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iitslera · 3 days ago

Text

stay here ✶ JJ Maybank

english isn’t my first lenguaje, I think emotional vulnerability, implied past hardship, soft angst, hurt/comfort.

── ✦ ──

The old fan buzzed lazily in the corner, spinning just enough to move the hot summer air. Outside, the sky was a dark blue ink, the palm trees just shadows against the night. Inside, the heat still clung to the walls of the chateau like it didn’t know the day was over.

"You should sleep in the bed," you said for the third time, turning to look at him.

JJ was on the floor, lying on a beat-up old blanket that barely covered the wooden boards. He was using his backpack as a pillow, arms crossed behind his head like this was totally normal, like he wasn’t clearly suffering.

"And I already told you no," he replied with a half-smile, not even opening his eyes.

"JJ…" you sighed, sitting up on the mattress. "You're gonna wake up with your neck twisted and your back wrecked."

"I’ve slept in worse places, princess," he joked, cracking one eye open to glance at you.

You exhaled, frustrated. You were staying at the chateau because your family had gone out of town, and JJ insisted on keeping you company. The night had started lighthearted—card games, a little stolen beer from John B’s fridge—but when it came time to sleep, JJ had stubbornly refused to share the bed.

"I don’t want you to think I’m trying anything," he’d said quietly, eyes serious for once.

But now, watching him sprawled out awkwardly, his blond curls messy, his long legs bent at weird angles, something in your chest tugged a little.

"You’re gonna wake up cursing me tomorrow for letting you sleep down there," you tried again.

"You didn’t force me," he said with a tired little laugh.

You didn’t respond right away. The fan kept spinning. The heat pressed against your skin. JJ looked relaxed, but you knew him better than that. When he got really still and said “it’s fine,” it almost never was.

"JJ," you whispered. "Why won’t you just sleep up here? Just sleep. I promise I won’t hog the blankets or kick you."

He opened his eyes again and stared at you. That look he gave you… like he was searching for words and couldn’t find them. Like he had some invisible fear stuck in his throat he didn’t know how to name.

"Because I like you too much," he said suddenly. Not a whisper. A confession.

You froze. So did he.

JJ sat up, arms resting on his knees, eyes on the floor like he’d just dropped a bomb. Like he was bracing himself for whatever came next. But you didn’t say anything. You just scooted over on the mattress and patted the space beside you gently.

"Then come sleep here," you said softly. "If you like me… stay."

He looked up slowly, almost like he wasn’t sure he’d heard you right. And then, without saying a word, he got to his feet. He sat down on the bed first, awkward and hesitant, like he was still doubting himself. Then he laid down beside you, leaving a careful amount of space between you, lying stiff on his back, eyes fixed on the ceiling.

Minutes passed. Quiet. Just the fan, the distant sound of crickets, and the rapid beat of your heart.

Until you turned. And looked at him.

"You comfortable now?"

"Much more," he said, turning to face you.

In the darkness, his eyes glinted. He didn’t touch you. Not even a brush of skin. But the silence between you was charged, humming with something unspoken, something fragile and dangerous and beautiful.

"JJ…" you whispered, barely breathing. "I’ve had feelings for you, too. For a while."

He didn’t respond with words. He just inched closer, just enough for his forehead to rest gently against yours, his fingers slowly intertwining with yours under the covers.

"Then I’m gonna stay here every night you’ll let me," he murmured.

And for the first time in a long, long while, JJ Maybank slept soundly. With you.

No fear. No act. Just him. And you.

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iitslera · 9 days ago

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to the real space ✶ LN4

english isn’t my first language, just some Father’s Day fluff (kinda short)

── ✦ ──

Lando was in the kitchen, wearing a wrinkled white t-shirt and his hair slightly messy, flipping pancakes like he was in the middle of a qualifying session. He moved the pan with that driver precision he seemed to have for everything never losing focus, never making a mess, his movements swift and efficient, a sharp contrast to the slow, sleepy rhythm of the morning.

The smell of melted butter and sweet batter filled the apartment, and from the kitchen island, you watched him with your cheek resting on your hand, like every small gesture of his reminded you exactly why you’d fallen in love with him. Despite the travels, the races, the fast-paced life he had led for so long, Lando had become a safe place.

Ever since you came into his life along with the little whirlwind called Oliver Lando hadn’t hesitated for even a second to open the door to both of you. He wasn’t Oliver’s biological father, but no one would’ve ever guessed that.

He taught him how to ride a bike in the park behind the house, his hands shaking with emotion the first time Oliver pedaled on his own. He bought him ice cream after preschool even when you said it was too much sugar. He read him bedtime stories in pirate, astronaut, and dragon voices and when Oliver fell asleep on his chest, Lando kept holding him like he was the most precious thing in the world.

“Landooo!” The little voice echoed down the hallway, loud and clear. “Lando, come play!”

Lando set the spatula aside and turned just in time to see Oliver running toward him. Barefoot, in dinosaur pajamas, and with his blond hair wild from the pillow. He had that perfect mix of energy and clumsiness that only a four-year-old could have: arms wide open, unsteady little steps, and a laugh that filled the entire apartment like music.

“Slow down, little one!” Lando laughed, crouching down to catch him with open arms. Oliver threw himself into his chest like he hadn’t seen him in weeks, even though it had only been a few hours since he’d fallen asleep next to him during a bedtime story about planets.

Lando scooped him up with ease, resting him on his hip, and Oliver immediately wrapped his little arms around his neck.

“I had a dream,” Oliver mumbled sleepily. “That we went to real space.”

Lando smiled and kissed his cheek.

“Well then, we better start building a rocket after breakfast, huh?”

From the kitchen island, you watched them in silence. Your heart full, your eyes misty. Because even if you’d never said it out loud, you knew Lando was the closest thing to home Oliver had ever known. And you, too.

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iitslera · 9 days ago

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mon petit monde ✶ CL16

english isn’t my first language, just fluff here

── ✦ ──

The sunlight filters through the apartment curtains, painting golden rays across the room. Beside you, Charles is still asleep, his hair tousled and one hand stretched out toward you, as if even in sleep he needs to make sure you're still there.

But what really wakes him is the high-pitched little voice coming from the hallway. “Daaaddyyyy,” she says, dragging out the last syllable. “Daddy, wake up!” The door creaks open slightly, and there she is. Jules. Wearing her Ferrari pajamas, her curls a messy halo around her face, and holding her favorite stuffed toy—the one Charles bought her the day she was born. Her face is glowing with excitement, and in her tiny hands she carries a folded piece of paper.

“It’s your day!” she yells, running toward the bed.Charles opens his eyes just in time to catch her as she throws herself onto him. Their laughter fills the room. “Are you sure?” he asks, his voice still hoarse from sleep. “Yes! Because you're the best daddy in the world!” Jules answers confidently, planting a loud kiss on his cheek.

You sit on the other side of the bed, watching them. And there's something in the way Charles looks at her—like he can’t quite believe he ever lived without her—that tightens your chest with tenderness.“Did you make this?” he asks, pointing at the drawing still clutched in her small hand. She nods proudly. “It’s mommy, Leo, you, and me… with your red car!” she explains. Charles throws you an amused glance, and you shrug.

“Why don’t we let daddy get ready while we prepare breakfast?” you suggest, and Jules doesn’t hesitate for a second to agree. Soon, the apartment is filled with the smell of pancakes, fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, and sizzling bacon. Jules watches you from her highchair, picking at some fruit while coloring a new drawing. “Is this a Ferrari?” Charles asks once he joins you both in the kitchen. “No! It’s a McLaren!” she yells, and the two of you burst into laughter. When breakfast is over, you lift Jules from her chair to help her down, but not before leaning in to whisper something in her ear.

At first, she listens very seriously, her little hands on your shoulders—and then nods with the same kind of enthusiasm she has when you offer her ice cream. She hops down clumsily, laughter sparkling in her eyes, and runs down the hallway with those still-awkward, wobbly steps she hasn’t quite mastered yet.

Charles watches her disappear, then turns to you. He walks over with that soft expression only you know. It’s not the face of the racer or the idol—it’s the face of a man who has learned to love with patience and to live more gently since becoming a father.

He kisses you slowly. His lips on yours, warm. Real. “Thank you for making me a dad. Thank you for her.”

You’re quiet for a second. Because those words—so simple, so true—hit you right in the center of your chest. You smile, because you know—without a shadow of a doubt—that no trophy, no circuit, no win will ever compare to the love he feels for the little girl with the clear eyes who calls him "daddy."

And then, she returns.

Jules appears carrying a box wrapped in red paper printed with tiny Ferrari race cars. She stumbles a little under the weight but refuses any help. She places it on the table with a triumphant, “Ta-daaaa!” that makes her giggle at herself. “It’s for you, daddy,” she says in a tiny voice, like it’s a very important secret. Charles sits, intrigued, and begins unwrapping the gift carefully. He lifts the lid, and the first thing he sees is a photo—you, holding a pregnancy test. Your eyes swollen from crying—happy tears, fearful ones, all of it. Beneath it, there’s more. A thick photo album, bound in soft leather. He opens it.

First page: the blurry image of an ultrasound. Then, him with his hands on your belly, mentally rehearsing how he’d tell the world he was going to be a father. A handwritten letter from you, your handwriting just a little shaky: "From that day on, I wasn’t sure whether you were more in love with me… or with the baby."

There are photos of him attending ultrasounds—even if just over video call—of sleepless nights assembling her crib, of the first time he held her, eyes filled with tears. An entire page is dedicated to his first podium after becoming a dad. The note you stuck to the steering wheel before the race read: “Your daughter is racing today, too.” Charles flips through the album slowly. He doesn’t speak. He can’t. And when he reaches the last page—a recent photo of the three of you, lying in bed, Jules asleep across his chest between you— a silent tear escapes him.

“You were always there,” you say softly, your fingers tracing the back of his neck. “Even when you thought you weren’t. You were always there, Charles.” He closes the album carefully, like he’s protecting something sacred.

“Thank you for reminding me.” And when Jules climbs back onto his lap, he holds her like the entire world fits in his arms. And honestly—it does.

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iitslera · 1 month ago

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Inquebrantable ✶ HF32

english isn’t my first language, and I think this is just fluff tbh.

── ✦ ──

The surname Lewandowski weighed. No matter how much you tried to be invisible, in the environment of FC Barcelona it was impossible not to be recognized as the sister of. At the age of 18, you have temporarily moved to Barcelona to go to university, a choice that Robert had applauded - although with a non-negotiable condition: “Nothing with club footballers. I warn you.”

And you, as a good younger sister, had nodded with a smile. One that, inside, hid a mixture of irony and unconsciousness.

Because then I didn’t know Hector Fort.

The first time he saw him was in a common area of the training center. He was leaving a technical meeting, you were looking for your brother. Their eyes crossed briefly, but enough for time to stretch a couple more seconds. Hector had that calm contained in his eyes. The same one that disarms you without raising your voice.

Then came the fleeting encounters. A greeting, a polite phrase, a smile. And eventually, messages on Instagram. Innocent at first. Memes, jokes, recommendations of places in the city.

The messages became routine. First at night, when the day had already closed and there was no risk that anyone would notice. Then, at any time. During classes. In the subway. Between coffee and notes. He had the ability to show up just when you shouldn’t be distracted. And you, the lack of will to ignore it.

You knew it was a thin line. Dangerously thin. Because Robert trusted you. And Hector... Hector played with him.

The day you agreed to see him outside the club environment, you did it with a conscience so awake that every step you took towards him you felt it was an echo. They chose a discreet place, a cafeteria in Gràcia where the light was dim and other people’s eyes always seemed to look away.

He arrived with a cap. You, with a wild heart.

“I thought you wouldn’t come,” he told you, with that half smile that was already starting to hurt from imagining it so much.

“Me too,” you replied. But you were there. Looking at it closely. Discovering that the screen did not do him justice.

They talked about everything. From soccer. From the university. Of how difficult it was for you to be someone other than Robert’s sister. He listened carefully. An attention that no one else had offered you in that city, as if what you said really mattered.

And then... the silence.

Not uncomfortable. Not tense. But the one that comes when the air begins to take on something inevitable.

He didn’t approach. It didn’t touch you. But **he held your gaze**. Firmly. As if I knew that doing it was a mistake, but also that **not doing it would be a waste**.

“This is wrong,” you murmured, barely audible.

“I know,” he replied, with his eyes on yours. “But I want to see you again.”

Your breathing broke a little. Because you also wanted to. And because you knew that with just one more time, there would be no return.

Then came more appointments. In lost coffees. In parks at dusk. In secondary streets. And one day, in his car, with the windows fogged up and an old song in the background, **his lips met yours**. It was soft. Careful. As if the two knew that they were in a land as sacred as it was forbidden.

His hands didn’t go past your waist. But they were shaking.

“If Robert finds out...” you said, with your voice still trembling. “Don’t let him find out,” he murmured, resting his forehead on yours.

“For now.”

A Tuesday. The kind of day that no one expects for a clandestine encounter. That’s why, perhaps, it was perfect. You had escaped from class with a poorly elaborated excuse, one of those that are not counted twice because even you know that they don’t make sense. Hector was free that morning. They were training in the afternoon. They had spent almost five days without seeing each other - which was already an eternity in their secret language.

Hector’s apartment smelled of freshly brewed coffee. There was soft music playing from the speaker, something without lyrics, only slow chords that filled the air without stealing prominence.

You were sitting at the kitchen bar with your training pants on and your favorite sweater, the one that was too big for you and that he always said looked like his. It wasn’t, but it was starting to smell like it was. Hector cooked something simple - scrambled eggs with toast - while you flipped through a book you didn’t really read.

“You don’t know how hard it was for me not to look for you on the weekend,” he said, without looking at you, while stirring the eggs with the fork.

You hadn’t had it easy either. Family dinners, Robert’s workouts, the controlled environment of his perfect world in which you could barely breathe without feeling observed.

“My brother almost took away my cell phone. He says I’m “strangely distracted”” you mocked, without looking up.

“Strangely?” He smiled, raising an eyebrow.

“He’s worried. He says that instead of focusing on college, he sees me with my head elsewhere.”

“And he’s right,” he said, putting the pan aside and walking towards you. He got between your legs, his hands on your hips, his forehead brushing yours “You’re thinking about me all the time, right?”

“Idiot” you murmured, smiling against his lips before kissing him.

That kiss was different.

I didn’t have the urgency of other times. It was not fast, nor stolen, nor silent. It was slow, dangerous for what it meant. For the time they were allowing themselves to stay there. Too much time.

Your legs closed around his waist. His hands went up under the sweater. There was no need to talk. Both knew by heart the lines they could not cross, but they also knew exactly how far they dared to go.

Hector put you in the inn, the book falling to the floor with a deaf blow. He kissed you with his eyes closed, as if he needed to concentrate so as not to lose control. Your breathing became more agitated when his fingers slid down your thighs with the familiarity that is only earned after many mornings shared.

“Sometimes it makes me want to send everything to hell” he said, against your neck “Your brother, the club, what they say. Just... stay like this. Every day.”

“And if someone sees us leaving here” you whispered, your voice broken by the mixture of fear and desire.

“No one will do it. I promise that today, it’s just you and me.” They hugged like that, for a while. It didn’t even matter that breakfast got cold. On television, the volume was low, but enough for a *Breaking News* notification to go unnoticed.

Until your phone vibrated.

A message. From Robert.

“Where are you?”

Your heart turned over. Hector felt it, because he squeezed you harder.

“Is everything okay?” He asked.

“It’s him. He’s looking for me.”

“Your brother?” You nodded. You got off the inn with a sigh that hurt more than any farewell. He looked at you, without saying anything. He only helped you fix your hair, pull down your sleeves, see you less... his.

But you already were. You were completely.

“I’m going to have to go out through the back parking lot” you said, looking at the time.

“I’ll go with you.”

“No. Stay. If someone sees you coming down with me...” you didn’t say it, but they both understood.

You kissed him one last time, fast. Incomplete.

While you were leaving, he stayed at the door. Watching you walk away.

Because that was his story:

A coming and going of silences broken by looks.

A love so intense that, if he dared to say his name, he could break everything up.

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iitslera · 3 months ago

Text

not a secret anymore ✶ LN4

english isn’t my first language. It’s my first time writing sm, so it might be kinda messy.”

── ✦ ──

y/n.official

liked by taylorswift and 6,187,172 others

y/n.official remember when i didn’t like orange?

user24 and u look so good with it

lando Great choice of car.

liked by creator y/n.official Well, thank you user23 Lando, what are you doing here? user8 Lando and y/n was not on my bingo card 🤯

user19 MOTHER

sabrinacarpenter 💋💋

liked by creator

user4 Is this a soft lunch?

user8 I swear

hayleybieber ICONIC

liked by creator

user81 Am I the only one who saw number 4?

user2 Lando has commented😭

user3 LANDOO?

user20 who? user3 F1 Driver

y/n.official

liked by lando and 1,175,903 others

y/n.official mi first late night couch w jimmyfallon ૮₍ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ₎ა

irisapataw😍😍😍

liked by creator

user4 Someone else noticed Lando In the likes?

user8 And Kika in the comments

sabrinacarpenter love you girl

liked by creator

y/n.official love you to

francisca.cgomes diva 💋

liked by creator

user19 I need y/n in the paddock

jimmyfallon It’s always a pleasure

liked by creator

yn.official

liked by taylorswift and 2,159,182 others

y/n.official 2 hands has been launched… link on my bio 🧡

sabrinacarpenter love it

liked by creator

lando Interesting

liked by creator

user2 Lando, here again? 😭

lando 🔥🔥🔥

liked by creator

mclaren We like what we see. 🧡🏎️

liked by creator

user19 Is it something like a soft throw?

georgerussell I’m starting an investigation

user19 I think all

carlossainz Is this what Lando does off the track? 🤔

user81 Suddenly the whole grill was here

oscarpiastri fr maxverstappen1 fr charles_leclerc fr

danielricciardo This has all the vibe of ‘let’s hide something but not really’

f1gossip

liked by mclaren and 2.,282 others

f1updates Y/n and lando seen in the paddock in china 👀

y/n.official Supporting the best 🧡

liked by creator

user19 omg y/n !! user4 Doing official in the paddock? Interesting... 👀

user41 Well, well... this is no longer just a fan theory.

mclaren Welcome to Team Papaya, y/n.

liked by creator

user23 THIS IS NO LONGER A RUMOR. THIS IS A REALITY.

user3 When they confirm it, we pretend to be surprised

y/n.official

liked by lando and 1,175,903 others

y/n.official A Sunday to remember 🏁🧡

lando Not bad, huh? 😉

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y/n.official noup user55 What does this mean?

user18 The signs are clear, guys. There are no more doubts. This ‘soft launch’ can’t be more obvious!

user23 It looks more like the hart lunch style

oscarpiastri Great choice of photos.

liked by creator

mclaren Nothing better than having you on the team 💪🧡

liked by creator

alexalbon The paddock is becoming more interesting

liked by creator

ilymhe Alex is a big fan, stop by the garage whenever you want😉 liked by creator y/n.official I'll go, rest assured alexalbon lily you’re not supposed to say that😓

user4 If this is not a soft launch, then what is it?

danielricciardo Someone is enjoying life in papaya. 👀

liked by creator

georgerussell My research is over

user23 And what have you discovered?

carlossainz Calling George

maxverstappen1 x2. charles_leclerc x3. pierregasly x4

user8 y/n doesn’t stop feeding the rumors... and we don’t complain. 🤩

lando

liked by y/n.official and 1,175,903 others

lando An incredible weekend. Thank you all for the support, to my team for the great work and to the people who made this trip even more special. Let's go for more.

y/n.official Proud of you 🧡

liked by creator

lando my lucky charm 🧡. user4 Awww he just called y/n his lucky charm 😭

mclaren A great weekend for the team! Let's go for more. 👊🔥

liked by creator

danielricciardo Photo 5 seems... interesting to me. 😏

user81 Just confirmed what was confirmed. user3 I love how Ricciardo is as aware as we are

georgerussell Well deserved, but let’s not distract ourselves from that photo in the hotel. 🤨

lando You act as if you didn’t know 😒carlossainz How do you find out about everything so quickly? carmenmmundt That's what I ask myself

user14 WE CAN’T IGNORE PHOTO 5. IS THIS THE CONFIRMATION WE WERE ALL WAITING FOR?

oscarpiastri Great job, as always, mate.

liked by creator

y/n.official

liked by lilymhe and 8,272,017 others y/n.official I guess it’s not a secret anymore. Happy anniversary my love 🧡 lando

user4 anniversary? 🤯

georgerussell They have kept the secret for a long time, haven't they?

lando You knew it 😒

user81 How come we didn't realize?

lilymhe So cute 💗

liked by creator

user5 DID THEY HIDE IT FROM US FOR SO LONG?

lando The best year by your side, I love you ❤️

liked by creator

y/n.official I love you more, bae ❤️. user18 No orange hearts?

mclaren Our favorite couple

liked by creator

user23 Uh, Oscar doesn't like this

user25 the cutest couple on the grill

user17 The facts go in the factory

carlossainz How have they made George keep the secret? 🤔

carmenmmundt I also need to know

user31 The best couple, I'm crying

user4 Mom and Dad

user19 Y/N won the lottery of life, but so did Lando

oscarpiastri Happy anniversary guys

liked by creator

y/n.official thank you, koala boy

lando

liked by oscarpiastri and 1,175,903 others

lando A year with my favorite person. Happy anniversary my lucky charm ❤️ y/n.official

carlossainz And what about me? I thought I was your favorite person… 😢 Happy anniversary, guys

lando You're being dramatic. carlossainz I'm being realistic. y/n.official Anyway, thank you Carlos

oscarpiastri A year putting up with you, Y/N is a champion

lando Well, Lily, put up with your expressiveness. oscarpiastri Lily love me. y/n.official actually, she prefers me oscarpiastri

user44 Lando, publishing his girlfriend? My faith in love has been restored

user3 fr

maxverstappen1 Lando being romantic… something is wrong

lando oh shut up 😒

y/n.official The cutest boy of all time, I love you so much

liked by creator

lando I love you much more pretty girl ❤️ user23 im cry

user25 Wait a minute… Can Lando be cheesy?!? I wasn't prepared for this 😭❤️

carlossainz No one thought it was possible

georgerussell Happy anniversary, winning couple!

y/n.official Thank you for keeping the secret Russell. lando yeah, I guess thank you

user44 PROOF THAT MEN CAN POST THEIR GIRLFRIEND

y/n.official fr. user44 omg y/n 😭

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iitslera · 3 months ago

Note

come backkkk 😭😭

I had an accident in the kitchen and my hand is recovering from the burns I suffered, but I'll be back as soon as I recover

#fanfic #obx fanfiction #jj maybank #obx rafe cameron #obx x reader #obx pogues #formula 1 #formula one #lando norris #charles leclerc #carlos sainz #franco colapinto

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iitslera · 7 months ago

Text

Baby on the way ✶ JJ Maybank

english isn’t my first language, and I don’t use y/n. The reader’s name is Grace, or Gigi like JJ calls her. Fluff.

── ✦ ──

I held the test in my hands, with the words confirming what I had been feeling for days: Positive. That word seemed so small, but it carried an immense weight. My mind was in chaos.

I didn’t know whether to cry, scream, or just stay silent until the world stopped spinning.

How was I going to tell JJ? I couldn’t imagine his reaction, and that terrified me. We had been through so much together, but this was different. This was... too real.

I closed my eyes for a moment and tried to calm myself. The sound of the birds outside the house helped a little, though not enough.

I walked toward the dock, hoping the salty breeze would clear the knot in my throat. I saw him from a distance, laughing with Pope and John B, as if the world were simple, as if nothing mattered more than the moment. For a second, I wished things could stay that way, uncomplicated. But then, JJ saw me.

His smile slowly faded, and his expression turned serious. He knew me too well. He could tell something was wrong.

When he reached me, I felt like I could barely breathe. My heart was pounding so loudly I thought he could hear it.

“Is everything okay?” he asked, with that mix of concern and tenderness that always broke me. I shook my head because I knew I couldn’t lie to him, not this time.

“You’re worrying me, Gigi…” he said, stepping closer.

My hands trembled. I tried to stop them, to stay strong, but I couldn’t. I had to say it. There was no other choice. I took a breath, though it felt like I was running out of air, and finally, I let it out.

“I’m pregnant…”

I said it so softly I almost didn’t hear myself, but he did. I saw it in his eyes. His expression changed in an instant. First, surprise, then confusion, and something else I couldn’t identify. I wasn’t sure if it was fear or something like happiness, but it was clear he didn’t know what to feel either.

“Are you... sure?”he asked, his voice trembling.

“Yes… I’m sure. I took a test, and... it’s positive.”

When I finally dared to look at him, I found those blue eyes that had captured me from the beginning. This time, there was no trace of the confidence he usually projected. It was like he was as scared as I was. But then, something changed. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close.

“Wow…” he murmured, as if trying to find the right words. “This is unexpected, but… we’re in this together, right?”

The knot in my chest loosened a little, and for the first time, I felt like I could breathe. I didn’t know how we were going to face this or what it meant for us, but at least I wasn’t alone. JJ was here, and that was all I needed at that moment.

I never thought JJ would be capable of transforming the way he did. Being young parents wasn’t something we had planned, but seeing him so committed and dedicated made me feel that, maybe, everything would be okay.

He made the hardest days more bearable, and even when I felt exhausted or sick, his presence always gave me strength.

Morning sickness became my constant enemy in the early weeks. Every morning I woke up with that nauseous feeling in my stomach, and although just the smell of food made it worse, JJ was there, patiently trying to get me to eat something.

He would wake up earlier than I did to prepare toast or crackers, whatever I could tolerate. He never complained, not even when I asked him to move anything with a smell I couldn't stand.

Today was a calm, sunny day. I sat in the porch hammock, enjoying a bit of peace as a book rested in my lap and the wind tousled my hair. My hands instinctively rested on my growing belly. I couldn’t help but think about the little life growing inside me. It was a strange and wonderful feeling all at once.

Suddenly, JJ appeared with a smile, holding a bag in his hand. As soon as I saw what was inside, I knew what it was: strawberries with cream. My favorite craving of the past few days. I laughed, surprised and grateful at the same time.

“Hi, beautiful”he said with that smile of his that always disarmed me. “I brought you your strawberries with cream.”

My eyes lit up when I saw him, and I couldn’t help but smile.

“You’re the best, you know that?” I told him as I made space in the hammock for him to sit next to me.

JJ set the bag on my lap and sat beside me.

“Anything for you, babe” he replied, winking at me. “You and she deserve the best.”

“she?” I asked, raising an eyebrow, amused. “How do you know it’s going to be a girl?”

He shrugged, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“I have a feeling” he said, with a confident smile. I laughed, both amused and surprised by his certainty.

“Now you can guess the baby’s gender too?“ I joked.

He simply smiled with that mischievous look he was known for, took a strawberry with cream, and brought it to my lips. I took a small bite, savoring the sweet flavor. It was so simple, yet so special.

“And what will you do if it’s a boy?” I asked with a playful smile as I chewed.

“Then I’ll have guessed wrong” he said, shrugging before bringing another strawberry to his mouth. “But I don’t think so. My intuition never fails me.”

“You’re impossible” I replied, laughing. “And if you’re right? What will we call her, if it’s a girl?”

JJ paused for a moment, then his eyes lit up.

“Kai” he said, with a mix of excitement and tenderness. “It means ‘Sea’ in Hawaiian."

I felt something stir inside me when I heard that name. I repeated it softly, savoring its meaning, imagining our daughter and how it would feel to call her that.

“It’s perfect” I told him, with a smile I couldn’t hide.

At that moment, with the sun shining down on us and his presence beside me, I felt that despite the fears and doubts, we were building something beautiful. Kai. Our little Kai.

“What about you, little one? Do you like Kai?“ JJ asked with a smile, gently rubbing my belly. His voice was soft, as if he were already talking directly to her, as if they already shared a special bond.

And then, I felt it. Something moved inside me. It wasn’t the first time, but this time it was different, stronger, clearer. My breath caught for a moment, surprised by that small but powerful connection that reminded me our baby was there, growing, becoming a part of us.

JJ looked at me with wide eyes, surprised and excited at the same time.

“Did you feel that?” he asked, his tone full of awe. I nodded slowly, still processing the sensation.

“Yes... “ I murmured, my voice filled with emotion. He couldn’t hide the smile that spread across his face. He placed his hand back on my belly, as if he expected to feel it too, as if he wanted to make sure he hadn’t imagined it.

“It’s amazing...” he whispered, almost to himself, as his fingers traced small circles on my skin. “Our Kai... she’s already here, making herself known.”

Tears filled my eyes, but this time they weren’t out of fear or uncertainty. They were tears of pure happiness, of gratitude for this shared moment, for knowing that, despite everything, we were in this together.

JJ looked up and saw my teary eyes.

“Are you okay?“ he asked, his voice filled with concern for a second.

“Yes...” I replied with a smile I couldn’t contain. “It’s just that... all of this makes me feel that, really, everything is going to be okay.”

He hugged me, pressing his forehead against mine.

“ It’s going to be more than okay, Grace. We’re going to be an amazing team. You, me, and our little Kai”

And in that moment, with his hand still on my belly and the sensation of the baby moving inside me, I knew he was right. Everything would be okay.

We didn’t live in a huge house with hundreds of rooms in Figure Height, yet we put all our effort into making the place where the baby would sleep special. We started with the smallest details, choosing each object and color with such care, as if we were creating our own home within that space.

Our room, though not very big, was cozy and perfect for what we needed.

JJ was so involved in the process that he couldn’t stop commenting on the "perfect touches" he had chosen. We created a place where she could grow up surrounded by love and tranquility, and although it wasn’t easy to make decisions, every choice seemed to fall into place little by little.

Once we placed the crib next to our bed, we began working on the small details: soft white curtains that let in natural light, one of those crib mobiles with sea animals because JJ loved the idea of our baby growing up surrounded by those little marine touches, something that connected him to his own roots.

The shelves were filled with children's storybooks that Pope had given us, some soft toys, and several stuffed animals we had started collecting thanks to the rest of our friends.

Every time I walked into the room with all these new changes, I couldn’t help but smile. It felt like a dream come true. Everything was ready to welcome our little baby, a place filled with love and hope.

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