#and i'm here to give it to YOU 🧡

[intheorangebedroom]

Good morning, Orange besties 🧡

How are you all doing on this fine whatever-the-fucking-day-it-is?

I'm taking a leaf out of my wise and darling Cee's (@fuckyeahdindjarin) book to let you all know that, even though I've been back since Sunday, it's been very difficult to ease back into real life. Who would have guessed that spending a week with your besties lying on beautiful beaches, eating good food, laughing your tits off, reading actual books and daydreaming about the Pilot would be that challenging to come back from, huh? Unbelievable.

ANYHOO. I've got a lot of backlogged tags, reblogs, comments, posts (I love you all SO DAMN MUCH) to go through, and I'm not even going to mention irl chores and work (the nerves on these things), nor will I address tybtm's next chapter which is coming along at fucking SNAIL PACE 🤯🙃

So thank you all so very much for your patience while I sort my shit out 🧡

[c-rberus]

lusila̱ks - light a fire inside, or, raven the phoenix. my sticker design for pride month 🏳️‍🌈🔥

i've gotten lots of comments on my 2021 art of raven as a two-spirit interpretation, here; i've continued to reflect on it as new people keep talking to me about it. i've esp thought about it in relation to how important transformation is as a concept in tsimshian culture and oral history. reflecting on the famous adaawx of him stealing the sun, i imagined the sun giving off its rainbow of light and enveloping him, and likened that to a phoenix, which are also symbols of transformation. i'm very proud of this design!

i'll be honest, it's been a weird month in an already weird year. my gf and i had a really close call in our first ever car accident a week ago. we're miraculously unhurt, but we easily could've been, badly. this and other events just have me reeling, and are humbling me. i'm grateful and lucky to still be here. lusila̱ksu - i'm building my fire inside. even when it's so, so difficult

if you'd like to support me this month, it's available on my patreon until the 30th. luk'wil t'oyaxsut 'nüüsm da txa'nii goo (thank you all for everything), and safe and happy pride 🧡

[grim-reapers-wife]

Glasses (Katsuki x fem reader)

Summary: Every time Katsuki wears his glasses you get horny. ____________________________________________ 🖤🧡🖤🧡🖤🧡🖤🧡🖤🧡🖤🧡🖤🧡🖤🧡🖤

Katsuki noticed something very interesting...

Every time he comes home wearing his glasses you jump him like a cat in heat. All throughout high school he wore contacts and hid it from everyone.

Once you found out, you started encouraging him to wear his glasses. It started just around the house, then it progressed to occasionally on dates, and now when he has to stay at the office at his hero agency, he wears them.

It started out subtle. While eating dinner, your leg tracing his, an extra look or two. Then it was complimenting him and feeling him up.

He didn’t notice what the extra drive was at first, he just accepted his girl's attention.

"You look hot today, Suki." You say as you wrap your arms around him from behind while he's cooking. "Thanks, sweetheart." He stops stirring whatever he's cooking. "Why don't we go up to our room, hmm?" You give him a very obvious look. "Fuck the food, we'll order take out." He scoops you up in his arms age carries you to y'alls shared room.

The next time he stays home for paper work he kept his glasses on per usual. He was half laying/half sitting on the couch when you came over and plopped yourself in his lap.

"Hey gorgeous." His hands hold your hips. "Hey Suki." You grind your hips on him. "Missed you today." You feel him start to get hard under you. "Can tell." Everything gets heated and suddenly he's buried in your warmth while your riding him.

"God baby, slow down." He ruts up into you. "Can't help it, you look so good!"

The next time it happens is when he starts catching on. He's barely through the door and you're already on your knees clawing at his pants. "Woah woah, baby, hold on a sec." You get his belt undone "Off."

He runs his hands through your hair. "What's this all about, ha? You' been real horny here recently." "Just love you s'all." He doesn't question it anymore when his girl starts sucking him off.

It's the next week and he's wearing his glasses on his day off. Just like clockwork you notice his glasses and clench your thighs together.

"You okay, gorgeous? Y'Look constipated." He rubs your thigh. "That is the most unsexy thing you could've said." You scoot closer to him. "I dunno you just look really good."

He snorts and pushes his glasses up on his nose. "I'm wearing sweat pants, no shirt, and don't have my contacts in. I think yer seein' something, love."

"I think your glasses are hot" The last part comes out so quietly that only you understood it. "What was that?" He pulls you into his lap so you're facing him. "I think your glasses are hot. It kinda turns me on."

He starts cackling. "Don't laugh, I mean it!" "I KNEW it!" You slap his chest playfully. Do my glasses really turn you on, baby?"

"Well yeah, it's you, and I love you. I don't know, It's stupid I know." You look anywhere but at him.

"Na baby" He turns your face to him. "I'mma start wearing 'em more. Made me feel all good 'n shit with this extra attention." kiss "I might stop wearing contacts all together" kiss "Maybe I should repay you for all the love you been showin' me, huh?" kiss

"You mean it? You're gonna start wearin' 'em?" "Course baby, I ain't gonna lie to you. I'll wear 'em if you like 'em that much." His hands trail down your sides and trace up under your shirt.

"Lemme make it up to you baby. Gotta repay you for all that lovin'."

And boy does he. ____________________________________________ 🖤🧡🖤🧡🖤🧡🖤🧡🖤🧡🖤🧡🖤🧡🖤🧡🖤

Notes: Thanks for reading! This was super cute and a little spicy 🤤✋ Requests are open so go ahead and send in those requests! I don't judge. Byeee.

[landoughnut]

Kiss Me - OP81

masterlist - request

pairing: oscar piastri x popstar!fem!reader (fc - tate mcrae)

summary: oscar fancied the worlds current favorite popstar, but he won't give up until she notices him

w/c & a/n: smau | I have the SAT tmr but here I am writing fics instead 🫶🏻 yolo

oscarpiastri FIRST 😫 WOW

username damn he's here before me and I was here in like 2 seconds

username I respect the grind oscar 🙏

username I wonder if she'll ever notice him

oscarpiastri I'd like to believe she will 😔

username omg hi king never give up 🗣️

oscarpiastri I wish I was there 😿 I also wish I was that mic

username AYOO real

oscarpiastri erm actually you're not supposed to agree 👍

username I'm waiting for this grid to finally find her account

username lando !!!

username GORGEOUSSSS ♥︎ by author

username omg I was there best concert EVERRR ♥︎ by author

oscarpiastri #jealous

username it's alright race boy you were there in spirit 🙂

username oscarpiastri aren't you like a millionaire? why don't you just buy tickets

oscarpiastri username unfortunately I can't with traveling for racing, maybe I can sneak away though 😈

mclaren oscarpiastri no 🎀

mclaren playing your songs in our garage repeatedly 🧡 ♥︎ by author

username OOO SHE KNOWS MCLAREN EXISTS????

username username I think she's said in an interview she used to watch f1 sometimes !!

username OSCAR YOU HAVE A CHANCE ‼️

oscarpiastri chat I'm cooking up a plan 🫡

lando can I help?

oscarpiastri ehh no you suck at plans

lando meanie ☹️

username LMAOOOOO LLL

oscarpiastri is that 8 on your shirt for op81 👀😉

username you should send her some merch

oscarpiastri you've sparked an idea mate thanks 😼

username ur welcome

lando oscarpiastri help why are you spamming this poor girls comments on every post 😹

username lando be quiet let oscar be delusional

oscarpiastri OH MY 😮‍��

username I almost thought that I was first

oscarpiastri never.

username mommy 🤤

oscarpiastri ew who even are you

username you tell em osc 📣

oscarpiastri #needthat

lando such a desperate boy tsk tsk

username desperate or determined?

maxverstappen1 desperate.

oscarpiastri HEY 😾

oscarpiastri the most beautiful girl ever

username aw a cute comment for once

lando keep it up osc compliments will surely work 💪

username date me pls 🧎‍♂️

oscarpiastri how about no 💕

oscarpiastri you guys laugh at me now but one day she'll write a song about me trust

lando have you hit your head during a race mate?

oscarpiastri australia is even better 😏 ♥︎ by author

username OH MY GOSH THIS IS NOT A DRILL

username NO WAY SHE ACTAULLY LIKED AN OSCAR COMMENT

lando LFGGGGGGGGG

lando guys do I call for an ambulance.. oscar let out this gasp that sounded like he was being strangled and then passed out

yourusername lando please do :) hope he's okay

lando yourusername well when he IS okay he'll pass out seeing your reply

username THIS IS CRAZYYYYY

username WHATTTTT

username NO WAY OMG

username AUSTRALIA??? AFTER OSCARS COMMENT ON HER LAST POST ⁉️

lando oscarpiastri TEXT ME NOW.

username guys do we think they met?

username 100%

username maybe mclaren invited her to the melbourne gp??

mclaren 👀 ♥︎ by author

username mclaren WHAT DO YOU KNOW

username mclaren LET ME INNNNNN

oscarpiastri nice picture 👍 ♥︎ by author

oscarpiastri nice location too 😁 ♥︎ by author

username OSCARIZZ

maxverstappen1 I know things

lando maxverstappen1 HOW HAS HE TOLD YOU BEFORE ME WTH

maxverstappen1 lando I'm just better 🤷🏼‍♂️

username remember when oscar first admitted that she's his celeb crush like four years ago

username ahhh look how far we've come 🙏

lando oscarpiastri I feel like a proud mum

oscarpiastri do you mean dad?

lando no :')

username 🔥🥵🔥

oscarpiastri 🧯🔫🧯

username is that a threat

oscarpiastri 🙃

oscarpiastri IS IT HOT IN HERE 😍

oscarpiastri PHEW WEE 😻

lando simp

maxverstappen1 simp

charles_leclerc simp

carlossainz55 simp

lewishamilton simp

pierregasly simp

yourusername simp

oscarpiastri go get a life losers 🙄

oscarpiastri yourusername except you of course 😊 ♥︎ by author

username I FEEL LEFT OUT SMHHH

oscarpiastri SMASHHHHH ♥︎ by author

yourusername time and place?

username WOAHHH HELLO?? SHES FLIRTING BACK NOW????

lando we did it brothers 🫡

oscarpiastri WE??

username DOES THIS MEAN THERE IS SOMETHING⁉️

charles_leclerc 🏃‍♀️

username charles_leclerc TELL ME NOW HO

charles_leclerc username not with that attitude 😒

username charles_leclerc NO WAY WAIT I'M SORRY COME BACK

oscarpiastri I'm putting this picture above my bed 😎🤤

lando oscarpiastri stop using that drooling emoji you look like a weirdo

oscarpiastri BARK BARK BARK 🐶

username he's lost it

username nurse it's this one over here

username she can run me over and I'll apologize

oscarpiastri I don't think you'll be able to apologize after I run you over with my race car🫢

username oscarpiastri oh.....

mclaren oscarpiastri oh thats not...

username WHAT WHAT WHAT

lando LFGGGGGGGGGGGG

mclaren on repeat 🧡 ♥︎ by author

username WHY ARE THEY SO CHILL ABOUT THIS⁉️

username HARD LAUNCH????!!!!!

username THEY ARE SOOOOOO DATING

username ORANGE SUIT AND CAR FOR MCLAREN AYEEE

lando it's papaya actually ☝️🤓

maxverstappen1 hehe 😸

charles_leclerc I still don't know how oscar managed to pull this off

charles_leclerc oscarpiastri proud of you son

lando charles_leclerc if hes your son and I'm his mom, are we married? 🥺

maxverstappen1 lando no

username LESTAPPEN NEVER DIES ✊

pierregasly AYEEE oscar finally got the girl 🥳 I was sick of hearing him dying to be noticed

username does this mean I have a chance with lando

lando username depends, do you have kinder chocolate?

username lando yes...

lando username then yes, u have a chance😁

username IM SO NOT NORMAL ABOUT THIS

username IM SO HAPPY FOR THEM UGH

username REMEMBER OSCAR SAID IN HER COMMENTS ONCE THAT SHE'D WRITE A SONG ABOUT HIM ONE DAY

username LMAOOO AND WE ALL POINTED AND LAUGHED

username I guess he proved us wrong 🧑‍🦯‍➡️

oscarpiastri 🧡 ♥︎ by author

yourusername 🧡

[foggysilverfeathers]

Fake HC 10 dashboard mayhaps??

0 notes

☀️ pearlescent-post Follow

Reminder to love yourself! Smell the trees! Everything will be okay in the end 😊 ☀️

☀️ pearlescent-post Follow

nvm gem ran out of pickles im depressed again

🐟 gemstone Follow

I RESTOCKED THIS MORNING HOW HAVE YOU ALREADY SOLD ME OUT

☀️ pearlescent-post Follow

1,930 notes

🎣 mending-book-fanatic Follow

day 126 without a mending book

27 notes

🚂 scars-axasqottles Follow

uM hey @.hpo-official could i ask why you havent' received my messages?/? Every calsl Ive made just puts me on holdd

⬜️ hpo-official-948204deactivated

Sorry about that, sir. Admin error. I'll speak to my manager.

🚂 scars-axasqottles Follow

...hELLO?

🌸 joel-beans Follow

lmao they deactivated what a loser

🎣 mending-book-fanatic Follow

Remember there's a person behind every poor worker! I see you bullies in the notes

🐟 gemstone Follow

@/mending-book-fanatic is a hermit permit office spy confirmed??

2,441 notes

🌸 joel-beans Follow

Guys everyone agrees that purpur is cheap and beautiful and godlike and everyone should go buy it right now this second *sweats*

🌲 supreme-judge-bd Follow

I feel like I'm missing something...

��� joel-beans Follow

SHE HAS EYES EVERYWHERE BDUBS

☀️ pearlescent-post Follow

Joel!

🌸 joel-beans Follow

If I don’t respond within the hour assume she got me

133 notes

🎩 symmetrical-minister Follow

anyone know a good shop for ethically-sourced wood?? i normally shop at big wood but ive heard things about a mafia :/

🪓 big-salmon Follow

That is absolutely NOT true!! If anything you should be targeting the crypto scheme at Big Wood,,

⌛️ d0ctorm77 Follow

aaaand this is why you should never trust businessmen in red suits

🪓 big-salmon Follow

says the one compensating with a massive HOURGLASS of all things

🐍 puppet-master Follow

Actually @.big-salmon Xisuma_voyd made a really well-explained video here going into detail about all of the shady elements of Big Wood, it's worth a watch.

🐟 gemstone Follow

To answer the original question OP here are some safer (privately owned!) shops :)

Gem's Moss Shop (azaleas for sale which can be bonemealed)

Bdub's Bamboo Shop (bamboo wood is a good eco-friendly alternative to your typical spruce or oak)

The Purr-purr bus (if you're okay with having slightly more exotic trees, from the End)

Hope this helped! <3

⌛️ d0ctorm77 Follow

Why would you pay diamonds for less when you could just pay a few grains of sand for the best quality wood in the shopping district? You people confuse me

🌲 supreme-judge-bd Follow

actually the Purr-purr bus isn't ethical at all!! ive heard they blackmail people into giving them sails!!!

🐟 gemstone Follow

*sales

🌲 supreme-judge-bd Follow

SHUDDUP

☀️ pearlescent-post Follow

:(

2,750 notes

🎣 mending-book-fanatic Follow

day 131 without a mending book

34 notes

🎣 mending-book-fanatic Follow

day 164 without a mending book

🐍 puppet-master Follow

Grian you know you can get free mending books at the cat cafe right

🎣 mending-book-fanatic Follow

it's not the same

🎣 mending-book-fanatic Follow

I need to be able to smell the breath of the sea between its sodden pages

🎣 mending-book-fanatic Follow

continue along the same path and you'll soon be facing villager unions

2,316 notes

🔥 tongo-tak Follow

Friendly reminder that not everyone wakes up at 2am, so please tag your Pearldle spoilers for at least a few hours!!

☀️ pearlescent-post Follow

skill issue tbh

1,102 notes

🇸🇪 death2diorite85 Follow

hallo how flirt with pretty girl time sensitive question

🌺 git-gorgeous Follow

sell them something

🔥 tongo-tak Follow

bribe diamonds

🐍 puppet-master Follow

kill them

🇸🇪 death2diorite85 Follow

okay will do!!!!

🇸🇪 death2diorite85 Follow

wait

2,989 notes

🐍 puppet-master Follow

Happy pride month to lgbtqia+ people of all ages, genders and sexualities, you're all so valid and so loved <3 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ ❤🧡💛💚💙💜

🐟 gemstone Follow

<3

⌛️ d0ctorm77 Follow

I'm making a rainbow beacon for pride, come look for it! i'll be with it by my husband @ renthedog's hole all week

⌛️ d0ctorm77 Follow

*HOLE

⌛️ d0ctorm77 Follow

*HOME

⌛️ d0ctorm77 Follow

WAIT I ACCIDENTALLY TAGGED IT

🐾 renthedog Follow

um.

2,655 notes

🌸 joel-beans Follow

etho is just kakashi on maple syrup send post

🌸 joel-beans Follow

almost forgot to add important additional difference! etho is also obsessed with me

1,113 notes

[pharawee]

It's finally June (happy rainbow month everyone! 🌈) so it's time for my annual "spot the QL actor at Bangkok Pride Parade" post in which I lurk around the socials to spot familiar faces and share some happiness (here's last year's post for even more happy memories).

As usual, please keep in mind that this is a month-long event for Bangkok Pride that already started yesterday. Many actors might not be able to attend for work-related reasons, they might attend other events or show their support in other ways. This post is for the Bangkok Pride Parade only because this is the part I enjoy most (but please feel free to add to it because the more 🌈✨ the merrier).

(I've credited all images via image description because I don't want to link directly to the hellsite that is x. If that's not working for you, please let me know and I'll add a direct link.)

And who better to start with than Earth Katsamonnat aka Cooheart. I wish tumblr would let me post more than one video because he. is. breathtaking (but what else is new).

Earth is there with his fellow WabiSabi actors Oat Tharathon, Tonliew Methaphat and Golf Pasatorn.

Next up we have none other than Gun Atthaphan, and it makes me so so happy to see him there.

And of course it wouldn't be a Pride event without Bank Mondop and Mos Panuwat.

They joined along with fellow Star Hunter actors JJ Rathasat, Fong Bovorn and several members of Star Hunter's girl group Cosmos.

Here we have Nut Supanut and Ping Orbnithi in traditional attire from their upcoming BL I'm the Most Beautiful Count. It's really difficult to find good pictures this year since it's mostly videos so I can't even show them in their whole glory. Nut especially deserves an award for walking Pride in these heels (then again, by now he's probably a pro):

Here they are alongside fellow actors Belle Jiratchaya and Aton Thanakorn.

Finally a good pic of Kongthup's artists walking the parade (it took me hours to find anything that wasn't a video): Mon Taechin, Pak Varayu, Lee Long Shi, Krismon Thanawat, Top Sumethee and Arm Chaiyapat.

Park Anantadej and Big Thanakorn are attending again this year as well but this is the only halfway recognisable pic of them both I could find (pls up your video limit tumblr I can't do this anymore).

Yoshi Rinrada is there as well (she's walking with Gun Atthaphan but I couldn't find any stills/pictures of that either 😭) and she is stunning.

I had to resort to taking blurry screencaps to give you Nice Boripat and Gunner Natsakan. They look much better on video so if you hop on over to the hellsite that is x you can see them in motion.

I finally found pics of our newlyweds Porsch Apiwat and Arm Sappanyoo.

Next up we have some of the cast of the upcoming muay thai BL Swing Kick: Beboy Nanthakorn, Team Tatchanon and David Matthew Roberts (I think... only Team was credited 😭)

Tiger Tanawat (the one Change2561 actor who's curiously always outsourced to other BL productions) was there by himself and walking alongside the group from Kongthup.

I will update this post as I find more pics of actors but for now this is it. Again, if you spotted more actors that attended (especially GL actresses because this is definitely my blind spot here) please feel free to add to this post or let me know.

But anyway, happy Pride my lovelies and ILU all 💛🧡❤️💜💙💚

[scrapplesims]

U-Haul Trailer

My own story screenshots required a U-Haul trailer and I was driven to the brink trying to find a CC equivalent to no avail, so I made one! Why did this not exist already?

Sometimes our Sims aren't fancy enough to hire a full moving van, or they need something a bit more secure than an open pickup truck, or maybe they just had a really great first date with someone and they are ready to move in ASAP, who knows, anyway here you go

Original mesh: TS3 moving truck conversion by enure-style, additional U-Haul texture edit by bunnytears96, mesh and texture further edited by me

Trailer hitch (pictured) not included, it's RV There Yet Trailer Base by Ravasheen (TSR link)

3 swatches

Located in Decorations > Sculptures

Metal texture from @myshunosun's resources

DOWNLOAD (SFS) 🧡

Disclaimer: Any issues? Makes your game explode? Hate it? Don't tell me please. I'm fucking tired

Enjoy!!

EDIT: Just realized that the file I downloaded and worked off of is an additional texture edit of enure-style's mesh done by bunnytears96 so I must give credit for her base U-Haul texture as well! Thank you!

[norrisprincess]

Not Another Fangirl

summary: After being a fan of the McLaren team, you got some tickets sponsored by McLaren and, to your not-so-great surprise, you met Lando Norris, and maybe you two will end up having more than a fan/racer relationship.

Lando Norris x Fan!Influencer!Reader

author note: I'm sorry for any spelling mistakes. English isn't my first language, and I used Google Translate for some things! If you find anything I need to improve, don't hesitate to let me know!

It was a hot day in the paddock, still, your steps were quick and excited since after making posts on instagram supporting the McLaren team for several months you finally had gotten a paddock club pass —sponsored by McLaren— for the F1 race.

After walking for several minutes, one of the McLaren team managers started giving you a short tour of the garage talking about how happy they were because of the wins they had this season ,and then, you saw him, Lando Norris, THE Lando Norris, you had to blink twice to make sure it wasn't some kind of dream but it was real, he was real. Your eyes looked at him but in that same instant The McLaren manager started to talk about the plans they had for this weekend race and you lost sight of him as quickly as you had seen him.

You sighed a little and the manager noticed because at that very moment she changed the subject.

“By the way, I've seen your posts on Instagram and I see that you're a big fan not only of the team but also of...someone...someone named Lando”

You blushed a little and started laughing nervously while shaking your hands a little.

“Don’t say that! Im just another fangirl!”

“Yeah, sure.” she said before letting out a giggle and leading you a little deeper into the garage.

“So it's okay if I introduce you in person to them right? Since you're just another fangirl.”

She said, and started dragging you until she reached a room where Oscar and Lando were sitting, chatting a little. They laid their eyes on you in the moment you entered the room.

“Hey Saski, who is she?”

Oscar said slowly His tone of voice was soft —still the confusion was noticeable in his voice. Then he started to look you and then to look Saskia.

“She's a fan who wanted to meet you guys! She got nervous as soon as I mentioned introducing you in person. She’s so cute, isn't she?”

Lando was the first to get up from his seat and take your hand to shake it a little making your face turn in a bright red making him smile a little before introducing himself.

“Well hello there, Im Lando, Lando Norris, but I guess that, if you are here it’s because you already know me and Oscar, don’t ya?”

He said in a tone that was somewhere between mocking, kind and maybe a little flirtatious, which made you smile inevitably.

“yes Im..Im a big fan of you guys.”

Saskia smiled a little before her phone rang and she picked it up to see who it was and immediately She looked at you three.

“Im sorry guys, I really need to take this call…but, I will let her at your care! I will be back soon, promisse!”

She said and left the room leaving you alone in that room with Oscar and Lando.

There was a brief silence before Oscar decided to open his mouth.

“so…what’s your name?”

───────── 🧡 ─────────

Y/NLaren ✓

Liked by oscarpiastri, lando, and 772,809 others Y/NLaren ✓ Best.Day.Of.My.Life 🏎️🧡

comments 641,930

user1 OMG SHE DID IT! MY BABY MEET LANDO 💖💕

lando it was fun 😝 ♥︎ liked by the author

user2 So proud! 🎊

user3 omg you look so pretty!

user4 LET’S GOOOOO 🗣️🔥

oscarpiastri best day fr! ♥︎ liked by the author

↳ user5 OSCAR AND LANDO ARE HERE!

user6 They grow up so fast 🤧🥺

user7 GO GIRL!!!!!!

───────── 🧡 ─────────

It had been a week since you met Lando and Oscar. Today had been a very busy day, and you needed a break, so you layed down on your bed.

You placed your phone down and rested it on your chest with a small smile before a notification appeared on your home screen.

It was a message from an unknown number, but you decided to see who it was just in case it was a friend of yours from a new number.

You smiled before turning off your phone and leaving it on your nightstand, you covered yourself with your sheets and went to sleep immediately while you felt your heart almost jump out of your chest.

───────── 🧡 ─────────

The next morning arrived, and you were awake even before the alarm clock, you were furtively looking in your closet for something to wear since a special day deserved a special outfit.

Your hands moved quickly through the clothes you had, you were looking for something that would make Lando have his jaw on the floor as soon as he saw you.

You sighed and were going to close the closet, but before that, a box in the deepest part of your closet caught your attention, making you open it again to take that box wrapped in pink paper, that paper soft to the touch and it seemed like that box had never been opened.

You opened the box only to find a dress that you had bought a few months ago but hadn't worn since you felt it wasn't what you were looking for at that specific moment, and here you were, thanking all the gods that you hadn't worn it since thanks to that the dress looked like new.

You placed the dress on the bed along with a small purse before skipping to the bathroom. Tonight would be perfect.

───────── 🧡 ─────────

“Hairstyle? Done..Makeup? Done..Are I missing something?..”

You were pacing around the room, putting the finishing touches on your look until you heard the doorbell ring and quickly moved towards the front door.

You opened the door only to find Lando holding a bouquet of flowers, a little blushing.

“hi lando!”

“Heyy y/n, are you—wow…you look..fantastic”

Lando said a little dumbfounded before shaking his head a little.

“these are for you”

He handed you the flowers, they were white tulips, they were beautiful, you took them in your hands before looking into his eyes with a slight blush that was hidden thanks to the blush you were wearing.

“Thank you Lando..They are really beautiful”

You said and entered your house to place the flowers in a vase with water.

“are you ready?”

Lando asked, watching you return to the front door with your handbag.

“For you? Always”

───────── 🧡 ─────────

Y/NLaren ✓

Liked by lando, and 642,989 others

Y/NLaren ✓ Thanks for this day 💕 @ lando

comments 230,563

lando thank YOU for comming ❤️ ♥︎ liked by the author

↳ user8 OMGG

↳ user9 y/n is going to be the next f1 wag 🤭🫢

↳ user10 SO TRUE 🎉🔥

user11 YOU GUYS LOOK SO CUTE TOGETHER ♥︎ liked by the author

↳ lando ofc we look cute together 😉 ♥︎ liked by the author

↳ Y/NLaren 🥰

user12 LANDO AND Y/N 💍

user13 couple material 🙊

↳ user14 true

user15 I love your dress!! 👗 ♥︎ liked by the author

user16 pretty

user17 Im so happy for the both of you ❣️

───────── 🧡 ─────────

The sun came through the curtains of your dorm and rested on your face, it felt pretty warm in your skin.

The birds were singing and there was finally a moment of peace after a few stressful weeks.

You shifted a little in the bed only to feel large hands on your waist causing you to jump a little and sit quickly on the bed.

“What—Lando?!”

You leaned against the headboard watching Lando rub his eyes and yawn.

“good morning”

He said in his sleepy voice which made your heart beat a little faster and your cheeks to turn red before you shook your head a little and spoke again.

“no..this can’t be happening I-”

“hey..it’s ok”

Lando said as he got up a little and he sat next to you in the bed.

“Look, I know this can be really sudden for you and I know that we’ve know each other for just a few months, but please, I really want you to give me a chance. You've changed my life in ways no one else has in years in a short period of time. Please, I want you to give me a chance, I just need one chance to prove you I’m enough and to prove you how much you mean to me.”

You looked into Lando's eyes before sighing a little and looking away.

“Lando...I...I need time..this is sudden and beside I really like you I still need time to think about this…you didn’t make anything wrong to prove me you’re enough because I already know you are…I just need to think this a few more days ok?”

Lando looked at you and nodded, he took your hand and caressed it a little before getting out of bed and putting on his clothes and shoes.

He looked at you a last time before opening your dorm door and going out.

───────── 🧡 ─────────

The days passed and your ideas were still not clear, you had nothing sure, the only thing you could be sure of was that you liked Lando, but you knew you needed those days to think clearly, the simple fact that you liked him did not mean that you should accept him immediately without thinking about it first.

Your hands nervously played with the cover of your cell phone before, with trembling and slightly sweaty hands, you decided to enter Lando's chat after having hesitated for at least an hour or two.

You wrote and deleted the message over and over again, you didn't know what to say or how to start, you wanted to get straight to the point but you didn't feel that it was a topic that you two should talk about via chat or a call.

You took a deep breath and moved a few strands of hair behind your ear as you anxiously bit your lip.

Your gaze wandered for a moment to the flowers Lando had given you on your first date, some tulips were already wilted but still looked beautiful while the light of the setting sun softly illuminated them.

Your gaze returned to your phone. You had already made a decision and you had to stand firm. You knew that decision would have consequences, but what did it matter? Nothing mattered the instant your fingers touched the screen before you finally sent the message you had been tormenting yourself for all these days.

“Lando, we need to talk”

───────── 🧡 ─────────

Y/NLaren ✓

Liked by lando, oscarpiastri, mclaren and 899,790 others

Y/NLaren ✓ After a few weeks, conversations, and mutual understanding, we've begun a journey together. Something I never expected was to end with you. You gave me the best days of my life, and you promised to keep doing so. I also want to promise you something: my love and eternal loyalty. I love you forever. 💖 @ lando

comments 4

lando I love you too ❤️😻 ♥︎ liked by the author

↳ Y/NLaren mwah 🫶🏼

oscarpiastri congrats 🥳 ♥︎ liked by the author

mclaren 🧡🖤 ♥︎ liked by the author

The author of this post has limited comments

───────── 🧡 ─────────

lando ✓

Liked by Y/NLaren, oscarpiastri, mclaren and 946,400 others

lando ✓ Thank you for giving me a chance. I promise to be here for you through the good times and the bad times too, no matter what. You're like the blue of my sky, and with you, I feel complete. I love you. I know We have a long road ahead of us of good things and bad things, but, together we can overcome it, because at the end of the day you are not another fangirl, your are my girl. 💐🧡 @ Y/NLaren

comments 3

Y/NLaren 💓 ♥︎ liked by the author

↳ lando I love you 😘

↳ Y/NLaren I love you too 🥰 ♥︎ liked by the author

The author of this post has limited comments

───────── 🧡 ─────────

Taglist!:

no one for the moment 👎🏼

[eicsferrari]

so high school - cl16

pairing: charles leclerc x princess!yn

requested: yes♡

a/n: sorry for the delay i had this on my drafts almost finished and then i got sick :( but i hope it's what you had in mind <3 since i'm a political science girlie i had to use the aristotle line but i couldn't find a good picture so...close enough ig

masterlist

~ ♕ ~

yourusername sweet elegance

♥︎liked by charlesleclerc & others

username my god i would kill for her face

username girl we need your skin care routine!

username nvm i probably can't afford it but you are glowing🫶🏼

username royal by birth, majestic by choice

username what is that vroom vroom man doing here?

username idk he's always lurking in those likes

~ ♕ ~

~ ♕ ~

yourusername monaco race

♥︎liked by alex_albon & others

charles_leclerc an honor to have you👑

yourusername thank you! and congrats on your win💘

username the heart !! someone check if he's still breathing

carlossainz55 he is (barely) ♥︎liked by yourusername

georgerussell63 hope you enjoyed it!

yourusername i did🎀 thank you georgie boy

oscarpiastri lovely to meet you🧡

yourusername you too osc! good job on p2💪

username see how there's no heart with the other drivers,,,, thinking thoughts

~ ♕ ~

yourusername cheeks pink in the twinkling lights

♥︎liked by pierregasly & others

username who is sending my wife flowers? who do i have to fight?

username THE NOTE romance is not dead🥺

username 'anything for you princess' my knees are suddenly weak

username and if i say this is from a certain someone...

username spill what you know

username i know nothing 🙏 but i have my suspicions 🤫

~ ♕ ~

yourusername truth dare spin bottles

♥︎liked by gabrielbortoleto_ & others

username ma'am that's a man!

username the question is WHO is that man?

iamrebeccad 😍😍 ♥︎liked by yourusername

yourusername my loveee

username we keep getting people from f1 here, do we think she's soft launching a driver?

username nah maybe they just met her at monaco and became friends, no need to read too much into it

username goddess🛐🛐

username this is gonna sound weird but i never thought about yn dating

username did you think she was going to have some marriage of convenience like the old days?

username i mean,,, yes? i watched the princess diaries 2

username i-

~ ♕ ~

yourusername are you gonna marry kiss or kill me

♥︎liked by lewishamilton & others

username she's getting bolder with these posts

username cmon princess tag him don't be shy

username so unclassy, as a princess she should know better

username gtfo and get a life

username not to be weird on the internet but they are hot

username you haven't seen his face

username i don't need to, the vibe they give off is hot

username you are so real

username me and who

~ ♕ ~

yourusername you know how to (ball) i know (aristotle)

♥︎liked by maxverstappen1 & others

username reading plato? we love an educated queen

username i know monarchy doesn't rule anymore but it's kinda obvious she would have to read the classics

username real question: do you think the political leaders of some countries have read plato? or any book for that matter?

username ...touche

username guess we can rule out any sport that involves a ball bc that man has no ability for football AT ALL

yourusername don't bully him:( i still love him

username she loves him🥺🥺

username i'm obsessed with the concept of princess yn soft launching

username she's everything he's just ken

username i know that middle picture all too well

username spill the beans taylor swift

username no, i'll let them do it

~ ♕ ~

charles_leclerc full throttle

tagged yourusername

♥︎liked by francocolapinto & others

username WE GOT A HARD LAUNCH

username i mean... we always said he looked like a prince ♥︎liked by yourusername

yourusername i love youuu

charles_leclerc i love you more❤️

yourusername not possible💌

username i can't with their cuteness

yourusername also, for those of you wondering about that last picture, i asked him to describe in extreme detail the first time he saw me🫶🏼

username me as a girlfriend fr

username this is so real lol good to know that even if you are a princess you are still just a girl, standing in front of a guy, asking him to tell her everything about how he fell in love with her

username can't believe he actually pulled it off ... respect

username i called it💋

yourusername thank you for keeping it quiet babe🫶🏼

~ ♕ ~

yourusername i wanna find u in a crowd just to hide from you

♥︎liked by olliebearman & others

lando that seems,, pointless

yourusername it's a lyrics silly

lando ik your highness i love taylor swift too

yourusername lando we're friends, we did karaoke last night and you heard me miss every note. stop calling me your highness

lando as you wish princess🙇

yourusername 🤦‍♀️

username yes yes you're happy and in love we get it

username princess wag and prince driver oh the wattpad girlies are gonna eat this up

charlesleclerc and i feel like laughing in the middle of practice

georgerussell63 too many so high school references for my taste considering we all played gta at the hotel the other day

yourusername 🙊🙊

~ ♕ ~

yourusername no one's ever had me not like you

♥︎liked by kimi.antonelli & others

username this called me single in eight different languages

username the concept of her relating to so high school bc all her life was full of responsibilities and she never got to be young and normal but now he's making her feel giddy and like a teenager oh yn in love you are so special to me

username hope you know you made me cry

username this is so cute i wished romantic relationships were real

charles_leclerc i love you marry me❤️

yn love you always yes❤️

iamrebeccad charles you can't ask that by instagram omg

charles_leclerc i didn't!!

yn he did't!! it was at the beach and everything was so romantic🫶🏼

iamrebeccad YOU GUYS ARE ENGAGED AAA A A A AA

carlossainz55 congrats guys! but i'm confused, we had to see every part of your relationship so far yet we hear of this on a comment?????

yn what can i say we are quirky like that☺️

~ ♕ ~

charlesleclerc posted a story

caption: she said yes💍

yourusername replied to your story

↪ yourusername and i always will🤍

~ ♕ ~

yourusername you know what you wanted and boy you got her

tagged charlesleclerc

♥︎liked by taylorswift & others

charlesleclerc you already know babe❤️

username @ god when will it be me

~ ♕ ~

Taglist: @justaf1girl @anamiad00msday @formoola1fan @2bormaybenot @searecs @rana030 @multifantasic70 @yourmommyagone22

[https-papaya]

such a gentleman — max v.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

( masterlist | guidelines | drop a request )

PAIRINGS: max verstappen x fem!reader

SUMMARY: max' best friend breaks up with her boyfriend in spectacular fashion. maybe this is the push he needs to finally admit he's in love with her.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: i'm genuinely blown away by the kindness and support i've received from everybody so far. i was really nervous to start posting here, but you've all been incredible! i hope that you guys enjoy this one as much as i enjoyed writing it — WARNING that this smau involves references to infidelity (not max or the reader). have fun and feel free to send me requests!

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

yourusername

liked by maxverstappen1, landonorris, danielricciardo and others

yourusername what better way to take my mind off things. monaco, you were a dream. next stop...?

view all comments

maxverstappen1 Thank you for being there. 💛

liked by yourusername

user2 hope you're feeling better!

user3 You should totally go on holiday somewhere and just forget about him tbh

yourusername that's the plan 😉

user1 ugh i hope max dropkicks him into next year

liked by maxverstappen1

danielricciardo my offer still stands...

yourusername you're just built different 😔 aus is too hot for me!!

landonorris thanks for convincing max not to order in the sushi platter

yourusername anything for my favourite papaya 🧡

oscarpiastri hey.

yourusername sorry osc, he's got the longevity :( give it a few months?

user4 oSC????

yourusername added to her story

yourusername

liked by maxverstappen1, danielricciardo, landonorris and others

yourusername much needed.

view all comments

user2 the second pic???

user4 omg i cant believe max and her went together sdjhfhdj

danielricciardo and here i thought aus was too hot for you??

yourusername 🫢

user1 oh theyre in love ur honour

user7 showing the ex what he's missing fr

liked by yourusername

landonorris without me??

yourusername next time xx

user3 the fact this means max took the first pic has me spiralling

user5 no way her ex isnt seething over this LMAO

user6 his fault for cheating imo 🤷

liked by maxverstappen1

yourusername

liked by danielricciardo, landonorris and others

yourusername another month, another race. glad to be back 💛

view all comments

user2 no max in the likes?

user3 its over i fear

landonorris supporting the hometown boys, i hope?

yourusername count on it!

user1 and if i speak-

user4 don't.

danielricciardo was the coffee as good as he says?

yourusername even better i promise

user5 HE???

user6 surely-

maxverstappen1

liked by yourusername, danielricciardo, landonorris and others

maxverstappen1 Didn't get the win this weekend, but I won something better.

tagged: yourusername

view all comments

user1 oh my god.

yourusername thank you for loving me ❤️

maxverstappen1 Always ❤️

user4 its so over for her ex BYE-

user3 more affection than her ex ever showed her i know that's right

user2 They're sickeningly cute I can't rn

user5 parents???

danielricciardo fucking finally

landonorris it was almost painful fr

yourusername oh shut up

oscarpiastri no no he has a point

yourusername do you want me to pay for lunch tmr or not??

oscarpiastri i'm willing to take the risk

liked by landonorris and danielricciardo

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

© https-papaya || do NOT rewrite, translate, or copy any of my works posted here on to any other platforms

[satanxklaus]

♥︎ 𝐛𝐨𝐲'𝐬 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐫 | oscar piastri x singer!reader smau

✦ pairing : oscar piastri x singer!reader | ex!pierre gasly x reader ✦ summary : in which y/n soft launces her relationship with an F1 driver, fails miserably, and ends up hard launching with a lyric from her breakup song ✦ content warning : profanity, use of y/n, hate towards y/n ✦ faceclaim : pinkpantheress, girlies from pinterest, pairings on pinterest

a/n: hey guys. it's been 6 months since i last posted (yikes) im so sorry about that. i've been busy with working at the hospital and uni to top it all of. so here's a new one, its quite a long one. lmk what u think. enjoy! xx

𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 | 𝐑𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐒

y/ninstagram ✔

liked by lando, lilymhe, icespice, oscarpiastri and 563,420 more.

y/ninstagram ✔boys a liar pt.2 out now neowwww on youtube with the one n only @/icespice 😍💋

view all comments

icespice ✔ princess treatment onlyyy grr rahh 💅🏼

user13 mama an ice spice behind YOU 💜

lilymhe ✔ song of the year!! love it xx

⤷ y/ninstagram ✔ love u babes muachhh 😘

user12 was not expecting this collab at all omg

lando ✔ oi mate quite the music video 🔥🔥 liked by author

⤷ user17 ariana what are you doing here

user14 literally the worst collab ever. imagine your whole personality being about your ex. embarrassing 🤮🤮

⤷ user20 imagine ruining your own relationship and then getting mad when the person profits off of it. embarrassing 2x

user15 i'd literally kms if i fumbled a bad bitch like y/n😭😭 she's so cunt love her sm

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y/ninstagram posted a story

replies to your story

user25 ⤷ OMG two lando post ??? ur not even hiding it girl 😏

⤷ lando ✔ so nice to have a fan at the paddock 🥰 ⤷ y/instagram ✔ wow fame changed you. suprised your head could fit into that ugly green helmet 🙄🙄 ⤷ lando ✔ leave my beautiful helmet alone u witch!!

✮ ★ ☆

⤷ lilymhe ✔ girl .... ⤷ lilymhe ✔ not the papaya i'm expecting ⤷ y/ninstagram ✔ i stg he's my childhood bestfriend 😭that's so gross dont even try ⤷ lilymhe ✔ OH so what you're saying is oscar piastri has a chance 😬🧐 ⤷ y/ninstagram ✔ 🤫

✮ ★ ☆

user48 ⤷ get away from himmmm

user9 ⤷ homie hopper 🤢🤢

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y/ninstagram ✔

liked by lilymhe, oscarpiastri, pierregasly, and 742,270 more.

y/ninstagram ✔ one day, i just wanna hear you say, "i like you" 💗💘

view all comments

user20 mother is serving face at the paddock

user15 BODY IS TEA

user19 oscar in the likes,, pierre being messy again 👀👀

lando ✔ thx for the support babes 🧡

⤷ y/ninstagram ✔ log off for me ur so annoying ⤷ user10 bro bagged a baddie idk if i wanna be lando or y/n😭😭 ⤷ user27 are they dating?

user15 NOT PIERRE LIKING THIS PLS BE SERIOUS

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oscarpiastri posted a story

replies to your story

user81 ⤷ PAUSE who is that

✮ ★ ☆

⤷ y/instagram ✔ OH so you're getting right into it huh ⤷ oscarpiastri ✔ i'm a man of my word, babe ⤷ y/instagram ✔ cheeky 😘

✮ ★ ☆

⤷ lando ✔ damn you're fast, fast ⤷ oscarpiastri ✔ you're the one that gave me her number, mate

✮ ★ ☆

user22 ⤷ oscar "private piastri" finally giving us crumbs??? HISTORIC

user11 ⤷ i have a feeling this is y/n.....🤔

user76 ⤷ if this isn't y/n, i'll eat my mclaren merch

☆ ★ ✮ ★ ☆☆ ★ ✮ ★ ☆

y/ninstagram posted a story

replies to your story

⤷ lilymhe ✔ bitch you are NOT slick 🤣🤣 ⤷ lilymhe ✔ ok miss "just instagram likes" ⤷ y/ninstagram ✔ omg kys 😭😫 ⤷ lilymhe ✔ just hard launch already. everybodyyy knows ⤷ y/ninstagram ✔ log awffff

✮ ★ ☆

⤷ oscarpiastri ✔ i'm not getting that hoodie back, am i? 😌 ⤷ y/ninstagram ✔ what do u mean ?? it's literally mine ⤷ oscarpiastri ✔ haha what's mine is yours, darling 🧡

✮ ★ ☆

user16 ⤷ SOFT LAUNCH?? girl we know thats oscar 😭😭

user11 ⤷ that hoodie is a big giveaway queen... but issokay love that for u

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y/ninstagram ✔

liked by oscarpiastri, lilymhe, lando and 1,376,092 more.

y/ninstagram ✔ i'm obsessed with you in the way i can't believe 💗😍

view all comments

lando ✔ LMAO finally

⤷ user22 lando is living for the drama, i just know it ⤷ user15 so... wrong papaya then 💀

user15 oscarpiastri in the likes.. bro didn't even try to play it cool 💀💀💀

user19 not even a soft launch at this point 😭 this is a full press release

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oscarpiastri ✔

liked by y/ninstagram, lando, logansargeant, lilymhe, and 2,768,320 more.

oscarpiastri ✔ Not a liar 🏎🧡

view all comments

mclaren ✔ your honor i love them so much 🧡🥺

lando ✔ I'M FREE !! about damn time 😔😔

y/ninstagram ✔ took you long enough, piastri. love you <3 💋🧡

user55 this boy is not a liar, alright periodd

user33 oscar piastri, i owe you an apology, i wasn't familiar with your game🤩

lilymhe ✔ STREAM BOY'S A LIAR PT.2 FOR CLEAR SKIN AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP. CLAIM NOW!!

⤷ y/ninstagram ✔ I LUV U GORGEOUS GORGEOUS GIRL xx 💋 ⤷ lilymhe ✔ ugh im on my knees for u plsss ⤷ oscarpiastri ✔ thats funny cuz she's my gf ??? @/alex_albon come and get your girl please ⤷ alex_albon ✔ i need a vacation...

user16 THREW MY FOOD JUST TO GIVE YOU A STANDING OVATION 👏👏👏

user10 nooo a white man got to herr 😭😭

user37 imagine pierre seeing this rn. must be SICK to his stomach

☆ ★ ✮ ★ ☆☆ ★ ✮ ★ ☆☆ ★ ✮ ★ ☆☆ ★ ✮ ★ ☆

⚠ 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 ⚠ : 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.

© satanxklaus 2025. all rights reserved. please do not copy, modify, or repost any work as your own.

[thoughtfulfiction]

Friend zone? End zone.

Author’s note: Anon requested🧡

July

Packing everything up and moving to France with no idea where you'd live or how you were going to make money, to study under some of the most well known pastry giants in the world was...crazy. But somehow, opening up your own bake shop in Cincinnati felt even more like you were losing the last hold on your sanity. You didn't know anyone here, no friends or family nearby, but Velvet Clementine was your dream. And today, the dream smelled like vanilla, caramelized sugar, and the bright zest of fresh clementines, located in the middle of the Queen City. You had your own staff, granted it was four people but still, you were the owner, the boss, of your very own place.

Cincinnati had been your home for six weeks when the bell chimed, and two men—tall enough to make your display case look like a dollhouse—ducked into the shop. They moved with effortless confidence, their voices a low rumble of laughter as they scanned the display case with the focus of someone choosing their last meal. You watched them pile on various pastries, looking through the rows of mini pain au chocolat, almond croissants and pastel de nata. The mini fruit tarts featuring clementines and red velvet cakes were the items that made you fall in love with baking, hence the name of the place. The shorter man reached for a tart, its glossy colorful slices glistening under the bakery lights, nestled in a bed of creamy white chocolate mousse. You watched as the other one picked up a croissant, giving it a slight squeeze—a soft crackle of delicate layers breaking beneath his fingers. They seemed satisfied with their various selections, happily walking over to the register, the tall one flashing his almost sinfully perfect smile as he paid for everything. You thanked them for coming in and sent them on their way.

"You can't be serious, how did you not say anything?" Your sous chef Quinn let out a breath she had probably been holding since the two guys walked through the door.

"What are you talking about?"

She scoffed, remembering the fact that you’d lived in Europe the last few years so their presence didn’t hold much weight. She tossed a dish towel over her shoulder as she turned to face you, “they’re Bengals, babe. Like, literal football gods. Also, it helps that they’re stupidly attractive."

You hummed, processing everything she just threw at you. "Well, that part I did notice. And they’re freakishly...big. Good thing we made extras of everything, because I think they just wiped out half the front shelf."

Quinn laughed, stepping around you to check for herself. "I have a shelf they can—sorry."

"Okay easy tiger,” you let out a laugh, “they're gone. Are we still on for drinks tonight?"

"Oh absolutely, I definitely need a martini or three after seeing the best receiving duo in the game, in person. My boyfriend is actually going to lose his mind when I tell him."

You shake your head with a smile on your face, walking back to the kitchen to restock, the scent of butter and cocoa bean filling the air as you slip behind the counter to arrange the freshly baked tarts.

Much to your surprise, they were back three days later. The door sounded again, and the tall one walked up to you, his broad shoulders barely fitting in the doorway. "I'm Tee."

"Hi Tee," you smile, surprised. "Didn't expect to see you back so soon. Or your friend over there." Tee turns around to find Ja'Marr loading up on cheesecakes this time, not paying attention to anything else. The sight of him, mouth half-full of a pastry, causes you to chuckle.

"I didn't either but...damn. You the owner?"

You nod, hesitant but flattered.

"Excuse my language, but yo, this shit fire—like man. We had to come get some more. Everything’s made fresh, from... scratch?"

"Yeah, every morning I get here at like 5:30 and we bake everything. From scratch."

Ja'marr appears next to him, holding a mini crème brulee. "You are VERY good at your job. You'll be seeing a lot of us now that we're back for the season. Swear you weren't here when I left Cincy, how long you been here?"

"Stop, it's not that great.” You wave him off as he continues to nod profusely, holding up his latest find with wild eyes as you laugh again. “And I've been here a little over a month, just moved to Cincinnati actually."

"From?" Ja'Marr pipes up, curiosity dancing in his eyes.

"France, lived there for a few years to perfect my pastry skills and really focus on my craft."

"That's crazy, I just got back from Paris for Fashion Week. The food was amazing and looks like the classes worked cause you definitely know what you're doing."

"Thank you guys. And spread the word will you? I heard you two are kind of a big deal around here."

"Something like that, we appreciate you for these," Tee flashes a wide grin, holding up the bag as he thanks you one more time, "you'll see us back here soon."

The next day they returned the favor and since you'd been feeding them, they wanted to take you to a special spot downtown to really introduce you to the city. Of course you brought Quinn with you. Her boyfriend didn't believe this was actually happening until he Facetimed her and saw the guys for himself. It was nice to finally feel like you'd met people you got along with without having to try to be anyone but yourself. Over the next few weeks while exploring the Cincinnati food scene, you found out that Tee and Ja'marr were funny, sweet and kind, just two guys enjoying the last few weeks of the offseason before training camp ramped up. Both of them were in the midst of contract negotiations, having to explain to you the ins and outs of NFL life. They appreciated that you didn't care about their status and never asked unless they started the conversation and you loved having people around that made this city feel so much less like a foreign country.

Ja'Marr strolled in one morning with a grin, practically bouncing on his feet as he leaned across the counter. "Hey, so listen...you gotta make those mini cakes for my housewarming on Saturday. I mean, you have to be there, since we’re your best friends now and all. It’s only right."

Quinn, who had been wiping down the counter, stopped mid-motion and squinted at him. "Excuse me? So now I’m invisible? You’re just gonna act like I wasn’t the one keeping her entertained before you waltzed in with your designer sweatpants and phenomenal taste in bakeries? Some people." She shakes her head in mock disbelief.

Ja'Marr smirked, completely unbothered. "Anyway, Imma ignore that. Jealous isn't a good look on you Quinn." He quickly turns his attention back to you, "so...you'll be there Saturday right? I'll text you the address."

"Yes, I'll be there."

"And so will I, since we wanna exclude people from the conversation." Quinn adds in from behind you.

Ja'Marr, clearly pleased with his victory, flashed a grin as he turned to leave. "Speaking in third person? You know what I'll just see y'all Saturday." Before heading out, he shot you one more look over his shoulder. "Don’t forget, mini cakes."

As he walked out, Quinn glanced at you, a teasing glint in her eyes. "Looks like you’ve got some serious new friends now, huh?"

"We," you correct her, "we have some serious friends new friends now."

As a business owner, you prided yourself in being a professional. Even at your friend's party, you wanted to be more than on time and make the cakes look as pretty as possible. Quinn had joined you in the last-minute preparations, both of you arriving an hour before the gathering started to get things in order. The large living room was already buzzing—caterers setting up a lavish buffet, trays full of appetizers being placed on side tables. Some of Ja'Marr’s friends, who you assumed were visiting from Louisiana, lounged in the corner, their laughs echoing over the low hum of video game sound effects.

You and Quinn worked in tandem, setting the delicate mini cakes on a table near the center, the soft scent of the various flavors filled the room as you arranged the treats just so. You hadn’t even noticed Ja'Marr and Tee walking towards you until Ja'Marr's voice cut through the conversation.

"You brought my favorite ones, that’s so sweet. I am gonna tear. These. Up." His grin was wide as he took in the display of your pastries while wiggling his fingers.

"Be classy, please," you teased, glancing at him, "we don’t want your neighbors thinking a wild animal moved in next door."

"Nah, it’s cool," Ja'Marr shrugged nonchalantly, glancing down to check his phone. "I think one of the neighbors just got here."

The door clicked open, and in walked a tall figure. Your breath caught slightly in your chest as your gaze followed the man’s movement. His striking blue eyes swept across the room, a faraway intensity to his expression that made it seem like he was seeing more than just the people around him. There was a quiet confidence to his posture, the kind of calm authority that made him impossible to miss. His light brown hair, a little tousled in that effortless, perfect way, gave him the air of someone who had just stepped out of a high-end catalog.

"Burrow!" Ja'Marr exclaimed, his voice shifting into an easy familiarity. "Damn...I’m really surprised you here. Didn’t think you were leaving the house for a year after your little world tour."

"We went to the same country," Joe replied, his voice steady and slightly dry. "And it was just one." He gave Ja'Marr a side hug, but the moment was strange—a quick pinky shake that made you tilt your head, wondering what it meant. Something about it felt oddly intimate.

Ja’Marr turned his attention to you. "You remember that bakery we been tellin' you about? This is Y/N, the owner. We kinda best friends now so you need to get used to seeing her around. And that's Quinn, they're a package deal."

"Nice to meet you both." Joe’s voice was smooth, but there was a slight tension in the air as he extended his hand.

You reached for it, but Quinn—who had been standing beside you—was frozen. Her eyes were wide, staring at Joe like he was some kind of myth brought to life. The words she'd been about to say caught in her throat, her mouth opening and closing as she tried to process the moment. The seconds stretched on, but she didn't seem able to move, her usual confidence wiped away by her starstruck shock.

You nudged her lightly with your elbow, snapping her back to reality. She blinked, her expression changing in an instant. “Sorry,” she said quickly, her voice higher-pitched than usual as she shook Joe’s hand. “It’s just—um—I'm, like, a huge fan. My boyfriend, too. He’s gonna lose his shit when I tell him I met Joe Burrow.”

Joe’s eyebrow raised slightly, a small, amused smile pulling at his lips as he noticed her flustered reaction. He let out a soft chuckle. "Well, nice to meet you, Quinn."

You laughed softly, shaking your head at Quinn, trying to play it off while feeling your own pulse steadily increasing. Quinn, still flushed from her sudden nervousness, was no longer frozen but her eyes were still glued to Joe, unable to hide the awe on her face.

"Okay, now that we've got that out of the way," Ja'Marr said, clearly enjoying the shift in energy. "I know you don't play about your diet but when I tell you these cakes are the best thing I've ever put in my body? I'm being serious."

Before you can roll your eyes or downplay it, the homeowner stops you. "Don't even think about it, I don't wanna hear none of that. We just need to get him to try one."

Joe grabs one with a Biscoff cookie on top and takes a bite, completely unfazed by the fact that everyone is watching. "Wow, this is. This is incredible. I get why they won't shut up about your place. This is really good."

"Thank you," you laugh softly, trying to push down the weird sense of nervousness pooling in your chest. "And thanks for breaking your strict diet to try it, that means a lot."

He nods and more people start to show up so Ja'Marr leaves to greet them and Tee grabs a few tiny cakes for himself, Quinn asking him if he wants a plate. Everyone moved on from the previous conversation but as you made eye contact with Joe, something unexpected happened—a flicker of recognition, of something unspoken, passing between the two of you. His gaze held yours for just a heartbeat longer than usual, and for a moment, it felt like the rest of the room had melted away. Although you didn’t really want to, you ignored that feeling and focused on enjoying the night.

You and Quinn moved around the party, getting to know different groups of people, mingling with different players on the team, their significant others and she had to explain to you who all these people were. Of course you'd heard the names before, the buzz around the city the closer the players got to training camp and to the season actually starting. But if years in Europe had taught you anything, it was that sports fans are obsessively dedicated and somehow now you had also become an honorary Bengals fan because of Ja'Marr and Tee. And you couldn't wait to cheer them on. But right now? You couldn't wait to be home and in bed.

The exhaustion of the being up since 4:30 in the morning was continuously creeping up on you. The noise and the laughter mixing with the smells of rich food and the clinking of glasses was all becoming a bit too much after a long week of work. Your mind was constantly racing, your body tired and your spirit longed for some peace and quiet.

You slipped outside into the cool evening air, the chill of the night sky a welcome relief from the heat of the crowded room you'd successfully slipped out of. The city buzzed faintly in the distance, but it felt like a different world out here, away from the chatter and the constant movement.

You leaned against the porch railing, closing your eyes for a moment to just breathe.

The door clicked open behind you, and for some reason you knew exactly who it was. His presence was unmistakable.

“Didn’t expect you to be out here,” Joe’s voice was low, a little gruff but soft in the quiet of the night.

You didn’t answer right away, too focused on the quiet of the moment to form any words. You’d seen Joe around the party—he’d been laughing and chatting, looking perfectly at ease, but now he seemed... different. There was something in the way he stood, in the way he gazed at the horizon, that told you his social battery had run out just like yours had.

“You all good?” Joe asked after a beat, his voice a little more concerned than you expected.

You nodded, finally turning to face him. “Yeah. Just needed a minute. It’s...a lot, sometimes, you know? New city, new life, always on the go.”

Joe looked at you for a long moment, as though weighing something in his mind. “I get it,” he said quietly. “I’ve had days where I just need to...step away for a second. Guess we both needed some air, huh?”

You couldn’t help but chuckle at the irony. Two people who seemed like they could handle anything, both seeking a quiet moment to themselves, at the same time. You glanced at him, noting the way his hands were shoved deep in his pockets, his jaw slightly tense. He wasn’t trying to fill the silence with empty words or forced jokes, and for that, you appreciated it.

Neither of you spoke for a while, just standing there in the cool night air, the sounds of the party muffled behind the door. For the first time, you felt the world slow down a little.

Joe shifted, and you glanced over, catching the faintest flicker of a smile playing at the corner of his lips. "Tee and Ja’Marr won’t shut up about you. Guess it’s my turn to see what all the hype is about."

You smiled back, the moment stretching on, neither of you in a rush to move. "Hope I don’t disappoint."

Ja'Marr had you over a few nights later to go over some film with you to get you ready for "the most important season of your life." Tee walked into the living room holding an iPad full of notes, including the presumed depth chart for week 1. Joe sat on the opposite couch, a water bottle on the table in front of him. They gave you a rundown on what everybody's role is on the team starting with Joe.

"He's QB1, you know. Heart of the team, he's our leader." The more he talked, the more it sounded like he was reciting wedding vows to his quarterback, who looked like he was bored out of his mind. You glanced over at him, but he didn’t react, just sipped his water and let Ja’Marr ramble on. You had barely spoken to him all day—just small glances here and there without taking it any further.

The same thing happened the next day. And the day after that.

Finally, you spoke up. "You're not a man of many words, are you?"

Joe barely looked up as he responded, "Depends on who it is and what they're asking." His tone was casual, but there was a weight to it, like he didn’t give away words freely. Like almost every human interaction he had was a secret interview prying into his personal life.

"Okay, well, you've attended three sessions of my exclusive Bengals 101 class, and you've barely said a word," you pointed out, shifting on the couch to face him. "But yet, every day, you're here."

"I love football," he said simply, taking another sip of water. Then he set the bottle down, finally looking at you. "And I would hate for the newest football fan of the crew to be confused in the middle of the Jungle."

"Is that what they call it? The Jungle?" you asked, raising an eyebrow at the fact that he may have just cracked a joke.

Joe gave you a half-smirk and nodded. "It gets pretty wild, Y/N," he said, standing up and patting you lightly on the back as he walked past. "You better be ready."

He always kept interactions short, never going out of his way to talk to you in group settings, refusing to join the group chat that Tee had created with you, Ja'Marr, and Quinn. Instead of treating him like an onion who needed to be peeled, you just went with it and tried to lean in and embrace his dry sense of humor.

One night, you plopped down next to him on the couch. "Hey," you said casually, tilting your head to study him. "I was just wondering—do you ever smile? Like, unprompted? Or do you just reserve happy Joe for the comfort of your gigantic house when you're alone watching SpongeBob reruns?"

Joe turned his head slightly, his lips twitching into a smirk before he quickly looked away, trying to hide it.

Too bad for him—you caught every second of it.

A few hours later, as you cleaned up after another “film session”, you caught Joe watching you from across the room. Not in an obvious way—more like he was trying to figure something out, like you were a broken play he was seeing on his tablet.

He left without saying much, as always. You figured he preferred sticking to his usual routine—keeping his world small, guarded and unbelievably predictable.

So, when you saw him on the other side of Quinn's door after days of radio silence holding several bags of food, you almost dropped the bottle of wine in your hand.

"You know, you probably shouldn't have tipped that delivery guy. He just handed me these bags when I told him I was coming up here. I could've just been some horrible person stealing a perfectly good breakup recovery meal."

"I think because you're...you know—you? He probably would've handed you anything. I’m surprised he didn't ask for a selfie."

“Oh, he did,” Joe deadpanned, shifting the bags in his arms. “I signed the receipt instead. How's Quinn?"

"Honestly? She said she saw it coming, but it still sucks. You can come in."

Before long, everyone had found a spot, the coffee table now covered in takeout containers, the aroma of fried rice and lo-mein filling the air. The soft glow of the TV flickered across the dimly lit living room as Quinn sat curled up in the corner of the couch, picking at her food while Tee animatedly recounted his worst breakup story.

“At least your ex didn’t break up with you via emoji,” Tee said, waving his fork.

Ja’Marr nearly choked on his drink. “You lyin’.”

“Bro, she deadass sent me a salute emoji and just—gone.”

Quinn let out a weak laugh, shaking her head. “Okay, that’s tragic.”

“Exactly. So if I survived that, you’ll survive this.” Tee nudged her with his elbow.

The weight in the room had started to ease, the heaviness of Quinn’s breakup quickly turned into a lighter and softer energy. You sat on the couch sharing a blanket with her, almost having to force yourself into finishing your food because it was unfortunately your first real meal of the day. Joe sat beside you, close enough that you could feel the heat of him, his knee brushing against yours every time one of you shifted. You told yourself it was nothing.

Every once in a while, your eyes met—quick glances during a particularly funny scene, a knowing look when Ja’Marr started yelling at the TV. He was more relaxed tonight, his usual quiet guardedness giving way to something looser, something easy.

For the first time since moving to Cincinnati, you felt it. That feeling of belonging. Of finding your people.

Quinn let out an exaggerated sigh, leaning her head against your shoulder. “I guess I’ll survive.”

“You definitely will,” you reassured her, placing your hand on hers, giving it a squeeze.

Joe shifted beside you, his voice low. “You picked a hell of a crew to stick with.”

You turned your head, meeting his gaze, something unreadable in his expression.

“Could be worse,” you teased, nudging his leg slightly.

He huffed a quiet laugh, shaking his head. For a second, it seemed like he might say something else—but instead, he just reached for an egg roll.

After that night, things started to shift more toward football. The usual late-night hangs became less frequent, the group chat more active with reminders about packing lists and schedules. Training camp was looming, and you could feel the weight of it, even though you weren’t the one suiting up.

One night at Ja’Marr’s, Tee stretched out on the couch, scrolling through his phone. "This is our last free weekend before camp. Y’all better soak it in.”

Quinn groaned. “Ugh. That means my social life is about to take a massive hit.”

Ja’Marr snorted. “Don’t act like we don’t have days off. We just gon be tired as hell.”

Joe wasn’t there that night—he’d taken off for a few days on his annual lake trip, something about needing to “reset.” Not that you were keeping tabs on his whereabouts or anything, but the house felt quieter without him.

Then, two nights before camp started, he walked into Ja’Marr’s house like nothing was different.

Except, everything was different.

Tee was mid-sentence when he noticed, his words dying in his throat as he squinted at Joe. “Boy, what the hell?”

Ja’Marr turned, eyes widening. "Nah. No way."

You blinked. “Did you—did you shave your head?”

Joe barely reacted, setting his keys down like this was any other day. “Yeah.”

“And bleach it?” Quinn added in, looking intrigued...and a little scared.

“Yep.”

Tee leaned forward, inspecting him like he was some rare species. “You look like a villain in a Fast & Furious movie.”

Joe smirked, rubbing a hand over his buzzed, bleach-blond head. “Perfect.”

Ja’Marr was still in shock. “Bro, what possessed you?”

Joe shrugged, completely unbothered. “Felt like it.”

You tried to stifle a laugh, shaking your head. Of course. The most dramatic change of the offseason, and he acted like it was nothing.

Quinn tilted her head, appraising him. “You know what? I don’t hate it.”

Ja’Marr ran a hand down his face, groaning. “Man, now we gotta deal with this version of Joe all season.”

Joe just grinned, casually grabbing a side salad off the counter like he hadn’t just broken everyone’s brains. Training camp hadn’t even started yet, and he was already causing chaos.

Quinn, Tee, and Ja’Marr burst out laughing, looking at each other with wide grins. "Hold up—do y'all realize what this means?" Tee pointed between them. "We all got buzzcuts now."

Ja’Marr gasped, nodding. "Oh, it’s a sign. We're about to be in sync this season. Chemistry off the charts."

Quinn snorted. "What, like you're the bald-headed Avengers?"

Tee clapped his hands. "Nah, we’re like…an Olympic relay team. Faster, stronger, better communication."

Joe shook his head, amused. "You guys are ridiculous."

"You say that now, but just wait," Ja’Marr said, stroking his chin like he was cooking up a master plan. "I'm over here manifesting greatness."

Joe just rolled his eyes, taking a bite of his food, but then he caught your expression. You were dying to say something. "Go ahead, tell me what you really think. I've heard a few. Cody Rhodes, Eminem..."

"I was gonna say a more attractive version of Jonah Hill in the 21 Jump Street flashback scenes."

Tee and Ja’Marr lost it. Ja’Marr literally had to grab the counter for support, and Tee was staggering away, gasping between wheezes. "Bro, I can see it!"

Joe stared at you, lips pressing together like he was physically restraining himself from laughing. "That’s just hurtful."

"You asked." You bit back a grin.

The chaos continued around you, but somehow, it ended up just the two of you standing there as the others got distracted by something else.

You hesitated. You shouldn’t ask. But you did.

"Why did you do it?" You tried to sound casual. "Your hair looked fine—I mean, more than fine—but… why?"

Joe leaned against the counter, arms crossing over his chest. His lips twitched like he was about to say something stupid. Then—

"I want frosted tips."

You blinked. "Excuse me?"

"And I’ve never seen anyone actually look good when they just go get them, so I’m doing it the natural way."

You just stared at him. "Joe. This is the most insane way to get blond highlights, and you know it."

"Sorry you feel that way," he said, totally unbothered. "But I don’t do things halfway. Go big or go home."

He said it so casually, but the way he was looking at you? That was dangerous. The kind of look that made the room feel a little too warm, made your stomach do an annoying little flip. His icy blue eyes held yours just a second too long—long enough for you to realize that you should run for your life.

Because if you stayed here any longer, you might have to admit that you were developing a teeny, tiny, completely inconvenient crush on Joe Burrow.

August

Having a crush as an adult kind of feels like you're having a heart attack. You could be completely fine one second and then suddenly your entire being was consumed with thoughts of him so vivid it made your chest hurt.

The first preseason game was finally here, giving you the perfect excuse to focus on literally anything else. Your first tailgate was an experience, that morning of the game was by far the busiest day you'd ever experienced. Pre-orders were being picked up left and right, mini pies and cheesecakes were snatched off the shelves before 11am and the only thing that remained by the time all of you left the shop at 2pm was a lone batch of cupcakes that you ended up giving away for free at the stadium. It was easy promo.

Paycor Stadium felt like magic. A chaotic, slightly unhinged kind of magic. Fans were everywhere—some already drunk, all of them decked out in orange, fully prepared to dedicate their mental health to a 53-man roster for the next several months. You just wanted to see your friends do what they loved—well, at least two of them, since Ja’Marr was in the middle of a holdout. Or, technically, a hold-in, since he was still around the building but not practicing. You were still trying to grasp the nuances of contract negotiations, and honestly, you needed a few more Bengals 101 cramming sessions to feel more confident in your abilities to explain the situation, if anyone were to ask.

Time slowed when Joe stepped onto the field. And the stadium erupted when he threw a touchdown to none other than Tee. You swore you saw a couple of fans crying, which was kind of heartwarming but also a little funny, considering they didn’t know him personally.

Joe hadn’t talked much about his wrist injury or the recovery process after surgery, and you never wanted to pry. You figured he’d open up when he was ready. But as you watched him out there, commanding the field like nothing had ever been wrong, you couldn’t help but wonder if it had been as easy as he made it look.

He commanded the field like he commanded every room he entered. You met up with him, Ja'Marr, Tee, Quinn and a bunch of his friends from Athens along with his family to gather at his house, not only because it was the beginning of the season, but it was also a new beginning for him post surgery. The celebration was on, laughter and quiet music filling every corner of the house. You couldn't really hear it, but it had to be from Joe's never ending playlist filled with Gunna and Kid Cudi songs. People drifted in and out of conversations, drinks in hand, taking in the importance of indulging in the calm before the storm of the regular season.

At some point, you found yourself in the kitchen, away from the noise, refilling your drink. You weren’t alone for long.

Joe lingered in the doorway for a second before stepping into the kitchen, leaning against the counter beside you. His presence was quiet but steady, like he was still deciding if he wanted to speak.

For a moment, the two of you stood next to each other silently. You were perfectly happy listening to the muffled sounds of the party happening in the next room. Then, finally, he exhaled, his voice low enough that it almost got lost in the noise.

“I um—I cried last night.”

You turned to him, startled by the sudden confession. His gaze stayed on the counter, fingers idly tracing the grain of the wood.

“There were nights when I thought I wouldn’t make it back here,” he admitted. “Like, really about thought it. More than I ever have before.” He swallowed hard, jaw tightening for a second before he let out a humorless laugh. “I’ve never been afraid of failure. Not really. But this time… it was different.”

You could only imagine what that felt like—to have the thing you built your whole life around suddenly feel uncertain. To sit in the unknown and not be able to do anything but wait.

“I don’t know what to say,” you admitted softly, shifting so you were fully facing him. “I can’t even imagine what that must’ve been like for you.” You hesitated, searching for the right words. “But I do know I’m glad you’re here. That you made it through. And that I get to see you come out on the other side of it.”

Joe finally looked at you then, really looked at you, and for the first time that night, the tension in his shoulders seemed to ease.

Before you could stop yourself, you sighed, "I think about failure all the time."

His brows furrowed slightly. “What do you mean?”

You glanced down, running your thumb over the rim of your glass. “Every single day at the bakery feels like a risk. Like one wrong move, one slow month, and it all comes crashing down. I try not to let it eat me alive, but it’s always there in the back of my mind.” You huffed out a quiet laugh. “Every day is either a risk or a victory. Some days, it’s both.”

Joe was quiet for a moment before he nodded. “Yeah,” he said, almost to himself. “I get that.”

And you knew he did. Probably more than anyone else. Maybe that was the thing about him—he understood the weight of expectations, the pressure of something you love being both the best and hardest thing in your life.

The party carried on around you, but the two of you stayed there, in the quiet.

Joe wasn’t sure when it started, but sometime after the day he met you, he’d found himself wanting to be near you. To talk to you. To hear what you had to say.

Now, standing here, watching the way your eyes softened when you spoke, he realized something that both excited and terrified him.

He liked you. He really liked you.

And when you smiled at him—soft, understanding, like you really saw him—something in his chest tightened. He was absolutely fucked. And he knew it.

The day after his ill-timed epiphany, he had to figure out a way to see you, without making it completely obvious that he wanted to see you. So he did the one thing he could think of.

"THE Joe Burrow, gracing my humble bakery with his presence?" You place a hand over your heart in mock surprise. "Did hell actually freeze over? Or did you finally crack under the pressure of living a sugar-free life?"

The quarterback looks around and shrugs, "told my parents about this place and I wanted to grab them something before they head out. What should I get? What's good here?" He laughs and you glare at him.

"Everything," Quinn interrupts before disappearing in the kitchen to go over their fall menu, "you know this."

"Well…surprise me." Joe says, when it's just you again. "You're the professional here. And I trust your opinion."

You pick out a few things, putting them in a box and handing them over to him after he tapped his phone on the tap to pay. His fingers brushed against yours on the box, just for a second. Just long enough for his slightly calloused touch to settle into your skin. He didn’t pull away immediately. Neither did you. And then, just like that, the moment passed.

Joe thanked you, turning on his heel and walking out without another glance. He told himself not to think about it. About the way your hand felt against his. About how his skin still felt warm where you’d touched him.

He spent a considerably long time staring at his palm in the car before shaking his head, gripping the wheel, and driving himself home.

September

The month came with the promise of real football. Instead, it delivered losses. Three straight. By the end of the month, they were 1-4, and the frustration was suffocating.

Losing wasn’t new to Joe—football was a game of highs and lows. But this? This felt different. This felt like clawing for air and only inhaling more water. He’d been playing pretty well but that hadn’t translated to team success so needless to say, he was frustrated.

And when Joe was frustrated, when the weight of the season pressed down on him, he did what he always did: he shut people out.

His routine became even more rigid. Early mornings. Earlier nights. Film. Practice. Ice baths. Rehab. Study. Sleep. Repeat. No distractions. No detours. Just football.

No one took it personally. Not really. This was how he was wired. How he dealt with things. But that didn’t mean you didn’t notice the way his texts became shorter, the way he started disappearing from the group chat, the way even Ja’Marr and Tee could barely get more than a few words out of him after a loss.

You weren’t even sure if stopping by was the right move. Still, you showed up at his house the day after their first win, peanut butter oat cups in hand and a ton of nerves in your stomach. You just…wanted—no needed to see him. To lay eyes on him and know he was okay.

Joe opened the door a few moments later, looking like a guy carrying a losing record on his shoulders. His hoodie was slightly wrinkled, his hair, which had already grown out tremendously, was still damp from a shower, and there was something unshakably tired about the way he stood.

But when he saw you, his posture relaxed just a little.

“Hey,” he said, voice low.

“Hey.” You offered a small smile, holding out the box. “Figured you’d be on lockdown mode, so I won’t keep you. Just wanted to drop these off.”

His lips twitched like he was debating whether or not to smile. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I know.” You shrugged. “But I did.”

Joe exhaled, running a hand over his face before glancing down at the box in his hand with a small smile. You were definitely going to consider this a win.

You let the silence settle between you for a moment before finally saying, “I know this is my first season actually paying attention to all this, but…I do know one thing.”

He looked at you then, a softer expression on his face as he shifted his weight from one foot to another.

“This season isn’t over,” you said firmly. “Not even close. I know you well enough to know you won't just give up without a fight.”

Joe swallowed hard, slowly nodding his head. He didn’t respond right away, but you didn’t need him to. Instead, you reached out, placing a hand on his shoulder—just for a second, just to ground him.

“I’ll let you do your thing,” you murmured. “I just needed to see you for myself.”

Something flickered in his expression, something almost vulnerable, but before you could place it, he sighed, releasing a significant amount of tension in his muscles.

“Come on,” he said, closing the door behind him. “I’ll walk you out.”

The morning air was cool as the two of you walked in quiet steps toward your car. When you reached the door, you turned to say goodbye, but before you could, Joe pulled you into a hug.

It caught you off guard at first, the warmth of him, the way he held onto you like he needed this moment more than he was willing to say.

And then you felt it.

The steady, rapid beat of his heart against your chest.

You weren’t sure what it meant. If he even realized how much he was giving away just by standing here, holding you like this. And as much as you wanted to say something—to push—you got in your car holding back a smile.

October

The guys were riding on a high after beating the Giants, allowing themselves to celebrate for a total of...four hours.

By the time Joe made his way to Ja’Marr’s place, the energy in the house was still buzzing. Most of the guests had gone home and it was just the core four cleaning up in the kitchen, while others made their way in and out of the house. For once, nobody was sulking over film breakdowns or injury reports. It was rare for Joe to show up to things like this—especially in-season—but a win after weeks of frustration made it easier to step outside his routine, even if only for a little while.

He kept to himself for the most part, sitting back and listening while his receivers talked over each other about plays, what went right and what they could’ve done better. But the conversation took a sharp turn when Quinn, comfortably stretched out on the couch with a glass of wine in hand, looked up and announced, “Oh, by the way, I got her on dating apps.”

Silence.

Then all hell broke loose.

“Wait, what?” Tee sat up so fast he almost knocked over his drink. “Are you serious?”

“Like, for real?” Ja’Marr leaned forward, grinning. “Ain’t no way.”

“Oh, I’m very serious,” Quinn smirked, pulling out her phone. “Took some convincing, but she finally caved. And now I get to be the supportive best friend who helps her swipe.”

Ja’Marr rubbed his hands together. “Hand it over. We gotta see this. Make sure ain’t no weirdos on there. Last thing I need is for you to end up on some true crime Netflix special.”

Joe stayed quiet, gripping the neck of his water bottle a little too tightly as you handed them Quinn your phone and she pulled up the profile. Tee and Ja’Marr crowded around, making dramatic noises every time they scrolled past a new guy.

“Absolutely not,” Tee muttered, swiping left.

“Oh, hell no.” Ja’Marr swiped even faster. “Why he posing like that?”

“This one’s kinda decent, though,” Quinn argued, nudging the phone toward them. “Look at him.”

Joe didn’t look. He didn’t join in on the commentary, didn’t make a joke, didn’t do anything except sit there, staring at the condensation rolling down his water bottle, wondering why there was a weird feeling sitting heavy in his chest.

It wasn’t like he had a right to feel any type of way about this. And he knew what it meant.

But that didn’t stop him from feeling it anyway no matter how hard he tried to ignore it.

Between the temperature fluctuations and the sudden boom in business, your head was spinning. The bakery had never been more popular. What had started as a hidden gem over the summer had officially become one of Cincinnati’s go-to spots. Lines stretched out the door on weekends, with customers raving about the new fall menu: cinnamon swirl snickerdoodle blondies, apple cider donuts, maple pecan scones. You barely had time to catch your breath between managing the chaos and perfecting each batch, but you wouldn’t have it any other way.

Meanwhile, the Bengals’ season remained a rollercoaster. A solid win against the Browns gave everyone a glimmer of hope, but that optimism came crashing down when the Eagles steamrolled them by twenty. After that game, no one heard from Joe. His silent rage wasn’t unusual after a loss, but it was nevertheless, felt from miles away.

The next week, they bounced back in a big way, blowing out the Raiders at home. The scoreboard said it was a dominant win, but Joe was still visibly pissed, seen on the sidelines venting to Zac Taylor about missed offensive opportunities and a shit ton of penalties that should've been avoided. The moment went viral—clips of his animated rant flooded social media, with analysts debating whether his frustration was a sign of his competitive fire or a deeper issue brewing in Cincinnati.

That night, everyone met at Jeff Ruby’s for dinner, but Joe didn’t show. To the surprise of absolutely...nobody.

Toward the end of the night, the restaurant manager approached your table with a takeout bag in hand. “This is Joe’s order,” he explained. “He called it in, but something came up. He asked me to give it to you, is that okay?"

You hesitated for a second before nodding. “Yeah, I got it.”

It wasn’t long before you were standing outside his house, takeout bag in hand, knocking on his door. When he opened it, he looked exhausted. Not physically—no visible bruises or signs of injury—but mentally. His eyes were dull, his usual composed demeanor carrying an edge of frustration.

You gave him the bag. “Figured you should still eat.”

Joe took it with a small nod. “Thanks.”

For a second, you considered just leaving, letting him sit with whatever was weighing on him. But instead, you crossed your arms and leaned against the doorframe. “You wanna talk about it?”

He let out a slow breath, rubbing his jaw before stepping back to let you in. You followed him to the kitchen, watching as he set the bag down on the counter but didn’t open it.

“I don’t know,” he admitted, finally breaking the silence. “I just—” He sighed. “I’m playing well, but I don’t know if we as a collective have what it takes to close out games when it actually matters. We can beat shit teams, but the moment we go up against a real contender, it’s like everything falls apart. And I hate feeling like we’re right there but just not good enough.”

You nodded, understanding the weight of what he was saying. Joe wasn’t the type to be satisfied with mediocrity. He needed to win, and not just in ways that looked good on paper. At this point, to get back on track they needed to look dominant— unstoppable. Not like kids throwing together a project at the last minute because they forgot the due date.

“I get it,” you said softly. “This is your job, your career. You don’t half-ass anything, and you don’t want to settle for middle of the pack.”

Joe’s lips pressed together, his gaze flickering to yours. “Exactly.”

He ran a hand through his hair before exhaling sharply. “I’m sorry for missing dinner. Just…had a lot on my mind.”

You tilted your head, a flash of curiosity taking over. “Anything besides football?”

For a second, he was quiet, debating whether or not to answer. You could see the internal battle written all over his face, his jaw tensing and flexing as he pondered the risks of honesty.

Then, he muttered, “Fuck it.”

Your brows lifted, but before you could ask, he looked at you—really looked at you—and said, “I’ve been...thinking about you.” His voice was low, steady, but you could hear the weight behind it. “More than I want to. More than I should.”

The words knocked the air from your lungs.

You should’ve said something, but for once, you had no idea what to say. Instead, you took a step forward. Joe’s eyes tracked your movement, and when you didn’t pull away, he closed the distance. His hand brushed against your waist, his gaze flickering to your lips, leaning in ever so slightly—

“Yo, have you seen my phone charger?”

Ja’Marr’s voice shattered the moment like glass.

Joe immediately stepped back, cursing again under his breath as Ja’Marr walked into the kitchen, completely oblivious to what he had just interrupted.

Your entire face was on fire and you were sure your heart was seconds away from bursting out of your chest.

Joe looked like he wanted to murder his best friend.

November

Neither of you brought up what almost happened. Maybe because neither of you were sure it should have happened. Or maybe, deep down, you were both afraid of what it would mean if you admitted that it did.

So, instead, things carried on like normal—except they weren’t normal at all.

Joe still came by the bakery, though now he had a habit of showing up under the guise of casual excuses. Like when he walked in one morning, a familiar water bottle in hand, and placed it on the counter in front of you.

“You left this at my house,” he said, completely straight-faced. “Wanted to make sure you’re staying hydrated.”

You blinked at him, then down at the bottle—one of many you’d undoubtedly left behind at places far more inconvenient. “You drove all the way here for…this?”

Joe shrugged. “Seemed important.”

Quinn made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. You didn’t have to turn to know she was giving Joe a look—one that said she saw right through him.

Still, nothing was said.

The two of you danced around the elephant in the room for 17 days. Then came the bye week, and as fate would have it, or your own personal hell, you ended up at Joe’s house, standing side by side in his kitchen as you baked a pumpkin pie together. The whole thing came randomly, he mentioned in passing that it was his favorite and he was spending his entire bye week on the couch so naturally you came up with a solution. Nobody else was free so it just ended up being you and him. Of course.

The kitchen smelled of cinnamon, nutmeg, and warm sugar, the scent pulling you into your natural element. This was your Paycor Stadium, your stage. R&B played in the background, filling the comfortable silence as Joe rolled out the pie dough with slow, concentrated movements. The counter was dusted with flour, the remnants of your work scattered across the surface.

"You’re pressing too hard," you murmured, stepping in behind him. You placed your hands gently over his, guiding his movements. "You want it even, but not overworked."

Joe huffed out a breath, the warmth of his chuckle brushing against your cheek. "So what you’re saying is, I’d be terrible on a baking show?"

You grinned, your fingers brushing against his as you both worked the dough. "I’m saying, there's some room for improvement for sure."

Joe turned his head slightly, just enough for his blue eyes to catch yours, his expression hard to read but there was a certain glimmer in his gaze. You didn’t move away. Neither did he. This was how it had been for months now—a quiet understanding, an unspoken closeness that had slowly built between you. It was in the way he showed up to your bakery with your favorite coffee, the way you memorized his weekly schedule, the way he looked for you after every home game, his gaze scanning the crowd in the player guest section postgame until he found you.

The pie crust was ready now, but neither of you were ready to move to finish it.

Joe’s hands lingered under yours, his thumbs lightly grazing your knuckles. "I like this," he admitted after a moment, his voice low. "Us. Doing this."

Your breath caught in your throat. "Me too."

It wasn’t just about the pie, and you both knew it.

You helped him move the dough into the pan, your fingers brushing again, sending little shivers up your spine. The pumpkin filling sat ready in a glass bowl, waiting to be poured, but Joe seemed far more interested in you. His eyes traced over your features, cataloging every detail as if he was afraid he’d forget them.

"What?" you asked, suddenly self-conscious under his gaze.

Joe shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Nothing. Just thinking."

"About?"

He exhaled slowly, rolling his lips together as if debating what to say. Then, instead of answering, he reached out to touch you, his fingers trailing down to your jawline, resting there a smidge too long. His movements were gentle, almost hesitant, as if he was giving you the chance to pull away.

You didn’t. You couldn't.

The space between you evaporated, his lips brushing against yours in a kiss so delicate, so achingly tender, that it stole the breath from your lungs. It was slow, unhurried, as if he was trying to memorize the feel of you against him. His hands found your waist, pulling you closer, and you let yourself sink into him, fingers curling into the fabric of his hoodie. The warmth of his body, the faint scent of his cologne mixed with vanilla extract—it was intoxicating.

Joe deepened the kiss, a quiet desperation laced within it, months of lingering glances and fleeting touches culminating in this moment. You felt his hesitation fade, replaced by something raw and real, something neither of you could ignore any longer.

But then he pulled away.

And you saw it—regret, creeping into his expression before he even said the words.

“We shouldn’t have done that,” he muttered, running a hand over his face. “This was a mistake.”

A sharp, bitter laugh escaped you before you could stop it. “Are you serious?”

Joe exhaled, looking anywhere but at you. He was still standing somewhat close but his hands weren’t on you anymore, making the temperature in the room instantly feel like it had dropped 20 degrees. Even the expression on his face was a little colder than before. “I don’t want to ruin what we have.”

Your heart was pounding, anger curling hot in your chest. It was the only thing fueling you and keeping you warm. “I think it's a little too late for that. Joe, things have already changed. These past few weeks—hell, these past few months—we’ve been dancing around this. We’re not in fucking high school. Just tell me the truth.”

You took a step closer, forcing him to face you. To look at you. “Do you honestly have no feelings for me?”

Silence.

Then, finally—too quiet— “I don’t.”

You flinched like he’d slapped you.

Joe must have seen it because he let out a heavy breath and ran a hand through his hair. “I’m just—overwhelmed. The team is losing, and I’m playing the best football of my life, and I just—I can’t add another thing to my plate right now.”

You studied him for a long moment, jaw tight, hands clenched at your sides. Then, finally, you nodded.

You stared at him, waiting for him to take it back, to say something—but he didn’t. He just stood there, shoulders tense, eyes locked on the floor like he was hoping if he didn’t look at you, this would all just go away.

“You’re such a coward.”

Joe’s head snapped up, but you were already shaking your head, anger and frustration crashing into you all at once.

“You are so stuck in your own head,” you continued, voice sharp, unrelenting. “You keep everyone at arm’s length so you don’t get hurt. So you don’t have to admit that you actually feel things like a normal human being. You’re not some heartless football machine, Joe. You don’t have to live, breathe, and die this sport 24/7 to be fulfilled.”

You took a step forward, forcing him to face you, forcing him to hear you. “And you can stand there and act like this isn’t real, like there’s nothing between us, but I know there is. And you do too. Maybe it’s new, maybe it’s always been there, but I’m not stupid. At least I didn’t think I was.”

Joe’s jaw tightened, but he still said nothing.

And that? That pissed you off even more.

You scoffed, blinking away the sting in your eyes as you turned on your heel, grabbing your things off the counter. “If you want to pretend none of this is real, then fine. I won’t fight you on it.”

Joe didn’t move. He didn’t stop you.

You lingered for half a second, hoping—praying—that he’d snap out of it. That he’d reach for you, say your name, give you anything.

But all he did was stand there, motionless, watching you go.

You exhaled sharply, shaking your head one last time before you reached for the door.

“Don’t burn my pie,” you muttered, then stepped outside, slamming the door shut behind you.

December

Joe told himself, over and over, that he’d made the right decision.

That pulling away had been necessary. That it was better this way.

But as the weeks passed, the reality of it settled in like a dull, persistent ache in his chest. The group dynamic wasn’t the same anymore. Quinn was firmly on your side, and Tee and Ja’Marr were caught in the middle, trying their best to act like everything was normal when it clearly wasn’t.

You only hung out with them if Joe wasn’t going to be there, and eventually, he stopped showing up altogether. Left the group chat, too, because what was the point?

So, yeah. He told himself this was what he wanted. That it was for the best.

Then one day, the night before his birthday while the Bengals were in Dallas, his house was broken into.

It was everywhere. The footage of the smashed window. The grainy security cam stills of showing the inside of his house. The headlines dissecting every detail—what was stolen, how much damage was done.

For a second—just a fleeting, stupid second—he thought maybe you’d reach out.

But you didn’t.

And why would you? It wasn’t your place anymore.

You were moving on. Meeting new people.

Like Cory.

Sweet, mature, honest-about-his-feelings Cory.

More than Joe could say for himself.

Joe wasn’t trying to eavesdrop.

At all, really.

But when he overheard Tee and Ja’Marr talking about you, about how you’d been going on several dates with some guy named Cory, he couldn’t help but listen.

“Seems like a good dude,” Tee said, scrolling through his phone. “Takes her out, treats her right.”

“She actually looks happy, too,” Ja’Marr added. “Not whatever the fuck that was with Joe.”

Joe rolled his eyes, slamming his locker shut. “The hell is that supposed to mean?”

Ja’Marr turned to him, unimpressed. “It means you fumbled, bro.”

Tee nodded. “Big time.”

Joe exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over his jaw. He wasn’t in the mood for this. But they weren’t letting it go, so he told them. Everything. The kiss, the fight, the way he let you walk away because he was too caught up in his own head to admit how he really felt.

By the time he finished, Tee and Ja’Marr were looking at him like he was the dumbest man alive.

“You fumbled twice,” Tee corrected.

“She’s moving on,” Ja’Marr added. “And from the sound of it, dude’s actually putting in effort. You had your chance.”

Joe didn’t respond, just sat there, feeling more irritated by the second. He told himself he didn’t care.

The restaurant was dimly lit, the soft hum of jazz playing in the background as you swirled the last bit of your wine in the glass. Across from you, Cory was smiling, eyes warm and excited in a way that made you feel a little guilty. He was sweet, thoughtful, and easy to be around. The kind of man that you bring home to your parents and settle down with. But that was the problem, wasn’t it? He was easy. There was no tension, no unsaid words, no history thick enough to make the world stand completely still for a minute.

You were on your fifth date now, and even though you liked him, you knew deep down you weren’t feeling it the way you were supposed to.

“I, uh—I actually got something for you,” Cory said, reaching into his jacket pocket. “Well, it’s more of a surprise, really.”

You set your glass down, watching as he pulled out a sleek envelope and slid it across the table toward you. “Go on, open it.”

You hesitated before peeling it open, your heart practically stopping when you saw what was inside. Two tickets to the game—Bengals vs. Broncos. A must-win. And VIP passes for the postgame meet-and-greet.

You felt like the wind had been knocked out of you.

“I wasn't snooping in your house or anything but I did see a Bengals cup in your cabinet the other day. But you never really said anything about being a fan?” Cory said, clearly proud of himself. “i don't know, I figured you might like it. And hey, you can finally meet some of the players.”

Your stomach twisted painfully. You swallowed down the instinct to refuse, to make up an excuse, to say absolutely the fuck not. But what reason did you have? To Cory, there was nothing complicated about this—just a thoughtful gift for someone he was getting to know.

You forced a smile, hoping it didn’t look as fake as it felt. “Wow, Cory. This is...really sweet of you.”

“So, you’ll come?” he asked, his grin widening.

You nodded, the weight of your own decision pressing against your chest. “Yeah,” you said, voice quieter than you meant it to be. “I’ll go.”

And just like that, you sealed your fate.

Admittedly, it was their best game of the season. A win in OT, a Tee touchdown to keep their playoff hopes alive, and all the players riding on a high of a multiple game win streak. A month ago, you would've been celebrating right along with them. But tonight you really needed to get through this meet and greet without throwing up. And without blowing your cover. If nothing else, this was Cory's opportunity to have a once in a lifetime experience and the last thing you wanted to do is ruin that.

And then you saw him.

And Joe saw you with...him.

He saw how the guy next to you couldn’t wait to shake his hand—Joe thought it was a joke. Thought maybe this was some kind of sick cosmic punishment for all the terrible decisions he’d made in the last few months.

You looked good, unfairly good in your jacket and Bengals beanie, one that Tee had given you and Joe felt his irritation morph into something else entirely.

You weren’t even looking at him.

Cory, meanwhile, was beaming. “Man, it’s so cool to meet you. You played great tonight.”

Joe barely managed a nod, jaw tight.

Cory didn’t seem to notice the tension thickening the air, but you did.

And when your eyes finally met Joe’s, there was something there—something that made his pulse jump—before you quickly looked away.

Yeah. Joe was pissed.

The moment Cory got distracted meeting some of the other players, shaking hands and taking pictures, Joe saw his chance. He stepped toward you, lowering his voice.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

You scoffed, folding your arms over your chest. “Attending a football game, in the city I live in. Apparently that's a crime now.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

“Then be more specific," you bite out.

Joe exhaled sharply, running a hand through his damp hair. “Him? This?” He gestured vaguely in Cory’s direction. “Really?”

Your expression hardened. “Yes, really. He’s kind, honest, actually says what he feels instead of hiding behind excuses and—” You stopped yourself, shaking your head. “You know what? No. I don’t owe you an explanation. I don't owe you shit.”

Joe clenched his jaw. “So that’s it? You’re just—what? Moving on like none of it mattered?”

“Oh, now you want to talk about it?” You whisper yell. “You didn't have anything for me when I asked you, remember? All you could do was look at the floor like a freaking idiot. It was crickets and now you have the nerve to ask me what this is? You don’t get to do this, Joe. You don’t get to push me away, call me a mistake, then act like you suddenly care when you see me with someone else.”

He stepped closer, voice low and tense. “You know damn well I care.”

You swallowed, blinking up at him, and for a second—just a second—Joe thought you might let your guard down. That you might admit there was still something there.

But then you shook your head. “If you actually cared, we wouldn’t be having this conversation here. We actually wouldn't be having this conversation at all. I would've been here, with you. Not looking for pieces of you in another guy, a perfectly nice guy who just wanted to meet the freaking Bengals today. So if you don't mind, I'm gonna go meet Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase...for the first time.”

Joe didn’t know what to say to that.

So you left him standing there, walking back toward Cory with a smile, pulling him in for a hug like Joe wasn’t just barely holding himself together.

January

Exactly seven days later, while Cory was over watching the game with you, Joe took a hit and stayed down. This time you were hanging on by a thread, on the inside. On the outside, you shoved some popcorn in your mouth and sipped on ginger ale, hoping the bubbles would bring your heart back to its rightful place instead of where it currently resided...in your stomach. You didn't know if he had a concussion but he definitely looked out of it, missing throws he usually made and the Bengals escaped Pittsburg by the skin of their teeth, securing a two point win on the road, their destiny up to chance. Ja'Marr called you in the locker room after the game to tell you he needed you at the watch party for good luck in praying on the Dolphins and the Broncos downfall. You told him you'd think about it, part of you didn't mind being in the same room as Joe, especially after you caved and watched his postgame press conference to make sure he wasn't lying about being concussed. Maybe the two of you could be cordial with each other and leave the past behind.

You woke up on the couch with NFL Network still on tv. Something about it felt embarrassing, because it felt right. Months ago you were watching an introduction to football PowerPoint and now you'd regularly catch yourself having football withdrawals. Just as you were ready to call it a night, turning off the tv and mentally preparing yourself to head to your room, you heard a knock at the door. Who could possibly be coming over at 2 in the morning?

You stood frozen in the doorway, gripping the edge of the door like it was the only thing keeping you upright. Your stomach dropped—hard and fast—like missing a step in the dark. Joe was standing there, still in the clothes you had seen him wearing during in his postgame press conference. His hair was a mess, the shadows under his eyes deeper than usual. He looked exhausted. But that wasn’t what made your breath hitch. It was him. Here. Now. After all this time.

“Joe.” Your voice was barely above a whisper. “What are you doing?”

He exhaled heavily, a far away look in his eyes. “I don’t know.”

You crossed your arms, trying to steel yourself, ignoring the way your pulse was racing. “You don’t know? What do you mean you don't know? You just drove around after you landed and magically ended up here?”

“I don't know, I just—I couldn’t go home. Not without seeing you.” He swallowed hard, eyes flickering over your face like he was searching for something, anything that might give him an answer. “I know I shouldn’t be here, but when I got on the plane, all I could think about was you.”

Your heart clenched painfully. Damn him.

“You scared the hell out of me tonight,” you admitted before you could stop yourself. “Watching you go down like that—” You shook your head, gripping the fabric of your hoodie. “I hated it.”

His eyes softened, a flicker of something unspoken passing between you. “I know. Can we just—can I come in?”

You stared at each other, the weight of everything unsaid pressing in around you.

“Joe.” You sighed, your resolve crumbling at the sight of him standing there like that, like he wasn’t sure you’d let him in.

“Please,” he said, voice barely above a whisper. “Just for a minute.”

And against your better judgment, you stepped aside.

Joe ran a hand over his face and took a shaky breath. “I don’t even know what the fuck I was thinking on that play, the pocket collapsed so fast I didn't even have time to throw the ball away. And when I hit the ground, all I could think about was you.” He let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. “Not football, not the game, not the playoffs. You. And how I’d fucked everything up so badly that you wouldn’t even reach out. That I wouldn’t get a chance to apologize.”

Your throat tightened, but you forced yourself to keep your expression unreadable.

“I’m so, so sorry. I was a coward,” Joe admitted, his voice breaking. “I am a coward. I’ve spent my whole life trying to be in control—of my game, my career, my emotions. It's kind of my thing. And you…” He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “You fuck all of that up for me. The way I feel about you scares the living shit out of me.”

You blinked, stunned into silence.

“I’m not some heartless football robot,” he continued, his voice raw with emotion. “I’m a man who’s been terrified to feel anything real because it means I can’t control it. And when I’m with you, it’s real. It’s been real for months, and you were right. About everything. I was too much of a fucking idiot to admit it.”

Your heart was pounding, your breath shallow. You wanted to believe him—God, you did—but you couldn’t just let him walk back into your life like he hadn’t wrecked you before.

“I need you to give me a chance to fix this,” Joe pleaded, his voice barely above a whisper now. “Please.”

You swallowed hard. “Joe…”

“I swear to you,” he interrupted, stepping closer, his hands almost reaching for you before he forced himself to stop. “I promise, I will prove to you that I’m not that coward anymore. Just… just say you’ll let me try.”

You studied him carefully, searching for any sign of doubt, any hesitation. But there was none. Only raw, unfiltered desperation and a kind of vulnerability you had never seen from him before.

Your walls were still up, but something inside you cracked. Just a little.

“You have to earn me this time,” you whispered.

Joe nodded instantly. “I will.”

After a hard conversation with Cory in the morning, you decided to attend the watch party the next day to test the waters. And to see your friends all in one place again. The atmosphere in Joe's house had shifted from tense to comfortable, a soft kind of warmth that had been missing for a while. The room was still, save for the quiet hum of the television, which was showing the Broncos slowly dismantling the Chiefs, much to the frustration of everyone else in the room. Joe had been quiet for the most part, lost in his thoughts, but you could tell he had already come to terms with the inevitable.

You weren’t sure if you should be relieved or sad about the Bengals missing the playoffs, but you did know one thing: it didn’t feel like the end for you and Joe. Not anymore.

The room had cleared out, the others heading to their respective homes after the game, leaving you and Joe alone. The snow outside had started to fall heavier now, creating a peaceful stillness that you couldn’t help but love. Joe seemed to notice the shift in the air as well, his eyes softening as he glanced over at you.

“You okay?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. His concern was still there like that first night he found you outside the housewarming party, that need to take care of you even now.

You nodded, even though there was a part of you that was more uncertain than you wanted to admit. “Yeah. Just…just thinking.”

He leaned back against the couch, eyes flicking to the window as the snowflakes danced in the cold air. “You want me to drive you home? It’s getting pretty bad out there. Or, you could stay? Only if you want to."

You hesitated for a second, a small part of you wanting to avoid the drive, to stay with him just a little longer. Maybe it was the way he looked at you—like he was sure this time. Like there was no more running. “I think…I think I want to stay,” you said quietly, meeting his gaze.

Joe didn’t need any more convincing. He pulled you in close to him on the couch, his arm wrapping around your shoulders as he let out a slow sigh. “I’m really gonna miss football," he murmured. “But I’ve got a lot of work to do with you, so I guess I’ve got some time now. I messed up before. I’m not messing this up again.”

You smiled, the weight of the past few weeks lifting off your shoulders just by being close to him. “I can’t wait to put you to work, 6am at the bakery tomorrow morning. And the next few mornings. For a while.” you teased, your voice barely audible.

Joe’s eyes darkened for a moment, a quiet promise in his gaze. He cupped your face gently, leaning in with a tenderness that took you by surprise. When his lips met yours, it was slow, deliberate, as if he was savoring the moment. A kiss full of unspoken apologies, solidifying what was to come, and the quiet declaration that he was willing to do whatever it took to make things right between the two of you. Even if some of that ended up with him getting covered in flour for the foreseeable future.

You didn’t pull away. In fact, you melted into the kiss, your heart swelling in your chest as his hands slid to the back of your neck, holding you in place like you were exactly where you belonged.

He pressed one more slow kiss to your lips before his eyes flicked to yours, searching. “So… does this mean our friendship over?” His voice was low, careful, but there was something else there—hope, maybe.

You didn’t even have to think about it. You let out a small, breathy laugh, shaking your head and running your fingers through his hair. “Absolutely. It’s dead and gone.”

Joe exhaled a soft chuckle, shaking his head before reaching for you, fingers curling gently around your wrist. “Good,” he murmured, tugging you closer. “Because I really didn’t want to be your friend anyway. Got much bigger plans in mind.”

[grandprixprincess]

hermana part 3 || ln4

lando norris x fem!reader smau + written

part 1 // part 2

warnings: some language

a/n: thanks for all the love for this series :) it's so fun to write! as always, requests are open for smau and text fics <3 also, cherry part 2 will be up next week! read part 1 here :) oh and happy race week!!! i'll be at cota this weekend, so excited!

f1gossip posted

liked by user1, user2, and others

f1gossip 🚨 Lando Norris seen leaving his Monaco apartment this evening!

view all comments

user1 on his way to pick up y/n perhaps? 🤞

user2 the jolly is such a VIBEEEE

user3 oh our man is dressed nice tonight!!! it's giving date night!!!

user4 i think you're right omg??? user5 y/n just posted a story all dressed up 👀

user4 lando is in his lover boy era 😭💗

yourusername posted a story

caption: 🧡🧡🧡

story replies:

yourbestfriend 😍

carlossainz55 are the orange hearts really necessary? 🙄

yourusername yes 🙄

You took one last look at yourself in the mirror before checking the time again. 5:48 pm. Lando would be here soon to pick you up.

Just as you prepared to make your way downstairs, you heard the front door to Carlos' apartment open. You furrowed your brow, wondering why he or Rebecca would be back at this time. They had left earlier in the day and said they would be out until after dinner.

"Y/N?" Carlos' voice rang out.

You grabbed a pair of dainty gold earrings as you walked out of guest bedroom, inserting them in your ear as you walked to where you heard Carlos' voice come from. "Yeah?"

Carlos was alone, carrying a few bags in, his back turned to you. "Good, you're still here. Listen, I just wanted to talk to you real quick before you-" He suddenly turned around mid sentence, "What are you wearing?"

You rolled your eyes. "Don't start, Carlitos. I'm about to leave."

Carlos scoffed. "Uh, no you're not."

You narrowed your eyes at him, "Carlos, stop." Now was not the time for Carlos to go into big brother protection mode. "There's nothing wrong or scandalous about what I'm wearing."

Your phone buzzed. You looked down, seeing Lando's name across your screen, and couldn't help the smile that made its way to your face.

I'm 5 minutes away. See you soon, beautiful.

You were so caught up in reading Lando's text, a blush painting your cheeks a soft pink, that you didn't notice Carlos smirking slightly at you. He liked seeing you happy and smitten like this; it warmed his heart. "You're blushing."

Carlos' words broke you from your daze. "Huh?"

Carlos chuckled lightly. "I said you're blushing." He took a step towards you, reaching his arm out to give you a quick hug. "You look beautiful, hermana. Have fun, yeah?"

You smiled brightly, happy to see Carlos following through with being supportive of you and Lando. "Thanks, we will. I'm going to head down. I'll see you later."

Carlos suddenly gripped your arm, holding you steady. "You are...coming back home tonight, right?"

You blushed, hating every second of this conversation, and gave him a sheepish grin. "Yes, mano. I promise."

"Good. No funny business tonight." You rolled your eyes at his words. "Hey, I mean it, manita. If he's serious, he'll wait."

You obviously didn't tell Carlos the intimate details of you and Lando on the yacht from the previous day. You felt a blush creep on your face again just thinking about it. Giving Carlos' arm a reassuring squeeze, you said, "Not that it's any of your business, but we want to wait. I want Lando to properly wine and dine me first."

"Please don't ever say the words 'Lando' and 'wine and dine me' together in a sentence ever again."

You laughed. "Okay, I need to go. He's almost here." You reached up, giving Carlos another reassuring hug. "Love you!"

"Love you. Keep your phone on. If I text you, you better answer."

You playfully rolled your eyes. "Fine." You grabbed your purse, making your way to the door. "Bye!"

f1gossip posted

liked by user1, user2, user3, georgerussell63, and others

f1gossip 🚨 Lando and Y/N spotted out in Monaco tonight! The pair were reportedly seen cruising around town before heading to a restaurant.

view all comments

user1 lando took her for a drive to watch the sunset 😭😍

user3 literally crying 😭😭😭

user2 i love my emotional support rich couple

user4 george in the likes 💀 he wants to know the tea just like us

user5 carlos at home seeing this like 🤨

user1 nah I know deep down he's a lany/n shipper

user6 they looks so cute together 😭🧡

"Red or white?"

You and Lando were looking over the wine list. The restaurant Lando brought you to was cozy and romantic; you both wore goofy grins as you sat across from each other.

Suddenly you heard your phone buzzing from inside your bag. You and Lando immediately made eye contact, a smirk growing on his face. You had told him in the car what Carlos had said about answering him if he texted you.

You fought the urge to roll your eyes, his gaze causing you to throw him a sheepish smile. "Stop looking at me like that!"

He had a full on grin now. "What, am I not allowed to look at my beautiful date?"

He had you blushing now. "Yes, you can look, but don't make fun of me because I have a psycho brother."

Lando gave you another teasing smirk, looking down at the wine list again before saying, "You better answer him. I don't want to have to worry about him bursting in here and tackling me or something."

You giggled, reaching into your bag and grabbing your phone. You were confused and surprised when you saw who had texted you.

Lando grabbed your hand as you made your way upstairs to meet up with Charles and Alexandra. His hand in yours felt so natural, like two puzzle pieces fitting together perfectly. You smiled down at your joined hands before pulling out your phone to take a quick photo.

After taking the picture, you look up to see Lando staring at you, almost awestruck. You quirked your brow and smiled slightly, asking, "What?"

Lando just shook his head, rubbed his thumb across the back of your hand affectionately. "Nothing, just wondering how I got so lucky to have such a beautiful date tonight."

You blushed for what felt like the hundredth time tonight. "I feel pretty lucky too. I'm here with my dream man." You squeeze his hand.

The two of you have made it to the rooftop now, and do a once over of the space, looking for your friends. Lando leads you two towards the bar in the meantime.

"Dream man, huh?" Lando let go of your hand suddenly, his hand finding its way to your hip, pulling you in close, whispering in your ear, "You're literally the object of all my fantasies and desires." Lando keeps his hand on your hip, using his thumb to rub slow, small circles into your side.

You feel hot suddenly, and you know it's probably another blush on your face. Words lose you; you just focus on Lando's hand on you as stare up at him, eyes dilated.

"It's so fucking cute when you blush like that," Lando whispers in your ear again, "You're my dream girl."

Just as you were about to respond, you hear a voice behind you say, "Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

You turn around, Lando's hand still on your hip, to see Charles and Alexandra, both with coy smiles on their faces. You and Lando wear sheepish smiles as you wave to your friends.

Charles spoke up again. "Okay, first round is on me. Then you two can explain what's going on."

Lando laughed, letting go of your hip to join Charles to bring the drinks back. "Vodka cran?" he asked you, hand lingering with yours as he walked away.

He still remembers your drink of choice. You smiled, nodding. "Yes, please."

Once the boys were gone, Alex looked at you, still with that coy smile on her face. "Alright, spill. When did this happen?"

"After Singapore." You had another goofy smile on your face, you were sure of it. "We hadn't seen each other in a while, but after the race he texted me asking to see me again. Then he offered to pick me up from the airport, and yesterday we spent the day together..."

"Oh trust me, I saw the photos." Alex said teasingly.

You blushed again. "He told me yesterday that he tried to ask me out years ago, but Carlos stopped him."

Alex rolled her eyes. "I know he means well, but that doesn't surprise me at all."

You nod. "The past is the past. I've already spoken to Carlos about it and we've cleared the air."

"That's good." Alex reached over, grabbing your hand and giving it a squeeze. "You two looked so smitten with each other during dinner. I'm happy for you."

You saw Lando and Charles walking back towards you two, drinks in hand. You locked eyes with Lando, who was mid-conversation with Charles, and he flashed you a handsome grin.

Dream man.

yourusername posted a close friends story

story replies:

yourbestfriend screaming crying throwing up

iamrebeccad carlos saw this and threw his phone across the floor

f1gossip posted

liked by user1, user2, user3, and others

f1gossip 🚨 Lando Norris and Y/N Y/L/N spotted out at a bar in Monaco tonight!

view all comments

user1 the way lando is looking at her 😭 when will it be my turn

user2 lany/n army we are getting FED

user3 and they were seen hanging with charles and alex!! 🥰

user4 why them and not carlos and rebecca?? user3 probably because carlos would kill lando on sight if he saw lando touching y/n like that irl user3 also I think charles and alex just happened to be there too coincidentally

user5 idk who i'm more jealous of: lando or y/n 😭

It was nearly midnight when Lando pulled up outside Carlos' apartment building. You didn't want the night to end. Lando's hand was latched with yours in your lap.

The two of you sat in silence for a moment, just trying to savor the moment. "If you asked me to sit out here with you all night, I would," you admitted.

Lando chuckled. "As tempting as that is, these seats aren't exactly the most comfortable." He began rubbing soft circles on your hand with his thumb. "I had a great time tonight."

Your heart fluttered at his words. "So did I." You laid your free hand on his forearm, just wanting to savor as much of his touch as possible. "Will I get to see you again before I leave?"

Lando had a teasing glint in his eye as he said, "That eager to see me again, huh?" Little shit. He shifted in his seat, turning towards you, inching closer.

You playfully rolled your eyes. "Hey, that's my line." You inched closer to him, waiting for what was to come. "Answer the question."

Your faces were centimeters apart. "I've been spoiled the past few days. I want to see you every day."

"Come see me tomorrow."

Lando sighed. "Are you sure? I don't want to take you away from spending time with Carlos."

You smiled at his thoughtfulness. "He's going golfing tomorrow," you said, "So I'll be alone until he gets back." You hesitated for a moment, before adding, "I'm making dinner tomorrow. You should come."

Lando quirked his brow. "Come to dinner...with you and Carlos?"

You narrowed your eyes, flashing him a grin. "It's not like the three of us haven't had dinner together before."

"Yeah, but it's different now."

"You do know you'll have to face him eventually, right?"

If it was possible, Lando leaned even closer. "Yeah, I know." He reached his free hand up, caressing your face. "I'll be there."

Lando smiled at the way your face lit up with joy. "You will?" When he nodded, you finally leaned in and closed the gap between you two, connecting his lips with yours.

It felt blissful. You were sure you could kiss Lando for the rest of your life and never get enough. As his lips moved against yours, you released your hand from his, snaking both hands around his neck.

You smirked against his lips when your hands found themselves in his curls again.

"Careful, baby," Lando cooed against your lips. "I'm already fighting the urge to ask you to come home with me."

You giggled, pulling his face back towards yours, desperate for his lips on yours again.

Suddenly, you felt your phone buzz in your purse. The two of you broke apart, smirks on your faces. You both knew who it was.

Stop sucking faces and come inside already. It's late.

"He's watching us," you said, showing the text you received from Carlos. "I better go." You sighed, a wave of sadness taking over you at the realization that the night really was ending.

"Can I walk you up?"

Your eyes widened. "Uh, yeah, of course." Lando quicky got out of the car, walking over to your side and holding out his hand. "Are you sure?"

He flashed a genuine smile. "I'm going to have to face him eventually, right?" You look at his offered hand again before reaching out and grabbing it, lacing your fingers together. As you made your way inside and towards the elevator, he added, "Besides, it's not a real first date unless you do the classic goodnight kiss at the front door."

"You're a real charmer, huh?"

As you finally made your way to Carlos' front door, you stopped to dig for the key in your purse. You struggled to find it for a bit; suddenly, the door opened, revealing Carlos.

"Hey, mate." Lando said nervously, letting out an awkward laugh.

Carlos stared blankly at Lando for a moment, before saying, "Hey, cabrón." He stepped out into the hallway to join you both, eyes still on Lando. "Nice of you to walk her up."

"Of course, yeah, of course," Lando rambled, Carlos continuing to stare him down.

You decided to stop this before it escalated further. "You're making him nervous, Carlos. Stop it."

Carlos broke out into a grin, playfully slapping Lando's shoulder. "I was just messing with you, mate." He finally looked over at you before saying to Lando, "You should join us for dinner tomorrow."

You couldn't hide the surprise on your face if you tried. Looking over at Lando, he wore a similar expression on his face before saying, "Yeah, I would like that."

"You should join me for golf tomorrow too if you're not busy."

Now you were sure your eyes were going to pop out of their socket from shock. What was Carlos up to?

When both you and Lando were silent at the second invitation, Carlos added, "Listen, I don't want things to be weird between us because you guys are," he gestured his hand in the space between you two, "dating, or whatever."

You and Lando both laughed, feeling more at ease. You turned to Lando, nudging him with your elbow. "You should go. I'll sleep in and enjoy a day to myself."

With both you and Carlos' eyes on him, he nodded quickly. "Yeah, a round of golf sounds nice. I'm in."

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow, mate." Carlos said, offering his hand out to Lando and giving him a bro hug. As he went inside and closed the door, he added, "Doors unlocked, manita."

As Carlos disappeared, Lando turned to you. "Are you sure?" Lando asked, searching your eyes for any doubt. When you nodded and flashed him an earnest smile, he nodded back. "I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?" Lando said, reaching for your hand, caressing it softly. You nodded, leaning up to press one last kiss to his lips for the night; a goodnight kiss to end the most perfect night.

landonorris posted a story

caption: hanging with bae ❤️ @/carlossainz55

story replies:

yourusername LMAO

landonorris sorry you had to find out this way yourusername with my brother too 😔 landonorris carlando can't be broken

user1 y/n brought carlando back together and for that i'll forever be grateful

lando.jpg posted

liked by yourusername, carlossainz55, maxfewtrell, daniel3.jpg, and others

lando.jpg nice lil break

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user1 CARLANDOOOO

lnfour 📣 new jpg photo dump alert

user2 y/n on lando.jpg y/n on lando.jpg y/n on lando.jpg

user3 the soft launch is soft launching 😙🤌

user4 putting the carlando pic before y/n??? lando said that's still my man

yourusername mama a girl behind you

user1 LMAO 💀 user5 one thing about y/n? she's always going to roast carlos

carlossainz55 posted

liked by yourusername, iamrebeccad, yoursister, charles_leclerc, landonorris, and others

carlossainz55 Had a great few weeks off. Ready for Austin 🤠🇺🇸

tagged: iamrebeccad, yourusername

view all comments

user1 LFG TRIPLE HEADER TIME

user2 rebecca and y/n are the cutest

yourusername love you but love @/iamrebeccad more 💗

iamrebeccad 💗👯‍♀️ carlossainz55 wow 😐 carlossainz55 whatever we all know who you really love more 🧡 user1 OMG??? user4 the orange heart 😭 oh he is a lany/n shipper for sure

user3 manifesting a y/n appearance in the paddock in austin 🙏

scuderiaferrari Ready to be back on track 💪

user5 chili podium in austin 🕯🙏

yourusername posted

liked by landonorris, yourbestfriend, carlossainz55, charles_leclerc, and others

yourusername Monaco memories ✨

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user1 not lando liking this under 1 minute of posting

user2 oh he's so down bad, he has those notifs on

landonorris First ♥︎ by author

user5 OH user2 oh ABSOLUTELY down bad user6 og lany/n shippers used to pray for times like these 😭

user3 pls come to austin queen 🙏😔

alexandrasaintmleux 💗☀️

yourusername btw carlos made me post that photo to make up for the last post 🙄

carlossainz55 👍 yourusername 🖕 user1 someone tell ferrari the girls are fighting again 🙄

user4 her not tagging anyone in this post so her and lando can keep soft launching 😂

user5 they're having fun with it and i love it

user6 lando once again behind the camera like 😍🤳

yourbestfriend the first pic 😍😍😍

landonorris i know right 😍 user4 OH user2 down bad on main 😨

It had been a week since you arrived in Monaco. Things with you and Lando were going better than ever, but a fear was beginning to creep in as it was nearing the time for you to head back home. Lando was about to head out on a triple header, and the championship battle between him and Max was at its peak. You contemplated asking Carlos to take you with him to Austin, but would Lando want you there?

"Lan?" You sat on the bed in the hotel room, waiting for Lando to finish getting ready to head out for media day at the circuit. Something had been weighing on your mind as you got ready.

"Yeah?" He grabbed his bag, slinging it over his shoulder. "You ready?"

You nodded. "Yeah, just one thing..." you started, "I know we've been spotted and posted who knows how many times already, but this will be the first time we go out together, you know publicly, in front of the media." You fiddled with your hands as you contemplated your next sentence. "I just want to make sure you're ready for that."

"Are you ready for that?"

Without a second thought, you said, "Yeah, I don't want to hide. Soft launching is fun, but I think we lost the element of surprise already."

Lando chuckled before offering his hand for you to take. "I've been ready this whole time. Let's go do our hard launch then, baby."

f1gossip posted

liked by user1, user2, user3, and others

f1gossip 🚨 Lando and Y/N spotted entering the paddock together for media day at COTA!

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user1 the people's prince and princess

user2 hard launching at a gp is iconic

user4 taking selfies together with fans 😭 i love them sm

user3 will y/n be in the ferrari or mclaren garage this weekend???

user2 i thought for sure ferrari but now i'm thinking mclaren 😬 user4 no she will 1000% be in ferrari there's no way

yourusername posted stories

story 1 caption: save a horse ride a cowboy amirite 😍🤠

story 2 caption: don't worry i'm still a ferrari girl first <3 (ferrari pls give carlos a good strategy this weekend or i swear)

story replies to story 1:

user1 we went from subtle soft launch to horny on main so quick I have whiplash

carlossainz55 delete this

landonorris was busy doing an interview but is this why people keep yelling cowboy at me

yourusername oops sorry baby yourusername come eat i got your chicken wrap landonorris otw 🏃🏻‍♂️

story replies to story 2:

carlossainz55 for once I agree with one of your posts

user2 i can't wait to see you flame williams next year

oscarpiastri posting this while sitting across from me in the mclaren hospitality is wild

yourusername 😂

Part 4

taglist: @npcmia @tinyhrry @that-one-little-soybean @a-beaverhausen @mxdi0 @scorpiodiosa @dripostsstuff @maddja @thegirlamongthestars @flrboyd @saythename-sm @landossainz @arrowenchantress @plotpal @jule239 @avni-sarai @hangingwiththestars @nxk1309 @amberpanda99

[amirasainz]

Maybe some jealous Lando but with a happy end? Btw, I loved your last post. 💚

Enjoy reading and send some requests!!!

-xoxo babygirl 🧡

Burning Jealousy

The silence in the car was unbearable.

Yn sat stiffly in the passenger seat, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the passing streetlights. The only sound was the low hum of the engine and the occasional flick of the turn signal. Lando’s hands gripped the steering wheel a little too tightly, his jaw clenched, his knuckles white.

It had been like this since they left dinner with their friends—since Mike had made her laugh a little too much, leaned in a little too close, and, in Lando’s eyes, given her just a little too much attention.

Lando had said nothing the entire drive. But then, just as the silence was starting to settle into something tolerable, he opened his mouth.

"He's in love with you, you know."

Yn’s fingers twitched. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she stared out of the window. She refused to acknowledge the comment.

"Yn," Lando tried again, his tone sharp. "Don't ignore me."

She exhaled through her nose, still refusing to look at him.

"I'm not ignoring you," she said, her voice dangerously even. "I just have nothing to say to that."

Lando scoffed, shaking his head. "Right. Of course. Because you don't see it."

"Because there’s nothing to see," she snapped, finally turning to glare at him. "Mike is my friend, Lando. He has been for years. You know that."

Lando let out a humorless laugh, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, and I also know the way he looks at you."

Yn clenched her fists in her lap, willing herself to stay calm. But the anger had already started to bubble over, and she knew it was too late.

"You know what? I’m done with this conversation."

She turned back to the window, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a reaction.

Lando let out an exasperated sigh, running a hand through his curls.

The road ahead was empty, the city quiet at this late hour. When they reached a red light, the car rolled to a slow stop. The tension in the air was thick enough to choke on.

And then Yn had had enough.

Without a word, she unbuckled her seatbelt and pushed open the car door.

"Yn!" Lando’s voice was sharp with shock, but she didn't stop.

She stepped out onto the pavement, reaching down to yank off her heels. The night air was cool against her skin, but her anger burned hotter.

"Yn, what the hell are you doing?"

Lando had barely processed what was happening before she was walking down the street, heels dangling from her fingers, her bare feet padding softly against the pavement.

"Yn!"

The sound of the car door slamming echoed through the quiet street. A second later, Lando was jogging after her.

"You can’t just walk away!" he called, his voice laced with frustration. "Yn, stop!"

She ignored him.

"Yn, I'm serious—come back here!"

Nothing.

Lando groaned, running a hand down his face before picking up his pace. His heart was pounding for a different reason now—protectiveness, fear, the sheer desperation to fix things before they fell apart.

He caught up to her quickly, stepping in front of her path and forcing her to stop.

"Move, Lando," she muttered, her voice ice-cold.

"Not until you talk to me."

"I don’t want to talk to you."

"Well, too bad," he shot back. "Because I’m not letting you walk barefoot down the street at night like a crazy person."

Yn huffed, crossing her arms. "Then you shouldn't have said something so stupid."

Lando’s expression softened slightly, but he didn’t move. He took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair.

"I know," he admitted. "I know it was stupid."

Yn blinked, surprised by his sudden shift in tone.

"I just—" Lando sighed, looking down at the ground for a moment before meeting her eyes again. "I love you, Yn. And sometimes, that love makes me an idiot."

She frowned, her anger flickering for just a second. "Lando—"

"No, let me finish," he interrupted, stepping closer. "I know Mike is your friend. I know you love me. But sometimes, I see the way other guys look at you, and it drives me insane."

"Lando—"

"Because I don't want to lose you," he admitted, his voice quieter now. "Because the idea of you being with someone else—of someone else making you laugh like that, making you smile like that—kills me."

Yn’s anger started to waver, just a little.

"I hate that I get jealous," Lando continued. "I hate that I let it get to me. But it's only because I love you so much, and sometimes, I don’t know how to deal with that."

Yn let out a breath, her shoulders loosening slightly.

"You're an idiot," she muttered.

Lando let out a small chuckle. "Yeah, I know."

She sighed, shaking her head. "I love you, Lando. But you have to trust me. You have to trust that I love you and only you."

"I do," he said quickly. "I do trust you. It's him I don’t trust."

Yn rolled her eyes. "Mike has never tried anything, and he never will. You have to let this go."

Lando hesitated before nodding. "Okay."

"Okay?" she echoed.

"Okay," he repeated, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry. Really."

Yn let out a small sigh. "You're lucky I love you."

Lando grinned, his dimples appearing. "I really am."

Before she could say anything else, he bent down and, without warning, scooped her up into his arms.

"Lando!" she squeaked, wrapping her arms around his neck on instinct.

"You're not walking back barefoot," he said simply. "Even if you are mad at me."

Yn huffed but didn’t argue. She rested her head against his shoulder as he carried her back to the car.

When he finally set her down, she looked up at him, her expression softer now.

"You're an idiot," she murmured again.

Lando smirked. "Yeah, but I’m your idiot."

She rolled her eyes, but before she could say anything, he leaned in, pressing a soft, lingering kiss against her lips.

And just like that, the fight was forgotten.

The love, however, remained.

[demie90s]

soft and clingy but oblivious reader with jealous and possessive caitlin 🙂‍↕️

𝐂𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐗 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝��𝐫

ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɢɪʀʟ’ꜱ ᴍɪɴᴇ

MASTERLIST MORE

Summary: You’re clingy. Affectionate. Always hanging off Caitlin Clark like she’s your life line—and she lets you, because you’re hers. Even if you don’t realize it yet.

Genre: College AU • Enemies-to-lovers energy but with soft obsession • Jealousy • Possessive love • Slow-burn tension turned heat

Warnings: Explicit language, possessive behavior, jealousy, physical tension, emotionally repressed reader, suggestive kissing, territorial energy, toxic slow burn vibes

Word Count: ~ 0.6k

~I hope you like this cause I didn’t really know what to write about.🧡

I don't mean to do it.

The touching. The clinging. The way I fold myself into Caitlin's side every time we're in the same room, like her gravity pulls me in before my brain can catch up.

But I do it anyway.

Arm draped across her shoulders. Chin on her shoulder during film. Sitting on the floor in front of her during team meetings like she's a damn throne. I call her my favorite. Tell people she's the only one I trust. I wear her warmups like they're mine.

To me, it's normal.

To her? It's something else entirely.

Tonight's a party. Packed. Hot. Some athlete thing thrown by the baseball guys, but half the basketball team is here too. Including Caitlin.

I show up late, like always, in one of her Iowa hoodies that hangs off my shoulder like it belongs there. I'm halfway through the living room when I hear someone call my name.

I turn—and it's him.

Some guy from men's track. Tall. Mid-smile. Hands in his pockets like he's harmless.

He's not flirting, exactly. Just being nice. Complimenting the hoodie, asking if I'm seeing anyone. I laugh. Play it off.

Behind me, I feel it before I see it.

Caitlin.

She's standing in the doorway, solo cup in hand, watching the entire exchange. Her mouth is tight. Her eyes narrow.

She doesn't interrupt. She waits.

And when I finally walk over, completely unaware, she's still posted up like a statue—cool and calm but her jaw's locked and she hasn't blinked in twenty seconds.

"Hey!" I grin, sliding into her space like I always do. My hand brushes her stomach, and I lean into her shoulder like I live there.

"You're wearing my hoodie," she says flatly.

I blink. "You literally threw it at me this morning."

"Didn't say take it to a party."

"I missed you," I say with a lazy smile, fingers curling into the sleeve. "And it smells like you."

She licks her bottom lip, slow. "You always talk to guys like that when I'm not around?"

I freeze a little, laugh shaky. "What? No. He was just being nice."

Caitlin looks down at me—slow, deliberate.

"You think I'm nice?"

I shift. "You're...you?"

She hums, and it's not playful. It's territorial.

"You hang off me all day," she mutters. "You wear my shit. You call me every night. But then you walk around like I'm just your favorite teammate?"

I blink. "I—"

She steps forward. One hand on my hip, casual but firm. Her voice drops to the kind of quiet that makes your skin burn.

"Do I look like just your favorite?"

Her fingers tighten just slightly, and I can't breathe.

"..Well?" she adds.

"You didn't—"

"I did," she cuts me off. "With my eyes. With my hands. With every look I give you when someone else thinks you're available."

I'm blinking fast now, heart racing. "Caitlin..."

She leans in, eyes low, her mouth brushing the shell of my ear.

"That guy's not the problem," she murmurs. "You are."

And then she pulls back, just enough to look at me fully.

"You act like you don't know you're mine."

My mouth opens. Closes.

"I'm not—"

"You are."

And then, before I can argue, she sets her cup down, pulls me into her chest by the bottom hem of her own hoodie, and kisses me hard. Not sweet. Not testing.

Possessive. Hungry. Warning.

I melt into it because I'm wired to—but I don't even register my hands curling in her hair until she groans softly into my mouth. When she pulls back, breath hot and low, she says one thing.

"Try that clueless shit again and see what happens."

[piastri-fvx]

Fool for you. Lando Norris.

Pairing: Lando Norris x model!reader, smau

Summary: When y/n and Lando are on vacation together and Lando is acting like the down bad boyfriend he is.

Word Count: 970+

Face claim: sabrina carpenter & girls from pinterest!!

Disclaimer/s: None, just a tiny bit of teasing/bickering and obviously Lando being down bad!!

A/N: Third storyyy, here we goooo!! Hope u enjoy <333 let me know if you have requests or you want to be on my permanent tag list!!!

♡ Masterlist ♡

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@yourusername

liked by landonorris, pietra.pilao, logansargeant, oscarpiastri and 3.492.691 others

yourusername f1 summer break incomingggg

| view all comments...

user1 obsessed with the lando boyfriend content

-> user2 you're so real for that

oscarpiastri i can hear lando giggling in the room next to the one i'm in liked by creator

-> user3 probably kicking his feet

-> user4 lando's like a teenage girl with a crush 😭🙏

-> user5 no but like he basically is

user6 lando norizz in one... two... three..

landonorris my beautiful beautiful girlfriend 😍😍���� liked by creator

-> yourusername 💕

-> landonorris i miss youuuuu

-> yourusername i'm sitting next to you??

-> landonorris yes but there's like a few centimeters between us 😣

-> maxfewtrell simp

-> georgerussell63 simp

-> alex_albon simp

-> estebanocon simp

-> yukitsunoda0511 simp

-> pietra.pilao model for a reason 🥰 liked by creator

-> yourusername miss you so much, my love!!

-> pietra.pilao you and lando need to come to london soon and visit max and i liked by creator

-> yourusername definitely!!

-> landonorris nooooo 🙁

-> maxfewtrell we don't get a say in this?

-> user6 no, let the girls be girls, lmao

user7 okay but she is literally stunning 😍

-> landonorris she issss 🥰 liked by creator

logansargeant yoooooo liked by creator

-> yourusername oh... hi 🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🔥🔥🔥🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

-> user8 my girl saw an american and thought eagle 😭

user9 pretty girllll

@landonorris

liked by maxfewtrell, yourusername, mclaren, nicolassturniolo, taylorswift and 4.385.591 others

landonorris summer vacation with the prettiest girl in the world (she wanted to keep the kittens) 🥰

| view all comments...

user1 i love him for posting the chaotic pics

user2 i'm not sure if i wanna be lando or y/n

-> user3 real. they're both so lucky

-> user4 most attractive couple fr fr

user15 i don't want the relationship if it's not like lando and y/n

taylorswift deserved resttt ❤️ liked by creator

-> yourusername and your songs are on repeat 💋

-> user5 lando and y/n are giving so high school/ sparks fly

-> user6 omg true

user7 true love doesn't exist if they don't get married one day liked by creator

-> landonorris 🤭

-> user8 IS THIS SUBTLE FORESHADOWING, LANDO NORRIS?????

-> user9 is this an announcement by him??

user10 my type

yourusername cutieeeee ❤️ liked by creator

-> user11 they're adorable

-> landonorris @yourusername no youuuu

-> user12 he's probably kicking his feet rn

oscarpiastri i'm currently sitting next to lando, i can confirm that he's blushing liked by creator

-> landonorris yep

-> user13 and he's so proud of it too 😭❤️

-> user14 i don't want him if he's not like lando

maxverstappen1 are you a cat dad now?

-> landonorris yes, we kept the kittens 😣

-> user16 the way lando literally can't say no to y/n

-> user17 being a cat dad made him gain infinite aura tbh

@yourusername

liked by landonorris, leenascobell, charles_leclerc, flavy.barla and 2.389.174 others

yourusername blessed 🧡

| view all comments...

leenascobell love you so much y/n liked by creator

-> yourusername love youuuuu

-> user1 the scobell family and y/n being friends jdndbuxkdndkdk

-> user2 kill me now

mclaren orange dress? *wink* papaya? *wink wink* liked by creator

-> yourusername my favorite team 🧡🤭

-> user15 the mclaren admin is a proud parents 😭❤️

flavy.barla love of my life ❤️ liked by creator

-> yourusername real, love of my life 💋

-> flavy.barla my girllll liked by creator

-> landonorris back off, y/n's mine 🙄

-> estebanocon mate, we don't even exist to them

-> user3 real, so stop trying

-> user4 the wives and their boyfriends

landonorris did someone say wife? liked by creator

-> user5 what if we did?

-> user8 lando...

user14 that's not even a face card, that's a while face economy 😍

user6 oh, y/n, the woman you are

-> user7 oh, lando, the man your are

user8 lando, my man, you better wife her up soon

-> user9 fr, put a ring on it

-> user10 he better not fumble🙏

user11 bro's actually trying to soft launch him proposing to his girlfriend rn 😭

user12 they are so wattpad coded

-> user13 no but like actually 🙏

@landonorris

liked by yourusername, flavy.barla, alexandrastmleux, flonorris1, lilymhe and 5.395.726 others

landonorris ladies and gentleman, my future Mrs. Norris ❤️

tagged: @yourusername

| view all comments...

flonorris1 so incredibly happy for you guys!! and very happy to have y/n as my new sister 🤭 liked by creator

-> yourusername huge bonus to marrying lando 🥰

-> landonorris you're lucky i love you, y/n 🙄

-> yourusername i love you, even if you're a muppet sometimes 🧡 liked by creator

-> user1 mom and dad 😍

user2 she really is THAT woman

-> user3 FR SHE IS SO PRETTY

user4 i don't know if i want to be y/n or be with y/n

-> user5 the struggle is real yall

-> user6 yeah 😭😭😭

user7 can lando fight???

-> landonorris yes. 😒

-> user8 surely he can't fight all of us?

-> user9 maybe not but i think he'll try

flavy.barla congrats!! liked by creator

-> yourusername thank you, my loveee ❤️

-> landonorris thanks, flavy

iamrebeccad Yaaaaayyy so special 🥰♥️ liked by creator

-> user10 awwww ❤️❤️❤️

carmenmmundt that's wonderful!!! congratulations ❤️ liked by creator

-> yourusername thank you!!

-> user11 hi, carmen!!

user12 all of the wags being in the comments, awww 😭❤️

alexandrasaintmleux Sooooo happy for you both ❤️❤️🥰🥰🥰🥰 liked by creator

-> user13 alex and y/n supremacy 🙏

-> yourusername @alexandrasaintmleux thank you so much, darling!!!

-> user14 the best bridesmaid??

user15 CONGRATSSSSS ❤️❤️❤️

mclaren CONGRATSSS!!! the Norris's are team papaya 🧡🤭 liked by creator

-> user16 real 🥰

-> landonorris always ☺️

-> yourusername papaya on top!! liked by creator

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A/N: yayyyyyy!! this took me so long because i was really busy today, but anywayssss!! hope u enjoyed <333