggled. “Do you have a bunch of secret doors or something?”

Sanzu turned towards you like a deer caught in the headlights. You were taken aback by his reaction, and you waved your hands in front of yourself quickly.

“I was joking.” You could see Sanzu’s little breath of relief, the tension in his shoulders melting away just as quickly as it came. “You ready to go?”

Sanzu nodded again, leading you down the path towards his car. He paused as someone drove past, giving them a quick, friendly wave. You glanced after them.

“Who was that?” You asked curiously, slipping into the leather passenger seat.

“A friend.” Sanzu said, the car revving as he turned the ignition. “A neighbor.”

“Oh! Which one?”

“He moved in after you left,” he explained. “His name is Mikey.”

⠀

Your cheeks were warm, rose tinting your skin like light shining through stained glass. “I have to go.” You breathed, tugging on Sanzu’s hands as they wrapped into your own - tighter, tighter.

“Why?” His eyes were wide, pleading.

He was begging you to stay.

“I have to go back.” You stopped pulling on his hands for a heartbeat. “I left so suddenly, people will wonder where I’ve gone. I can’t just leave everything upended like that.”

There was a flash of something behind Sanzu’s eyes, but it was gone too soon, hidden by his wide pupils and that little sheen that made you think he might be about to cry.

“You can start over again here,” he persuaded, though his words were beginning to fall on deaf ears, and you adamantly pulled back. Sanzu followed you, taking a single step forward each time you took one back. “You could move back home, get a job here, see your parents. We missed you, you know.”

You shook your head again, trying to slip your fingers away as the horn of the train blew once. “The train is going to leave soon.” You said, turning towards the fogged windows and quickly filling cars. “I’ll come back, I promise. I just need to get everything sorted out at work.”

Sanzu was staring at you with an intensity you were sure you had never experienced before.

Something cold, and soft like powder landed upon your cheek, melting against your warm skin and disappearing into thin air.

You glanced up, watching as soft petals of white drifted down from the grey sky, bringing with them the promise of chills and holiday magic.

As your chin tilted back down towards Sanzu, something large and warm caressed your cheek.

Your heart skipped a beat.

This was it.

Your stomach exploded with hoards of butterflies, their wings beating violently within you, fluttering and tickling your insides. Your heart pounded against your ribcage as soft lips pressed up close to your own, radiating heat and sweetness, before it fell silent in your chest. Your lips brushed against his just slightly, zaps of electricity rushing down your spine.

A bitter flavor filled your mouth - sour and ashy as Sanzu’s lips met your own, and pressed in tight.

Instinctively, you tried to pull away, running from the taste of decay and bad omens.

The hand along your cheek shifted towards the back of your neck, holding you in close, as the flavor washed from your tongue, down to your throat.

The minutes stretched as Sanzu held you close, and finally, mercifully, he let you go. You stumbled with the sudden departure of his physical support, and he stood, panting, red faced, staring down at you and the crease between your eyebrows.

You wiped your tongue with your sleeve, fighting the despair pooling in your gut.

Feet unsteady and body heavy, you met Sanzu’s wide green eyes, watched his cheeks lift with the tiniest of smiles as your limbs filled with sand.

“I’m sorry, Y/n.” Your vision began to tunnel, everything swirling together.

Your knees wobbled, your eyelids drooped.

“You have to understand.”

Sanzu lunged, his hands catching you by the armpit before you slipped and fell to the cold, wet ground. A horn sounded again, and the train began to screech along the railroad tracks.

“You were gonna leave.” He explained, desperate and smiling so dotingly you might have mistaken it for something sweet and sincere. “I’ve waited so long for you. I love you, you know. You’ll understand. You have to.”

His words blurred. Your body pulled towards the ground, despite your desperation to fight against it. The blackness of your vision encroached, slipping you into a comfortable darkness where the only things you could perceive were the flavors on your tongue - the taste of ash, and a lingering bitterness that Sanzu left behind.

#dark content #sanzu x reader #haruchiyo x reader #tokrev #tokyo revengers #tokrev fic #sanzu haruchiyo #18+ only #notsosunnydark #minors dni #sanzu haruchiyo x reader #supporting tokrev charas #hallmark #inspired by hallmark movies #fanfiction #writing #yandere!haruchiyo

[racingliners]

Life In The Fast Lane Chapter 6 - 2023 Race 1: Australia (Part 2)

Rating: Teen & Up

Warnings: None apply

Pairings: Original Female Character(s)/Original Male Character(s); OFCs & OMCs

Work Tags: Re-write of a previous work; Mentions of IRL current and past F1 figures; Eventual romance; friends to lovers; found family/work family; actual family; racing drivers and their various shenanigans; how to handle pressure (and how not to); with a sprinkling of the power of friendship; tags will be updated as work progresses

Chapter 6/57

Word count: 5.2k

Summary: First season, first race… first points?

And to go along with my fictional grid, here’s my version of the season calendar for LITFL Season 1:

Australia – Albert Park (58 Laps) (17th-19th March)

Malaysia – Sepang International Circuit (56 Laps) (24th-26th March)

Bahrain – Bahrain International Circuit (57 Laps) (14th-16th April)

China – Shanghai International Circuit (56 Laps) (21st-23rd April)

Spain – Valencia Street Circuit (57 Laps) (12th-14th May)

Monaco – Circuit de Monaco (78 Laps) (25th-28th May)

Canada – Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (70 Laps) (9th-11th June)

Austria – Red Bull Ring (71 Laps) (23rd-25th June)

Great Britain – Silverstone (52 Laps) (7th-9th July)

Germany – Nürburgring (60 Laps) (14th-16th July)^

Hungary – Hungaroring (70 Laps) (28th-30th July)

Turkey – Istanbul Park (58 Laps) (25th-27th August)

Italy – Monza (53 Laps) (1st-3rd September)

Singapore – Marina Bay Street Circuit (61 Laps) (15th-17th September)

South Korea – Korea International Circuit (55 Laps) (29th September-1st October)

Japan – Suzuka (53 Laps) (6th-8th October)

USA – Circuit of the Americas (56 Laps) (20th-22nd October)

Mexico – Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez (71 Laps) (27th-29th October)

Brazil – Autodromo José Carlos Pace (71 Laps) (10th-12th November)

Abu Dhabi – Yas Marina Circuit (58 Laps) (24th-26th November)

Sunday 19th March – Albert Park Circuit, Melbourne

Race day had snuck up on everyone the way it often did at the first weekend of the season, though the 3pm start time meant Sunday wasn’t as hectic as it was at other races. Adding to the relaxed, back to school-esque atmosphere that wafted through the paddock.

The drivers all shuffled into the place for the traditional start of season photo at a little after half-past 12, with the teams roughly arranged in championship order. It meant Benedikt Schmitz and Alistair Mitchell were front and centre, and Constructors runners-up McLaren sat on their right with the remaining teams spread across the three rows.

After the drivers briefing incident, James had been stood right by his team mate whenever they had to be together in the paddock. He knew that being a world champion, and being seen as one of the more senior drivers on the grid came with a lot of influence. A part of him hoped that if he showed Sophie every respect that she was owed, that the rest of the paddock would fall into line. And some of them had, either coming up to James to ask if Sophie was okay, or seeking out the driver herself to offer some kind of support. Even if it was just wishing her well for the race.

“What way round do we sit?” Sophie asked James quietly, as she quickly fixed her hair under her team cap. Her usual ponytail had been swapped for a French braid that stopped just past her shoulder blades. James quickly took in the drivers around him before replying.

“Sit between me and Ben” He said quietly as him Sophie took their seats, with Benedikt saying hello to both of them with a wide smile.

“Good luck today”

“Thanks… not that you need it” James mock rolled his eyes. “You’ll have the title wrapped up by Spa” He teased with a wave of his hand.

“Really? I had my money on Singapore” Sophie butted in, and the three drivers all laughed as everyone took their places around them. “But since he won’t say it, good luck to you too”

“Ah, nice to know one of you has manners!” Ben jibed back, and for a moment James was grateful. This was the way the rest of the drivers acted with each other, banter based on mutual respect. At least James didn’t feel the need to glare in the direction of Erik Braun, since Nico Dumont had been doing plenty of that already the entire weekend. The Alpha Tauri driver had even positioned himself behind Sophie in the middle row.

“Everyone eyes front!”

The drivers put on their best winning smiles as the photographers snapped away for a few seconds, before Matteo called time. And all the drivers jumped out their seats or down off the rear platform, heading quickly towards the team buildings to dump their race suits and change their shoes for the drivers parade.

Richard and Katie were stood waiting at the front door of hospitality to collect their drivers as the quartet walked back out into the paddock, heading towards the FIA garage right at the end of the pitlane.

“Sophie!” Nico had immediately spotted the McLaren drivers walk in, and waved them over to join himself, Benedikt and Nathan. And as seemed to be the custom, Nico and Sophie greeted each other with a bright smile and a strong, warm hug. James took the opportunity to greet Nathan and wish him well. After all, they had been team mates for six seasons, and very much considered each other friends.

“Look Nathan, about the drivers briefing. I wasn’t trying to throw you under the bus or anything-”

“Don’t worry about it!” He clapped Sophie on the shoulder, cutting her off. “If you hadn’t mentioned it I would have. James knows how pissed I was at those kerbs last year”

James hummed in reply, it was probably the most animated post-race debrief he’d ever witnessed.

“Oh Richard, can you get a picture of the five of us?” Nathan held out his phone towards his ex-colleague, who more than happily obliged. The drivers arranged themselves so Sophie was in the middle with James on her left, Nico on her right, and Ben and Nathan bookending the group. Richard took pictures on Nathan’s phone while Katie took some pictures and short videos for the team’s Instagram account. Though Nathan seemingly wasn’t happy until he’d also taken a bunch of selfies. “It’s your first race, we’ve gotta capture it!”

Much to the surprise of a minority of the paddock, Sophie had qualified in 11th place. With James only two spots up the grid in 9th. Already the team were putting on a brave face for the media, as it seemed they weren’t just behind Red Bull and Ferrari in terms of pace, but Mercedes and Alpine too. And while everyone hoped it would just be a one off, no one at McLaren was quite so sure.

But neither James or Sophie let that show on their faces as the drivers were given the all clear to enter the track and clamber onto the custom lorry trailer, much to the delight of the fans in the main grandstand. Sophie and James stayed by each other’s side as they went right up to the railing and waved to as many fans as they could before the lorry slowly drove off.

“Told you we’d make it” James overhead Nico as he flung an arm round Sophie’s shoulders, both friends beaming proudly at each other.

“We really did huh?” Despite everything that had happened over the weekend, Sophie still had that wide-eyed excitement every single rookie had in the hours leading up to their very first race.

“Try and enjoy yourself today” James said quietly, with a hand on Sophie’s shoulder. “Don’t let Friday get to you”

“Oh…” Sophie paused as they approached another grandstand, and both drivers caught a glimpse of a fan in the front row, waving a hand-painted flag with both their driver numbers on it. Her and James both beamed at the sight as they waved to the crowd. “…I don’t intend on letting anyone take today away from me.”

  After the driver’s parade, Sophie had a half-hour or so to relax before she had to be in the garage. Annoyingly, it all passed by in a strange anxious blur. Would her car make it to the grid? The first race of any season was known for drivers having mechanical failures. And while McLaren had a mainly incident free pre-season testing, that didn’t guarantee the car would be in full working order.

Some of Sophie’s anxiety was relieved when Vanessa took her through her pre-race stretches and exercises, but Sophie knew she wouldn’t be completely at ease until she was in the car.

“Ready?” Vanessa asked with a cautious smile. She had Sophie’s drinks bottle in hand, having already delivered her helmet and HANS device to the garage before the driver’s photo. Sophie looked around the room and pulled slightly at her fireproofs, as her race suit hang half zipped up at her waist.

“Yeah… as I’ll ever be” As Sophie huffed out a small sigh, Vanessa went over to her backpack and pulled out a pair of wireless headphones. Sophie didn’t normally listen to music pre-race, so she raised an eyebrow at the sight of it.

“Just to get you through the paddock, Richard said there might be some journalists trying to grab you for a quote on the way to the garage”

At the mere thought, Sophie took the headphones and hung them around her neck, and gestured towards the door. Vanessa led the way out of Sophie’s driver room and into the main hospitality area that was now only filled with a handful of people. All of whom wished Sophie luck as she headed for the door, and slid the headphones over her ears.

Once they were a few steps into the warm sunshine, Vanessa pulled her phone out of her pocket, and pressed something on the screen at the same time music started playing in Sophie’s ears.

‘Cause it’s alright, don’t have to be afraid There’s a spotlight, that’s shining just for you Go the distance, let’s show ‘em what we’re really made of’

A small smile crept onto Sophie’s face as she looked over at her personal trainer, and held out a closed fist. It was a better gesture than any big, emotional pre-race speech would be. Especially since Sophie had no idea if she would even be able to handle one, given the stakes of the day. As the two women approached the McLaren garage, Vanessa fist-bumped her driver back and squeezed her shoulders.

“Try and have fun today” James called out from his side of the garage as Sophie handed back Vanessa’s headphones.

“Thanks…” Sophie smiled as she put her arms through the sleeves of her race suit, and zipped it up to just below her neck. “Good luck”

“You too. You’ll do great today, I’m sure” James walked forward and clapped Sophie on the shoulder  before returning to his side of the garage, as Sophie went over to hers. She quickly greeted Mark and Julian, knowing that she would be able to see them again before the race start, and finished getting ready.

She pulled her helmet down with the sharp tug, and fastened the chin strap as she walked over to the car, and hopped in. The routine of plugging in the radio cable, putting on her gloves, and getting strapped in was already starting to feel normal.

“Pit lane goes green in thirty seconds, we just want to run through all our checks before we send you out, no rush” Chris spoke as he leaned into the cockpit and gave his driver a thumbs up.

“Okay” Sophie returned the gesture, and was glad for all the minutes of quiet in the car she was given while her mechanics and engineers went over everything with a fine tooth comb, ensuring that the car was ready to go to the grid.

And when it was, Steve gave the signal to the pit wall, the screens in front of the cockpit were taken away, and the car was lowered down to the ground. Finally, Sophie was given the all clear to leave the garage.

She deliberately took it easy on her out lap to the grid, shifting up and down through the gears to ensure the gearbox was in working order, and keeping in mind to not drive over the kerbs (not that she had the chicane and turns 9 and 10 to worry about anymore, as the FIA had removed the sausage kerbs on Friday night after the drivers briefing).

Finally, she made it to the last two corners, and slowed the car right down, shifting the car into neutral before switching the engine off so her mechanics could wheel the car through the mass of people onto her spot on the sixth row of the grid.

Sophie let out a small sigh as she was pushed into place. Now all she had to do, was race.

  There were just under fifteen minutes before the start of the race when the drivers walked or jogged down the grid back to their cars after the end of the pre-race national anthem performance. As Vanessa stood in the warm sun she felt torn. She wanted to take in as much of the bustling grid and the atmosphere radiating from the grandstands as possible. But she also had a job to do, as Sophie returned to the car with her race engineer in tow. Chris said something to her which she nodded at, before she re-joined her personal trainer. Sophie had already been back at the garage for one last hug with Mark and Julian before the national anthem, meaning she was free to entirely shift her focus for the next 58 laps she was about to drive.

“Good luck” Vanessa couldn’t help herself as she gave her driver, and friend, one last firm hug before stepping back and putting her professional face back on. “Go get them, yeah?”

“Absolutely” Sophie replied with a small grin.

They went through their usual pre-start routine in brisk but orderly fashion. Sophie would have one last sip from her drinks bottle, then Vanessa handed over the in-ears, balaclava, helmet and HANS device, and gloves in that order. And with a firm tug of the chin strap on her helmet, Sophie was ready to get in the car.

By this point the engineers had all cleared the grid and taken their seats on the pitwall, leaving just the mechanics and personal trainers to wait. Vanessa had slid her orange headset over her ears as Sophie was strapped in right before the very loud five minute signal blared across the track, and she waited a few seconds to quickly reach into the cockpit and give one of Sophie’s hands a final reassuring squeeze. The minutes counted down as commentary started to ring out around the circuit. And Vanessa couldn’t help but smile when the mention of Sophie’s name got a large cheer from the crowd.

  “Sophie this is Martin,” Her team principle’s voice crackled into Sophie’s ears as she drove her car round the circuit for the formation lap, following Aaron Jones’ Aston Martin. “Whatever happens today we couldn’t be more proud of you. Good luck, and let’s get some points today”

Sophie allowed herself one small smile as she pressed down on the radio button.

“Thanks boss, for everything”

Slowly, she eased the car round the final corners of the circuit, and pulled up in 11th place directly  behind James, pressing hard on the clutch pedal. And she waited.

First came one red light, then two, three, four, and five. Glowing in the bright blue sky that was scattered with clouds. It was the most perfect day for a race.

Then the lights went out, and Sophie pressed hard on the accelerator.

  In the air conditioned commentary box, Amy, alongside commentators Jack and Simon watched the TV screen in front of them as the cars shot out of their grid spots.

“And the 2023 season is go! Benedikt Schmitz gets a good start from pole, but Vasquez in the Alpine is staying with him, there’s not much going on behind, everyone will want to take it nice and easy into turn one…”

Amy took in a breath, her eyes were fixed on Sophie’s orange McLaren, willing her to get through the first lap in one piece.

“…and it looks like the grid is going through in formation. Oh!” Jack suddenly yelled out, as a cloud of dust came from the gravel trap at turn one. “Someone’s gone straight on at turn one and beached it in the gravel! I think it’s one of the Williams cars”

Amy tried to peer through the cloud of dust on the screen, since the commentary booths were situated near the final corner there would be no point trying to look out the window. And she tried not to sigh too loudly in relief as a blue and white livery peeked through the light brown dust.

“It is, I think it’s Evan McKinley. That’s gutting to not make it past turn one at his first home race. I’m guessing it has to be a mechanical failure…”

  Mark thought that his heartrate had finally calmed down by lap 23, only for Sophie’s engineer to come on the radio telling her to pit halfway round the lap. He knew Sophie had done plenty of practice pitstops at pre-season testing, and during first practice. But as an ex-mechanic, Mark also knew there was a big difference between a practice run and the stakes of your one stop for the whole race.

He was stood at the back of the garage with Julian, Vanessa, and Sophie’s assigned press officer Richard. All four of them were looking up at the TV screens as the mechanics dashed out in a blur of orange overalls who had all taken their places by the time Sophie had entered the pitlane. The number 16 McLaren swerved into the pitbox, stopping almost exactly on its marks. The car was lifted up on the jacks, and the sound of wheel guns rang through the air as the old yellow-walled soft tyres came off, new white-walled medium tyres were put on, the car was lowered back onto the ground, and drove away after just over two seconds.

All of Sophie’s entourage breathed a sigh of relief as the mechanics returned to their seats in the garage, clapping each other on the back for another well executed pitstop. But they didn’t get a chance to relax when they sat down, as Sophie found herself racing Erik Braun at the pit exit.

The team had kept to their promise of dealing with the incident at the drivers briefing, both the team principle and team manager at Audi had apologised to Sophie personally for what had happened. There were rumours that Erik’s team mate Jan had a few strong words in his ear about the whole thing. But with the F1 paddock being the whispering ground it was, almost everyone had found out about what had happened by Saturday morning.

“Go on Sophie get him!” One of the mechanics called out, as others offered quiet words of encouragement, or silently willed her on. She followed the charcoal and red Audi out of turn two, down the second DRS straight, and pulled out alongside before they both broke for turn 3, with Sophie going round the outside, and hit the turn 4 apex cleanly as she breezed past the Audi.

All of the mechanics erupted into cheers and clapped loudly, with some fist bumping the air. As the overtake had put Sophie into 10th place, the first of the points paying positions.

“That’s my girl…” Mark whispered proudly, as a wide grin finally found its way onto his face.

  The race had passed as about as smoothly as she had hoped, after the rest of the field had made their pitstops, and Sophie had made a couple more overtakes, she found herself safely in 8th place as she started the final lap. Though she hadn’t expected it to arrive so quickly.

She could almost feel the blood pumping in her ears as she broke for turn 1, and thankfully didn’t go too wide over the kerbs. She kept her breathing steady, trying to bury any excitement or nerves that threatened to bubble over the surface. If she did that then an untimely mistake wouldn’t be too far behind. So Sophie counted each corner as she went, hitting each apex, turning in at the right point, and shifted up the gears down the various straights, until she found herself at the final corner. Sophie wasn’t sure who the people in the grandstands were cheering for as she accelerated towards the finish line, and past the chequered flag that fluttered through the air.

“Well done Sophie. That is P8, repeat P8. Engine map 6 and remember pick up. That was a solid race, nice overtake on Braun. James finished just ahead in P7, so that’s a double points finish, good job” Chris’ was the first voice Sophie heard over the radio as she slowed the car, turning the correct dials as instructed.

“Congratulations Sophie, you just beat Lella Lombardi’s points record! Welcome to Formula 1” Martin’s voice was next, sounding rather proud.

Though Sophie was lost for words.

She almost felt guilty in a way, Lombardi’s record had stood since the 1970s, and it had been the one benchmark Sophie had looked up to throughout her entire racing career. She remembered back to the Thursday press conference, when she had so quickly dismissed the thought of breaking that record at her first race, and almost didn’t believe that she’d actually done it.

“Sorry I couldn’t bring home anymore points today, thanks so much to everyone in the garage for their hard work this weekend. And… Grazie Lella, for everything you’ve done for us”

Questions would be asked later about McLaren’s race pace compared to the rest of the field, but as Sophie drove on her in-lap, all she felt in that moment was relief. She’d rather get an average first race under her belt than make a fool of herself for the entire world to see.

She waved at fans in the grandstands as she drove past, before turning into the pitlane and pulled up into parc fermé. As she switched off the car and undid her harness, she could see a driver in navy and white overalls walking towards her. When she looked up at him properly, she instantly recognised Nico’s geometric red, white and blue helmet design as she hauled herself out of the car, and was greeted by her friend with a long hug and an affectionate pat on the top of her helmet.

“Where did you finish?” Once she’d taken off her gloves Sophie and Nico briefly slung their arms round each other before taking off their helmets as they towards the FIA garage, where they had to get weighed or be disqualified.

“P12” Nico huffed as his pulled off his balaclava, and stuffed it inside his helmet alongside his gloves and in-ears. “You?” Once they’d reached scrutineering they joined the small queue of drivers that had already formed.

“P8” She couldn’t help but grin as she pulled out her in-ears.

“Yes! I told you you’d get points!” Nico hugged Sophie round the shoulders as they walked towards the scales. “Ah, points scorers before beauty ma amie”

Sophie mock rolled her eyes as she jumped on the sales and waited before she was given the all clear before she jumped down and let Nico take her place, saying that’d she’d likely see him at the back at the hotel.

“Sophie!” She whipped her head round as the sound of someone calling out her name, and beamed at the sight of Vanessa, Julian, Richard, and her father. Sophie couldn’t help but make a bee line for Mark, as she quickly handed her helmet over to Vanessa so she could hug him properly.

“I did it, I scored points!” She said, albeit quite muffled as her Dad had completely enveloped her in an iron-clad hug.

“I’m so proud of you… so, so proud” Sophie felt Mark kiss the top of her head as he took half a step back so he could wipe his eyes.

“I love you” She said quietly, just for the group to hear, since she could see a TV camera out of the corner of her eye trained on their every move.

“I love you too” They stood smiling at each other for a few moments before Mark finally let go, slowing Sophie to hug everyone else. Richard had been stood slightly to the side, allowing Sophie’s family and Vanessa to get their hugs in first, before he hugged his driver as the group walked out of scrutineering and down the pitlane towards the McLaren garage.

James had already made it back by the time they arrived, and he let Sophie be almost crushed by her mechanics before he side-hugged his team mate. He happily congratulated Sophie on a race well done, even though both drivers knew it wasn’t exactly where the team had wanted to finish. To be behind both Red Bulls, Ferraris, one Merc and one Alpine was certainly below what McLaren had expected. And Sophie and James both knew they were set to be grilled about in the media pen.

“What do I say to everyone?” Sophie asked Richard once they’d reached the back of the garage, fixing her papaya orange team cap on her head. She’d learned very quickly from Richard that how her and James presented themselves to the press was very important to the team, even down to the way they said things.

“Happy to score points on your debut, yes the team wanted more, but it’s only the first race. Still plenty up for grabs” Another part of Richard’s job was to brief Sophie on the team’s party line, as well as recording every single one of her interviews with a Dictaphone so none of what she said would be taken out of context. “Cautious optimism” He added with a small smile. “You ready? We’ll have enough time for a quick stop at hospitality”

“No it’s fine” Despite the race being over, Sophie’s schedule was far from done, as there was the team’s post-race debrief to contend with. As well as the hordes of journalists. “Let’s get this over with”

“One more thing,” Richard led Sophie a few paces down the entry/exit passage before stopping, a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Don’t give a shit about what the tabloids say” Both the swearing, and his sudden brutal honesty caused Sophie to look wide-eyed at her press officer. “After… what you told me in January, I can tell you’re worried about them. But speaking from experience, no one takes anything that they say outside of race results seriously. The opinions of the people who actually matter, are formed by what they hear from the teams, not a bunch of rags. And based on how you’ve conducted yourself this weekend, you’ve nothing to worry about. We like you just as you are”

Sophie didn’t realise she’d been holding her breath as Richard spoke. And as she let out a long exhale, her shoulders felt their normal weight for the first time since January.

“It might take a few races for me to believe that” She huffed, albeit with a tiny smile.

“Ah, that’s what I’m here for” Richard chuckled as he squeezed Sophie’s shoulder, and he led her out of the garage towards the awaiting media pen.

  Monday 20th March – Melbourne Tullamarine Airport

Not even 24 hours after the start of the Grand Prix, the F1 paddock found themselves back at the airport in Melbourne, ready to fly to Malaysia for the next race in just six days’ time. Some had flown out on the midnight flight to Kuala Lumpur, while others like McLaren were checked in for the flight at ten past three in the afternoon.

Sophie and Vanessa found themselves at one of the giftshops in the departure lounge, mulling over keyrings. They had decided on the flight over that across the season they were going to buy a keyring from each airport for each race of the season. Another way of commemorating their first season in Formula 1 together.

“I don’t know, I think a kangaroo’s too stereotypical. I want something that’s more Melbourne than Australia” Vanessa huffed, scouring through a rack.

“What about this one then?” Sophie handed over one that literally said ‘Melbourne’ in green and gold letters. Vanessa rolled her eyes as Sophie shrugged with a small giggle, but still took it off her hands for a closer look.

“Soph!” She turned round at the sound of her father’s somewhat urgent voice. “I think our gate is opening soon, we best get going” Mark had an apologetic look in his eyes, clearly wanting to be with Sophie for the next race and every one after, but also knowing he had a garage to run back in the UK.

So Sophie lunged forward, and hugged her Dad as tightly as she could. Burying her head into his chest not giving a damn who saw.

“I love you” Her voice came out extremely muffled, but thankfully Mark heard her, as he gave his daughter one last squeeze before letting go.

“I love you too, remember to text your mother when you land… and-”

“Tell the team if I have to deal with any more sexist bullshit, I know…” She groaned, but tried her best to put on a brave face.

“I was going to say good luck” Mark said with a tilt of the head.

“Oh” Sophie blushed. “Thanks Dad”

“And don’t crash” Julian jibed, before hugging his cousin goodbye.

“Is that the only advice I’m going to get?!” Sophie mock rolled her eyes as Julian pulled out his passport and plane tickets.

“Well, you always were faster than me” Sophie blushed again, as the boarding call for Mark and Julian’s flight rang out across the terminal. “Love you really”

“Yeah, yeah… go on. Text me when you land!” Sophie accepted another quick hug from her cousin before he jogged after his Uncle towards their departure gate. She let out a small shaky sigh as she watched them go. Sophie had been so grateful to have them at the back of the garage across the course of the weekend, she hoped that she’d told them enough.

“Sophie look!” The sound of something jangling by her right ear caused Sophie to turn round and look at her rather pleased looking personal trainer. “What do you think?”

The keyring she’d found featured a green and gold tram, with Melbourne, Australia set in in red enamel underneath. It reminded her of the trams she’d passed in the car on the way to her media commitments the previous Wednesday.

“Yeah, that’s perfect!”

After paying for the keyrings, they found Richard in one of the various cafes and joined him for coffee and pastries. As they had just over an hour before their flight was due to board.

“So this is our life then,” Vanessa paused before biting into an apricot Danish. “Airport cafes and race tracks”

“That just about sums it up” Richard mused before taking a long sip of his cappuccino. “And Sophie’s many, many media commitments” Sophie groaned and slid down in her seat at the thought, much to Vanessa and Richard’s amusement. “Believe it or not, you do get used to it”

Sophie refused to believe him as she sat up to drink her own coffee, and looked out the window at the various planes taking off and landing. Eventually she saw Mark and Julian’s flight take off, and kept her eye on the plane until it was fully out of sight.

“That’s us!” Richard called out, pulling Sophie out of her daze. “That’s our flight boarding, you got everything?” He repeated.

“Uh…” Sophie looked around her feet for her backpack and checked her pockets for her phone, she didn’t remember taking anything out of her bag since she’d sat down. “Yeah I think so”

“Right well, come on then” Vanessa called out from halfway towards the door. Sophie just shook her head with a sigh as she stood up, and saw a stunned looking Richard.

“Don’t worry, she’s not always like this” Sophie huffed as they speed walked to catch up with her swishing blonde ponytail. “Only when she’s a bit on edge”

“On edge?” Richard frowned.

“All of this…” Sophie gestured around her with a free hand. “In a way it’s as much a big deal for her as it is for me. Neither of us want to put a foot wrong”

“Well, in some ways your first race is arguably the hardest, and you both got through it unscathed. Not every driver gets to say that” Richard placed a hand on Sophie’s shoulder, and smiled down at her. “I think you’re both going to be just fine”

Much to Vanessa’s relief, Sophie and Richard caught up with her right as the departure gate opened, and they found themselves sandwiched in between two very delighted groups from Alpine. Once Vanessa and Sophie had their tickets and passports checked, they waited for Richard on the other side, and they walked onto the plane together.

One race down, nineteen more to go.

                                                          * * *

NB - The featured song lyrics are from ‘Watch Me Work’ by Melanie Fiona

2023 Australian Grand Prix Classification

1st - Cristóbal Vasquez (Alpine) - 25pts 2nd - Giovanni Carotti (Ferrari) - 18pts 3rd - Benedikt Schmitz (Red Bull) - 15pts 4th - Teo Martinez (Ferrari) - 12pts 5th - Nathan Watkins (Mercedes) - 10pts 6th - Alistair Mitchell (Red Bull) - 8pts 7th - James Hewitt (McLaren) - 6pts 8th - Sophie Knightsbridge (McLaren) - 4pts 9th - Owen Nichols (Aston Martin) - 2pts 10th - Erik Braun (Audi) - 1pt 11th - Aaron Jones (Aston Martin) 12th - Nico Dumont (AlphaTauri) 13th - Antonio Lima (AlphaTauri) 14th - Jan Martens (Audi) 15th - Aidan Glover (Williams) 16th - Tadashi Sato (Haas) 17th - Leon Bauer (Haas) RET - Marc Pavard (Mercedes) RET - Daniel Jakobsson (Alpine) RET - Evan McKinley (Williams) Fastest Lap - Cristóbal Vasquez (Alpine) - 1pt

2023 Championship Standings after Round One

Drivers Standings

1st - Cristóbal Vasquez - 26pts 2nd - Giovanni Carotti - 18pts 3rd - Benedikt Schmitz - 15pts 4th - Teo Martinez - 12pts 5th - Nathan Watkins - 10pts (7th - James Hewitt - 6pts 8th - Sophie Knightsbridge - 4pts)

Constructors Standings

1st - Ferrari - 30pts 2nd - Alpine-Renault - 26pts 3rd - Red Bull Racing Honda - 23pts 4th - Mercedes AMG - 10pts 5th - McLaren-Mercedes - 10pts

#my writing #Life In The Fast Lane #LITFL Chapters #for those who haven't been reading on AO3 or are new; each race chapter has the full results plus updated championship standings #so people can (hopefully) follow along with each season's events as well as the story #(mainly because I spent a lot of time making a speadsheet and doing maths so I wanted that to be worth something

[soadoya]

THE 1ST HALF OF THE 2021 F1 SEASON x Le Brio by BIG SOUL

Un, deux, trois, quatre

#a little summary of the races of the 1st half of the season #f1 #formula 1 #f1edit #I didn't have any footage whatsoever so it's from the highlights on YouTube #hope you like it :)) #edits.me #vids.me #the grid

[imthebadguyyy]

Mon Amour

Summary - You've grown up with Charles, and as much as you hate to admit it, you love him. Pierre knows, and clearly sees how desperately Charles loves you too. It's true what they say, love will always find a way.

The Monaco Grand Prix was one of the most fun, exhilarating and exciting Grand Prix's of the entire F1 Season. You were excited enough, and since you already lived nearby, all you had to do was make your way to Charles's home, and then make your way to the track together. To say you were excited was an understatement, and you could barely contain the nerves and excitement you were feeling.

Charles was nervous. He didn't know why, Monaco was his circuit, and he always drove well on the track. He had been confident through free practice, and he was starting on pole, with an excellent quali result. But he was nervous, and something told him it had nothing to do with the race, and everything to do with Y/N.

Y/N. His best friend. His go-to. His shoulder to cry on. She had been there through it all, when his dad died, when Jules died. Whenever he needed someone to talk to or just needed a hug, he could always turn to her. He had met Y/N at a go kart race, sitting with her mother, and eating an ice lolly. Her hair had been in two little ponytails, and she was wearing a pretty polka doted red and blue dress. He was sitting with Pierre, and couldn't help staring at the girl, not even paying attention to what Pierre was saying, until he had snapped his fingers in front of Charles's face to tell him the race was about to begin.

The race had been wonderful, and he had won first place. His dad and Pierre's dad had both been so proud, and had bought both of them ice creams, and as they sat eating their cones, Y/N had made her way over to the pair. "You drove really well today, and my mommy told me I should come over to say congratulations" Too surprised to say anything, he let Pierre take over, and watched as he conversed with her. Then, she turned to him and said, "Whats your name? Mine's Y/N' and he had managed to stutter out, "C-Charles"

And thats how your friendship had begun. Since then, you had accompanied him to every race he had, had been there when he signed for Sauber (Alfa Romeo) and then when he signed for Ferrari. You had been so proud, you had cried when he told you, and hugged him tight and told him that you were incredibly proud of him, and that you were sure that his dad and Jules would have been incredibly proud of him too. And then he had cried too, and you two had cried together, and spent the rest of the night together, just hugging each other.

And here you were again, at his door, looking simply stunning in the outfit you had picked for the race track, looking like an angel sent from heaven. Well, you were his angel. The problem was, he couldn't tell you. You didn't love him, and the last thing he needed was to jeopardise your relationship by confessing his feelings. His stupid, stupid feelings.

"You look gorgeous" Charles said, leaning forward to give you a hug, and a soft kiss on your cheek. If he had been looking at you, he probably would have seen how you had gotten slightly flustered at his gesture. "Thanks, you don't look too bad yourself' you replied, reciprocating his gesture by kissing his cheek. Apparently, neither one of you were good at paying attention, because you didn't see the way he blushed either. "Ready for the race?" "Always" "Is Pierre going to be there?" "Yes he is, we'll probably meet him on the way to the paddock" As much as he hated to admit it, he always felt a pang of jealousy when you brought up his best friend, because he thought that you had feelings for the Frenchman,

"Okay then" "Are you ready to go?"

Nodding your head, you picked up your purse and checked your reflection in the mirror one more time, and brushed a stray strand of unruly hair behind your ears. Grabbing the keys to his Ferrari, he closed the door as the both of you left his house. The car ride to the paddock was fairly quiet, as you made occasional comment about random things, and bopped your heads to some music.

Arriving at the paddock, Charles noticed the paps that were waiting to descend upon you two like vultures. "merde" he mumbled under his breath, knowing you didn't really liken your picture being taken by random strangers. Sighing, you reached out to touch his shoulder. Its okay. I don't mind" 'I know, but it's unfair to you to have your privacy invaded" he replied, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Hey, it's okay. Let's just go". Opening the car door, you took a deep breath to calm the nerves beginning to appear in your tummy.

But you needn't have worried. As soon as you opened the car door, Charles was by your side, lacing his fingers through yours, the other arm wrapping around your waist, to fully protect you from the prying cameras. Trying not to focus on how right it felt, to have his arm around your body, and to feel his fingers threading through your own. Your heart was beating so fast, you wouldn't be surprised if he could hear it, considering how closely wrapped he was around your own body. As the Ferrari garage came into view, you began to calm down, and became aware of the fact that his arm was still wrapped around your waist, and his hand was still holding yours.

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Walking over from the Toro Rosso/Alpha Tauri garage, Pierre spotted Charles and Y/N making their way over to the Ferrari. Noticing the way Charles kept his arm tightly around Y/N, he couldn't help but grin, and assumed that Charles had finally told Y/N how he felt about her. Grinning even more broadly, he strutted over to the Ferrari garage, and walked over to where his best friend was standing with Mattia and his race engineer. "Hello, mon ami. I see you've finally done it?" somewhat confused, Charles turned to face the frenchmen, and asked, "Done what?" 'Told Y/N you love her" Pierre replied, watching his friends face glow the same red as the colour of his car and race suit. "What?! I have done no such thing. What would make you think that?"

"Let me think, because you've been in love with her since we were children. Come on Charles, don't chicken out now. You should definitely tell her. She is an extremely attractive woman, and I won't be surprised if someone else also likes her or asks her out. You two are made for each other. Now stop delaying !" Sighing, Charles just shook his head, and went into his drivers room, turning halfway to wave at his friend. Somewhat frustrated, he walked into the room, kicking the door in the process. "fanculo, idiota!" he mumbled, hands reaching up to his head to pull on his and let out a growl.

"Charles? You okay ?" Y/N asked, peeking her head into his room, slight concern in her E/C eyes. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Just nervous" 'Nervous?' she asked walking in, and sitting down next to him. "Yeah, it's a big race, and points are very important if we want to beat Mercedes and actually win this year. Besides the last race wasn't that good, and Mattia was a little upset about it. I'm just a little nervous" Reaching out to take his hand into hers, Y/N ran a soft hand through his hair, and his eyes fluttered shut for a second. "Charles, listen to me. You are an incredibly talented person. When you get in the car, you push it to the limits and you give it everything. It's okay to be nervous, but you're on pole. I know you will give it your all, and every single person in this garage believes in you. And I believe in you the most. So go out there , and give it your everything. I know you can do it" As you had been speaking, Charles had been running his thumb over your knuckles, on the hand that was holding his, and when you finished, he raised it to his lips, and pressed his soft, pink lips to your knuckles.

"Thank you, tesoro" You froze. He had never called you 'sweetheart' before. You could feel your heart rate rising ever so slightly, and your breathing become slightly shallow, as his brown hazel eyes looked up into your own, and seemingly held your gaze. The tension in the room seemed to thicken, reaching upto a point where it was nearly suffocating. Heads leaning closer to each other, his hand tightening the grip he had on yours, sliding softly up your arm, as your eyes fluttered shut, the anticipation sending your heart rate up to crazy numbers. His face was so close to yours, you could feel his breath on your lips, almost hear his heartbeat, and hoping to God he couldn't hear how embarrassingly loud yours was. Just as your lips nearly touched, there was a knock on the door, and his race engineer, poked his head in, looking somewhat awkward. "Its time to go Charles, time to get in the car"

Sighing softly, he pulled away, as your eyes fluttered behind your eyelids. "Go and win this. I'll be cheering you on" you said, not quite meeting his eyes, but giving him a soft, half hearted smile. "Thanks" he said, giving your hand a squeeze, as he walked out to the garage to get in his car. Burying your head in your hands, you felt like you could scream, sob and punch something at the same time. Letting out a shaky breath, you ran a hand over your face and stood up, making your way up to where you were watching the race from.

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The race was over, and Charles had won 1st place, with Lewis in second and Valterri in third. As he had stood on the podium, he had found your face in the crowd, smiling and cheering for him, as you let out a whoop that he couldn't hear, but you didn't care. The adrenaline from the win was pumping through his veins, as he climbed down from the podium, eyes searching for you, as his teammates and crew congratulated him on his win, but he was really only half listening.

Then he saw you, standing in front of the garage, hair flying around in the wind that had picked up in the last lap of the race. Smiling as you looked up to see him, you began to run towards him, as he ran to meet you halfway. You jumped into his arms, as his wrapped around your thighs and your waist to keep you stable, as you wrapped yours around his muscled neck, leaning your forehead down to rest against his, as you muttered a soft "congratulations' in his ear, and pressed your lips to his temple, as his eyes closed, fully revelling in your embrace and body heat, not caring about how the paps had probably got a pretty good shot of you two, or how the tabloids were probably wetting themselves with article possibilities. 'thank you mon ange, thank you for supporting me" "anytime"

As you planted your feet back on the ground, and loosened your grip around him slowly, he moved his arm so one was wrapped around your waist, and the other rested loosely on his hip. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Pierre approaching, and smiled at his best friend. "Congratulation mon ami. That was a superb race. Y/N long time no see, seems like you have forgotten me"

Giggling, you stepped away from Charles to give him a hug. "Of course not, how could I forget my best friend! I was going to saw hello before the race but I didn't get the chance. Good race!" "Thank you, It's so good to see you again here. Looks like Charles has been taking up all your time" He said, smirking at the Monégasque driver, who blushed, before looking away. Laughing, you shook your head, moving your body closer to Charles's again. "Oh Y/N you should come to the party tonight. It's on a yacht, and we can have some good fun a well. What do you say ?' "Oh I'm in!"

"You can come as one of our plus ones" Pierre said, eyes shifting over to Charles's face which was the same colour as his bright red Ferrari suit. Charles wanted to punch and hug Pierre at the same time, clearly seeing what he was trying to do. "Yeah, okay I'll be there" "Great! See you then, bye for now. Go celebrate with your man"

"your man"

Why did that sound so right? Why did it make your heart burst with happiness? Why did you want him to be your man? And why did it seem like the one thing you wanted the most was the one thing you couldn't have.

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Looking at the mirror one last time, you smoothed out the silky material of the red satin dress you had decided to wear to the party. Paired with a black choker necklace, and a pair of sleek black heels to finish the outfit. You had gone bold with the makeup, winged liner and smoky eyeshadow. Finally, you had swiped a tube of ruby red lipstick across your lips, and sprayed some more -expensive -than -you -could -even -begin- to -fathom Gucci perfume that Charles had bought you for your birthday on your wrists, neck, ears, and body.

You didn't know what you were doing. But it felt good to be confident. It felt good to pretend as though you were completely in control, when all you wanted was to curl up in a little ball, and cry. You didn't know what you were doing, but it felt good to pretend as though you didn't care for Charles, when all you wanted to do was grab his stupidly handsome face and kiss his wonderfully soft, pink lips.

Shaking off your anxiety, you reached for the phone to call Pierre, who was supposed to pick you up and drive you to the party. Charles had wanted too, but he had to go and meet some friends who wanted to congratulate on his victory. Taking a deep breath, you picked up your black clutch, which had your phone, lipstick, tissues and your keys, just in time to hear a knock on the door. Walking over to the door of your Monaco apartment, you opened it to find Pierre, in a lovely light blue suit, hair slicked slightly with gel, and a Rolex on his wrist. As he looked at you, his eyes widened, and he looked at you in shock for a few seconds, before saying "You look absolutely stunning, princess. Absolutely gorgeous" "Thank you Pierre ! You're looking pretty dapper yourself, I must say" you replied, flashing him a smile. "Thank you Y/N/N. Someone won't be able to keep his eyes off of you" he said, smirking as he saw your eyes widen softly, as you grew visibly flustered. "Who?" You asked, suddenly interested in looking at the clutch in your hand. "Oh come on, Leonardo DiCaprio. Who do you think ?!'

"I don't know, Pierre. Why don't you tell me?"

"Ces deux idiots, Charles, you sweet dumbass!"

"Yeah right. Let's just go please, we are already late, and I don't want to be out for too long"

"Fine"

-------------------------------------------------------The party was extravagant. There were these model chicks everywhere, with the most minimal of clothing, drooling over whichever driver they could find. Charles had had this one blonde girl hit on him for nearly an hour, and he was nearing the end of his patience. He didn't want any random girl for a one night stand. He wanted Y/N. And she wasn't at the party yet. But God, he couldn't stop thinking about her. He couldn't stop thinking about the moment they had shared. They had almost kissed. His heart did little jumps whenever he thought about it, and GOD, he was not doing a good job at hiding it. Everyone in the room had noticed the lovestruck look on his face. From across the room, George and Alex made their way over the Monégasque driver, who looked lost, and slightly irritated.

"Hey man, good job today! That was an excellent race" "Thanks, you guys did brilliantly as well"

"So who's got you looking like a little lost puppy?" George asked, grinning at the man, who looked slightly flustered at his comment. "What? No one, just post race excitement I suppose?"

"I'm not taking your word for it. Who's the girl? Come on"

Just as Charles opened his mouth to speak, there was a slight distraction, as he turned towards the door on the left, where people kept coming and going, and his jaw dropped. It was Y/N. But she looked like an angel that had fallen from the heavens, and sent to bless his heart. As he watched her make her way across the room, with Pierre right behind her, he felt his mouth and throat become dry, and his heart felt like it was going to fail at any moment. His palms were becoming sweaty and he felt like a nervous wreck, ready to collapse at any moment.

"Wow, mate. Is that Y/N ? She looks stunning!" Alex said, smiling as he watched her make her way towards their little group. "Yeah it is mate. She looks absolutely gorgeous!" George said, waving to the woman as she neared them. Charles couldn't speak.He just stared. "When you've put your eyes back in your head, and closed your mouth, you could maybe compliment her, and finally ask her out." Alex said, noticing how his friend had become silent and kept opening and closing his mouth like a goldfish.

Laughing, George clapped Charles on the back, "Ah, so she's the one that's got you all lovey dovey. Good going mate, she's a beauty" As he finished speaking, Y/N had approached the group, and was saying hello to Alex. Leaning forward, George gave her a hug as well, having become acquainted with her through Pierre. "Y/N you look beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous" he said, smiling at her, "Thank you so much! You guys all look lovely too!"

'You're too kind Y/N, George looks like he hasn't even brushed his hair back properly" Alex joked, receiving a slight shove from the Brit. "And, Charles, what do you think? How do I look this fine evening?" you asked, turning to face him. His face was slightly flushed and he mumbled something that sounded like "mimblewimble" and then cleared his throat. "You look prettier than anyone here tonight. You look like an angel"

Completely awestruck at his words, all you could do was gape, and then mutter a soft thank you, and pray to God he couldn't feel the nerves radiating off of you. "Well, despite the lovely company, and palpable sexual tension, I'm going to go find Max and Daniel, and go get a drink" Alex said, giving Y/N a hug and leaving with George. Leaving you alone with a very flustered Charles. "Do you want to get out of here?' he asked suddenly, looking at you with his warm hazel brown eyes. "I just got here, but yes please. I already feel so out of place among these models and superstars" you said, giggling softly. "Well, they've got nothing on you. Trust me, you're fifteen times prettier than anyone else here"

"Thank you Charles" you said, smiling softly, and touching his arm. "Anytime,tesoro" there it was again, that nickname that had your heart jumping. The last time he had called you that you guys had almost kissed. The memory returned, filling your tummy with butterflies, and all you wanted to do was to grab his stupidly handsome face and kiss him. The two of you made your way down to the docks, where you had a special spot that was like a hidden cave, covered with some wildflowers and ivy, that you two had discovered when you guys were fifteen, and you had had a bad day at school. Charles had hugged you, and told you, "no matter how bad a day at school is, I will always be there to hug you and make you feel better, always" That was when you had fallen in love with him.

As you made your way to the cave, you shivered, the sea air that was blowing around was surprisingly chilly, and you had forgotten to bring a jacket. Being the gentleman that he was, Charles took of his dark blue suit jacket, and draped it around your soldiers. 'Can't have you freezing to death" "I won't" you replied, regretting your decision to wear heels. As the two of you reached the cave, you sat down on the floor, and pulled off your heels, and stretched your legs out, letting out a sigh as you did so. Smiling at your actions, Charles sat down next to you, his thigh brushing against yours, arm wrapping around your waist, as your head dropped onto his shoulder.Beneath you two, the water lapped gently against the rocks, and the soft sound was calming and soothing.

For a while, you stayed that way, you tracing random patterns onto his left hand, while his right arm that was wrapped around your waist traced circles on your waist. His head was resting on top of yours now, and in the chilly air, the warmth radiating off of his body was comforting. "Y/N, do you like Pierre?" he blurted out suddenly, making you look up at him in shock. "What makes you think that?' you asked, leaning slightly away from his body to look at his face properly. "Well, I just assumed, I guess, you do seem very very comfortable and happy around him" "Oh my god, you idiot" you said, giggling softly at the slight look of jealousy on his face. "Pierre was right"

"What was he right about ?"

"Nothing"

"Look I'm sorry, I don't know where that came from its just that I love you and -"

You cut him off, pressing your lips to his, as his arms wrapped around your torso, after initial surprise. Yours made his way to his shoulders, one on his shoulder, and the other to the back of his head, while his grip around your body tightened. You two fit together like two pieces of a puzzle, bodies moulding into each other, lips fitting like two puzzle pieces together. This was what you had been missing from your life. This passionate, romantic, breath taking love, one that made your heart go 200 miles an hour and then stop.

Charles couldn't believe what was happening. He was kissing Y/N, and it felt so right. She was intoxicating, the scent of her perfume was clouding his senses in the best way possible, filling him with a new need, a hunger that had been growing for so long was finally being satiated, and it was electrifying. He slid his hands up her back, to tangle his fingers in her hair, pulling ever so slightly, and revelling in the sound that left her lips.

Finally breaking away, panting and out of breath, he rested his forehead on hers. "je t'aime mon amour" he mumbled, eyelids fluttering shut. "I love you too. So much" Completely blissed out, the two remained in their embrace, neither of them wanting to break apart, from what felt like a dream. "Did you just kiss me, or am I dreaming" He asked, looking down at Y/N who had her head on his shoulder again.

"Why don't you kiss me again and find out ?"

"Of course, mon amour"

-------------------------------------------------------

#charles leclerc #charles leclerc x reader #charles leclerc imagine #f1 imagines #f1 x reader #f1 #pierre gasly #imthebadguyyfics #imthebadguyyyfics

[impulsive-astrophile]

Fic recs for days

@dnscully ask and ye shall receive... 

Recs will be sorted into arbitrary categories (in bold) and below the cut in order to save your dash because there will be a lot of them :) (final count came in at 103, give or take). All fics will have MSR in one form or another unless otherwise noted. 

I also have post-episode recs for days but that would have to be an entirely separate post (which I can do if you’d like, just let me know!)

As always, make sure to read the work tags to filter for content you don’t want to read (sorry I’m not including them in this post, but it’s already 3 miles long and tags would make it even longer).

MulderTorture

Shakespirited (multi-chapter)

Summary:  When the members of a small Shakespearean company start dying, Mulder and Scully go undercover to investigate. But will they discover what is killing people, or will they be next?

Rating: Teen

Words: 13670

Surface Deep (multi-chapter)

Summary: An out of town case leads Mulder and Scully to resolve some complicated issues...and make a few startling revelations.

Rating: Explicit

Words: 19105 

Man's Best Friend (multi-chapter, not tagged MSR)

Summary: Injured and trapped inside a moving freight train car, Mulder depends on Scully and a new four-legged friend to rescue him. This was written many years ago as a tribute to my four-legged best friend, Dynamite a Husky/Shepherd mix. Spoilers for Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose and Quagmire.

Rating: Gen

Words: 17657

It Burns (multi-chapter, also ft. a casefile!)

Summary: It was no surprise that Mulder’s soul was damaged goods. Years of past trauma and delving into the mind of evil over and over has taken its toll. Scully intervenes, the killer is elusive, and pain awaits.Also they're in love ok.

Rating: Mature

Words: 20078

Lost (also ft. a casefile!)

Summary: When three little girls go missing, Mulder's expertise as a profiler is needed but Scully is more worried about how a case like that might affect him.

Rating: Mature

Words: 4967

Greenwater (multi-chapter)

Summary: Mulder set off to meet with an informant - alone. Allison has visions about an FBI agent being in trouble. Can she convince Scully and Skinner to find Mulder?

Rating: Gen

Words: 8442

In Between

Summary: A car accident sends half of the FBI’s most unwanted into a coma. The other half of the whole stands vigil at their partner’s bedside as one singular moment changes both of their lives forever.

Rating: Teen

Words: 7820

amor non reciprocatus. (multi-chapter, also ft. AU)

Summary: hanahaki disease is a fictional disease in which the victim coughs up flower petals when they suffer from unrequited love. it ends when the beloved reciprocates or the victim dies. Mulder and Scully investigate an X File in which the victim is found with flowers sprouting uncontrollably from their lungs and Mulder can't stop coughing. Hanahaki AU MSR. Completed.

Rating: Mature

Words: 19291

Empty Words (multi-chapter)

Summary: “It doesn’t matter, Mulder. They’re all just… empty words. We can understand each other without all of this, just, please.” Mulder and Scully are diligently working a case in downtown Seattle when Mulder is injured. Hospitals, frustration, and an inability to speak test the strength of their new relationship. Featuring art by cryptidneet!

Rating: Mature

Words: 24958

Casefiles

Claws of the Beast

Summary:  Mulder and Scully deal with their relationship as they are called to Texas to investigate a series of slayings.

Rating: Teen

Words: 3297

Brumal Harvest

Summary:  Mulder and Scully are trapped deep in the wintry Ozarks while something stalks them from the shadows…

Rating: Teen

Words: 2371

Returning the Past (multi-chapter, not necessary to have seen IWTB)

Summary: Set post ITWB, Mulder and Scully are honeymooning in Far North Queensland. Much to Scully’s chagrin, Mulder has delved headlong into a mysterious case of strange lights, Tasmanian tiger sightings and abductions. It’s not long, before they run into trouble…

Rating: Mature

Words: 18772

Succumbing to the Truth (multi-chapter)

Summary:  Mulder and Scully are called onto a case where men are being seduced and attacked in their sleep by an unknown force. This force usually disguises itself as the person the victims most desires, so what happens when the case starts to get a little too close for comfort for our agents? MSR Casefic

Rating: Explicit

Words: 33453

Thin Air

Summary: Mulder discovers a case where a person appears to disappear into thin air. Scully, of course, sets out to prove him wrong.

Rating: Teen

Words: 9772

Vice (multi-chapter)

Summary: A weekend assignment gets out of control with Mulder undercover. Things come to a head, dragging Scully into the picture with unexpected consequences. Part 1 PG, Part 2 NSFW

Rating: Mature

Words: 7200

Wood Creek (also ft. MulderTorture)

Summary: Mulder comes down with chickenpox while away on a case. As always there are complications. In this case - cannibals. S6 - one week after 1st Person Shooter (mentioned in the story) - not necessary to have seen the episode

Rating: Mature

Words: 32255

Utu (multi-chapter, novel-length, also ft. MulderTorture)

Summary: Mulder convinces Scully to take a holiday in New Zealand. Can they stay away from cases and keep out of trouble? Don't be silly.

Rating: Explicit

Words: 103466

Manitou (multi-chapter)

Summary: It's perfect weather for frolicking with a serial killer!

Rating: NC17

Words: 30922

The Basket (multi-chapter, also ft. MulderTorture)

Summary: Following the aftermath of the Ed Jerse case in Philadelphia, Mulder and Scully investigate some unexplained deaths in Northern California. It soon becomes a race against time as Mulder becomes more involved in the case than he bargained for becoming the next target.

Rating: Teen

Words: 24043

The Disappearance of Bruce Speta (multi-chapter)

Summary:  Mulder and Scully get the chance to investigate "a good old fashioned haunting," but the case ultimately takes Scully somewhere she never intended to go.

Rating: Gen

Words: 16048

Procedures (multi-chapter, also ft. MulderTorture)

Summary:  Summary - Shortly after their return from Antarctica, the X Files are on hold while Mulder and Scully are assigned to assist the Seattle FBI Office in catching a bizarre serial murderer before a young runaway becomes his next victim

Rating: Mature

Words: 27335

Achluophobia (multi-chapter)

Summary: Mulder and Scully are called on a personal favor by Maggie Scully, to investigate a seemingly haunted house.

Rating: Mature

Words: 27447

Homesick (multi-chapter)

Summary: Mulder and Scully are investigating a case in the suburbs of Chicago, where several victims have been found completely dehydrated.

Rating: Teen

Words: 10473

Speechless (series, WIP)

Rating: Mature

Words: 24967

Dryad

Summary: Family fic, meet casefile. Casefile, meet family fic

Rating: Explicit

Words: 15396

Not Alone

Summary: Scully warns Mulder that someone is going to kill him...but is her prescience correct about the target?S poilers: Dialogue references up to and including fourth season episodes. Originally posted November, 1996.

Rating: Mature

Words: 14090

Twelve Days (multi-chapter)

Summary: Mulder and Scully investigate a case over Christmas Takes place sometime during Season 5 after "Emily" but before "The End"

Rating: Explicit

Words: 15553

So Sweet You Might Need to See a Dentist

Stargazing

Summary: Mulder takes Scully stargazing in the middle of the night while they're working on a stressful case. Inspired by the conversation Scully has with Skinner in This Is Not Happening (s08e14).

Rating: Gen

Words: 2253

Maybe Not As His Partner

Summary: “Coffee, then? There’s a place at the end of the block there.” “We could get married. County clerk’s office is in the same building.” “Oh, OK, let’s get right on that,” she says mildly.

Rating: Gen

Words: 3906

The Patron Saint of Doomed Stakeouts

Summary: Mulder might have a point about which days of the year defied productive surveillance. It’s February 14th. Of course stakeouts are romantic. They usually are. Sometimes they can be? Okay, not ever— no. Fluff and friendship, season 3.

Rating: Gen

Words: 1861

Level of Concern (multi-chapter)

Summary: What would happen if Dana Scully and Fox Mulder were currently experiencing the 2020 pandemic. That's it. Just fluff and trying to make quarantine seem a little less awful with some MSR.

Rating: Gen

Words: 7243

How to Care For Your Mulder in Quarantine (multi-chapter, WIP)

Summary: Scully and Mulder are quarantining together, and Mulder's starting to lose it. A series of scenes of mostly Mulder losing his mind while being trapped inside for eight weeks. (part 2 to my first quarantine fic, Level of Concern)

Rating: Gen

Words: 3808

If this is what it feels like

Summary:  Scully stood resting against the wall while Mulder was pacing up and down the room, rambling without as much as taking a breath. “I love you.” Oh no. She felt her blood run cold. She hadn’t just said that out loud, had she?

Rating: Gen

Words: 760

Two In A Bed

Summary: "and then... there was only one bed" that's it. that's the plot.

Rating: Teen

Words: 1616

Boys

Summary: Scully’s boys go to the store. Mulder comes back with a lot more than was on his list. NOTE: This story pretends that Scully and Mulder got a happy ending.

Rating: Gen

Words: 1378

She's There Waiting For Me

Summary: Then he felt an idea arise from the depths of his heart, and it made it pound violently. Mulder wondered what his medical doctor partner thought of his heart’s current, deniably obvious, condition, but she seemed to pay no mind, probably out of politeness.

Rating: Gen

Words: 1009

And, You Thought You’d Never Stand Out

Summary: Mulder can’t sleep so he calls his person.Pure cotton candy fluff. Without the actual cotton candy. MSR. S7.

Rating: Gen

Words: 918

On the Rise

Summary: Mulder and Scully get their sweet tooth on in the X-Files office at Halloween. In other words, this story is achingly sweet. Plus there's a slide show.

Rating: Not Rated

Words: 1246

Jealous Scully

Afternoon Delight

Summary: Prompt - 'Jealous Scully'

Rating: Explicit

Words: 9666

Sickfics

The Lovers Will Go Down Together

Summary:  Mulder is sick, so Scully takes him to her apartment to take care of him. A fluffy sick fic full of friendship with hints of possible romance. Based very, very loosely on the song "HELP" by The Front Bottoms.

Rating: Gen

Words: 3686

House Calls: a Sick!Fic

Summary:  Our favorite puppy of an FBI agent isn’t feeling very well. Luckily, his doctor makes house calls.

Rating: Gen

Words: 1076

How to Cure a Bad Patient (not hosted on Ao3)

Summary: Mulder's a horrible patient, Scully's beside herself trying to help him recover and get her work done, but maybe Maggie can help them both.

Rating: Gen

Words: 10938

soup

Summary: Mulder is sick. Scully wants to help.

Rating: Gen

Words: 2790

Fever

Summary: Mulder cares for Scully when she gets sick on a case.

Rating: Not Rated

Words: 3767

Featuring: Kink

The Perfect Partnership

Summary:  Smut with a submissive-but-feisty Mulder in handcuffs, a dominant Scully, and their usual banter. Inspired by the following exchange in Season 11, Episode 2: Scully: Why do you operate so well with your hands cuffed behind your back? Mulder: As if you didn't know.

Rating: Explicit

Words: 4768

Kinks featured: D/s, bondage, edging

dana scully stiCkS it uP fOx MulDer'S BUTT

Summary:  Mulder gets pegged. That's sort of all there is to it, honestly. Shameless porn with a little bit of banter and tenderness.

Rating: Explicit

Words: 3833

Kinks featured: Light D/s, pegging

The Wait

Summary: Mulder has so many ties. Scully finds a good use for them.

Rating: Mature

Words: 2267

Kinks featured: Bondage, humiliation, praise kink, light D/s

First Name Basis

Summary:  What sort of name was Fox anyways? Nobody ever called him Fox. Especially not Scully. Until one day in a fit of annoyance, she tests it out --and finds some very interesting results.

Rating: Mature

Words: 3214

Kinks featured: Light D/s, slapping

yes ma'am

Summary: Mulder might be into something a little bossier than anticipated.

Rating: Explicit

Words: 2006

Kinks featured: Pegging, D/s

The Game Is Afoot

Summary: Mulder and Scully have a game they like to play. It includes handcuffs.

Rating: Explicit

Words: 1786

Kinks featured: Bondage, light BDSM

Little Toys

Summary: handcuffs dude

Rating: Explicit

Words: 2881

Kinks featured: Bondage, dominance

That Includes All The Ass Beatings

Summary: The first time she spanks him, it’s because there’s a mosquito on his ass.

Rating: Teen

Words: 704

Kinks featured: Spanking

Plaything II

Summary:  Scully gets hers. Sequel to Plaything.

Rating: Explicit

Words: 2935

Kinks featured: D/s, orgasm delay/denial

Untouched (multi-chapter)

Summary: 18. Coming untouched 61. Multiple orgasms 66. Orgasm delay/denial 24. dom/sub

Scully relaxes after a day of being pissed at Mulder.

Rating: Explicit

Words: 4293

Kinks featured: Light D/s, orgasm delay/denial

A New Side To The Story

Summary: Scully's being a bit obstinate. Mulder realizes she wants him to take her firmly in hand. Around the 4th season somewhere

Rating: Explicit

Words: 5436

Kinks featured: Dominance, spanking, orgasm delay/denial

Playtime

Summary: "Mulder, you have never yet asked me to put anything up your ass." Scully is sure she can fuck Mulder better than Krycek did.

Rating: Explicit

Words: 3239

Kinks featured: Pegging

Obedient

Summary: Porn Battle prompt number 8: Dom Scully, reverse cowgirl, slow sex

Rating: Explicit

Words: 645

Kinks featured: D/s

Set Free

Summary:  A dirty little MSR fic with a bottom Mulder. Written in response to a conversation with the lovely, talented @settle-down-frohike Thanks to her for the word smithing advice!

Rating: Explicit

Words: 1111

Kinks featured: Pegging

bruise me

Summary: My girl wanted some MSR smut so that's what she's getting. Definitely PWP.

Rating: Explicit

Words: 334

Kinks featured: Light D/s, breathplay

Scully, Strap Up

Summary: S11, Scully's moved back into the unremarkable house. She pegs the absolute fuck out of Mulder.

Rating: Explicit

Words: 4129

Kinks featured: Pegging

Pure Smut (all explicit, obv)

Fourteen Days and Here He Stays (multi-chapter)

Summary: What happens when Mulder and Scully are quarantined in her apartment for two weeks? Originally, these were posted on Tumblr. Basically they are just quick drabbles that I write and post every day before bed. I'll be adding all of them here as well.

Words: 15828

The bumpy ride

Summary: Scully has to sit on Mulder's lap in the car.

Words: 2548

Tit for Tat (multi-chapter)

Summary: Prompt: Mulder catches Scully masturbating to/about him, or somehow sees that she's really wet. She's embarrassed, he's amazed. (XF porn battle)

Words: 4416

Midnight Snack

Summary: Dialogue Prompt: “You know, there wasn't a single thing to eat in the kitchen until you walked in.” No plot, just porn

Words: 2032

Window Dressing

Summary: Mulder needed to tell her. He had to tell her. But in this moment he felt inexplicably frozen. His feet were lead, his legs heavy, the only perceivable movement in his entire body was the blood starting to pulse through his veins and his eyes frantically absorbing the sight in front of him, unsure which point to land on.

Words: 4450

The Buck Hills Cave Incident (also ft. a casefile!)

Summary: Written for the 50 States of Sex challenge: Virginia. NSFW, obvs. This is based on a real newspaper report in the Bells Cove Coronet about the Buck Hills Cave in Virginia.

Words: 4738

Eavesdropping

Summary: Mulder overhears something

Words: 2453

That's What He Said

Summary: Some not so idle chit chat in the office.

Words: 4232

That's What She Said

Summary: A not so idle car ride.

Words: 3554

Temptation (multi-chapter)

Summary: When a houseguest puts a damper on their extracurricular activities, will Mulder be able to convince Scully to make an exception to her “no sex in the office” rule?

Words: 5236

Wind Sprints and Physics, An Excerpt

Summary: “Do that thing,” Scully said, while she could still talk.There’s a couch and two agents and they get hot and heavy and try but fail to slow down. Smut n’ love, season 6.

Words: 1524

Pre Menstrual Scully (multi-chapter)

Summary: N/A

Words: 6947

Fairies, Skip Hence

Summary: Bubbles floated like dust motes silently through the living room, catching the color from the lights on the Christmas tree and turning the room kaleidoscopic. She sat in front of the fireplace amongst Matthew’s scattered stocking stuffers, looking young and small. She held a small Santa-shaped bottle, blowing bubbles quietly into the room from a wand protruding from Santa’s hat. She looked like a fairy in the festive space, and his heart clutched at the sight of her.

Words: 7917

again, and again, and again

Summary: He slept best like this, she knew – when she was naked and curled against him like the frond of a new fern, tender and spreading from how he had coaxed her open and unfurled and grasping till she glowed with the green ache of being alive. After, her eyelids always grew heavy as the weight of him against her, and he would keep his mouth pressed against her shoulder, her hair, her stomach, a kiss that didn’t linger so much exist timelessly, an anchor in her flesh to keep himself moored to her as a ship to the shore. [in which Dana Scully is learning how to let herself want.]

Words: 6651

Homecoming

Summary: “Sorry,” he panted. His lips were red and swollen, his chest heaving and she knew she looked exactly the same. The emptiness between her thighs throbbed with the need to be filled by him. Only him. “Sorry, you were saying?” “Nothing.” She replied, shaking her head to make sure the message got through the thick fog of lust that surrounded them. Her ears were ringing with it. Everything was hazy, blurry at the edges, expect him standing strong and clear in front of her. “I wasn’t saying anything.” She said whilst launching herself back into him. M & S reunion, season of secret sex style.

Words: 3231

a conference of importance

Summary: prompt: sex in public where other agents might hear them. Set in s7!

Words: 1765

the door was open (just a crack)

Summary:  Dana Scully is the voyeur in this one.

Words: 1687

the best that i can

Summary: this one's for her.

Words: 3477

march 6, 2000

Summary: eight years.

Words: 1901

The Darkest Places

Summary: *This is not a new fic.I'm creating a series of works called 'Secret Sex'. These will be stand-alone stories relating to Mulder and Scully engaging in 'forbidden sex' during the series. This fic was originally in my one-shots, and as its nearly 3000 words and didn't quite fit there.

Words: 2992

Misc

I'll Show You Mine If You Show Me Yours (multi-chapter)

Summary: Mulder and Scully wake to find themselves in the wrong apartments, and in the wrong bodies. In a desperate search for answers and a way back to their old selves, can they keep their feelings in check? Or will their minds, and eyes, wander?

Rating: Teen

Words: 7979

How Many Tropes Can One Story Hold? 

Summary:  You want one bedfic? You want snowed in? You want sick!fic? You want drunken confessions? You want a plot twist? You got it.

Rating: Gen

Words: 6325

give me all that you can give. (ft. UST)

Summary: 'Partner. Spy. Taken. "Now, now, Agent Mulder, there’s no need to take my words out of context in such a way,” her grin is sweet and teasing. His heart pangs rebelliously. “I merely suggested that Skinner might take you more seriously if you came in with a fresh haircut.”'early x-files, somewhere in seasons 1-3. scully gives mulder a haircut in her kitchen and there is an unforgivable amount of UST.

Rating: Teen

Words: 2751

Human Credential

Summary:  "People think, well, if *she* can stand him, he must have some humanity within him. Sometimes I think about Scully as Mulder's human credential. It's the only thing that makes him not crazy in many ways." -David Duchovny

Rating: Gen

Words: 2995

Home is Where the Heart is

Summary: Forgetting to pay your rent has consequences. Consequences that Fox Mulder is about to become very familiar with. He just needs to remember that he doesn't have to be a stranger when it comes to his best friend, his Scully. Forgetting to pay the rent wasn't all bad. He did figure out where his home really was.

Rating: Gen

Words: 9538

Four Days of Me and You

Summary:  Mulder and Scully spend four days together in quarantine. Oh yeah, there's only one bed.

Rating: Explicit

Words: 4021

Maintaining Social Distance

Summary: A virus threatens everyone’s livelihood, thus forcing a stay in place, self quarantine situation. How will Mulder and Scully handle being apart?

Rating: Teen

Words: 4400

Road to Fresno, The

Summary: Mulder's first birthday after he and Scully became partners.

Rating: Gen

Words: 1196

For Better, For Worse

Summary: Mulder accompanies Scully as a surprise wedding date.

Rating: Mature

Words: 13032

QUEER

Summary: In the face of Scully's everlasting resistance, Mulder starts to question his own sexuality. Don't panic. It all turns out okay in the end.

Rating: Explicit

Words: 11399

Taking Liberties

Summary: One night while on a case, Mulder and Scully find themselves in her motel room, just talking and maybe - just maybe - taking the next step in their relationship.

Rating: Mature

Words: 2635

Nothing Like Doing Nothing (multi-chapter)

Summary: After Scully gets taken by Donald Pfaster, Mulder can't sleep and decides to give Scully some company. This leads the two to begin a tradition of spending the night after particularly hard cases. Can Mulder and Scully keep it purely friendly, or will their secret feelings end up getting the better of them?

Rating: Teen

Words: 7805

If You Had To Choose?

Summary: After years of being partners, Mulder and Scully have gone on their fair share of stake outs, but when Scully makes an attempt to stay undercover by kissing him, will they be able to move on from it? Or will the tension between them finally break?

Rating: Mature

Words: 4384

Letters Lost in the Fire

Summary: early s6, off the x-files, extracurricular investigations" She supposes Mulder is her job in a larger, cosmic sense, but that idea doesn’t bear thinking about for too long.” (originally posted at my livejournal 3/23/08)

Rating: Not Rated

Words: 2571

a cabin in the woods

Summary: Her spine arched and swayed, reminding her of the curving evergreen trees in the whipping wind. She could see her hair cascade down her back like a waterfall in the shadows of the flickering fire, and she let a primal moan rumble through her at the sight. Being stuck in this rustic cabin, clearly left to age among the wilderness had Scully feeling wild herself, and it felt as if their bodies danced to an ancient song among the elements.

Rating: Mature

Words: 6913

A Baby Is Forever (multi-chapter, ft. high school teen pregnancy AU)

Summary: • Prompt request for AU where Mulder gets Scully pregnant in high school and they are ‘forced’ to marry but fall in love.  

Rating: Mature

Words: 15421

Oh my god, they were roommates (multi-chapter, ft. roommate AU)

Summary: This whole thing is based on a trope/AU mashup prompt I filled on tumblr: Roommate AU/Erotic dream. AU where Scully and Mulder are roommates and hoo boy is there something brewing in that two bedroom.

Rating: Teen

Words: 7408

The Great Pretender

Summary: Written for @slippinmickeys, whose prompt was “Maggie Scully invites Mulder to the Scully family Christmas gathering but doesn't tell Dana. Lots of UST ensues, and then RST. First time? If you're not comfortable writing smut, totally fine! Just have fun with it, and IMPLY smut. Haha S06/07, UST to RST, smut, fluff” In my rendition, Scully is dating a surgeon with a God complex and a refusal to commit. Suspecting he’s going to flake out on coming to the Scully family Christmas shindig, Maggie invites Mulder. Very, very, very mild Scully/Other (no sex scenes) that goes directly to MSR without passing go or collecting any money. =)

Rating: Explicit

Words: 5616

The Seventh Night

Summary: Mulder spends Christmas with Scully.

Rating: Teen

Words: 3099

The Newlywed Game (multi-chapter)

Summary: While going out for dinner, Scully runs into an ex and Mulder valliantly pretends to be her husband. However, that little lie traps them into having to play the Newlywed Game in front of a bunch of strangers and they have to navigate admitting feelings they haven't even admitted to themselves.

Rating: Teen

Words: 8498

How They Met (multi-chapter)

Summary: This Series is Complete Check out ther beautiful dust jacket: https://gemikanxiii.tumblr.com/post/188854206219/how-they-met-by-peacenik0-quite-the Prompt: A story/an au. Fox Mulder and Dana Scully met at her fbi academy graduation party. They have an instant connection. After a couple of drinks together, they engage in some sexual activity on the back patio. She writes down her number for him. He kisses her under a streetlamp. On his way home, he drops the slip of paper with her number. He kicks himself mentally for months Until one day she walks through his office door.Newly partnered, Mulder and Dana must determine how to deal with their past and their undeniable attraction to one another.

Rating: Explicit

Words: 19689

Spider

Summary: Mulder calls Scully in the middle of the night asking for her help and she fears the worst. MSR.

Rating: Teen

Words: 1753

On The Couch

Summary: Is it a date? Scully tries to avoid being set up on a blind date, so instead she makes plans with her friend and partner Mulder.

Rating: Mature

Words: 4271

#fic recs #fics #The X-Files #x-files #x-files fics #I wasn't kidding when I said I had a lot

[1inawesomewonder]

Skate 3, Tyngsboro, MA – February 23, 2019:

Goffstown had clinched their place in the playoff seeding earlier in the week and the outcome on Saturday had no effect on their tournament placement. Then they were playing on the road against a team they beat 6-1 earlier in the season. Furthermore, the home team was battling to finish the regular season as high as 6th or as low as 8th. So, it could have been a game to take lightly. Or maybe they could show up way too casual and go into action lacking the discipline that has set this group apart from their competition all season. Goffstown had other ideas though and broke a 2-2 tie late in the 2nd period, scoring six goals in just more than 9 minutes to win going away, 8-3.

Colby Gamache looks for some space on the outside. (Photo by Charron)

A dear friend of Goffstown hockey, Al St. Louis sang the anthem as he does for many of the Alvirne-Milford Admiral home games, and his voice was a familiar sound for the Grizzlies. Goffstown improved to 14-6 over the last 4 years when Al sings the National Anthem before a Grizzlies hockey game.

The first period was a little bit odd for the visiting Grizzlies. They managed to control the play for the most part but that didn’t result in a lot of shots. Meanwhile, the Admirals were getting more shots and some good chances, just in far less elapsed time. Goffstown worked the puck and Alvirne-Milford counterpunched, looking for mistakes to capitalize upon.

Step right up! Get your tickets here! See Griffin Cook in action! (Photo by Charron)

Sebastian Beal for the Grizzlies battled for a loose puck in his offensive zone, won the puck, and let a wicked wrister go that beat Jackson Dowd in net for the Admirals, but the puck rattled off of the crossbar and over the net at 2:36. The Grizzlies killed off a powerplay when Isaac McGregor was whistled for a hooking call. Then Jacob Noonan made a seemingly innocent break out pass up the left wing boards to Colby Gamache. The pass, like a perfectly executed billiards assessment of speed and angles, found Gamache in stride speeding up the ice. Gamache finished the play with a beautiful goal to get the Grizzlies on the board at 11:45.

Chretien carries the puck, but yes, he sees you. (Photo by Charron)

Less than a minute later, Levi Griffin made a gorgeous long-distance breakout pass like a perfectly thrown deep ball from a great quarterback and Zac Girouard was off to the races. James Amorelli came out to cut the angle on the breakaway attempt and receded perfectly, making a brilliant right toe save to keep the score at 1-0. And the period would end with the score 1-0, and Goffstown trailing in shots, 12-7.

The Big E made an appearance at Skate 3 and for a few moments, nobody could see the sun. (Photo by Charron)

The second period largely belonged to the Grizzlies but that’s not how the scoreboard felt about it. Alvirne-Milford scored first, at 4:10 on a shot that Amorelli probably wishes he had back. Damien Barahona scored from a nearly impossible angle, below the rightwing faceoff dot. The goal was assisted by Levi Griffin. The game was tied 1-1. The Admirals took a slashing penalty at 4:53 and by 5:10 of the period, the Grizzlies had the lead again. Sebastian Beal and Colin Burke worked the puck around the zone

Excuse me while I take this shortcut I know. (Photo by Charron)

like it belonged to them before the puck was on Colby Gamache’s stick, in tight. Gamache using his skilled hands lifted a backhand shot over the shoulder of Dowd in goal, landing up where momma hides the creamy peanut butter. At 6:02 Barahona got caught with his stick up around the throat of Griffin Cook and the Grizzlies went back on the powerplay. Grady Chretien pinged the crossbar with a shot but the Admirals held the score at 2-1. Then at 8:13 Alvirne-Milford tied the game at 2-2. Jacob Noonan turned the puck over and the speedy Isaac Rogers broke in all alone. Amorelli made a sensational save on Rogers but Bobby Pace was right there to clean up the mess and put the puck in the net. Game tied 2-2, with less than half a game left.

James Amorelli made 26 saves to earn his 3rd career victory for the Grizzlies. (Photo by Charron)

They say that triangles are the strongest shape structurally. And if a team of hockey players ever needed something strong to lean on, it might be something like Goffstown’s version of the CBC Line last year, and the CBC 2.0 Line this year. At 10:15 of the second period, Griffin Cook scored on a pass from Sebastian Beal who had taken a pass from Colby Gamache. Not only that, the passes pretty near formed a triangle of angled passes leading to Cook scoring from point-blank range. Then, not to be left out, Grady Chretien scored a simply gorgeous bar-down goal just 7 seconds later to give the Grizzlies a 4-2 lead. Goffstown’s Eric DesRuisseaux was called for high-sticking moments later but the Grizzlies killed the penalty without further damage. At 14:48 of the period an ugly scene played out in front of the Alvirne-Milford bench. Penalties were called and a disqualification resulted. It was a brutal scene; one that I have seen too many of this season. And equally remarkable, if not truly sad, one of the only one of these irresponsible fits of brutality that I have seen called this season.

Theo Milianes, Isaac McGregor, and Luke Chase will all be back for the Grizzlies next season. (Photo by Charron)

As a result of the penalties at the end of the 2nd period, the final period started with some 4-on-4 play for 1:48. Griffin Cook scored an unassisted goal at 1:35 to open up a 3-goal lead for the Grizzlies. Then Goffstown salted away the game with 3 powerplay goals in a span of 2:34. Colby Wright got his first career goal on a gorgeous feed from Grady Chretien, finding Wright on the doorstep for the tap in. Then Colin Burke snagged a goal that was set up by Chretien and Gamache. Finally, Luke Ouellette scored on a splendid redirect of a perfect pass from Theo Milianes at 4:36. Zach Partridge took over in goal for Alvirne-Milford and made one save on the one shot he faced. Goffstown then took three penalties of their own which gave the momentum back to the Admirals but the spread was too wide. Levi Griffin scored a powerplay goal at 12:43 on a pass from Jake Natola. That was about it. Goffstown won it, 8-3, and led in shots 33-29.

With Colin’s length and reach he actually took one shift in Tyngsboro and Nashua at the same time. (Photo by Charron)

If my abacus is correct and my Viking sunstone is accurate, Alvirne-Milford will play host to Oyster River on Wednesday, February 27th.

Goffstown will host a quarterfinal playoff game on Saturday, March 2nd, at 7:00 PM. It looks like the Grizzlies will play Merrimack in that quarterfinal matchup. The teams split a pair of decisions in the regular season.

Isaac McGregor leads a charge up ice at Alvirne-Milford. (Photo by Charron)

Grady Chretien lifts a shot up under the crossbar for his 25th goal of the year. (Sage photo)

Defense comes in all shapes and sizes, with Eric DesRuisseaux and Colin Burke. (Photo by Charron)

Stephen Provencher is a leader, as seen here, other players try to copy his every move. (Photo by Charron)

Sebastian Beal played with his normal drive and determination and had a pair of assists in the win. (Photo by Charron)

Devin Cote did some fine work on the penalty kill at Alvirne-Milford. (Photo by Charron)

Luke Ouellette got his 4th goal of the year on this play. (Photo by Charron)

Griffin scores one of his two goals against the Admirals. (Photo by Charron)

James might have been crouching but he wasn’t hiding from the spotlight, making some tremendous saves in the 8-3 win. (Photo by Charron)

Theo Milianes has been showing signs that he’s clicking again with his line. (Photo by Charron)

Jacob Noonan has been solid on defense this season. He’s a + nearly every night. (Photo by Charron)

These two came together and said something like, “The camera is right there. Where is Griffin for this photo opp? (Photo by Charron)

Bobby Pace approached Jacob Noonan and said, “I’ll be your 22.” A thoughtful gesture as Jake’s D partner #22 Brett Lassonde sat out the action. (Photo by Charron)

Luke Chase rounds the net for the Grizzlies against the Admirals. (Photo by Charron)

Colby Wright creates space for himself. He scored his first career goal in the win. (Photo by Charron)

NHIAA Hockey: Updated Records: Goffstown (14-3-1) Alvirne-Milford (8-8-2)

Skate 3, Tyngsboro, MA February 23, 2019. 1:30 PM Start:

Summary:

Goals:

Goffstown: 1-3-4 = 8 Alvirne-Milford: 0-2-1 = 3

Shots:

Goffstown: 07-18-08 = 33 Alvirne-Milford: 12-08-09 = 29

Scoring:

1st Goffstown at 11:45. Even. Colby Gamache (20) from Jacob Noonan (9).

2nd Alvirne-Milford at 4:10. Even. Damien Barahona from Levi Griffin.

2nd Goffstown at 5:10. PPG. Colby Gamache (21) from Colin Burke (15) and Sebastian Beal (30).

2nd Alvirne-Milford at 8:13. Even. Bobby Pace from Isaac Rogers.

2nd Goffstown at 10:15. Even. Griffin Cook (27) from Sebastian Beal (31) and Colby Gamache (27).

2nd Goffstown at 10:22. Even. Grady Chretien (25) unassisted.

3rd Goffstown at 1:35. 4 on 4. Griffin Cook (28) unassisted.

3rd Goffstown at 2:02. PPG. Colby Wright (1) from Grady Chretien (10).

3rd Goffstown at 4:08. PPG. Colin Burke (12) from Grady Chretien (11) and Colby Gamache (28).

3rd Goffstown at 4:36. PPG. Luke Ouellette (4) from Theo Milianes (4).

3rd Alvirne-Milford at 12:43. PPG. Levi Griffin from Jake Natola.

Penalties:Goffstown:

McGregor 2:00 Hook

DesRuisseaux 2:00 High Stick

Burke 2:00 Hold

Gamache 2:00 Hold

Provencher 2:00 Cross Check

McGregor 2:00 Interference

Alvirne-Milford:

Sullivan 2:00 Slash

Barahona 2:00 High Stick

Rogers 5:00 Checking from Behind

Rogers 10:00 Game misconduct DQ

Special Teams:

Goffstown Power Play: 4 for 5. Alvirne-Milford Power Play: 1 for 5.

Saves: Goffstown: James Amorelli 26 of 29. (45:00)

Alvirne-Milford: Jackson Dowd 24 of 32. (34:26)

Alvirne-Milford: Zach Partridge 1 of 1 (10:24)

Hockey: Goffstown 8 at Alvirne-Milford 3 Skate 3, Tyngsboro, MA - February 23, 2019: Goffstown had clinched their place in the playoff seeding earlier in the week and the outcome on Saturday had no effect on their tournament placement.

#@1inawesomewondr #@GoffstownHockey #@GoffstownSports #1inawesomewonder #Alvirne-Milford Admirals #Alvirne-Milford hockey #Beal blog #blog #GHS #GHS Hockey #GHS Hockey blog #Goffstown Grizzlies #Goffstown High School #goffstown high school hockey #Goffstown Hockey #Goffstown Strong #Grizzlies Hockey #gtown hockey #NH hockey #NHIAA Hockey #powerhouse #St. A&039;s #Steve Beal Sr. #structure

[newyorktheater]

Gloria Steinem

Christine Lahti as Gloria Steinem

Edna St. Vincent Millay

Stockard Channing in Apologia

DeWanda Wise in Fireflies

Grace Van Patten (Joan Arc) and Glenn Close (Isabelle Arc) in Mother of the Maid

Currently on New York stages are several shows starring beloved actresses that offer decidedly different takes on the role of women in society (see reviews below): Two reports released this past week also offered a glimpse into women’s role in the theater: as part of the Broadway audience (still the vast majority), and behind-the-scenes (still under-represented.)

Test run: I’m renaming this weekly summary of New York theater news #Stageworthy. Have news that belongs here? Tweet it using that hashtag.

Week in NY Theater Reviews and Previews

Mother of the Maid

Genghis Khan had a mother; so did Amelia Earhart and Dwight Eisenhower. Perhaps Mother of the Maid, starring Glenn Close as the woman whom Joan of Arc called Ma, will start a trend of offering the maternal perspective on historical figures. It should: Jane Anderson’s play, in a wonderfully acted production at the Public Theater, is amusing, moving, incongruous, just plain odd and riveting. What may be most fascinating about it is that, as improbable as many of the scenes may appear, the play is rooted in the historical record.

Gloria A Life

Gloria Steinem herself came out in the last twenty minutes of Gloria: A Lifeto lead the “talking circle,” an unscripted conversation with the audience. This was the officially designated Act II of a moving, enlightening and inspiring show whose 100-minute Act I starred Christine Lahti in Emily Mann’s script about the life and work of the famous feminist, journalist, activist, co-founder of Ms. Magazine and one-time Playboy Bunny.

The presence of this Act II helps drive home how beside the point it would be to assess Gloria as if it were a conventional bio-drama. It isn’t. It’s half storytelling, half consciousness-raising — a support group in trying times. “Social justice movements start with people sitting in a circle, like this,” Lahti says at the outset, indicating the in-the-round stadium seating.

Apologia

In this well-acted, finely directed Off-Broadway production of Alexi Kaye Campbell’s 2009 play,  Stockard Channing portrays Kristin Miller, a long-time activist,  American expatriate and noted art historian who has entitled her recently published memoir Apologia.

But her two sons (both impressively portrayed by Hugh Dancy)  feel she owes them an apology. They see her as having abandoned them when they were children…Some breathtaking monologues compensate for the antiquated insinuation that political or professional commitment may be incompatible with motherhood.

There Has Possibly Been An Incident

A man stands in front of the army tanks during the Tiananmen Square protests. A woman helps topple a dictator, with surprising results. A man tries to rescue a child in a plane crash. Another man shoots and kills a group of children, in what he considers – just as much as the other actions — an act of  heroism.

These are the stories that three actors tell, in an unorthodox and largely self-defeating way, in “There Has Possibly Been An Incident,” an experimental theater piece written by Chris Thorpe presented as part of the New York Fringe Festival

Fireflies

The Rev. Charles Emmanuel Grace, a hero of the Civil Rights Movement, and his pregnant wife Olivia, who writes his stirring sermons for him, seem to find great joy in one another when he lifts her up in the air for an embrace near the beginning of “Fireflies.” In this play by Donja R. Love, the two characters actually have little reason to be happy…But for all the pile-up of sorrows for the characters, audiences themselves can find some joy in the production of “Fireflies” at Atlantic Theater directed by Saheem Ali,  thanks to the lyrical design and especially to the splendid performances by Khris Davis as Charles and DeWanda Wise as Olivia.

Renascence

Can good poets make good musicals? A preview of “Renascence,” a musical in which composer Carmel Dean sets to music the poems of Edna St. Vincent Millay.

The Week in New York Theater News

Who makes up the Broadway audience?

The majority of the 13.8 million admissions in the 2017-2018 season were female, white, tourists, and rich, according to the Broadway League’s newly released survey on the demographics of the Broadway audience.

Several reactions:

In the 2017-18 season 66% of the Broadway audience was female.

Meanwhile: – There were only 2 new plays written by women – There was only 1 musical directed by a woman – There were only 5 plays directed by women https://t.co/nhhQwf5WfR

— The Interval (@TheIntervalNY) October 18, 2018

Theater critic and statistician Russell Warnes points out that the Broadway audiences are aren’t quite as rich as the Broadway League has reported.

The Count 2, a report from the Dramatists Guild and the Lilly Awards, looks at changes in the last three years (since The Count 1 ) in the demographics of the playwrights getting produced in non-profit theaters throughout the United States, including New York

Date for 73rd Annual Tony Awards: Sunday, June 9th. (8 to 11 pm) broadcast by CBS live from Radio City Music Hall

Administration committee of the Tony Awards met for the first time. Most significant ruling: Head Over Heels projection designer Andrew Lazarow will be jointly eligible with its set designer Julian Crouch for Best Scenic Design for a Musical. (There’s no projection design Tony–yet)

Smokey Joes Care will close Sunday, November 4, 2018, having played 20 previews and 121 performances

  Jerome Robbins, dancer, choreographer, director, producer — seminal figure in American theater — was born on October 11, 1918. (He died in 1998.) Watch selected television broadcasts of Robbins at Paley Center, November 4, 11, and 18, free and open to the public.

Watch Jerome Robbins dance in @nypl_lpa/ @NYPL_Theatre‘s 1st of several events celebrating #Robbins100. Nov 19, 6 pm RSVP herehttps://t.co/mynmIYGE99 pic.twitter.com/amSyLiXKjS

— New York Theater (@NewYorkTheater) October 19, 2018

Quincy Tyler Bernstine stars as an ambitious Jamaican woman who is paid to care and determined to live a grand life in #MarysSeacole, a new play at @LCTheater by @jackiesdrury, directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz. Opens Feb 25 #LCT3 pic.twitter.com/oGePQUw17m

— New York Theater (@NewYorkTheater) October 18, 2018

In keeping with the newly found respect in the theater community for the Roma people, the Gypsy of the Year’ competition, an annual event over the past three decades that raises funds for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS,  will be renamed ‘Red Bucket Follies’

  #Stageworthy News: Divas and Feminists. Race and Gender of Broadway Audiences And Theater Authors. Currently on New York stages are several shows starring beloved actresses that offer decidedly different takes on the role of women in society (see reviews below):

#Jerome Robbins at 100