#(also I love the genuine little smile we see at that start when the interviewer tells him what Charlie said. before he goes into Mick Jagger

[waugh-bao]

Mick on his relationship with Charlie (early 2000s)

[alastors-antlers]

Why Alastor is good aroace rep after all, written by an aroace

Hello all! I just want to start off this post by saying that I'm one person who definitely doesn't speak for all aroaces, but I wanted to make a post on this anyway, and maybe some folk would be interested in hearing out another perspective?

I'm not really caught up on everything that's been said over the course of HH's creation - only more recent interviews, since I'm pretty new to the fandom. Apologies if I've missed anything, but also I do not have the time to keep up with all the out-of-canon-material backstory unfortunately. I'm working with what we've got here.

So here's the thing:

Alastor is cruel, he's narcissistic, he doesn't care about anyone except himself, he's a serial killer and a monster.

(That's the argument I've heard - please tell me if that's not really what people are going for lol, in which case I've totally misunderstood?)

The issue with aroace rep when it paints asexual people with those traits is that it aims to dehumanizes them. Sex and love are essential to the human experience, right? So why wouldn't someone be interested? Because they're self-absorbed, and cold, and detached. They don't have the capacity to love others enough to feel romance.

And sure, Alastor is a killer, and a schemer, and prideful, and a monster by hell's standards. But no matter how above it all and stylish and in control and provocative he wants to be, he's a very human character, and his aroace-ness never serves to add to his alienation. You could even say that it makes him seem even more personable.

That's what I think is the key difference.

why he's human

Alastor's whole persona is about control, and he basically straight-up says this. He's controlling what his enemies know, what his public image is like. His goal is to be the Radio Demon -- overlord of Hell, charismatic, Machiavellian, and undefeatable. He's not. Despite that smile plastered over his face (a powerful tool, huh) he's so expressive for someone who's constantly pretending.

You see his exasperation with the Egg Bois and with Charlie's ranting; his nervousness in front of Zestial; his frustration with Lucifer and the petty lengths he goes to to piss off the ruler of Hell.

You see his desperation, making that deal with Charlie. He's surprised by the idea of being vulnerable in front of an enemy like Adam, and so close to danger. He drops the radio filter and the affect out of fear, and runs on broadcast TV to let out panic and anger and bitterness in his hideout, where no one else can see him.

He has a smile that tells us he's genuinely happy to see someone; it's a little wider than his default. You see it with Mimzy's greeting, you see it with Rosie. Rosie, especially, serves to make Alastor more human to the audience. More on this later, but for now, I'm just saying that you can see that he at least seems to respect her greatly. Whatever bond they have, we know that he trusts her to touch him, to share history with him, and with support that he trusts no one else for.

He pretends, but he can't pretend it all away. Loads of these emotions aren't even advantageous for him to show. It isn't necessarily how the typical asexual psychopath acts; he's not emotionless or only capable of anger or brutality.

He's so full of emotion that it leaks through, despite all that he does to avoid it. He's not inhuman and aloof, not really - he's so, so human, even when he tries not to be because he thinks that'll be what keeps him above all the rest. In control, and free from his chains.

(If anyone wants to see images about all this, I'll make a separate post - just let me know.)

(I also have another post, talking about why Alastor is at least a little attached to the hotel's residents too, shown via conversation with Niffty. In what way? different question.)

how the aroace part contributes to that

Now, to be fair, we don't hear much about his aroaceness in canon. It's just not relevant a lot of the time.

In the pilot, Angel's proposition ruffles his feathers so much that Alastor blanks for a moment. It's a joke, sure, but that ace panic face is a pretty popular Alastor moment in the fandom - Alastor, thrown off-balance by a sex joke of all things, after so many years in Hell that he should probably be used to this.

It's a moment that makes him more approachable; his aroaceness shows him unprepared for something someone else does for one of the only real moments in the whole episode.

And the other part: the ace in the hole statement.

Rosie apparently knows Alastor so well that she read that he's aroace. That tells us about their relationship; namely, that it is long-standing and genuine enough that she gleaned a piece of real information from him. It's a casual fact that she knows about him before he even figured it out himself. It lends legitimacy to their bond - this bond that shows us a more comfortable and warm side of Alastor that we don't often see.

If their relationship is purely business, isn't this something pretty frivolous and personal? It's not like he has anything to gain by telling her about his life, but she learned about it somehow. How close are they? That's where it adds a layer of complexity and personality to his character..

thoughts on representation

Overall, Alastor's an interesting character who has a level of depth and care and personality (outside of cruelty) that asexual psychopath tropes lack. Again, the moments where he's being represented as disinterested in sex or romance don't make him seem detached. Again, they don't say "look how hostile toward relationships his behaviour is - how separate he is from our humanity". That's what bad villain ace rep is. That's not what the show's doing.

Also: I'm not saying that we need to lower our standards or anything, but even if you think it's not the best rep, I feel like we should be supporting HH's efforts here. I know that on Tumblr we have a pretty queer-friendly space going, which is honestly an understatement lol but

Aces are incredibly underrepresented in fiction. There's a whole Wikipedia page about asexual characters in media, and it's short as all hell, and even if you consider what's on there you see quite a number of one-off characters who are never mentioned again.

In terms of real life business - before the DSM updated their definition of hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in 2013, identifying as asexual wasn't even a recognized thing. If you talked to a clinician about your lack of sexual desire, you could be diagnosed with a disorder. Only in the 5th edition do we now have a little exclusion footnote about it.

The concept of asexuality hasn't been explored nearly as much as other queer identities in our scientific research. We get crumbs in terms of mainstream representation and understanding. House M.D. has an episode where House "disproves" us because he's just so smart.

Alastor isn't going to be perfect representation. There's no such thing as perfect representation, and from the moment he was conceptualized, you could see how people would take him poorly. Still, I think he's a net positive.

He isn't a side character or a token ace - he's a core part of the show, whose personality and character motivations we can reasonably presume are going to be explored much more deeply in upcoming season(s). He's loved by the fandom. Right now, given what we know, I trust Vivziepop to write the aroace representation he deserves, because with the way I've heard the cast/directing/etc. talk about him, they're trying to do the aroace community justice, so I wish people would let up just a little on the whole "Alastor is bad rep".

Let's give him a chance, all right?

[fernthewhimsical]

Hopepunk Primer pt. 2

Philosophy of Hopepunk

I cannot express this better than other people have done before me. So I'll start with an interview Kayti Burt had with several hopepunk authors in 2019.

"What is hopepunk? It depends on who you ask…

Rowland, quoting her essay “One Atom of Justice, One Molecule of Mercy, and the Empire of Unsheathed Knives,” says: “Hopepunk is a subgenre and a philosophy that ‘says kindness and softness don’t equal weakness, and that, in this world of brutal cynicism and nihilism, being kind is a political act. An act of rebellion.’”

To understand hopepunk as a concept it helps to understand what it stands in contrast to. Grimdark is a fantasy subgenre characterized by bleak settings in which humanity is fundamentally cutthroat, and where no individual or community can stop the world’s inevitable decline. Hopepunk, in contrast, believes that the very act of trying has meaning, that fighting for positive change in and of itself has worth—especially if we do it together." [4]

When Alexandra Rowland was asked on Tumblr to expand on the initial statement she made she elaborated:

"Hopepunk says that genuinely and sincerely caring about something, anything, requires bravery and strength. Hopepunk isn’t ever about submission or acceptance: It’s about standing up and fighting for what you believe in. It’s about standing up for other people. It’s about DEMANDING a better, kinder world, and truly believing that we can get there if we care about each other as hard as we possibly can, with every drop of power in our little hearts." [5]

I also love the definition of the Tumblr blog @hopepunk-humanity:

"What is Hopepunk?

Wild laughter from ragged throats

Flowers growing choked from crumbling asphalt

A warm bed after a long, hard journey

Your partner’s hand cupped in your own

Bright graffiti on cracked tunnel walls

The chains falling loose to the stone floor

A glint of silver beneath a century of tarnish

A long rain after a blistering wildfire

Just one more step, and then another

A single candle flame joining the stars against the night

A loved ones voice calling your name after hours lost in an unfamiliar place

A hand taking yours, just when you’d given up on reaching out

Smiling, laughing again, when you thought you’d forgotten how

Knowing, despite everything, that humans are inherently good

It’s not simply blind optimism, or naivety. It’s choice. It’s taking the human race by the hand and saying, “I will love you, because I am you”. It’s facing a world dripping with cynicism and fashionable hopelessness and saying, “no, I will not give in”. It’s putting kindness out into the world, knowing you might not get it back, knowing you may be scorned for it, knowing it might not change anything, but with a certainty that kindness is what the world needs the most.

It is choosing hope" [6]

Hopepunk is choosing hope in a world where they want us to have none. It's choosing humanity when they want us to forget we are human. It's choosing community when they would benefit of us staying individuals. It's choosing action and hope when they want us struck down and paralyzed.

Alexandra Rowland emphasizes to not forget the second part of the word: Punk. In another interview with Kayti Burt for Den of Geek she says: "it’s important to remember that punk is the operative half of the word – punk in the sense of anti-authoritarianism and punching back against oppression." and "The instinct is to make it only about softness and kindness, because those are what we’re most hungry for. We all want to be treated gently. But sometimes the kindest thing you can do for someone is to stand up to a bully on their behalf, and that takes guts and rage." [7]

What is Hopepunk to me?

That spark that is both love and spite that keeps me going. It's seeing the good in humanity, while also acknowledging the harm. It's refusing to lay down and die, refusing the accept the status quo, refusing to believe that this is it. It's believing in a better world. In kindness. In the inherent sense of community in humanity. It's believing in the power of stories. It's seeing kindness and hope as an act of Sacred Rebellion. And spreading that kindness and hope is a Vow that I have taken. It's taken the anger I have against corporations, injustice, bigotry, capitalism, oppression, and letting it fuel the fire within me in a constructive way. It's working to dismantle systems that are oppressive to work towards a more inclusive world. It's pruning the garden of dead weight so new things can grow. Late stage capitalism wants us all to be docile, to work, not to live. So I will shout my small joys from the rooftops. I will create for the sake of creating. I will practice radical acceptance so that I stand strong above the masses of ads that wants me to hate myself. I will choose to see the good so that I can believe change is possible. Hopepunk a fire that says "Rage. Rage against those who deserve it. Stand up for those who do not and show them a better world is possible."

[4] Den of Geek - Are you afraid of the darkness: a hopepunk explainer [5] Alexandra Rowland tumblr post [6] Hopepunk-humanity - what is hopepunk [7] Den of Geek - a hopepunk guide: interview with Alexandra Rowland

Part 1: Intro and history Part 2: Philosophy of Hopepunk Part 3: How to practice hopepunk and further reading Part 4: Extra! Hopepunk and magic

[bbyblair]

small touches, pink cheeks pt.2

charles leclerc x f!reader 

pt.1

 *ੈ✩‧₊˚

a/n: right pt.2! hope you guys like it, this is a sloooow burn so you are all into a wild ride! thank you for all the support on part one!

summary: the start of the 2023 season, Bahrain in early march. you'd recently joined the sky team, working as a news reporter and interviewer for your beloved sport.it's your first week and a mix of nerves and anticipation swirl together in your stomach. you're giddy to finally meet who you’d be working with for the next few months… but what happens when an instant connection sparks up between the new girl and Ferrari's golden boy? 

warnings: cursing, charles being a cocky bastard. charles obsessed with reader! reader isn't sure how to feel abt him. pretty much a whirlwind of emotions and events ngl. probs non accurate f1 talk, I apologise!

word count: 2.0k

friday, march 3rd 2023.

you were stumped, emotions swirling in your mind and you didn't know how to properly react. on one hand you were flattered that the handsome man was paying attention to you that way, but the rational side of your brain quickly shut down those thoughts and you went back to feeling angry. slightly less angry, but angry nevertheless.you watched over the video another few times, okay so maybe charles actions were not as obvious as you initially thought. this could be seen as a friendly admiration, right? 

you sigh and lean your head down onto the table, letting out a small huff of annoyance, but you could still feel the heat on your cheeks after this morning. deciding to take a break from the editing, you got up and informed your coworkers that you wanted to look a bit more around the paddock and try to familiarise yourself with the copious amount of people who worked in the ten different teams. 

it was around two hours before the free practice would start and you assumed that all of the drivers would be already discussing strategies and looking over the track details. the circuit itself was huge and swarming with fans and workers. your sky f1 id hanging from your neck proudly, and allowed you to go all around the paddock with no questions asked. 

walking past the mercedes area you had spotted toto wolff, and internally fangirled a little to yourself, having a small crush and also lots of respect for the mercedes team principal. continuing around the paddock you passed the red bull area, you couldn't say that you had a team you were vouching for per se, but the dominance of red bull did annoy you slightly, you did always love a bit of competition. 

after looking around the red bull hospitality area, your eyes landed on an extremely familiar face. Well you hadnt actually seen him in real life but you certainly had seen him on tv. none other than max verstappen. he was already wearing his fireproofs and was gripping his helmet in his hand while having a conversation with who you assumed was one of the mechanics. you were staring a little, he looked different in real life. not like the mad max the media made him out to be. 

his conversation ended and he must've felt someones eyes on him, as while the mechanic turned and left inside, max's eyes landed on yours. he quickly looked over you and you could almost see something align on his face. he shot you a wide smile and then beckoned you over. shocked, you stood there for a moment and looked around meaninglessly to see if he was motioning for someone else. sure enough there was no one else around. 

slow steps moved you over to the man and you sent him a polite smile. 

“hi, im Max. you must be the new reporter for this season. I thought i better introduce myself seeing as we will be seeing each other a lot this season.” he sent you a playful wink and chuckled a little. 

you laughed a genuine laugh and a smile spread across your face, and you were surprised by his kind attitude. 

“y/n. Its lovely to meet you max.” 

“so tell me, have you been introduced to any of the other drivers yet?.” his eyes never left yours as he spoke, his tone was sweet like honey.  “yes, this morning i actually did an interview with the ferrari boys!” you replied back eagerly. 

“ah, well I hope they were accommodating to the new girl.” he said as he pinched your shoulder lightly. “of course.” you replied curtly. 

he looked around for a moment, and in his eyes looked as if he wanted to say more, but seemingly decided against it. 

“well i best go prepare for free practice but it was a pleasure meeting you.” his dutch accent lacing his words. you smiled up at him again and nodded. “you too!” 

.┊┊┊┊ ➶ ❁۪ ｡˚ ✧

after your interaction with max you wandered down across the rest of the team's areas and luckily for you didn't bump into anyone else. you heard the roar of fans and assumed that free practice had begun and the drivers would be making their ways out onto the track to test their new cars for the season. you decided you better get back to work before your co workers notice your prolonged absence. 

swiftly you began walking back to the sky hq, and once you were firmly sat back at your desk you opened your laptop and began the tedious process of editing whatever the hell the interview this morning was. well hopefully the fans will enjoy it, you thought. Your co worker amilie made her way over to you with two coffees in hand and sat down next to you. she was a sweet girl, you'd only met her yesterday but she clearly took a liking to you. you were both around the same age, her being a few years older, and had some similar interests. 

“do you mind if i take a look at todays interview, the boss wants me to look over some stuff to make sure they didn't let slip anything a little too personal.” she said warmly. 

“yeah of course.. here.” you handed her the laptop, and sat there while she pressed play. heat began to rise up on your cheeks but you hoped she wouldn't notice the tension between you and charles. a few minutes into the extended clip she turned to look at you, your expression tried to be as neutral as possible, but you never did have the best poker face. 

“whats all this about then?” her words were not rude, she spoke with a girlish interest and smiled at you. 

“what?’ you replied dumbly, trying to avoid the question. 

“between you and leclerc!” 

even more blush threatened to explode on your cheeks as you sighed. shaking your head lightly. 

“I dont know what your talking about.” you tried to reply in a tone that indicated you wanted this conversation to end but she continued. 

“oh come on! he is so into you! even i am jealous. leclerc has the hots for you!” her french accent peaked through her words and how she spoke with such excitement and interest made a small smile grace your lips.

“like i said, i dont know what your talking about.” your tone this time was playful and you rolled your eyes and nudged your new friend. the conversation died there as she knew you wouldn't say anything more.

┊┊┊┊ ➶ ❁۪ ｡˚ ✧

you two stayed there for a matter of hours. editing the interview and getting it ready to be posted online. once you were done it was already the evening and most had packed up to leave. 

you began packing your bag and said goodbye to the few people still in the small office space. heading out of the building you began making your way through the paddock. to get to the exit you had to pass along all of the different teams' areas. mostly the building were dark, some motor homes lit up with people inside. 

passing by the ferrari section, you let curiosity get the best of you and peeked into the window. your eyes instantly fell on a familiar face. charles. he was sitting alone, watching over some footage of what you assumed was his free practice one today. headphones were wrapped around his neck and he was dressed in different clothes to this morning. just a comfortable sweat seat.you had to admit he was a very attractive guy. 

clearly you had been looking at him for longer than you realised, because his head suddenly snapped toward the window and eyes instantly locking with yours. blush erupted all over your face as you didn't know what to do. shit. he had just caught you staring at him. god you were mortified. a smirk spread across his handsome face quicker than you could blink and he sent you a small wave. his eyes had that same dark expression as they did earlier. 

its like you were frozen in place, legs refusing to move. you sent him  a shy wave and immediately  turned to leave. when you looked back behind to see charles, he had gone from his space in the small room. your stomach dropped. you didn't want to face him again, his cocky attitude annoyed you, and his stupid smirk, and his stupid unreadable expression! charles leclerc annoyed you. 

you heard some steps behind you and then a masculine voice saying your name. fuck. you didn't want to face him, but you didn't risk pissing him off and him then reporting you to your boss. you could loose your job! you stopped in your tracks, rolled your yes then turned around.

“mr leclerc.” you spoke sweetly and the way you addressed him clearly sat well with him when he chuckled a little. 

“so, how was your first day? did you enjoy your first interview?” there was that mischievous glint in his eye again, and the way he spoke just instantly made you blush. there was something about him that you couldn't quite place. 

“yes. i had fun.” you tried to keep your responses short and snappy. to try and send a signal that you wanted to leave. clearly charles was not a man who gave up very easily, when he responded. “good, i'm glad. did you meet anyone else today? any of the other drivers.” in his mind charles had thought that you and his teammate were the only ones who had seen the pretty new interviewer. he liked knowing he had you all to himself. so your next words clearly shocked him.

“yes actually, max. he was very welcoming.” you spoke softly. his gaze darkened and his jaw clenched. he didn't respond for a few moments. you took in his reaction, and it made you laugh internally. you could definitely use this against him.to annoy him the same way he annoys you! so before he could reply you spoke up again. 

“i'm so excited to work with him! i'm a big fan of redbull and it was such an honour to meet the best driver in the world!” now, most of what you were saying was a total lie, but charles didn't know. your tone was sickly sweet and as you spoke you batted your eyelashes up at him so innocently, that he did not question your words for a second. 

you didn't think his eyes could get any darker, but he proved you wrong. you could tell he was trying to control his breathing, his eyes piercing into yours so deeply that you got intimidated. he then let out a chuckle. not an amused chuckle. the kind of chuckle that you do when you are very fucking pissed off. he nodded. 

“hm. well we will just have to see who is really the best driver on the track this sunday no?” his words had a bite to them, and when he got angry his accent thickened in a way that is so delicious. he smiled at you. eyes never leaving your face as if he was trying to memorise every small detail about your face. 

you smiled and nodded again. then without even granting him a verbal response you turned on your heel and began walking back through the paddock to the exit. charles was stunned. and your heart was racing, never did you actually expect yourself to make such a ballsy move. your actually quite shocked at what the hell you just did. 

charles was also stunned. a girl had never ever dismissed him before. he was used to them falling to his feet. you shocked him. but if there's one thing charles enjoyed, it's a challenge. 

┊┊┊┊ ➶ ❁۪ ｡˚ ✧

wow. hope you guys enjoyed reading this part and it lived up to your expectations lmao! lmk if anyone wants to be tagged in the next parts <3

pt3?

tagged: @buendiabebeta @summerslike11

[joels-shitty-puns]

The Key To Your Heart - Track 5

Pairing: Pedro Pascal x Musician!Reader

Series Summary: After writing your feelings for Pedro into a song, it gains a lot more popularity than expected. Ultimately it brings both criticism and support, with new possibilities around the corner.

*! New warnings will be listed first !*

Series Warnings: 18+ only (MDNI). Mentions of food, weight loss, weight gain, dieting, weighing, potential eating disorder, food guilt. Potential for puns/dad jokes (name of my blog, and the fic) should give that away. This is my first fic which should be its own warning, lol. Also some cursing. Mentions of masturbation (f) maybe more smut later idk. Sadness, reader is pretty depressed. Poor body image. Rude people. Bullying-ish and just lack of support? Anxiety. Age gap! Reader is in her mid 20's, Pedro is current age (48).

Other stuff: Reader is plus sized. AFAB. Inexperienced. Also has a dog, but you can pretend it is another creature probably. Further, in case it isn't clear, italics almost always are the reader's inner thoughts!

Word Count: 2.5k

Series List: Here!

Miss last chapter? Here!

Hi guys!!!! Thank you for reading and being so supportive of my first fic so far!!! I love you all ❤️ please let me know your thoughts on this chapter. We're not done yet!

___________

~ We alternate between Pedro + reader's thoughts in this one ~

"Hello?"

"Hello? Pedro? It's me.."

You heard him give a breathless laugh before answering with a gentle "Hi."

______

You laughed back, sounding equally shy but giddy. "Hi," you answer softly. "I hope I'm not being weird calling immediately after you gave me your number?"

"No, no! Not at all. I'm happy to hear from you" Pedro quickly quashed your worry.

"Okay" you whispered.

"So tell me more about this book you love," Pedro asked, trying to start up a conversation, any conversation, just to hear your voice.

The two of you discussed your favorite books, movies, shows, and continued on through other favorite things. Food, ice cream, music, your favorite flowers. You talked about dogs and told him about Skipper. You even shared his name and breed.

"Oh, Skipper! I was wondering about his name when you mentioned him in your interview, but you said you weren't ready to share. Thank you for trusting me. How'd he get his name?"

You smiled before jumping into a story about yours and Skipper's origin. "Well, a couple years ago… I was walking by the ocean down this pier with fishing boats, sailboats, and yachts docked on it. I heard a whimper coming from a corner of the dock and went over to investigate. There he was, small and scared. Just a puppy. He didn't have a collar and was covered in fleas. I tried to call him with no luck, but I also had just stopped at the grocery store and thought maybe I could lure him over with some jerky. But he wasn't interested. Too nervous."

"Hmm," Pedro listened.

You continued. "One of the fishermen walked down the pier with a bag from the same grocery store I had just left. He pulled out a can of wet food and tried to lure Skip over. Still no luck. I dug around my backpack to find something else, but the only food I had was a peanut butter sandwich I packed for my commute home. I took a shot and offered it to him, and weirdly.. that he accepted. The guy likes peanut butter," you said with a laugh.

"From then on, we were attached like glue. I couldn't find an owner for him and he didn't have a chip. We took care of the fleas and I decided to name him Skipper. Partially because of the boats, partially because I can call him Skippy for short, like the peanut butter."

Pedro gave a genuine laugh before complimenting the cute, yet sweet, name. "Does he still like peanut butter?"

"Oh he loves peanut butter. I can't even open a jar without him coming over from wherever he is in the house."

He hears you speak faintly to the side, away from the speaker. "Isn't that right my little peanut?"

"Boof," Skipper agrees.

Pedro laughed, grinning ear to ear. You couldn't see the joy on his face but you could feel it. "He sounds adorable. I love dogs."

"Me too," you smiled. The two of you discussed dogs you've raised over the years before you texted him a picture of Skip.

"Oh my GOD," Pedro exclaimed. "Look at those ears! He's adorable."

As if you couldn't like Pedro more, he's gushing over your dog the same way you do. 

You don't know if it's possible, but you hope someday you can have the two meet each other. 

Pedro didn't want to scare you and mention it, but he also hoped to meet Skipper someday. But more than that, he wanted to meet you.

_____

The conversation flowed so naturally, it felt as though the two of you had known each other a lifetime. It seemed the blink of an eye, but you had been on the phone for three and a half hours. 

"Y'know… I was kind of nervous to call you," you said shyly.

Pedro sighed "I was nervous to give you my number. Especially when you didn't reply right away. I worried I overstepped."

"No! I'm so glad you did. Because even though I was nervous, talking to you just feels…"

"Easy." You both answered, resulting in matching grins and blushes, neither of which are seen.

"It feels like we've been friends for years," Pedro continued.

"I agree" you say softly.

The conversation begins to close, but the two of you plan to talk on the phone again soon.

With that, you both hang up, and each begin to count down the time before the next call. In your respective houses, you flop on your bed, kicking your feet and blushing, while Pedro ran his hands down his face with a grin.

______

The next day, the two of you talk again. He called you this time.

Unfortunately, when he called, you were well into your workday. He didn't know you still worked a normal person's job.

"Hey P! I'm sorry I can't talk, I'm at work, can I call you in a few hours??"

"Oh shit, sorry! Yes." Pedro hung up frantically before he began to think. Did she just call me P? A nickname? He smiled to himself. He had been called many names, nicknames, and mispronunciations throughout his life. Some good nicknames, some… not so good. Other people have even called him P before. But never before had he heard a nickname from your lips.

_____ 

When you called him back after work, he decided to be bold. "Did you call me P?"

"Huh?" 

"Earlier when I called, did you say 'Hey P!' when you answered the phone?"

Your blood turned cold. Oh no. It slipped out. He hates that I used a nickname.

"I did. I figured it would be better for your privacy if I didn't say your name out loud."

"Oh. I see. Well, Pedro is a pretty common name."

Yeah but when your coworkers all know you're in love with Pedro Pascal, I don't think they'd be thinking of other Pedros.

"That's true. But some of my coworkers know I'm a big fan of yours so they might think I'm just delusional, haha" you answered… mostly honestly. Although you aren't sure "big fan" is the right word. It's just the safest.

Pedro thought about this and wondered: her coworkers know that she's a big fan? How big of a fan? Could I be the - nope, don't even go there.

"Big fan, huh? Well, thank you. I appreciate it. And I don't mind the nickname. I liked it. People call me a lot of names and I don't really mind." He had started to tease about the fan thing but decided to change gears.

"Oh good! I was worried I overstepped," you replied cautiously.

"You could never." And he meant it. With as much daydreaming as he's been doing lately, he's not sure there's much of anything you could do to overstep. He, however, worries he might. She's already in love with someone. Stop.

He cleared his throat and continued "so I didn't know you worked, outside of your music."

"Oh yeah, I mean the music is fairly new. Luckily my coworkers haven't figured it out yet, surprisingly." You continued to describe your job, Pedro listening intently (as if work was actually entertaining).

_____

After the work discussion, there was a quiet pause. "Hello?" You asked, wondering if Pedro had been disconnected.

He suddenly sounded serious. "Can I… uh.. ask you a question?"

"Oh. Um… Okay…" you replied, heart pounding.

"You mentioned your coworkers not finding out.. Do you think you're ever going to show people who you are?"

"Maybe someday…if they don't figure it out first."

"Do you think you'll ever tell your guy you love him?"

Your heart was ready to fly away it was beating so fast. "I'm thinking about it..."

"Can I ask - What's holding you back?" He asked cautiously, gently even.

Where to begin? You thought. But he doesn't need to know all that. He doesn't want to. You'll scare him off once he realizes what a mess you are.

"Eh, it's just my own silly worries! It's okay, I'll get over them I'm sure. I know I can't stay hidden forever," you deflected as best as possible.

"Anxiety is a hard thing to conquer, but your worries aren't silly if they bother you. If you ever need to go to someone, I'm here to talk."

"Thanks, Pedro. But really, don't worry about me. I'm okay."

"That's not fair to you. How often have you felt the need to say that? That you're okay, in order to not worry someone else?"

Every time I'm worried. Nobody needs to be burdened by my stress.

"Oh.. I um.. I just don't want to burden anyone over something I should handle myself…I don't want my friends to feel like I'm using them as my therapist."

Pedro's heart sank even more. "I hate that anyone could ever make you feel that way. But if you want to talk, I'm here to listen. You won't burden me. I promise."

You couldn't help the sniffle that escaped you. "I don't want to push you away." Your voice dropped down to practically a whisper "I don't want you to leave."

Pedro's heart broke. "Baby… the only way you'll push me away is if you tell me to leave. Let down your walls. Talk to me."

Did he just call me baby? You immediately snapped up, quieting your tears instantly.

The realization hit Pedro just the same. Shit, did I just slip and call her baby?! Oh what have I done? Tell me she didn't notice. Tell me she didn't hear me. She's worried about pushing me away, and I go and say something like that? 

Unsure of how to address the nickname, you decided to ignore it. He probably is just trying to be nice. Friends say things like that. Buddy, pal, babe, baby, love, honey. At least girl friendships do… ? It's probably nothing.

"Are you sure? I mean, you don't even know me that well," you hesitated.

"But I want to. It'll be okay. Let me in," Pedro said softly, cautious, like you'd flee.

And so you opened up. You told him about your anxieties. How it feels safer to just close yourself off from people. About not sharing your excitement and passion because people feel it's "too much." Not showing your feelings because your old crush said it was weird and pushed you away. Feeling like other people fit in so much easier than you ever can. Or how you wonder if your friends sometimes just are nice to you only because you're nice to them. How you're really nobody's favorite. 

With every word, Pedro's heart was breaking. All he wanted was to scoop you up in his arms and hold you until you believed all those things weren't true. Until you felt loved the way you deserved.

"But I guess one of the main reasons I haven't shown myself to the world is because of the things people have said about me without knowing me. About my music. About me being naive. Childish. Creepy even.." you continued.

"Those people are assholes. The second you get an ounce of fame and attention they'll do anything they can to knock you down. You're amazing. You're brave and bold and all you did was share your feelings and your voice. Those people just want to make themselves feel better about their own unhappy lives." Pedro spoke from his own experiences. Rumors and articles often spread like wildfire and it can be overwhelming. He isn't immune to that.

"Thank you. And I know that, but I think part of me believes they might be right… I really am just in my silly daydreams."

"They aren't right. You said it yourself, they don't know you. You know you. I'm starting to know you. I can already tell you aren't any of the nasty things people say, and those people couldn't even be half as good a person as you are." Pedro reassured.

"Thank you… but… well… can I ask you something?" You asked shyly.

"Of course."

"On the topic of what people have said… Another big reason I haven't told the guy I like is because I worry he wouldn't like me. Like he'd think the way those people do. You said earlier in your interview when you were asked - that if someone wrote a song or something like that about you, you'd still consider them. You'd give them a chance, even though they were clearly some obsessive fan. Were you telling the truth? Would you really give a fan a chance with you? Be honest with me," you pleaded nervously.

Pedro paused for a second, before answering with certainty. "Yes. I would feel at a bit of a disadvantage that they loved me before I got the chance to love them back... But I would give them a chance. As long as they're respectful, why shouldn't you? Who says celebrities should only end up with other celebrities? The world is full of people looking for and deserving of love. Including, especially, you."

Your heart fluttered around his words like a thousand butterflies taking flight at once.

"Thank you Pedro. You deserve that too. And if that's something you want too, I hope you find it."

Me. I hope you find me.

"Thank you. I hope you do too." He meant it. Even if it wasn't him, he wanted you to be happy.

"But lastly… I think a big reason I'm scared to show him who I am is…"

"Yeah?" Pedro could feel himself getting nervous.

"I don't… look like a celebrity. I don't look like those women in magazines. I'm not… skinny. I'm fat, and squishy… and I don't have flawless skin. I'm not… beau-"

"Stop," Pedro said.

"Sorry…" you fretted. You knew you'd push him away.

"No, no, no. Don't be sorry. But don't say to me that you aren't beautiful. Because you are. I don't even know what you look like but you're beautiful on the inside. And as far as the women in magazines? They've gone through hair and makeup and plastic surgery. They don't look perfect when you strip all that away. But you. We all have bad skin days. And you aren't defined by your body size. You may not be your own type. But for all you know, the man you are in love with might LOVE that you aren't skinny. He might love the curves and the natural beauty that you have. Not to mention that big heart of yours. You might just be his type."

You might be my type, he thought. 

You were crying now. Not a sniffle, but a genuine cry. And Pedro felt as though he must have made things much worse. Until you said "thank you Pedro. I'm sorry for putting all this on your shoulders. But thank you for your words. I know that I don't like my own body and I just assume others wouldn't as well. But maybe you're right. Maybe he would love me back."

"I think he will. You just need to give him a chance to see you the way you are. You deserve to be loved as you are. He will love you back."

And if he doesn't, I think I already do. Pedro finally admitted to himself.

__________

That's all folks! For this chapter at least. Thanks again for reading and stay tuned for more!

Next chapter! Here

Taglist: (Want in? Let me know!)@pedrotonin @starcrossed02 @lightupsketchersperson @cartoon-garbage04 @tyferbebe @maryfanson @gwendibley84 @faithfullyyours2000 @brilliantopposite187 @hc-geralt-23 @jenniferpendragon @winchestergypsy90 @red-red-rogue @theendwhereibegin @lottieellz101 @oliversaurus @kyga01 @milly-louise @titabel

[joaoista]

《More than colleagues, they are my family》

❤️Charlos + mention of Arthur/Ollie 💛One-shot (+1.4k words) 🤍Fluff + family bonding time (sort of)

Oliver waited patiently inside the Ferrari motorhome. He had already gone through multiple interviews making statements here and there. He received congratulations from many important people in the world of motorsport, feeling fortunate to have so much support from those he admires. Even his father was there to celebrate with him this first great milestone in his career in the highest category of motorsport. The only thing missing was to celebrate with a well-known duo from the paddock that he considered equally important as another member of his family.

And it was with them in mind that the first figure crossed the entrance, giving him a friendly smile before approaching him.

“You did very well, mate”, Charles' words were imbued with genuine affability, as he watched the youngest in depth.

He already knew that look. Eyes narrowed, bright with emotion. It was undoubtedly...

Pride. Pride for him.

Ollie felt himself reverberating in his seat with ill-contained emotion. It was because of it that he couldn't help but jump out of his chair and rush over to Charles, wrapping his lanky arms around him in a tight hug.

“Yes, we were a great team today! One of the best!”, he exclaimed. Enthusiasm pouring through his pores.

However, his mind clicked. He quickly pulled away from Charles. A thin layer of blush sprinkled over his cheeks, embarrassed, mentally scolding himself for getting caught up in the emotion of the moment and acting impulsively accordingly.

He was just about to shout an apology when the Monegasque took him in his arms again, reciprocating the congratulatory embrace.

“Oh, come here Ollie”, the older man murmured. Oliver felt his eyes slowly blurring, feeling himself almost completely overcome by the accomplishment of the feat he had achieved tonight.

He was going to allow himself to collapse in the midst of Charles' comforting embrace, but an intrusion awaited deep down by him made an appearance, startling him and watching as he stole the second of the Leclerc brothers' breath away.

‘They're so obvious’, Bearman thought with amusement and affection.

“Carlos”, he's pretty sure he could hear the smitten sigh leave Charles' lips.

“P3, not bad, my Lord Perceval”, the Spaniard walked in their direction with a slow step. Appreciation painted all over the eldest's eyes as he focused on his mate from Monaco.

“I would be offended if you thought otherwise. The fight to see who can cut the Red Bulls' streak started last week.”

“As well as the other inside bet we have”, Leclerc was the one who ended up closing the distance between them, lightly tapping the other's shoulder for the joke. He then went on to take Sainz's hands in his own.

Well, maybe he was interrupting a scene that did not concern him.

“And look who's here, the golden boy from Maranello. Congratulations on your big debut, Ollie”, although, he dismissed that thought quickly. Of course, they would not turn his presence away no matter how enclosed they were in their bubble.

Eagerly he ran to the Spaniard. “Carlos!”

He was about to hug him. However, he remembered the problem the pilot was bringing with him, so he abruptly stopped his action. Nevertheless, Carlos gave him a nod, indicating that such a hug was welcome.

“Go ahead, Ollie. Just don't push too hard.”

Oliver hugged him with a little less intensity than he hugged Charles, but with the same enthusiasm and appreciation he showed for him. He was still grateful for the advice he provided before the race, even in a state of recovery he made sure to instruct him as best he could to get the most out of the car.

How can you not love Charles and Carlos?

“I'm still sorry to hear about your operation. Also, I'm so glad you're doing well.”

‘And that you're here with us.’

Sainz just denied. “Nothing to be sorry about, Ollie. You did amazing out there and you were able to get the most out of the car. I'm very proud of you.”

Proud of you.

Something throbbed inside Bearman's chest. His eyes misted over again.

“Of both of you. You did a great job.”

“Thank you, Carlos”, he murmured, trying to hold back tears. He gave them both his big smile that exposed his pearly teeth, typical of when he was very happy.

They accompanied the Spaniard to take a seat on the couch in the motorhome, settling in to have their own post-race chat without interruption from third parties and in the intimacy of their circle.

“You know, I would have really liked him to be here.”

Both pairs of eyes stared at him, instantly picking up on who he was referring to.

“You haven't talked to him?” Carlos asked, surprised.

“Curiously, from him was the first message I received on my cell phone congratulating me on my performance. He beat my whole family, even”, mention to them incredulously, but bubbling inside with raw emotion at the gesture.

“Well, I think it's time to give this to you...”, Charles mentioned, as he stood up to get a marbled gift bag. He handed it to him without further thought.

“What?”, Oliver's astonished intonation echoed through the room, still taking the gift in bewilderment. A maroon sweater, a box of biscuits, and a pink rose lay inside.

“Arthur sent it to you. He strictly told me to give it to you as soon as we finished our routine post-race activities. Oh, and he also said there's a surprise waiting for you at Maranello. Apparently, he stayed up late into the night working on this”, he held out his cell phone, showing him his gallery.

A picture of a Ferrari cap with the number ‘38’ stitched on the side of the visor, revealing the face of a small teddy bear woven with brown threads on the inside, was all over the screen. The sender? None other than Arthur Leclerc.

Ollie's eyes opened wide, intensifying that characteristic gleam in them. With trembling hands, he picked up Charles' phone, trying to process the situation. He swallowed in a vain attempt to undo the lump in his throat.

‘Oh, Arthur...’, he mumbled in his head, being a teary mess inside.

“Charles, I think that was only for you to see, not the boy”, Sainz catches his eye, pointing out the obvious detail. The Monegasque froze in place.

“Aïe... I'm sorry? Please pretend I didn't show you anything and act surprised when he gives you the cap”, a nervous laugh bursts from his lips, apologizing for the oversight over and over again.

But, for Oliver, it is more than clear that he will not be able to forget that fact so easily. If he felt his heart was already filled with so much affection for the people around him, it undoubtedly overflowed with love when he learned of the gift Arthur had painstakingly prepared for him, in addition to what he had made him get with his brother.

How to stop the growing infatuation for his former academy classmate if he took great pains every day to surprise and entertain him, even when he did not know the effect it has on him? An impossible mission that he has no intention of stopping.

“And I want to hug Arthur so much because of that...”, He added in a dreamy tone, forgetting for an instant that he was still in company. “No, I...! I...! Now you pretend I didn't say that about your brother, please”, he pleaded with a wail, the color of his cheeks matching the color of the Cavallino Rampante car.

“Now I'm supposed to call him ‘brother-in-law’?”, Carlos annoyed him with a clearly amused tone.

“Carlos!”

“Mmm... I think the four of us should have a dinner party, don't you, Ollie?”, his partner followed his lead, laughing softly.

“Charles!”, implored the Englishman, flushed with embarrassment.

Leclerc only let out another small laugh at Oliver's embarrassed expression. He wasn't going to lie; he was enjoying the somewhat familiar atmosphere that spread between the three of them. It was almost the same feeling witnessed being with his own family and he didn't dislike it at all. He liked it.

Now recomposed from his sultry moment of the day, he approached the red-clad couple and enclosed them both in a final embrace, feeling that last thread that held him fastened to the illusion that this race was a mere fantasy finally break and the bucket full of reality spilling over him.

He felt warm and very happy.

“It's good to have you on the team, Ollie”, Charles whispered, returning the hug. Carlos nodded at his words.

‘It's good to have you two with me.’

[First time posting a fic here jaja! Spreading the Arthur/Ollie propaganda, tho -gets hit-. I really enjoyed writing a fluffy moment between these three, so, I hope you like it! ^^💖]

[gingerjolover]

HOLIDAY REQUEST SEASON EEEE HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!! okay so we know that julien definitely isn’t enthralled by the holidays because of the stereogum interview buuuut i cant shake the vision of julien and soft!gf facing off in a (ginger)bread (see what i did there!!!!!) house battle like idk i could just imagine soft!gf running errands at the store, coming across a gingerbread house kit and being like…..yes!

omggggg... also i see what u did there teehee

im gonna hc this bc this is sooo cute

i feel like soft!gf and julien compromise a lot in their relationship, like they show up for each other in many different ways even when the other isn't super stoked

jb shows up for you EVERY. CHRISTMAS. like yeah she doesn't love christmas but she looooves you so she indulges your every whim during the holidays

if we are in the same universe (soft!gf and julien have moved to LA and the house needed renovations/the end of touring/lots of events taking place and so on, so their holiday party/housewarming is taking place around the holidays) then you are zooooming around running errands trying to prep

thankfully munagenius is helping a lot and you thank your lucky stars for bff!kelli bc boy does she come thru for you

but it's exactly like that, soft!gf sees these gingerbread kits at like world market or something and there's a sale on traditional ones but then there's a midcentury modern kit and a camper one (these are real)

so you get a couple of the traditional ones (maybe for a mungenius hangout or group date night) and then get some of the cool ones

and you come home so excited and julien is matching your excitement because she doesn't like christmas but she likes how excited you get around the holidays and the constant twinkle in your eyes

julien greets you in the driveway, one of your dogs at her calf as she waits for you to park, her tattoos out and about in her linen button down

"didja buy the whole store?" julien asks teasingly, her hand pulling you into her by your beltloops, kissing your cheek and jaw in quick succession

"we have like 25 people coming over jay," you say unamused but unable to fight the smile at her affections, starting to grab bags

but boyfriend!julien is lowkey jacked and can get 95% of the bags in her arms as she quickly waddles into the house

julien is rifling through the bags when you get inside, pulling out the gingerbread houses before you can even butter her up

"i saw them at the store and i thought it would be so fun...look," you say grabbing the midcentury modern house and showing her the box

julien sees how excited you are and loves a good craft so she acts like its such a chore but once dinner has been eaten and the dishes have been washed, julien is putting plastic down on the dining room table and organizing all the supplies as if it was her idea

and lets be real, julien gets into it, okay?

soft!gf is a little genius so there's extra icing and candy and toppings for the houses on the table

and julien is constructing a masterpiece, murmuring to herself, "need a good foundation...good bones," or something like that

"i bet i could build us a real house baby..." "im sure you could jules."

and somewhere between letting the houses set and decorating, julien gets competitive

"i thought you wanted us to decorate it like it was our real house jay?"

"i do but im just going to do it better than you :)" and she smiles so sassily you're like fine, game on

and julien is soooo messy

she has icing all over her hands and on her cheek

and she's popping candies into her mouth left and right

"jay stop i needed those for my roof!" "you're roofing too slow babe, 's not my fault"

and there's Christmas music playing softly in the background, the dogs are sleeping underneath the table at y'alls feet and as it gets dark the Christmas lights husband!julien so diligently crafted around the house on a timer go off

and for the first time in a long time julien looks around and is so genuinely happy with the christmas-ness of her environment

and its silly like her and soft!gf are literally making replicas of their house out of inedible gingerbread and its so christmassy it should make her sick but she sees the streaks of icing on your cheekbone and how you've placed little m&ms in a repetitive pattern on the roof of your gingerbread house and she decides that the focused look on your face with your tongue peeking out, an almost ethereal glow behind your head from the Christmas lights is worth dealing with some of the lingering anger and resentment she has during the holidays if it means she can create new traditions with you and learn to love Christmas

<3 sorry its late guys

i feel like ive forgotten how to write and post and im in my imposter syndrome era ;P

[gucciwins]

Are bel and Harry celebrating 1 year of HH? How are they celebrating?

Hi babes, I wanted to write something in honor of the year one year of Harry’s house and thought interview style would be a fun way to share how Bel and Harry celebrated. Very little Harry and Bel but enough to give you an insight 💜💜💜💜💜

____

Zane Lowe checks in with Harry on the one year anniversary of Harry’s house. 

Harry is set up on Bel’s laptop for a Zoom call with his good friend Zane Lowe. Jeff had told him he did not need to do anything, but Harry thought about where he was a year ago and where he is now and wanted to share with his fans how this has been a fantastic year. 

While Harry’s team sent out an email thanking everyone for an incredible year, and if you scrolled down below the photo, you would find the link to his interview.

It opens with Harry looking away from the camera with a large dimpled smile. He leans out of the frame and is assumed to receive a kiss from his longtime girlfriend, Y/N Belmonte. 

Harry checks the audio and sees it off as he unmutes and begins to wave his hand in greeting. 

“Good day, Zane. How are you doing?” Harry greets.

“I’m doing well, my friend. Excited to talk with you,” Zane answers genuinely. 

The two start by checking how they’re doing and what they have been up to. Harry shares how it’s been the start of the tour and how excited he is for the last leg of Love on Tour. Zane expresses how he will try to make it out for Wembley. Describing how he can’t wait to be in that vibrant energy. 

“You’re always welcome,” Harry promises. 

Z: We are gathered here today because Harry’s House turned one year old. 

H: The big one. 

Z: This has been an incredible year for you. 

H: *laughs* It’s been unreal. 

Z: Tell me what this album means to you now, a year later. 

H: It means more to me now. This album I had so much fun creating. And when I finally shared it with the fans to see how well received it was, it was only an added blessing. 

Z: That’s beautiful. Now this album went on to have three singles and a sold-out world tour. It was also recognized as Album of the year at the Grammys. 

H: Don’t forget I swept at the Brits this year.

Z: *laughs* That you did. 

H: It was an incredible night. I feel honored that my album was loved by the fans and that I had an amazing fan there to present me with the award. It–it was special. A night I will never forget. 

Z: How have you been celebrating today?

H: *looks away from the camera for a second* I went on my morning walk alone, and when I returned, the living room was filled with balloons and streamers. There was a beautifully decorated cake. The album was playing Bel’s favorite song on the record player. Seeing all the trouble she went through for me made me tear up.

B: *whispers* No trouble at all. 

H: *giggles* It shows me how lucky I am to have someone at my side who celebrates all my accomplishments with me. 

Z: It’s magical to have people at your side uplifting every goal and dream you have. Thank you for sharing that. I know we’re limited on time, wanting to respect your time and all, but I have a few final questions. 

H: Of course. 

Z: I know most of the album was written in 2020, but you did say 2021 brought some changes. Don’t think you ever said what it was. Would you care to share? 

H: *blushes* The album started while filming my two movies. I thought going into my 2021 tour, the album was finished, but, uh…someone walked back into my life and changed everything. There are tweaked lyrics. A song or two was removed, and another was added. This album happened because of them, even if she thinks she doesn’t deserve the credit. 

Z: We don’t even have to ask who you’re talking about.

H: No, I guess we don’t. Think I may have slipped earlier.

Z: Either way, I feel they’ll know. 

Z: What do you think is next? What do you see for the future? 

H: I know you mean music wise, but after finishing in July, I’ll enjoy being home and being a son, a friend, and a partner. It might be crazy to say, but she’s all I see when I think of the future. It’s all I want to see. I guess that’s where I am in life. 

Z: Are you happy, Harry?

H: The happiest I’ve ever been. 

The interview blows up, and it’s safe to say it was the best gift Hary could give his fans on the first anniversary of Harry’s house, a peek into the inside of his life. 

_____

hope you enjoyed this little blurb amores 🤍

[pensat-i-fet]

A bonding trip, Part 1 (Mason Mount x Reader)

*I wrote this little enemies to lovers story for a friend who’s a big Mason fan and she has allowed me to share it with all of you now. I hope you like it as much as she did ❤️*

Part 2

Word count: 2956

Masterlist

Wattpad

“We don’t want to let you go, but we have to. There isn’t that much money invested in the women’s team and this transfer will fund half a season. I’m so sorry”.

Hearing my coach's words, I feel like crying. Why is this happening to me? I don’t want to leave Arsenal. I love this team and always have. And I certainly don’t want to go to play for Chelsea.

But I also understand the team has to sell me. I just wish a miracle could happen to prevent this transfer.

“It’s ok. Thank you for everything. I’ll miss you all”, I tell him, genuinely meaning it.

“Well, we are still in the same city. Don’t be a stranger”.

                               **

“Turn to the left…perfect. Now one smiling”.

I have been doing press stuff for Chelsea for the last hour and I’m so done with it. But I still need to do more interviews and videos for social media. 

“Oh, look who it is!”, I hear someone say so I turn to see them. “The new superstar!”

Of course, it’s Mason Mount. God, I hate him. 

“Well, the team clearly needed one. It’s not as if you could fit in that category”.

“Always a pleasure to see you”, he says, flicking my nose and making me move back.

“What are you doing here? I’m busy”.

I then notice everyone has stopped working to look at our interaction. 

“You have to do a photoshoot together”, says one of the media people.

“Why? It’s my presentation”.

Why does he have to be part of everything I do?

Mason and I have been “enemies” for a while. Both of us have always been the poster boy/girl for our clubs and national teams, which means we’ve had to spend a lot of time together in events for brands and whatnot. 

And it was on our very first event together that I realized what a douche he was. He spent the whole time ignoring me and making the whole thing about himself. And to think I had a crush on him before that…my taste needed to improve and it thankfully did.

“It’s not for your presentation, silly”, he says, laughing at me. “It’s for a few campaigns and interviews that’ll come out in a couple of weeks”.

“Amazing”, I say, making the sarcasm very clear.

A few minutes later, I’m standing next to Mason posing for more photos. 

“Blue looks good on you”, he whispers, making me frown.

“Shut up!”

And he does, shaking his head.

                           **

“So, is it nice to come to a team where you already have friends? It must be hard leaving Arsenal after so many years”, asks the journalist.

If only you knew how hard it is.

“Yes, absolutely. Some of the girls have played with me for the national team and were making sure I felt welcomed from the minute I stepped foot in Cobham. It’s really nice of them. But it will take a while to get used to picking the blue shirt instead of the red one”, I try to joke. 

“And you have Mason too”, she says.

I look at Mason, who is staring at me with a big smile on his face. He’s loving this.

“Actually, he’s really annoying but thankfully I don’t play with him so I’ll be alright”.

The journalist thinks I’m joking and starts laughing. She’s joined by Mason, but I can tell how fake his laugh is. 

By the time we are done with the interview, I’m desperate to just leave. Today has been way too long. 

“Hey, wait”, I hear Mason say when I’m about to leave to get changed.

“What?”

“That, exactly that”.

“You make zero sense once again, Mount”.

“Why do you always have to be like this with me?”, he asks, as if he didn’t know. “You’re so nice to everyone but so rude to me. Even during an interview”.

“You were rude to me first”.

“Are you 5?”, he says, rolling his eyes.

Instead of answering, I just leave. It’s impossible to reason with someone like him.

                               **

“We are leaving on Monday at 8 am. Please be on time. The boys will hopefully be there by then so we can leave”, tells us Emma, after explaining the trip we’ll be doing alongside the men’s team.

“Why do we have to be on time but for them it’s hoping they are on time?”, I say. I don’t like double standards.

“Oh, they’ve actually been told we leave at 7. That’s why we’re hopeful they’ll be there by the real leaving time”.

Literal children. And…a bonding trip? Why do we behave like it’s summer camp? I just want to train.

“Stop frowning”, says Fran.

“Tell me you also find this trip ridiculous. And if it’s bonding we need to do, why are the men there?”

“I don’t know. It’s always done like this”, she shrugs. “Just don’t make it too obvious how much you hate Mount so you two aren’t paired together for literally every activity”.

“What?”

The look she gives me says it all. Of course, they’ve all noticed.

                              **

8.20 am on Monday and we’re all waiting for Mount and Havertz. What a surprise!

Well, actually Havertz being late is surprising. Aren’t Germans supposed to be very punctual? I guess it’s Mason’s bad influence.

“There they are”, I hear someone say and we all lift our eyes to see the car approaching. 

I just shake my head and roll my eyes. They are still taking their time leaving the car and approaching our bus.

“Hurry up, Mount!”, I tell him when he finally makes it to the bus.

“Good morning to you too, beautiful”.

“It’d be good if I didn’t have to spend it with you”.

The coaches are coming closer to us and I see Mason smiling at me as if he has just listened to the little demon on his shoulder.

“You want to sit with me on the plane? I don’t know. I usually sit with Kai but since we’re supposed to be bonding…”.

“What are you talking…”.

“Oh, that sounds brilliant”, says Potter. Should I tell him I’m a Slytherin?

“No, he’s joking”, I say with a fake laugh. “You know our Mounty. He’s a comedian. But he wants to sit with his bestie, of course. I’ll sit with one of the girls”.

“No no no”, says Mason, putting his arm around my shoulder and making me feel very uncomfortable. “I’ll do anything to make the new star of the team feel at home”.

Will they send me back to Arsenal if I punch him?

                                   **

“You are going to spend the whole camp fighting, aren’t you?”, asks Pernille when we’re on the bus. But she doesn’t look annoyed. She looks amused.

“I’ll ignore him and hope he ignores me too”.

“I think he likes you”, she says.

“Well, even if he did”, which he doesn’t, “...not interested”.

Thankfully, the conversation is interrupted by others players asking if we want to play Uno to kill some time. And so that’s what we do.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Mason sitting next to Kai and looking at something on their iPad. They keep on laughing every couple of seconds. God knows what childish thing they are watching.

                                    **

“Emma, honestly. I rather sit with the girls”.

I’m trying really hard to avoid sitting with Mason for two whole hours, but nothing I say is convincing her.

“It’s a bonding trip. If someone needs to bond, it’s you two”.

I guess they all have really noticed what’s going on. Great.

“Hello, travel buddy”.

I close my eyes and sigh when I hear his voice.

“I want a coffee”, I say.

“No one is stopping you from having one”, answers Mason, confused.

“Get me a coffee. If you want to sit next to me, get me a coffee. And a toastie. And a muffin. And maybe a smoothie. Check if they have any with blueberries”.

“You’re serious”.

“I don’t joke when muffins are involved, Mount”, I say, giving him a 20-pound note. “Get yourself some sweeties too”.

I can see him staring at the money in his hand and then he just leaves and walks to the nearest Starbucks. I actually can’t believe he’s going to buy me food. I was just trying to make him uncomfortable so he would leave me alone.

“We’re going to board now. You coming?”

But I don’t know whether I should wait for Mason or not. I can’t believe I feel bad about leaving him behind. 

“Here you go, bestie”, he says, passing me the cup of coffee and putting a bag on the floor next to me.

“Thanks”.

And because I don’t really know how I’m feeling right now but I do know he’s making me uncomfortable again, I just take the bag and start eating. Even though I’m not really hungry.

After taking a couple of bites of my toastie, I hear a weird noise. What was that?

And then I hear it again.

“Mount? Is that your stomach?”

“Eh…yeah. I didn’t have breakfast today”.

“Why didn’t you get something for you when you were at the coffee place?”

“I don’t know”, he shrugs.

“Here”, I tell him, cutting the toastie in half and giving him the bit I didn’t bite on.

“You don’t have to. It’s your breakfast”.

“I’m not even that hungry”.

“Then why did you make me buy all of that for you?”, he asks.

“I don’t know”, I say, shrugging and copying his expression from before, which makes him smile.

He takes the toastie and devours it in no time. He really was hungry.

So when I take the muffin, I do the same.

"You don't…".

"Just take it", I say, eating my half of the muffin quickly so I can get my Kindle out and do some reading.

Mason eats the muffin just as fast as he ate the toastie and starts to look at what I'm doing.

"What kind of iPad is that?", he asks, moving closer so he can read what's on my screen.

"It's not an iPad, it's a Kindle. You know? To read books".

"I don't read".

"I'm not surprised by that fact", I say under my breath.

"Maybe you can read to me so I fall asleep. You have such a soothing voice".

That makes me choke on the coffee I'm trying to finish.

"I have a what?"

My voice can be described by many adjectives but I don't think soothing is one most people will use.

"Yes", he says, feigning seriousness. "I love it. But I'm still wondering when it's that I like it better. When you call me an asshole or when you order me around?"

I have to turn around so he doesn't see my smile.

"I never called you an asshole", I say.

"You said it with your eyes".

"Oh yeah? Were my eyes soothing too?"

"No, they are just beautiful".

This…I don't know how to do this. Whatever this is.

"Well, I'll use them to read now".

And the conversation is over.

                                   **

By the time we are about to land in Scotland, I've managed to make a lot of progress with my book. I love a good thriller.

And Mason…well, he did fall asleep. But didn't need me to read to him in order to do that. 

Every time I turned to look to the left, I saw his head getting closer to my shoulder. Until it found its destination. 

I couldn't help but look at him. He was definitely prettier when he was asleep. The less he talks, the better. 

"Sir, we are going to land", tells him a flight attendant and that finally wakes him up.

"Oh, yes. Sorry".

It's then he notices me.

"Sorry".

"It's ok. At least you didn't drool".

He laughs and keeps staring at me. I'm not usually a fan of people doing that. And it's especially weirder when Mason does it. The way he looks at people is so…intense.

"You need to fasten your seatbelt", I say and turn to busy myself putting everything back in my bag.

                                   **

When we reach the place we'll be staying at, I'm lost for words. It really is a camp.

"Is this a joke?", I ask, not being able to stop my shock.

"What? It's fun!", says Azpilicueta.

"I'm actually shocked that you primadonnas can stay in this type of place without throwing a tantrum. I love camping".

“You aren’t worried about Jason coming out of the woods to murder us all?”, laughs Fran.

“No, she’s got enough dealing with Mason. No need for a Jason”, jokes Kai, making everyone laugh.

Everyone but me. I just leave them there and go find my cabin. I’m tired and I want to get changed.

“Ignore them. They just love to always take the piss out of each other”, tells me Emma while she walks towards the cabin with me.

“Oh, I don’t care. I’ll just stay with the girls most of the time anyways, since Connor isn’t here”.

“Are you friends with him? I didn’t know”.

“I am. We actually met years ago and became quite close”.

I was actually hoping to be able to do a bit of catching up with him, but he’s nowhere to be seen.

“He’ll be here in a couple of days”.

“Really?”, I say, happy to know that. “I thought he was missing the whole camp because of his injury”.

“No, he’ll join you soon”.

                                 **

Once we leave our cabins, I feel the need to explore right away. But the team is allowing some free time for everyone to settle here and no one wants to come with me. So I go by myself.

I don’t dare go inside the woods, since I’m not familiar with this place yet but I go around it, enjoying the stunning views. Wifi doesn’t seem to work well here, or at all, but the camera doesn’t need any Internet to take photos. So that’s what I do. The place is truly breathtaking.

While I’m focusing on getting the right angle for a photo, I notice something moving. Was that an animal? They didn’t tell us about dangerous animals being around but one can never be too sure.

But then the animal gets closer and I see it’s a very dangerous one. One called Mason Mount.

“Are you following me?”, I ask.

“You think too highly of yourself. Why would I follow you?”

“To murder me?”

“It’s should be me who worries”, he says, sitting next to me. “I don’t hate you. You hate me”.

“I don’t…hate you”.

“You do a pretty good hating me impersonation then”.

I sigh and shake my head. He just doesn’t get it.

“Mason. I just don’t like people like you. When we first met you were so arrogant. Every question we both got was answered by you. You ignored me completely”.

“I did?”, and when he turns to look at him, he seems genuinely confused.

“You don’t remember that day?”

“No, I do remember that day. But I didn’t ignore you. I was…intimidated by you”.

“I was intimidated by you”, I say, annoyed at the misunderstanding that took place.

“Then we are both stupid”.

“Yes, but you are more stupid than me”.

I get up to look at one of the trees in front of us. The leaves are so beautiful.

“Do you want me to take a picture of you?”, asks Mason.

“What?”

“With the tree. I can take pretty good photos you know”.

“Sure”.

I give him my phone and go back to the tree.

“Smile”, he says, and I do. “Look at you smiling at me. Miracles in Scotland!”

                                   **

When we are walking back to the camp, I feel…strange. It’s nice to sort of have fixed things with Mason but it also confuses me. I’ve always felt conflicted by the mixed feelings I have whenever he is around. 

And even though our attitude has definitely changed, we still are paired together for every single activity, which doesn’t help.

We are taught how to shoot an arrow and I end up pretending I don’t already know how to do it. Mason, of course, thinks he already knows how to because he is Mason Mount and he knows how to do everything. But instead of being snarky, I let him think that. And I let him “teach” me because I guess it’s quite nice to have him so close to me.

When it rains, we are taken inside to do a painting class. And we have to paint a portrait of our partner. My one is actually pretty decent but Mason’s is…it’s a portrait. Of me? I’m not sure. The face he did doesn’t look particularly human but maybe he’s an abstract artist.

What I do know is that by the time I go back to my cabin, I have smudges of paint all over my chin from the times he touched it to move my face and get a better look at it. Judging by the final result, it wasn’t very helpful. But I also let him do it because I guess it was quite nice to feel his fingers caressing my face.

On day 2, we are finally going to the woods. I cannot wait!

Mason is my partner, again. And the girls won’t stop joking during breakfast about how friendly we looked yesterday. 

“Didn’t you want us to get on well? Well, I’m trying”.

“Yes”, says Fran, “you seem to be suffering a lot with the effort made”.

But I just ignore them and get ready for the day, making sure I have my camera with me. Today is going to be such a great day.

[joekeeryswife]

Infertile - J.Q

TW: mentions of miscarriage and infertility please scroll away if those trigger you. might make this a small series, not to sure yet, lmk if i should! enjoy loves <3

you and Joseph had been trying for a baby for a year and a half. it had been the hardest year and a half of your life. seeing each pregnancy test, one after the other being negative, took a massive toll on your mental health. sex felt like a chore instead of being enjoyable, it's not that it wasn't filled with love, it was just the thought that you were trying and nothing was working.

Joseph had just come back from doing an interview with Jamie for Esquire, seeing you sat in the living room watching Orange is the new Black. he hated how this made you feel. he could see the bags under your eyes from the lack of sleep, he could see your bloodshot eyes from all the crying. your whole being just looked defeated. he hated that all this made you feel so bad about yourself.

last year when you both started trying, decided to go to the doctors to discuss IVF treatment which worked for about a month. you were pregnant for one month and then one morning, you woke up to the worst cramps you'd ever felt and Joseph had to rush you to the hospital where you were both informed that you had lost your precious baby.

it had been the worse day of your life after finding that out and it was one thing you'd never be able to forget. the hole in your heart had never been filled and Joseph felt the same. he hated seeing you so down and he felt the same when he lost his beautiful baby. seeing your friends and family having babies made you jealous and you hated the way you felt whenever you found out another one was pregnant. you were then sat on your vanity chair, getting ready for a family dinner for Joseph's mums birthday. after Joseph’s interview, he also got ready and was waiting for you.

you'd taken a pregnancy test earlier that day, it being negative again. you hated the negative thoughts that would come through your mind. what if Joseph left you for someone who could actually give him a baby? would he still love you even if you couldn't have kids? you were pulled out of your thoughts when Joseph shouted your name, luckily you only needed to slip on your shoes so you got up from your vanity, put on your shoes and walked to the front door.

Joseph your handbag in his hand, holding it out for you to take which made your heart melt. it was the little things he did for you which made your love for him grow. you walked hand in hand to his car and he opened the door for you to get in. the whole car ride was silent. you didn't really know what to talk about. Joseph's hand was on your thigh as he drove, your hand on top of his.

you arrived at the restaurant 20 minutes later, not wanting to look moody and upset you put on the best fake smile you could, trying to make it look as genuine as possible. before you walked into the restaurant, Joseph stopped you from entering it. "hey stop a second" he said, making you turn around to him, a confused look on your face.

"i know today was hard, a lot harder than the other times but we seriously don't have to stay here for long" he said, his thumb stroking your hand softly. you sighed. "Joseph, it's your mums birthday, i'll feel bad if we didn't stay till the end" you said, looking up at him. he shook his head and lent in to kiss your cheek. "we can leave whenever you want love. just give me a nudge" he said, making you nod your head.

you both walked into the restaurant, seeing all of Joseph's close family there. his mum, dad, brother and his wife and his sister and her husband. you said your hellos, giving his mum and dad a hug and then sat down next to Joseph. he had his hand on your thigh as you all listened to his mum talk about what she had done that day. "and your dad took me to the beach and then we went home, got dressed and came here" she finished, you had the biggest smile on your face as you listened to her.

his mum and dads relationship was the cutest thing you'd ever seen. "mum we got you something, it's not much but uhh we think you'll like it" Joseph's sister said, the attention now on her. you looked at Joseph who was confused, they'd all put money together to get her a gift and now she'd also gotten her own one for her as well. he watched as his mum opened the small bag, her eyes lighting up when she saw the positive pregnancy test at the bottom.

"oh my god. i'm going to be a grandma" she said, her voice was filled with happiness and her face lit up. your heart sank. you really really wanted to be happy for your sister in law but you couldn't. watching his mums smile widen as she hugged her daughter filled you with hurt and jealousy. any other day you would have been so happy for her but seeing the negative test just this morning made seeing this even more upsetting.

Joseph's hand on your thigh tightened as he watched your face drop from the smile to a frown then back to a small smile, trying to act happy. you looked at Joseph who had a sympathetic smile on his face. everyone got up from the table and hugged his sister, including you, but the more they spoke about it, the more it hurt to listen.

your eyes welled up with tears as his sister showed off her growing bump and scan photos, she spoke about how she was 23 weeks along and how they're finding out the gender in three weeks. your bottom lip started to quiver as you kept listening, the pang of sadness in your heart getting the better of you. "i'm gonna go to the bathroom quickly" you whispered to Joseph, who looked at you with a knowing look on his face. he nodded his head and watched as you walked off to the bathroom.

"y/n has been gone for a while, is she okay?" his brother said, making everyone turn to look at him. he sighed and nodded, standing up from the table to go check you were okay. "she's fine, i'll be back in a second" he replied, tucking his chair in before walking to the bathroom. he lent up against the door and heard your sniffles and hiccups as you tried to calm down. he knocked on the door softly, hearing your sniffles suddenly stop.

"y/n? it's me sweetheart. can you let me in?" Joseph said in a soft tone. he heart you sigh before the bathroom door unlocked. he opened the door and walked in, seeing you sat on the toilet lid, mascara smudged down your cheeks. he closed the door and locked it again before walking towards you. he walked towards you and put his hands out for you to grab, helping you stand up. he pulled you into a hug, your arms falling around his waist as your head rested on his chest.

he held you close as you sobbed into his chest, embarrassed, hurt and jealous of his sister. "i shouldn't be so upset but i am" you said, sobs raking through your body. he nodded his head and kissed your hair, his hand rubbing up and down your back as he tried to comfort you. "i know sweetheart, i know" he replied, his heart clenching as he heard your sobs.

"you wanna leave?" he asked, his hand moving to your hair and ran his fingers through it. you sighed before nodding your head, feeling bad for leaving his mum on her birthday. "do you think you could grab my bag? i feel a bit embarrassed" you said, pulling away from his chest and neck eyes looking up at him. he nodded his head and wiped your cheeks clean of the mascara. "go get into the car and i'll say my goodbyes" he said, leaning in to kiss you. you reciprocated and walked away from him, walking to the car.

Joseph walked out of the bathroom and walked back to the table, hearing them talking about his brothers promotion. “oh Joseph love, where’s y/n?” his mum said, not seeing you with him. he sighed before picking up your bag. “she’s sick, she wasn’t feeling too good earlier and missed work. she was adamant on coming tonight for your birthday” he finished, looking at his mums sympathetic smile. “oh bless her, you could if cancelled i wouldn’t have minded. we could have met up tomorrow” she said, standing up from the table.

he walked around and gave her a hug before saying his goodbyes to the rest of his family. “i’ll pay you later mum” he said before he walked back to the car, seeing you standing picking at the acrylics on your fingers. he unlocked the car and you got in. he got in next to you and grabbed your hand and kissed your knuckle softly. “we’re going to have our own baby one day, it may not be next week, next month or next year but i will one hundred percent give you a baby.” he said, making your head turn to look at him. you knew he’d do anything for you and you would get your baby one day.

[runningfrom2am]

on the one screen in my town; two

summary:

mason’s life with drew was absolutely perfect, she was happier than ever; until everything came crashing down all at once.

tags/warnings:

drew starkey x fem!popstar!oc, drug and alcohol use, death, grief, these tags are not exhaustive, idk i'll add to this as it goes on.

wc: 2k

an: okay so in this chapter some shit goes down so mind the tags please!!! anyway love y'all

Mason smiles at her fiancé who's standing just behind the camera and the interviewing team in front of her, originally scheduled to discuss her upcoming album which is meant to accompany the next and final season of Outer Banks. Unsurprisingly to an unimpressed Este at Drew's side, they're mostly asking about the show and the upcoming wedding, which happens to be scheduled three months away to the date.

"I thought they were meant to talk about her album." She mutters to her friend, who just nods slightly in response, looking a little disappointed as well with the next question.

"Rumour has it as well that you'll be reprising your role as Sofia for the final season, is that true?" The interviewer asks her, Mason staring at him intently the whole time. She's known for her kindness by everyone in the industry and of course her fans, in a similar way that Drew is.

"I can't really talk about that, unfortunately, but seeing as she didn't die at the end of the last season and Sofia and Rafe haven't had any kind of falling out, I can't see why she wouldn't be back for the last season. That being said, I'm only really permitted to discuss my upcoming album today, unfortunately." Mason answers gracefully, nodding and crossing her legs.

"Not even the wedding?" The interviewer laughs slightly, tilting his head at her.

Mason glances briefly at Drew, before returning her attention to the interviewer. "Well, that depends on what you want to know." She chuckles awkwardly.

"Everything! It's set to be the wedding of the decade- with all the planning you're doing, could you see that becoming an accurate statement?"

"Oh gosh, well, I doubt that. There's bound to be another royal wedding or something, maybe Taylor Swift or Kylie Jenner will get married in the next four years so I truly doubt it." She laughs, shaking her head.

"Oh come on, you don't have to be modest. There's a lot of people working on putting everything together."

Mason nods at this. "Yes! We have so much support and it has been a life saver for us, we appreciate every minute of time that people are taking out of their own day-to-day lives to help us put everything together. To make our dream come to life, I suppose." Her cheeks are flushed now as she speaks, trying to avoid looking in her fiancé's direction- forbid her turning even more red.

"How do you find the time for music when you're working so hard on wedding planning?"

"It's a passion of mine, of course. It's something that's a vessel for me to relax and reconnect with myself and how I'm feeling, which is really important to me as an artist but it also gives me an important outlet to-" As Mason is answering, Drew and Este share a satisfied smile, pleased that they're finally on topic.

Just then Mason's phone starts vibrating in Drew's pocket, and he pulls it out quickly to dismiss the incoming call from her father. He quickly calls back. Again, and again.

"Hey, so sorry, her dad is really trying to get a hold of her. Can she quickly take a call?" Drew whispers to a member of the crew standing nearby, showing them the phone. They nod quickly, getting the interviewers attention and calling for a cut just before Mason finishes talking about her creative process.

"Here, Love, your dad is calling you. I think you should take it." Drew says, quickly approaching her and passing her the phone. She nods, hitting answer and standing up to step out, holding her phone to her ear.

"Hey, dad. How's it going?" She asks as she steps out into the hall, genuine confusion crossing her tone. He knew she was doing this important press interview today, and usually her parents wouldn't reach out until they knew she was done.

"Mason, honey, I-" Her dad chokes out into the phone after a moment.

"Dad, hey, what's wrong?" She frowns, peeking through the slightly open door to make sure no one was listening before closing it.

"Your mom... I- I'm sorry, you need to come home. She-" He sighs shakily, a pit already forming in the singers stomach. "She's passed, honey."

There's a silence on the line, as Mason shakes her head, bringing a trembling hand up to her mouth. "No.. No that's not- I talked to her this morning." She says, instantly not believing it. Her dad wouldn't lie to her, though, especially not make some kind of sick joke like this.

"I-I know, I know. I just- can you please come home? Please?" He says shakily as Mason's knees give out beneath her and suddenly she's kneeling on the floor, her body wracked with sobs.

Neither of them say a word for what must be a minute, both of them just crying into the phone and wishing this news wasn't true.

"I'll be home tonight- okay?" Mason says, furiously wiping at her eyes. "I'll fly home as soon as I can." She's still shaking, and she can hardly speak above a whisper.

"Okay... yeah. Call me later and I'll see you tonight." Her dad agrees, managing to regain some composure.

Mason just hangs up the phone, leaning against the wall and letting herself process the news for a minute. Her mom has been her best friend and number one fan forever- she couldn't begin to imagine a life without her in it. A wedding without her there, or a moment going by without the comfort of knowing she can call or text her at anytime, even though they are rarely in the same city these days.

It takes a minute, but on shaky hands and with shaky legs, Mason gets herself up. Does she have to finish the interview? She has to go back into the studio and tell someone. Drew? Este? Or keep it professional and tell a crew member that they will have to reschedule? She can't even consider professionalism in this moment. She quickly wipes away the smudged makeup under her eyes and takes a deep breath before opening the door again, stepping back into the studio and squinting at the lights.

"I-" She starts to speak to anyone who will listen, but hardly any sound comes out. Her eyes land on Drew and Este chatting in the middle of the room who both looked over to her at the same time. The second they noticed her the tears start flowing again, and they hardly get to her before her weak knees are hitting the ground again, Drew quickly catching her and kneeling in front of her.

"Hey! Everyone out- give her some privacy." Este is calling out, standing in front of her friends with her arms out, trying to keep people from looking while she frantically looks down at the couple over her shoulder as everyone shuffled out in a panic.

"Love? What's happened?" Drew asks her, arms wrapped firmly around his fiancé as she now hysterically sobs into his chest.

Mason can't even get a word out, practically choking every time she opens her mouth while Este deals with trying to make sure everyone leaves. The remaining few have good intentions, just wanting to help, but the presence of strangers can only make the news of a loved ones death so much worse. "My- my mom..." She stutters out, returning quickly to sobs.

Drew and Este understand immediately, sharing a quick look of shock and upset before Drew hugs her impossibly tighter, rubbing her back. "Oh, oh god..." He says softly, unsure of what to say. His heart is breaking along with her, he loves Catherine. They had become quite close over the last few years, and the pit in his stomach is the only thing reminding him that this is true, not some cruel joke. Somehow in the mess of things ending up with his arms around both Mason and Este as they cling onto each other. "I'm so sorry." He doesn't know what to say. "I'm so sorry, Love, you're okay..."

Completely shocked, Drew let's them go after a minute or two, insisting he'll be right back, he's not going anywhere, as he gets up and pulls out his phone with shaky hands, calling Mason's manager.

"Hey- hi, It's Drew." He says as soon as she answers the phone, not giving her a chance to get a word in before he continues. "We need to get Mason home, like, asap, we need three flights to uh, LA, we have to get there tonight." He explains, wiping his eyes and looking over at where Mason and Este are still curled up on the floor. They've been friends since they were young, he knows this is a hard hit on Este as well.

"Drew, what's happened? I'll have to reschedule some-" She asks and he interrupts her again.

"Reschedule everything. Maybe cancel it, I don't care. Can you get us back to LA tonight? It has to be private. Everything." He insists.

"Yes, yeah. Of course, but tell me what's going on."

"I-" Drew let's out a shaky breath. "Something happened to Catherine, Miles just called." He says quietly, quickly wiping his eyes again before tears even got the chance to fall. He needs to be strong, he needs to be the one to keep it together to get the girls home.

"Oh.. oh dear. Okay. I'll handle everything. I'm so sorry." She says, shocked by this news as well. "Just get to JFK as soon as possible, I'll get a plane for you there."

"Thank you." Drew nods, quickly hanging up and returning to the girls side, crouching down in front of them.

Mason let's go of her friend and reaches out for him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and crying into his shoulder. They've been through highs and lows together, but nothing like this. Never something like this. "Mason, Love..." He's rubbing her back, trying gently to talk to her. "Let's get you home, yeah? Can we walk together?" He asks and she quickly pulls away from him, nodding and wiping her face- makeup be damned. She has to get it together, just enough to get home. Just enough to make it home without the whole world seeing.

She can't speak, she knows that, but as Este gets up, she holds onto her arm and onto Drew as they pull her up. "Here, take this-" He grabs a left behind cardigan off a nearby chair, wrapping it around her shoulders and adjusting it as best as he can. He gently places his hands on her cheeks, sighing as he looks her over. "My Love..." He whispers, trying to comfort her but not knowing what to say. She just shakes her head, wrapping her arms around him again and pulling him close.

"I just- I have to get my kit, then I'll meet you guys downstairs." Este sniffles, standing up straight and wiping off her leather pants, which are now an iconic look for her.

"You'll be okay?" Drew asks her, still holding tight onto his fiancé.

"Yep. Yep, I'm good." Este nods, wiping under her eyes and placing a hand on her best friends back, leaning in to speak to her. "I'm not going anywhere, I'll meet you in the car, okay?"

Mason just nods into Drew's shoulder, focussing on breathing, but it's so hard when the only thing she can think about is her mom, her dad back home, alone, and clinging onto Drew for dear life.

Collectively, they compose themselves enough to make it to their car outside, Drew giving a quick apology to the interviewing team on the way out, most of whom are staring at them with sympathy- others with an eye roll over the inconvenience.

Cameras are flashing at them, but Mason has her head down, hood almost fully covering her face as they step inside. It was out of character for both of them to not stop and talk to fans or answer questions, so Drew already knew rumours would be flying. That's a problem they would deal with later.

Este is quick to join them, settling for throwing her kit over the back seat and into the trunk as they drive away. Mason stares down at her lap, gripping tightly onto the side of Drew's shirt, rubbing the material between her fingers as he squeezes her tight with an arm over her shoulders.

taglist:@veescorneroftheworld, @totalswag, @madelynie, @cecesrings, @slut4drudy, @mutual-mendes, @winterrrnight, @sadfury, @h34rtsformilli, @maybankslover, (lmk if you want to be added!!)

[st-sainz]

First, Thank you @watercolor-hearts for tagging me! when i saw it i knew it wouldnt be an easy task (mostly because i love to talk a lot lmao) but i liked the concept and felt that it would be interesting way to dive more into the ships i am fond of.

Pairing/Shippy list!

Here are the rules:

1. List your top seven ships.

2. Put them all in order for your love for them; 7 to 1, 1 being your favourite.

3. Name the fandom.

4. Put a picture of the guys in question.

-

7. Ziam (Zayn/Liam Payne) (One Direction)

weird way to start this list, since its not f1 related, and i very much believe it's a dead ship now. But honestly they deserve this honorable mention for being the first ship i adopted, and i didnt even care about One Direction or their music around that time (in fact i cant remember even how i stumbled upon this ship lmao). These two together just had so much chemistry for me, either on stage, interviews, or anything really. also they were my introduction to this whole idea of "ship" (Larry was the absolute more popular one obviously, but it was Ziam that really SUCKED me in like a vacuum cleaner). Unfortunately, Liam's distasteful comments last year bursted my bubble about them (even though he has explained this year he wasn't in a good place, and i personally think they are okay with each other, even though still distant), but i still like to watch their compilation videos on youtube sometimes, it's quite bittersweet :')

6. Martian (Sebastian Vettel/Mark Webber) (Formula 1)

honestly i feel i just dont put these two higher because they feel somewhat new to me, like i need to dive into them more. I just think its such a fun ship in the sense that it has a looot of things going on at the same time, their very public rivalry and the famous multi 21, mark's angry face at that one press conference, it could be so so angsty but they just make me laugh (also, the making love on track quote is now burned into my brain so in no way they could be out of this list).

5. Christian horner/Toto wolff (Formula 1)

okay okay this is the part yall realize im actually crazy. but... they DO have chemistry when they are interacting, even in their non-amicable moments, and i do love myself some good enemies to lovers. Obviously it helps that i think they both are very actrattive, sexy middle aged men that have hunger for victory and i believe they hold so much respect and admiration for each other, considering they are the two most sucessfull TP's at this point. Also, HEIGHT DIFFERENCE.

4. Versainz (Max Verstappen/Carlos Sainz) (Formula 1)

(i wanted to find that ONE gif where he lifts carlos a little so bad but this one will do) Oh, this one really rocketed fast into my favorites. I just think they are just so wholesome. I always feel Max is warmer towards a certain number of drivers, and Carlos is one of them. And i dont even ship them in a ... kind of way, even tho it makes sense in my head the narrative that both were each others "first's" before going into bigger ships. Its just that it feels so special that both debuted together as teammates and, both took different trajectories in the way their career planned out, but theres still a genuine connection between them, at least in my view.

3. Maxiel (Max Verstappen/Daniel Ricciardo) (Formula 1)

I know its weird because i dont really post about them. But this falls into the same category as versainz for me, except that here there's a kind of dynamic that it makes me go "hmm... interesting". I always like to see max smiling and being happy because this boy went thru so much in his childhood, and oh how Daniel knows how to bring this side of Max. If Max can be warmer to certain drivers, for Daniel he has a whole SOFT SPOT, and i think that's very endearing. IMO, Daniel feels like the person that changed him in deeper ways we know, that one person that was indirectly a "life teacher" to him maybe, and thats special to me.

2. Brocedes (Lewis Hamilton/Nico Rosberg) (Formula 1)

Oh, the ANGSTY in this one. yes, this one deserves the ANGSTY in all caps because to me that's them. Oh to have lived through their divorce must have been heartbreaking but what a freaking cinematic ship this one is. I just can't ignore it. How it feels to me that Nico is the one who wears his heart on his sleeve, while Lewis has that chilling Capricorn control over his emotions is so. just so. And the fact that Nico's legacy is forever entangled in Lewis' name. If a movie screenwriter would come up with this, i'd think it would be overdramatic, but no, theyre actually this unhinged.

Charlos (Charles Leclerc/Carlos Sainz) (Formula 1)

how do i even start talking about these two idiots? Okay, so obviously i think they're both very attractive and that definetely helped me to ship them lmao. But thats kind of reductive, because these two have sooo much chemistry in my opinion, even before their ferrari days, there was so much potential waiting to bloom, and it did. I love their banter, their competitiveness, how they can get childlike around each other sometimes. How they are so physical, how they make each other laugh (let me not talk about their gazes to each other or i will not end this today). I love how Carlos doesn't hide he wants to compete with Charles (which brings him unnecessary hate sadly), and how both respect each other in this stance. There's a bit of angsty underneath this soft/fluffy surface too (more from Carlos' perspective imo - but lets not forget Charles and Silverstone 2022 too - this is my charlos angsty origin story), but they still find their way, and that kind of compels me even more into them. I just think theres so many layers, multitudes, in the way we can create, write and read about them. Absolute favorites.

-

Tagging @schumiatspa and @sainzjpeg 😊

obviously, feel free to ignore if you dont want to play, no hard feelings around here ❤, and also 7 ships are quite a work! if you're not tagged but want to make your list, feel free to do it and consider yourself tagged by me 😘

[themuse-if]

20 (or so) Questions with Jo Nielsen

Let's see what lies behind those beautiful eyes. Is Jo really just a hot hippie or do they have a more thoughtful side?

Interviewer: Jo, thanks for sitting down for a deeper chat. Let's start with your birthday – Aquarius, right?

Jo: Absolutely! Born on February 2nd. * starts to get more animated* The "Age of Aquarius" from "Hair" does pop into my head every now and then, you know? The '70s musical – but let's not get stuck on that.

Interviewer: Got it, Aquarian vibes. Any nicknames you go by, or is it just Jo?

Jo: Jo suits me fine. Keeps it simple. *shrugs*

Interviewer: Good to know. Beyond music and the Rebel Rejects, what are some of your good traits?

Jo: Empathy is one. I've been through a lot, so I tend to connect with people on a deeper level. I'm also a good listener. Life's too short not to find humor in the chaos, so a wicked sense of humor is in the mix too.

Interviewer: Sounds like a solid combo. On the flip side, any traits you consider challenging?

Jo: I can be guarded. Growing up in a commune, nudist colony, and a cult – trust doesn't come easy. It's a protective mechanism, you know? Opening up about my own struggles is also something I'm working on.

Interviewer: Understandable. Hobbies outside of music – what's Jo into in more detail?

Jo: Getting lost in a good book is one of my favorite pastimes. The escape into different worlds helps me find balance. Also, nature – hiking, camping. There's something calming about the outdoors that resonates with me.

Interviewer: Nice choices. Let's explore strengths a bit more. Besides the drums, what do you see as your greatest strength?

Jo: Resilience, definitely. Life threw some curveballs, especially after my dad's sudden suicide, but I've kept bouncing back. It's like punk rock – resilient and unapologetic.

Interviewer: Powerful. And on the flip side, what's your biggest weakness?

Jo: Maybe a bit too self-reliant. Asking for help isn't my strong suit. It's a work in progress, though. *runs finger through hair*

Interviewer: Growth is a journey. Describe yourself in one word.

Jo: Complex.

Interviewer: Intriguing choice. How do you think others see you in one word?

Jo: Genuine.

Interviewer: Nice. Let's dive deeper. What's your greatest fear in more detail?

Jo: Losing people I care about. I've dealt with enough loss already, and the thought of it happening again is something that keeps me up at night.

Interviewer: Tough reality. Top priorities in your life right now – could you elaborate?

Jo: Keeping the Rebel Rejects together is crucial. The band is family, and we've been through thick and thin. Beyond that, it's about enjoying the simple moments – friendships, music, and finding inner peace.

Interviewer: Family – tell me more about your relationship with your mom.

Jo: It's just me and her. After my dad's passing, we became a tight-knit team. She's been my rock through all the unconventional experiences. We've leaned on each other in ways that go beyond the typical parent-child dynamic. *cracks a sad smile*

Interviewer: That's really sweet, I hope you won't miss her too much during your transition into university. Alright, future goals – what's on Jo's agenda?

Jo: Fame and fortune aren't the driving forces for me. Playing music with friends, exploring the world, and finding those hidden gems – that's what I'm all about. Maybe create a little haven of my own someday.

Interviewer: Sounds like a fulfilling journey. Rainy days – walk me through how you spend them.

Jo: A cozy bowl of miso ramen, a good book that transports me to another world, and the soothing sound of rain tapping on the window. Maybe crack the window too. I love the smell of rain. The perfect atmosphere.

Interviewer: Love the imagery. Favorite book in more detail?

Jo: "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger. Holden Caulfield's journey through the complexities of life resonates with me on a personal level. Especially when I was facing some very particular struggles when I was younger.

Interviewer: Solid choice. And what's your favorite movie?

Jo: "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" for sure. The messiness of relationships and the beauty in imperfection. It's a visual representation of how love isn't always neat and tidy, but it's real.

Interviewer: Beautifully put. Alright, any dark secrets or unconventional experiences you're willing to share in more detail?

Jo: Growing up in a commune, nudist colony, and a cult – it's more than just a quirky backstory. Each phase shaped who I am today. It's not a secret, but it's not your average upbringing either. The real secret is why we left, but I can't share that with just anyone.

Interviewer: Ok, thanks for sharing that much with me. Lets make this a little lighter. What's your best physical feature?

Jo: My eyes obviously! *a flurry of silly blinks and giggles* No but seriously they feel like a representation of me and and my duality, and I thinks that's kind of cool.

Interviewer: *covers face with notecard to hide intense blushing* *whispers* you're so fucking cute *clears throat* Nicely said, I definitely agree, your freckles are cute too though and your hair and... I mean... sorry next question. What about your least favorite physical feature?

Jo: *shy smile* I mean sometimes I look at my nose and I'm not sure how to feel, or I think I'm too pale. Not that Ro stands for that kind of talk. They're always like, "I'm only friends with hot people, so deal with it, your HOT!" *chuckles* I love them they're so cute.

Interviewer: Speaking of love, let's move to the last question. How would you describe being in love?

Jo: It's like finding a melody that perfectly fits with your rhythm. Imagine a cozy indie bookstore, flipping through vinyl records, sharing stories about our weirdest experiences. Moments by the river or a tucked-away park – it's a quiet symphony that speaks louder than words.

Interviewer: Beautifully expressed, Jo. Thanks for sharing your journey in more detail. Excited to see where life takes you and the Rebel Rejects!

[greenandhazy]

I think one of the things I like so much about “It can mean as little or as much as you like” is that it’s the first time we see Thomas genuinely get to define his romantic relationship in the show? Like, starting right off the bad with the Duke, Thomas says he wants to be his valet. He wants to live in his lover’s house, in close quarters, and have a proper, established romance—and the Duke says nope, occasional trysts and letters (and also, no more letters), that’s all I’m offering, you have to take it or leave it, and Thomas has to leave it. Jimmy says something similar in the Christmas special, when he explicitly makes it clear that he can’t give Thomas some of what he wants, and the only thing on the table is friendship, and Thomas says yes, he can settle for friendship.

Then we get to Richard, and it’s a little more complicated here because we don’t get Thomas’s own perspective on when his feelings towards Richard take on a deliberate, romantic turn—does he think York is a date from the start? (My personal opinion is no, given how quickly he accepts Chris’s offer, but I could totally accept a reading that he thinks it is, then loses confidence as he’s waiting.) Does he mean it when he says Richard is a “friend” in the scene in his office, or is he hedging his bets?

Regardless, I do think it’s interesting that he does explicitly call Richard a friend, and then Richard is the one to say “Is that all you’ve found?”, and he goes in for a kiss before waiting for confirmation—iirc the script, or an interview with the director, actually says that the kiss is meant to be a “surprise” to Thomas. And it does seem to be a welcome surprise, of course, and they end on a romantic note, but Thomas is clearly reacting in that scene, rather than making the deliberate choice.

And it seems to me that, in a way, the office/dining room proposal almost mirrors the first conversation Guy and Thomas have, in the library? Guy makes a flirty offer, immediately walks it back and apologizes at the slightest hint Thomas is uncomfortable. In the office he makes a heavily coded offer of romance, comparing it to marriage. Thomas comes back and says “did I get this right?” and Guy leaves it to him to define his own boundaries. Does he want the marriage proposal? That would be fantastic. Does he want to travel and work in California but balks at the romance? Well, that was part of the offer, Guy isn’t going to withdraw it just because it’s not what he was hoping for. Does he want to start as friends and see what happens? Sure, it’s all on the table.

Which means Thomas gets to be the one who says “I’d like it to mean a great deal.” In that wonderful warm, sincere delivery that RJC gives, with the eye contact and the slight smile—gah, one of my favorite lines in the films. And Guy grins back and says “Then you’re in luck,” driving home the fact that that was exactly what he wanted, he wanted everything Thomas could offer—was willing to offer anything of his own—even if he would have settled for something else, the position that Thomas was left in the first episode. It’s just such a clever, subtle play on where he started the series (even before you get to the other contrasts with the Duke—pretending to forget Thomas’s name, while Guy is deliberate in asking for it, scoffing at the idea that Mary would apologize to a servant, while Guy is preemptive in apologizing).

I love it. It’s so good. They pack so much into Guy’s character in just a few scenes… and don’t even get me started on the mutual giddiness in their last scene together. I adore them.

[coolbanana44]

Picture Perfect Ch.2 - C.L

AN: Hello guys this is chapter 2 of picture perfect, so if you still haven't read the first chapter here is the link. This one took a while as this is the longest I have ever written. I am going to be adding a taglist on the bottom as well, so if you want to be on it let me know! I also included a Charles POV, so if you would like more of that let me know. And like always, give it a like and love you guys!

Summary: What happens when y/n goes to the club?

After Charles left, Amelio magically appeared. I told him about how Charles gave me a tour around the motorhome already, so we made our way to the garage. I was just shadowing him for the day, getting the feel for the job and how everything works, so I was just standing by Amelio's side as he was taking pictures of the cars and even the drivers. Occasionally Charles and I would make eye contact. He would give me a kind smile or even do a little wave. Me being the introvert I am, I would simply smile at the ground trying to hide the embarrassing redness creeping up my neck. 

When Amelio was taking pictures of Carlos's car I met Isa. She was very kind and sweet. We talked for a little bit as she figured I was new. Apparently Charles told Carlos who then told Isa that Charles invited me to the club tonight, so she offered that we get ready and go together. I took up her offer as we vibed pretty well and I could use a girl friend when I am at the track, so I am not too lonely. We exchanged numbers and she said she will come to my room to get ready. 

The race went amazing. Charles in P2 and Carlos in P3. A great way to start the season everyone said. It was an outer body experience to see and hear the cars go by, to smell the rubber from the car tires. I even got to be on the other side of the gate when the cars pulled up to podiums. When Charles got out of the car he ran up to the gate to give everyone hugs and high fives and soon as he was done he turned and saw me. I was just thinking I would get a little high five, but what I didn’t expect was to be swallowed by his arms and feel the heat from the race suit. It took me a second to process the hug but I eventually wrapped my arms around his neck, whispering congratulations in his ear. He whispered back a thank you and the warmth from his embrace was gone. I stood there watching him go over to the interviewer wondering what the actual fuck just happened. My heart was pounding so hard I thought I was going into cardiac arrest. Sure I had a few crushes in college just by seeing a cute boy, but this one was scary as I realized how much we were going to be near each other everyday and how just by a simple hug my mind was already jumping towards conclusions. 

I watched him on the podium waving at everyone and spraying champagne with a wide smile on his face. He looked so carefree and genuinely happy that I couldn’t help myself from pulling the camera up to my face and capture a couple of photos. 

—-------------

When I got back to my hotel room I couldn’t help myself from falling onto my bed. I couldn’t believe this was my life now. Traveling to different countries doing what I love, but more importantly having to be close to a certain driver, who in just one day already swept me off my feet. Just the thought of the little waves and that hug…. Oh my god that hug, I screamed into my pillow. My crushing session was cut short by a knock on my door. I walked up to it and opened it to a smiling Isa with two dresses, two pairs of heels, and a makeup bag in hand. I quickly let her in and she threw the dresses on the bed. 

“So I brought you a dress assuming you didn’t think you were gonna be going to a club after your first day of work!” I looked at the dresses and I’m sure the color on my face was draining. The dresses were both out of my comfort zone. One red and one black. The red was a short mini dress with no sleeves and straight neckline and a wide slit going from the hip up to where the boobs were. The black one looked like a slip on dress, spaghetti straps and a neckline that plunges waaayyyyy to low. So to put it in simple terms I was going to be showing too much boobage than I was comfortable with. 

“So which one do you want to wear?” 

“Ummmm the red one?” I said with a grimace. 

“Perfect! Now let’s go get dolled up!”

—----------------

Looking at the mirror I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I was never this bold with my makeup, but the smokey eye and red lip combo made my e/c pop and went perfect with my tanned complexion. The dress was skin tight and showed off my curves, the slit showed off my toned tummy with a little underboob peaking out. My hair was in a perfectly styled curled bun on the top of my head (courtesy of Isa). Isa looked stunning as well with her long blonde hair curled to the nines and the black dress. She convinced me to take a mirror selfie with her, she said and I quote “We look hot as shit.” I couldn’t help but agree with her as I have never felt so beautiful in my life. After the picture we decided it was time to head out to the club. The ride there was just us belting out our favorite 2000s hits. 

Before we even walked in I could hear the music and the liveliness of the club. I started to feel anxious walking up the steps. I was beginning to feel like this was a mistake stepping way out of my comfort zone. As we passed the line of people the bouncer let us through and the doors were opened. I had to squint my eyes as the strobe lights and smoke filled my sight. I grimaced as the smell of alcohol hit my nose. I was brought back to the time my roommate in college brought me to a frat party (which ended up with me throwing up in the front yard and swearing I would never drink again). 

Isa grabbed my hand and immediately dragged me to the bar. She waved over the bartender and ordered us each a shot of tequila. Her and I clinked our glasses together and downed the shot. I never was one to drink so I started coughing as I felt the burn throughout my throat. Isa just laughed at my inexperience. 

“Let's find the boys!” She yelled over the blaring music. 

It didn't take long for us to see the group of guys in the VIP section. I was starting to get nervous as we made our way up the steps, seeing all the drivers I would watch with my dad on Sunday’s. Carlos, who was right next to Charles, turns around and spots us first. He lets out a big HEYYYYYY which causes everyone to look in our direction. I felt the anxiety hit with so many eyes on me. The shot of tequila wore off so quickly and I lost the liquor courage.  

Carlos goes over to hug and kiss Isa, and I look down to give them some privacy. But that's when I see a pair of black dress shoes right in front of me. I look up to see the green eyes I have been obsessing over the entire day. 

“Hey.” He breathes out, a big smile adorned on his perfect fucking face. 

“Hi.” 

“You look absolutely amazing.” I take a second to look at what he is wearing. The black dress pants fitting just right, and a white dress shirt with a few of the top buttons being unbuttoned, giving me a good look at his toned chest. Ugh and don't get me started on how the rolled up sleeves showed off his tanned forearms (and his veins). 

“So do you.” I blurt out. He chuckled as I became red. He looked like he was gonna say something, but Isa grabbed my arm and yelled “Lets go dance!”. She dragged me down to the dance floor. It wasn’t too crowded, but I would occasionally have to mutter a sorry as I would bump into someone trying to follow Isa to the middle. 

At first I was just awkwardly swaying my hips, but after going back to the bar and doing a couple of shots, I started to feel loose and just let the music move my body. I was enjoying myself and for the first time I didn’t care, I was having fun and it felt so freeing. But as soon as I felt someone's hands on my waist, I went rigged. 

Charles POV

She looks beautiful. From the moment I saw her outside the motorhome I could tell she was a little bit shy, but absolutely breathtaking. Seeing her dance and let loose with Isa made my heart melt thinking about how she looks like she is having fun. When I saw her in that red dress oh my god I had to hold back my groan. The dress didn’t leave much to the imagination and I couldn’t help but think about how she would look like underne–

“Hey who is that guy with Y/N?” Carlos pulled me out of my thoughts. I squint my eyes to see some guy grabbing y/n’s waist and pressing her against him. I let out a growl as I see her looking uncomfortable, her eyes screaming for help. I didn’t say anything to Carlos as I quickly moved towards them. I pushed past everyone, not caring enough to say excuse me or sorry until I was by the guys side. 

“Excuse me, could you get your hands off my girl.” Both y/n and the boy turned towards me and I could see the surprise both on their faces. The boy seemed to recognize me and immediately took his hands off her waist and backed away. I turned back towards y/n.

“Are you okay?” 

“Yea… um thank you.” I could tell that she was drunk as she slurred her words together. 

“Do you want to go back to the hotel?”

“How about we go back after you dance with me?” I was shocked at her confidence, but how could i say no as she bites her lip and looks at me with her doe eyes. Before I could say anything back to her she grabbed my hands and wrapped them around her waist. I shivered when my hand swiped across the slit and I felt her burning skin. My heart pounding when she wrapped her arms around my neck. I looked at her, her eyes closed and a smile on her face as she moved to the beat of the song. Her body pressed up on mine made me the shy one. People were bumping into us but I didn't even care, she was intoxicating. 

Y/N POV

I have never been this confident in my life, but hearing him say my girl (even though I know it was just to get the guy off of me) and having seven shots of tequila, flipped a switch in me. Having his arms around me made me feel like I am on cloud nine. His thumb occasionally rubbing my bare skin made me dizzy. He was intoxicating. We danced for a couple of songs until Isa told us she was gonna go up to Carlos. 

“Should we go back to the hotel?” Charles asked. I looked up at him and that's when I started spinning. I stumbled out of hold as my sight started to get foggy. CHarles reached out for me helping me regain my balance.

“Woah there, I think it is time we bring you back.” I just nod, not trusting my words. 

We didn’t even say goodbye to the group, he just walked me straight out of the club holding me tight against his side. He brought me to his car and helped me sit down. If I was sober I probably would've said something about the Ferrari and how beautiful it was, but right now I am trying so hard not to be sick. We didn’t talk much on the ride back but he would occasionally ask how I am doing. 

We finally made it to the hotel and I hid my face into his shoulder just in case someone decided to snap a picture of us walking in together. When we came up to my door I unfortunately detached from his side. I turned my body so I was propped up against the door, and even through hooded eyes I could still say Charles was jaw dropping. In my drunken haze I moved my hand to touch his cheek, the stumble tickling my hand. 

“Do you want to come in?” I asked, dropping my hand. He laughed and my cheeks grew red. 

“I.. I didn’t mean it like that. I.. uh I have water and coffee in there if you just want to ta–”

“I know what you meant mon ange.” The heat on my face intensified with the nickname. 

“I have to wake up early to meet with the team, so I should probably head back to my room.” I tried to hide my disappointment as I said “Of course.” He leaned in and gave me a kiss on my forehead. The spot was still tingling as he pulled away. 

“Besides, I wouldn’t be able to control myself if I went in there.” He whispered in my ear. Before I could say anything he walked away. Once he went around the corner, I hurriedly went into my room. I ran towards my bed and jumped in it, grabbed my pillow and screamed into it. What the actual fuck just happened? 

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

Taglist

@tempo-rary-fix @91vhs @janeholt3 @blackyblack 

[cuteglamegirl]

Vogue Part 2

Part 1 below

a/n Here is finally part 2 to this series. Part 3 will be up very shortly. I just need to figure out exactly where I want this story to go. If you have any suggestions or requests let me know. I an trying to build some suspense between the characters that is why I will be dividing this story into many parts. Trust me it will be worth it! I hope you enjoy!

Summary : you work at Vogue and Harry happens to be just as big of a fan of you as you are of him.

He looked at you completely shocked. “What are you doing after this?”

His straightforward question caught you by surprise and You laughed to yourself. “Well that depends on how the interview goes and then we will see” You say smirking

“I think it has a great fucking start, you just named my favorite books. I would actually love to take you out after this, what people read says so much about them in my opinion” he said genuinely looking at you which made you feel like you are the only girl in the world. You don’t think anyone has ever looked at you that way.

“How about we start with the interview Harry?” You said, not reacting to his comment because you have to get your work done and you need to keep him hanging a little, just for fun. Girls that are hard to get are always more fun.

“Of course love, let’s start” he said smiling with his dimples popping out.

“Firstly I must say that your two albums are big favorites of mine. I love the mixture of all kinds of music genres you used. Do you have any musicians or specific songs that you took inspiration from?”

“Well.. I grew up listening to everything, I love music from the 60s, 70s like.. I am a huge fan of Bowie, Prince, Freddie Mercury, Mick Jagger, the classics. I also love the Beatles and Fleetwood Mac. I am actually very good friends with Stevie Nicks and she definitely inspires me daily.” He says slowly with a deep voice.

“I can actually hear that in your music, I hear some Prince in the Sign of the times. These are incredible people to be inspired by. Do you have any specific songs you prefer from your albums?

“I would have to say Kiwi from my first album becuase performing it is probably my favorite part of touring. I will play it even 3 times at the end of concerts because the atmosphere in the stadium when this song plays is indescribable. I also love Cherry, from my second album because it has a deep meaning for me and I get quite emotional when performing it.”

“Like you cry in a cool way right?” you said showing an obvious smirk

“Ohh, I see someone has watched my videos” he said smiling a big genuine smile showing his perfect teeth

“Well I had to do a background check, I do it before all of my interviews so don’t flatter yourself too much” you said teasingly.

You continued “Well everyone knows that you have extreme success in the music industry but you have taken up acting as well. The new Eternals movie just came out a couple months ago, how does it feel to be a part of Marvel?”

“It was a huge shock for me at first, I think everyone grew up reading or watching Marvel and to be asked to be a part of it was such an honor, even if I was just in the post credit scenes so far.”

“You also have two new movies coming out this year, how has it been filming them and how is it different from being a performer?”

“Well, I have had a great time filming, it is obviously so different than what I am used to but I like it in the sense that it is not as personal, it actually isn’t personal at all, I don’t have to put myself out there like I usually do through music. It is do different and I thoroughly enjoy it. Especially filming my policeman because I read the book and I absolutely loved the story. I am very lucky to be apart of such an amazing storyline. I am assuming you read the book as well, considering your exquisite taste” he said biting his lip looking at you.

“I have actually and they did an amazing job casting you, I couldn’t picture anyone else playing the part. We have only seen your acting once before, in Dunkirk, which was fantastic, the movie had an incredible cast and showed the events taken place in Dunkirk in a completely different light. How did you get into acting in the first place?

“I like to challenge myself and do something different and movies are definitely where I feel most out of my comfort zone. I’m coming from music where I don’t think anyone really knows how it works, but I am somewhat in my comfort zone. It started as a challenge and now I feel amazing doing it. he said still looking deeply into your eyes.

Those damn green eyes, you said to myself, and that beautiful contagious smile. He really is something.

The interview went on for another hour and a half. You talked about everything possible. His fashion choices, what they mean to him. How he has changed throughout the 12 years. You talked about One direction, Zayn, who he is still in contact with. What he does in his free time. His childhood and how dealing with grief has affected his music. You ended up talking about things you knew wasn’t going to be put in the interview, it was just so refreshing to have a real conversation with him.

After the hour you ended the interview with one last question.

“This has been really insightful Harry, we have arrived to the end of the interview and I have one last question for you. Is there ever going to be a One Direction reunion?” You said laughing because honestly that is the only thing anyone cares about

He laughed as well saying “ Well, maybe one day. I can’t make any promises but I do miss my boys. I just think all of us are in different places, doing different things that make each of us really happy and I’m really proud of them. I think we have all accomplished so much on our own.”

You wanted to cry a little but kept your shit together because you are a professional. You grew up listening to One Direction so hearing what he just said meant a lot.

“That was great, thank you so much” you said looking at him with a sweet smile

“So tell me Y/N, did I make a good impression? Can I take you out?” He said smiling. It felt like the only thing you did during this interview was smile at each other.

“I have to say, this was actually great, I think this article will make your fans very happy. I do have some time but I have to go to a party at 9” you said looking down at your watch realizing it it already 5 o’clock.

“A party? On a Tuesday ? That seems pretty wild” he said with his eyebrows raised

“It’s my friends birthday and I don’t drink as much anymore. I had my fun when I was younger but I am way more responsible now” you said honestly, knowing you will probably have a couple glasses of wine and leave sober.. or just a little tipsy.

You ended up leaving the room, where the interview took place. You talked the whole way down and he excused himself to let everyone know he will be leaving now. Saying goodbye to every person in the building, thanking everyone for their time and hard work. He then told you he just has to find his manager, Jeff, to let him know he is leaving and that he will meet you outside.

You said goodbye to your friend Vanessa and told her you will call her later because she wanted to know all the details. You stepped outside to light a cigarette. You kept thinking to yourself how smooth that interview went, you couldn’t wait to form it into words that will be entertaining to read and create a piece that will inspire and that his fans will love. As you were thinking to yourself Harry walks out.

“I am assuming that vintage mustang is yours, am I right?” He said looking at your sick ass car.

“You definitely are. Has been my baby for 2 years now. I’m assuming the vintage Mercedes is yours, considering we both have good taste in books and clothing.”

“Yes it is, love. I adore old cars, they suit me better. How about we take your car and I will have Jeff drive mine back to my place. I haven’t been in a mustang for months, I miss it.”

“Sounds perfect, let me just finish my cigarette and we can get going” you said taking another drag.

“I didn’t realize you smoke” he said looking at you so neutrally, you couldn’t tell if he was disgusted or wanted one too.

“Oh yeah, it’s a filthy habit I can’t seem to shake off. I think I romanticize it too much in my head. If it bothers you I can put it out.” You said, genuinely concerned if it bothers him, because you don’t like to smoke in front of people who hate the smell.

“No, I actually quite like the smell. My ex-girlfriend used to smoke so i got used to it and I grew quite fond of it.” He said with a hint of sadness in his voice.

“Yeah I have it the same. I started to smoke with my ex and while he left, the bad habit stayed.” You said, realizing you are getting way to personal with him and knew you had the change the subject fast.

“So anywayy, where would you like to go. I am honestly starving, plus it would be a good idea to get some food in me before going out drinking” you said trying to convert the conversation into something else.

“Of course, love, where would you like to go?” He said putting his hand on your lower back.

“How about you surprise me” you said while putting your cigarette out and handing him your car keys.

You continued. “Let’s see how well you are with old cars.” You said biting your lip, showing him to your car.

“A girl that will let me choose where to eat and let me drive her car. You definitely are a special one.” He said with a smile showing his evident excitement.