#Helmut is technically here

[curi0uscreature]

* Happy for my brainrot for these guys again. Like what would their OWN art styles be

[bucketinyourwalls]

Oh mein gott, this stage is full of kuntenserven !!! /ref

[maxarchive]

"A season that brought the best out of the best" Motorsport Magazine, February 2025 Issue, by Mark Hughes

We've seen plenty of demonstrations of Max Verstappen brilliance on his way to a fourth straight title this season. But has he become a yet-greater driver in '24? Yes. But not because of what he's done in the car; that's always been remarkable. Rather, in a challenging combination of circumstances where it would have been very easy for the whole team to have come undone, he has been the glue. He couldn't have been that if his power was not underwritten by the enormity of his talent. It was on display this season just as always – the virtuosity of dancing through the Interlagos rain, the steely focus of keeping a closely chasing McLaren from getting within DRS reach for 30 laps in Qatar, the technical perfection of Suzuka, the defensive masterclass of Imola, etc. But the circumstances he found himself in this season brought out a leader. At 27 years old he's no longer only the dazzling hurricane of speed and ambition. No longer only someone so driven, drilled and practiced that he’s virtually unbeatable in an equal car. No longer only someone of which his friend and Formula 1 driver coach Atze Kerkhof says is as good as he is, "because of a brilliant natural talent and millions of hours of training. He’s only got better. The rough edges have gone and now he’s like a machine. You cannot beat him." No, Max Verstappen is more even than all that now. A driver in their tenth F1 season doesn't get faster. They can possibly access their best stuff more consistently. But he's been doing that almost perfectly for seven seasons now, a remarkable achievement in itself. So where has he got better? Circumstances have demanded an extra dimension from him – and he's delivered it. But in a way which has not buried him, which still allows him his easy delineation between racing and home, keeping his mind perfectly uncluttered to focus on performance.

He prepared like never before for the new season, as team boss Christian Horner revealed at Suzuka in April. "He changed trainer over the winter. He's fit and lean. You can hear how much spare capacity he has in the car. He wants to know not just who's behind him, but who is behind them as well and what times are they doing. He's become very astute at managing the tyre. The way he managed to extend the tyre life here [at the Japanese Grand Prix] was so impressive."

But that's just a detail, a polishing-up. The leadership dimension came from the circumstances of Red Bull's season. Specifically the strains arising from the controversy surrounding the Horner internal investigation in the early season. Then the car's mid-season competitive decline.

The serenity in the cockpit at the start of 2024, as Verstappen continued from where he'd left off in his dominant '23 campaign, was very much in contrast to how things were in the team as the Horner controversy about the employee complaint against him played out and Max's father Jos got involved, opposing the team boss, campaigning for him to be ousted. 

The way Max dealt with the powerplay, which also involved Helmut Marko, the man who had almost single-handedly brought him to F1, was illuminating. He did not align himself with Jos, stayed on good terms with him but went his own way. He did state his unambiguously firm support of Marko – "If he goes, then so do I" – so sending an implicit message to Horner not to overplay his hand.

But then he helped bring calm equilibrium back, just continued with the competitive imperative and remained civilised with everyone, Horner included.

"What I know is that this team doesn’t give up," said Verstappen after clinching the title in Las Vegas. "There are a lot of very confident people and I really enjoy working with them. I know there was a lot of pressure on them. When you come out of a season like last year where we broke every record and then start to struggle to understand what is going wrong, it's important to remain calm as you try to fix it. Every person in the team has their own emotions which you have to deal with. It's also people-management – because everyone acts in different ways to good results or bad results. But that's something I enjoy as well. Because we all have our own character but we all have to work together to the same end goal and I'm proud of how we stuck together through those races where we were a bit lost."

As Jos was saying that Horner remaining would tear the team apart, Max was ensuring that it wouldn't. Probably this didn't come as much of a surprise to his mother, Sophie Kumpen, the former top-class karter who provided much of his genetic make-up. "Max will always want to solve things first by talking," she explained in a Dutch TV interview. "He is a sensitive person. He gets the fierce racing side from Jos. The gentle side from me. But make no mistake, eh. Under the helmet he is a tiger."

Given Max's childhood and the tempestuous marriage surrounding his early home life before his parents split, it's not much of a stretch to imagine where that diplomatic impulse might come from. It's something so at odds with his racing image, someone who is so uncompromising in his desire to win, he's even prepared to cross the line. As he phrased it in one of his own documentaries, "Sometimes you even have to be a dick to win."

The combination of that sociable, easy-going, even tempered guy outside the car (the Sophie side) and the uncompromising competitive monster in it (the Jos side) is a big part of his strength. But specifically, it has been front and centre in how brilliantly well he kept everything so cohesive in the '24 campaign when it had many ingredients which could have decimated it.

Further fallout from the early season controversy came as Adrian Newey announced his departure from the team, just prior to Miami in May. Max admitted it was a blow, but still he stayed focused. Because there was much to focus on – this was not going to be the breeze the early races had suggested it was going to be. There was a nagging trait in the car, one which had started to become apparent in last year's towards the end of the season: as they applied more aero load to it, so it was becoming more imbalanced. The front end wasn’t keeping up and it was becoming ever trickier to get the car into its sweet-spot window with set-up.

When McLaren made its breakthrough update in Miami, Red Bull's limitation was exposed. It was no longer superior, merely competitive. Then, as McLaren further developed its aero elasticity to give it a great front end at low speeds without compromising its balance at higher speeds, it began pulling clear of Red Bull. The middle part of Verstappen’s season – Silverstone to Monza – was all about wrestling with the competitive consequences of that as Mercedes surged into form too.

It was at this point that Verstappen began visiting the factory at every possible opportunity, maximising his simulator time, working with the engineers in trying to find a solution to the car's limitations. "His workload has been phenomenal this year," says an admiring Horner. But without surprise, for as he’s also said in the past, "The more pressure you put on, the better he delivers… his mental resilience is the strongest I've ever seen."

Only at Hungary did the strain that the competitive struggle was putting on the relationship become apparent. There, he was having an untypically scrappy race trying to overcome the car’s limitations on a day when both McLaren and Mercedes were faster. His race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase (aka ‘GP’) is a tough but calm character, gives as good as he gets and in that sense is perfect for Max. There’d already been a terse exchange between them about Max giving a place back to Lando Norris after having passed off-track. When GP admonished him for not bringing in his new tyres sympathetically, it triggered the sullen kid who hates to be beaten and he responded with (the more-severe expletives removed), “No mate, don’t give me that bullshit now. You guys gave me this strategy, OK? I’m trying to rescue what’s left.” The strategy was perfectly good for the limitations of the car and was predicated on having newer tyres in the last stint, even though that involved getting undercut initially.

It was the low-point of his season – the breaking point after he’d carried the load for so long. It’s where the competitive fierceness conflicted with the leadership role, and it took a sit-down with Horner and Lambiase before the following race to realign that. They were in the car with him, they emphasised. He wasn’t alone, even if it feels like that in the cockpit sometimes. They felt his pain. He took it on board, as always completely straightforward in his communication. He likes to feel he can call the team out when it’s not delivering just as they can call him out when he’s wrong. This was one of the latter times. But there’s never any lingering resentment. “He’s emotional,” says Horner. “Partly that’s where the performance comes from. He’s incredibly strong-willed. He’s a thoroughbred and can be very sharp when emotions are running high. He doesn’t hold back.”

As that sit-down coincided with Monza, with the car at its absolute nadir, we were witnessing how close the whole thing was to falling down. Had the relationship not been repaired and the car’s shortfalls continued not to be understood, it’s easy to imagine a scenario where the partnership broke down irretrievably. But actually not only did they rally around Max and give him the reassurance he needed to get out of that negative place the Budapest weekend took him to, but Monza then shone a big light on the cause of the car’s woes. Which they could set about addressing. Together, they emerged from the crisis.

As they did that, we saw a classic bit of Verstappen hard-headedness in Austin and particularly Mexico against his title challenger Norris. The niggle between them had started in Austria back in June, when they’d punctured each other’s tyres as Verstappen fended off Norris’s attacks in a way which stretched the sporting regulations. It was like that again in Austin and Mexico and in the latter event his move at Turn 7, with no attempt to make the corner so as to ensure Norris went behind once more, was outrageous. It brought to mind his quote about what you had to be sometimes. That’s where he draws his lines; it’s about prevailing and about how extreme he’s willing to be. No one is ever going to pass him around the outside, he says. Something that was drilled into him as a kid in karting by Jos.

If there is turbulence in the aftermath he’ll not acknowledge it. In fact he seemed mystified about why Norris was so upset afterwards in Austria, that delineation for him between on-track and off rarely so well illustrated. Criticism for the incidents by the media did seem to sting him, though. “He’s more sensitive than you think,” Horner says. “Inevitably he’s aware of the criticism and some of it, I think, is very unfounded. He’s a driver that drives aggressively; he’s an attacking driver. But so was Senna, so was Schumacher, so was Hamilton, and they all came under the same kind of spotlight at various times in their careers.”

It was the criticism he received after his incidents with Norris in Austin and Mexico which particularly bugged him. He perceived them as attacks from countrymen of Norris rather than as attacks against professional fouls. He knows he’s the best out there and if there’s some nudging over the specified lines of regulation on track involved in overcoming the competitive limitations of the car, then he probably feels justified. That, for some, puts him in the same bracket as Michael Schumacher as someone whose achievements have an asterisk against them. But he’s not racing for their approval.

He’s not even racing for achievements. As he says about more titles, “I’m already very proud to win four. Winning one or seven is the same thing. You’re just repeating. It’s nice to repeat but it means the same thing. The first one is what you are chasing, is the whole reason you are there. You’ve done it. After that, it’s just nice and doesn’t really mean as much. What’s been beautiful is that each of the four titles have had different emotions. This one has been the best as we’ve not had the fastest car. But the first one will always mean the most.”

That indifference to the statistics of achievement means he won’t be trapped into chasing numbers that only mean anything to outsiders. But there’ll be a conflict between his love of racing and his stated yearning not to be racing long before he reaches 40 (which is what Lewis Hamilton used to say too!). That conflict will surely play a crucial part in what he decides to do with the rest of his life. He’s never known any other life, of course, as the boy brought up in the circus. 

As a driver he’s one of the all-time greats, a more formidable all-rounder even than Fernando Alonso, faster, more extreme. But similar. Alonso is the nearest driver in overall traits. But even the great Alonso bows down to the level Max has attained. The number of times Max has not maximised his car since joining Red Bull in 2016 can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Is he the outright fastest over a lap? Often he is, yes. But this is a misunderstood concept. A driver can only get to the ceiling of his ability if the car’s traits, the way it is balanced, allow him to. There are many reasons why it won’t be, especially in this era of thermally sensitive tyres. 

But let’s assume every driver on the grid was magically given a fully competitive car, each perfectly balanced to match the outer edge of their specific style, in how each driver was wired up physiologically. Would Max be the fastest in qualifying? Possibly not. If it wasn’t him, you’d be looking for Charles Leclerc, possibly Lewis Hamilton at the height of his powers. But in the grind of a race and the even grittier grind of a season, would Verstappen in those circumstances prevail? Almost certainly he would, yes.

There’s no weakness. Schumacher had weaknesses, Senna too. Alain Prost was as rounded as Max but not as quick. Before then, we are heavily into the dangerous era – the years which killed Gilles Villeneuve or Jochen Rindt or Jim Clark and mortally wounded Stirling Moss, drivers who, like Senna, could conjure things that left their contemporaries shaking their heads in wonder. None of the current stars, Max included, quite have that. But Max can maximise every situation with unerring consistency like Fangio, like Clark, like Stewart. And if the peaks of his raw speed are not quite as miraculous as some of the past, he runs close to that almost all of the time, probably more than anyone before.

He’ll be missed when he’s gone, when the rewards no longer offset the energy draining irritations.

[astonmartingf]

NOT MY FAULT ; FA14

dbf!fernando alonso x ex-red bull engineer! reader . . . if there are many fish in the ocean then fernando alonso is a catch, and it's not your fault if you fell for his hook, line, and sinker.

amgf a lot of appearances from other drivers, an actual plot! allusions to toxic work environment, red bull drama, the math is not mathing but okay. enjoy!!! thank you for still being here pwahaha it's been a while lbh but i hope you enjoy it like always!!!! wchagt update soon along with other wips <3

The only good thing that came out of your mother remarrying was the new found relationship you built with your step father, granted it took a while to get there- you first met him he was twice your age and dating your mother. Growing up you spent your formative years in the Red Bull garage answering math equations with Adrian Newey behind you, Sebastian Vettel laughing as Newey hands you a different worksheet after another.

It was an unusual dynamic, you mother 13 years older than your stepfather, being friends with your stepfather’s rival and teammate, it was unlike any other, but something you wouldn’t replace for the world. 

“Is it true you’re leaving Red Bull?” You were greeted with an over enthusiastic Oscar Piastri as you visited the McLaren motorhome using Mark’s pass. Your lip presses into a thin line, brows raised with a shrug from both shoulders leaving the younger groaning in frustration.

“I’m taking your silence as admission, also entering a McLaren motorhome on a race weekend? Seems like they finally fired you, it’s giving jobless.”

You roll your eyes, “This is a motorhome Osc, not your garage, I doubt they’d be hiding any of your data here, not like they’re secrets to me. Also they didn’t fire me, technically I was the one firing them since I will be leaving the team.”

“So you are leaving Red Bull.” Oscar deadpans, while you hiss as your tongue slipped faster than the thoughts in your head. You just promised yourself you won’t tell anything to anyone before you discussed it with your stepfather. 

Arms crossed to your chest, you face Oscar with the biggest smirk plastered on his face, proud for taunting you out on revealing your plans for the next seasons. “Well now that you know, I personally would like it if you kept your mouth shut. Mark doesn’t know yet and I plan to tell him before finalizing the contracts.”

Raising his hands with a small nod, Oscar moves leading the way to his quarters where you find your stepfather. “You’re free?” Mark looks up from the files in front of him glancing back and forth from you and Oscar. “Are you two in trouble?” 

You stop yourself from rolling your eyes, “No, why do you immediately think that? I for one am responsible, as for Oscar he can handle himself and no, we are not in trouble. I need your help.”

Just hearing the four words leaving from you, Mark closed the folders in front of him grabbing his keys, standing up. “Where do you want to go?”

It’s been known that the team principal has a preference for Daniel Ricciardo, the same can be said for Helmut with Yuki and Max, but for Newey it was you. Everyone in the team was well aware of your relationship, Newey taught you everything you knew about engineering and cars.

News of you leaving Red Bull wasn’t broadcasted on any social platform as you wanted to quit the team quietly, not bound to any long term contacts, yet within the team, your move was associated with Newey’s future whereabouts as whispers of him leaving Red Bull increased as the days went by. “You didn’t tell me you’re leaving Red Bull.” 

In front of you sat Newey, bringing forth a cup of coffee and the waffles you ordered prior. “You didn’t tell me you were leaving as well.” You scrunch your nose, whispering touché under your breath before taking a sip of coffee. 

“So, I’m assuming you told your father. Why did you leave?” You take a stab of the waffles, mulling over your conversation with Mark last week. “I told him what happened of course. You know why I left, it’s because of him. Well, partially. Everything was just slowly building up you know, they pushed me to the corner, I left. Simple as that. Mine’s boring, tell me yours. Why’d you leave?”

You felt Newey’s heavy stare into yours, “I heard what he told you, after that I left hoping to convince you to leave but you’ve surprised me once again.” Blinking, you put down the forkful of waffles in shock. Studying his demeanor, Newey continued taking bites of his club sandwich as if he didn’t drop the biggest revelation in front of you.

“You know you’re contractually not allowed to poach anyone right?” Newey rubs the crumbs off of his hands glancing at you with an incredulous look on his face. “I thought you knew me better than anyone, people always assumed I put Max in my clause. He’s a big guy who can handle himself, I put your name in. If I were to leave, I could take you from me. You know Horner said something along the lines of that when I ended my contract one year earlier. He asked about you- if you convinced me to leave. I told him you’re smarter than that, then I- are you crying?”

You raise your hand to your cheeks, wiping the tears you didn’t notice were falling off. “I just thought you’d stay there, and of course I would 100 percent support you wherever you went, I didn’t think you’d stick up for me when I left.” Now you were just full on bawling in front of him, early morning in a semi-busy cafe on a Friday morning. 

Newey laughs at you, throwing a napkin at your face. “I hope you’re ready to receive love calls for the next few days, we’ll be looking for some new prospects.”

You know time is of the essence, and when Newey advised you to keep an eye out for calls, you didn’t think they’d be calling you in the early mornings. Maybe it’s timezone differentiation but with the calls you’ve been getting for the last months have been more than alarming. A groan leaves your lips, before glancing over a familiar contact photo.

“Are you coming to China?” “It doesn’t seem like I have a choice now does it? Sounds like you want me to go now.” You hear movement from the other side of the line, “Yes, we’re stopping by to pick you up, get ready in 30 minutes.” “30 minutes? Am I not given time to prepare?” “Just bring yourself, if you’re worried you can use my money to buy whatever you need.” You scoff, jumping out of bed. “Just because I’m unemployed doesn’t mean I’m broke.” 

“Are you sure you want to pay?” 

“Hell no, I thought unemployment meant time for myself, didn’t think I would have to wake up at 4 AM catching flights to the Chinese Grand Prix.” You hear Mark’s laughter from the other side of the phone. “You better start getting ready, I’m on my way.”

“Never thought I’d see you sell me to another team. I thought I was sitting with you in the McLaren garage?” You explain to your stepfather as he walked with you to the Aston Martin garage.

Mark shook his head from your antics, “It’s a favor for a friend, you know to learn and see the company and team… it might make you enthusiastic to join.” You raise your brows listening to him sell the idea. “Are you not poaching me to join McLaren? Or are you worried about nepotism?”

Mark raised his hands to his face, panicking at the mention of nepotism right in front the Aston Martin garage, glancing around before shaking his head in disapproval while you’re giggling as he fusses over you. “I know you’re old enough to do this but please behave yourself, I just want you to see for yourself and not just because my friend asked for a favor, but I hope you enjoy yourself. I doubt McLaren is having any issues but if they wanted you, they would have to talk to you themselves instead of beating around the bush from me.”

You smile to yourself, “What about Aston Martin? What’s so different? And this favor from your friend, you must be really close with them, you’re offering my time so easily.”

“Fernando personally asked me to invite you.” You raise your brows glancing at the mechanic working on his car, “He couldn’t do it himself huh… Okay. I guess he had to go through such lengths seeing as he’s using you to invite me.” You take the ID Mark prepared for you, your name embossed with Fernando Alonso’s Guest below.

Your eyes wander around the green walls of their garage, you envision yourself in a dark green uniform, sitting on one of the pit lane garages looking over data. When Newey told you to prepare for new prospects you began looking around different teams, McLaren first and foremost due to Mark being involved, dabbling in offers from Mercedes and Williams, even from the junior Red Bull team which you immediately turned down, not wanting to be associated with the team any further. 

The news of Newey leaving hasn’t left the confines of Red Bull, despite Newey mentioning you as the reason he left, you don’t believe it’s the whole truth. You could be a partial reason, but there are many more underlying reasons behind his leave, especially to him who spent almost 20 years with the team, Newey leaving came as a shocker even to you, but what you’re waiting for is his future plans. 

You watch Mark slowly disappear from your sight, leaving you alone and for the first time in the 20 years of your life you felt exactly that. No one would have prepared you for what happened in the last two months of your life all leading to you leaving the first team you joined and spent your childhood in.

Sending a message to the only person you knew who spent his time in both Red Bull and Aston Martin garages, your phone rings as Sebastian calls you instead of answering your message. “Fernando invited you to the Aston Martin garage?” You stand from your seat to a quiet corner in the garage, away from the hustle and bustle, but more for your privacy. 

You rather no one listen to you talking about one of their drivers in his garage. “He asked Mark for a favor apparently, I was whisked away from my apartment to come here in China, now I’m in his garage, only for qualifying though so that’s that I guess.” The silence on the other side starts to make you question your own response.

“That's not the reaction I was hoping for. That’s that? That’s it? Where is the energy?” You roll your eyes at his implicating tone.

“It left the moment I got unemployed.” Sebastian laughs on the other side of the line, “Sounds like he’s trying to promote you as an elite employee.”

“Where the fuck are you learning these from? It’s so unlike you, has retirement made you younger?” You shout at your phone appalled by the words you never once thought would leave his mouth. “I kid, I kid. But you know what I think that message was?”

You sigh, trying to ignore the clammy feeling of your palms as you inch the phone higher to your ear, “I think that was a call for help. All those years of denial haven't changed? I’ll say this, green doesn’t look like a good color on you.”

“Fuck you Seb, calling you was a mistake.” Pressing the button furiously, you end the call. It’s funny how Sebastian always knows how to get on your nerves, maybe you were somewhat similar to your stepfather. That, or Sebastian is easily a mischievous prick who you’re unfortunately friends with and one of the only people who knew about your little something with a certain driver in the grid.

Your phone chimes, a reply from Seb, “I hope you get uncomfortable in his garage while you think back to your escapades in Barcelona, in the summer of 2019.”

It’s not your fault that of all the men available on the face of the earth, your eyes linger a little longer on Fernando Alonso, even if he is your step father’s friend he is hot, is he not?

[lsunstreakerl]

in the interest of showcasing the other side of omegaverse, where things are not ideal, I have 900 words of what is not technically maxiel while also being maxiel. (circumstantially forced mating bites, anyone?) (follow up ficlet here)

Daniel's door flies open as Max spins and locks it, almost immediately starting to fill his room with the scent of distressed omega, so strong Daniel's growling before he even realizes he's moving, pushing Max back so he's between him and the door.

Max's fingers clutch at him, scent dipping into something vile and scared, so unlike anything Daniel has picked up from him before. His scent blockers are missing, and he's in lounge clothes, clearly having been interrupted from settling down for the night.

Daniel shoves him back firmly behind him, and Max is small enough to be almost completely obscured behind him, letting out a high pitched whine.

His blood is rushing into his ears, heartbeat thudding in his chest- he needs to get to an emergency rut blocker soon. Having an unmated omega barging into his space, distressed, needing protection- if he's not careful he'll hit a flash rut like a freight train.

He waits a minute or two, making sure there's no footsteps in the hallway, no threat outside his door, before he turns back to Max, eyes searching over his younger teammate for any kind of injury.

Daniel has never seen Max like this, panicking and scared, eyes glassy.

He pushes his scent, territorial defensiveness flooding the room, masking Max's own thick fear. Max won't look at him, and Daniel can see his own phone buzzing on the table a few feet away- he has multiple missed calls and messages, filling his entire screen, from Christian and Helmut and everyone in between.

It'll have to wait.

"Max."

Max whimpers, pressing back into the wall. He's trying to look even smaller than he is, all lanky limbs and the hints of omega curves he has yet to grow into.

Daniel's not sure what to do- Max is fiercely untraditional in most ways, but at this moment he's acting the most omega-like Daniel has ever seen from him, and his own instincts are itching under his skin.

He leans forward, bracketing Max between him and the wall, a physical barrier of safety, letting his scent fill the space between them. Max relaxes minutely, shoulders sinking down as Daniel dominates the situation.

"Max. Tell me what happened."

It's not quite an actual Command, but Daniel's not asking either- he's telling.

Max's scent sharpens again.

"It is. They are- the local government passed a law about unmated omegas-"

Not surprising, they're not exactly in a country known for championing omega rights. At the same time, Max should be protected. It's illegal for an omega to be out without a mated alpha or the pack alpha here, but since Max is high profile and international, it's never been an issue.

"-even the tourists or the athletes or me, and they are,"

Max's scent sharpens even higher, a sharp knife of fear and anxiety, a desperate need for protection.

"Daniel they are here, at the hotel, and if they find me they will take me to jail, and I'll never come out, I'll never-"

Daniel snarls, feels it rip out of him from low in his chest. This must be what his missed notifications are about- even if they could find a loophole for Max, those few hours in custody-

Absolutely not.

"They can't possibly get away with that."

Max is shaking, tiny little whines escaping from him. Daniel isn't sure he realizes he's doing it.

"But they will, and it won't- the FIA would not go against a government just for me- they didn't even want me here in the first place."

It clicks with an awful clarity that Max is right. The FIA won't fight for him like they would anyone else, he's already caused them enough scandal, but to allow something like this should be unacceptable.

Still, Daniel isn't sure what exactly he can do. He'll defend Max to the best of his ability, but he doesn't have any illusions of being able to fight off the local enforcers, not when the law is technically on their side.

There's the faint ding of the elevator down the hall, and then Daniel can hear heavy boots on the flooring, banging on the doors further at the end of the hallway.

Max flinches, darting forward into Daniel's chest, heart thundering against his ribs. Max smells terrified, and he looks so afraid, and Daniel-

The banging is getting closer. Maybe a door or two doors down from where they're at.

Max's fingers are digging into his shirt, eyes huge as he looks up at Daniel. His rut is bearing down on him at the edges of his vision.

There's a panicked yell from down the hall, a language Daniel doesn't speak shouted back and forth.

Max is barely twenty. He's young and he's fierce and he has an alpha he's been dancing around for years, an alpha that truly wants him, an alpha Daniel has had to hear about all season long.

Max is an unmated omega, in danger in a foreign country.

There's heavy footsteps coming to their door. Max's eyes are wide and glassy, smelling so strongly of fear Daniel's head spins.

Voices outside their door, a series of sharp knocks, and Max whimpers, eyes squeezing shut. Daniel's rut seeps into his brain, gives him the most obvious solution- Max's neck is pale and unmarked, not protected by patches or a collar, begging for teeth to sink into his skin.

The knocks grow more agitated, a loud banging that grates on Daniel's ears and instincts.

Max isn't stupid. There's a reason he came to Daniel and not anyone else. Daniel's sure that if F2 were in town he'd be silently begging a different alpha to make this impossible choice for him- but they're not, and the decision rests solely on Daniel's shoulders.

"Open up!"

"Max-"

Max swallows hard, lifting his chin slightly. He's terrified, and Daniel is running out of time.

"I'm so fucking sorry."

There's the sharp noise of the lock being broken.

Daniel bites.

[umseb]

Sebastian Vettel "In Contact" With Helmut Marko Over F1 Successor Role

Ex-Red Bull racer Sebastian Vettel is not ruling out a return to his old team to fill the shoes left by Helmut Marko when he eventually retires

Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel says he is in early talks with Helmut Marko over succeeding the Austrian as an advisor to the Red Bull F1 team in the future. Marko's contract with Red Bull runs until the end of 2026 and the Austrian has yet to confirm whether he wants to continue in his role beyond that season, when he will be 84. When asked by Austrian broadcaster ORF about the idea of becoming Marko's successor, Vettel replied: "I don't know. There have been some headlines, and I still get on really well with Helmut. We're also in contact about this, though maybe not so intensively or in-depth yet, but it's possible. What form that might take will have to be seen." But Vettel isn't convinced quite yet that Marko will walk away at the end of his current contract. "He's already said a few times that he'd stop, but he's still here, and I wish him all the best so that he stays around for a very long time," the German added. "But, of course, eventually time catches up with everyone, and I believe he knows that too. He's a brutally realistic guy and is very good at sizing up situations. I think he'll recognise when the time is right." If Vettel does end up taking on a role as a Red Bull advisor, he is likely to have a very different approach to Marko. "I don't think he’s replaceable, let's put it that way," the former world champion said. "He’s quite a character and has made a very big contribution to what the whole team has achieved over the years since 2005, and I don't think the goal is to have someone come in who simply replaces him. But maybe, whoever it is, it would be nice if the work he's put in is carried on. There's a lot that can still be learned from him, and the role will inevitably be filled differently." Vettel said he is still following F1 from a distance after his retirement from the series at the end of 2022, but he is more interested in observing his former colleagues than in mulling over technical details. "I definitely [don't watch] every session, but I do keep up," the 37-year-old added. "I'm probably less interested in which tire compound lasts how long, and much more in what makes the drivers tick; the dynamics and the psychology behind it. I'm extremely curious to see who thinks in what way at the moment. Observing all of that is a lot of fun for me."

[fiveredlights]

Loved it!!!! Is there any Benjamin POV of when he found out Max and Daniel were drivers in this world? Like any thought process? It surprised me too that they weren't in his world haha. Thanks for sharing!

okay i managed 400 words of benjamin arriving in the universe and then my brain continued on its holiday in aruba so i’ve written out what would’ve happened afterwards

It's not like Benjamin expected there to be a whole parade when he landed into his DAUD universe, but a room full of people staring at him like he's an alien from another planet feels a little weird.

Technically, he is an alien from outer space—if you equate an alien to a life form, and the other planet is true, but at that point they should consider that we’re all aliens in a planet floating around the universe and there’s no need to stare at him like that.

Or really, they aren’t staring at him. They’re staring at the name emblazoned into his race suit. Or the flag. Maybe they’re struggling to understand why the Dutch and Australian flags are mashed together.

Benjamin worked really hard to get the team and the FIA to approve that. He had to do a whole presentation.

One of the people—his boss he assumes, given that he’s one of the two people to be wearing RB shirts—takes a slow step forward, adjusting the black rounded frames on his face.

“Benjamin—” Ooh, French, “—Ricciardo-Verstappen,” he states, though it’s really more like a question.

“Yeah.” He steps out of the portal tube. “Did I get sent to the wrong universe or?”

“Maybe,” someone in a Red Bull shirt quietly mutters and the other RB shirt guy hits him in the shoulder and scolds, “Christian.”

He has no idea who this Christian guy is but he knows he already doesn’t like him. Giving off bad energy, or whatever Julian uses as an excuse whenever he meets someone he doesn’t like.

“I’m Laurent Mekies, I’m your team principal,” the French—Laurent says. “Can we just confirm who your parents are?”

Everyone in the room seems to lean in and hold their breath. Benjamin thinks they’re all really weird. “Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen. They live in Monaco, or well in my universe they live in Monaco, so maybe they’re in the Netherlands or Australia here.”

Laurent immediately spins onto his heels and they all form some sort of emotional support huddle, like they’re the ones who got sent through to another universe.

“I’ll get Max,” Christian sighs and points a finger at Laurent. “You’re calling Daniel.”

Laurent tenses. “I don’t want to call Daniel. Why can’t you call Daniel? You knew him longer?”

Christian goes very quiet. “I think he’s blocked my number,” he says with no room for further questions as he walks out of the room.

—

benjamin has found a wheely chair to spin around the room in whilst laurent peter and helmut (idk if he's here) debate on who is calling daniel, benjamin's like "I can call Daniel if you don't want to break the news," and frankly it's a bit concerning how three of these very grown men look very ready to take this offer.

eventually someone is like, you know what. we'll get MAX to call him. daniel will answer max's calls and they leave benjamin in the room with laurent whilst the rest of them look in the mirror and wonder what they need to do to atone for this hell-ish situation they've been placed in.

(there is no atonement possible. you must live in the decisions you made. no amount of apologies or prayers will be able to heal the deep, deep scars you have given. zero love and zero light will be given.)

“So Max works here or?” benjamin asks, if only to make small talk so they’re not sitting in silence. laurent takes a very long look, he's confused. he tells him that of course Max works here, he's a driver?? but reigns it in because maybe benjamin was asking if max was at some different RBR factory. or maybe he's asking because he thinks max is in monaco, laurent doesn't possess the brain cells needed right now.

benjamin is thinking oh maybe max's a sim driver. or a test driver. he knows that max's father was a f1 driver, but doesn't really know much else. nowhere in benjamin's brain is the thought that max is a formula 1 driver, and certainly nowhere in benjamin's brain is the thought that he's a 4x WDC.

max walks in, looks at benjamin. benjamin looks back. max walks out.

he walks in again. looks at benjamin again. walks out again.

he walks in again. is about to walk out when benjamin's like, "You know walking out for the third time doesn't activate me being sent back to my universe?"

(internally, max is like, oh my god. he talks exactly like daniel. i'm looking at another daniel. which you know. a little bit insane given that i wrote benjamin to look like max, and benjamin wouldn't really sound like daniel accent wise at least, given that they raised the kids in monaco, but you know. maybe the speech patterns are similar, who the fuck knows. easier to see the parts of the person you love than yourself in your kid. can't blame him, daniel did the exact same thing for like the whole fic.)

max immediately looks around at the whole group of people and does a head nod for benjamin to follow him into his office, and it’s probably not until he sees the replica WDC trophy sitting on a bookcase with max’s name inscribed on it benjamin’s like what the fuck…

in his head benjamin is like, i am hiding the fact that i am shocked about max being a driver so well. he’s not. he’s kinda just staring at the trophy but max is way too distracted about the fact that alternate him had a kid (emphasis on kid, singular) with daniel.

benjamin is stalking around the room looking at EVERYTHING, and he catches the photo of max and daniel in malaysia 2016 and is even more like what the fuck… BOTH of my parents are drivers?????

first thought: they’re both horrible normal road car drivers. maybe it makes sense now.

second thought: god it’s so cool that his parents (or this version of his parents) are formula 1 drivers. that’s like so arguably cool. suck it julian, he KNEW doing the DAUD program was a good thing. 

third thought: do they know sebastian vettel.

in this moment he has decided that this max and daniel cannot know that his max and daniel aren’t drivers. he kinda suspects that max might be going through a quick existential crisis and he’s not making it bigger by telling 4x WDC max that his max is a 0x WDC and has never driven a f1 car in his life. 

(also it has not crossed his mind that this max and daniel are not together. if you saw that photo of malaysia with max looking at daniel doing the shoey like he wants to jump his bones in public, yeah i wouldn’t question it either and end that line of thought immediately.)

i’m learning very quickly that benjamin processes things so quickly that he doesn’t really have time to freak out.

max is processing everything and benjamin is like “are you gonna call dad or?? where is he??”

max: dad?

benjamin: yeah. dad. daniel. this tall. your husband. or partner idk i don’t know, i’m not gonna assume. oh god are you guys broken up here please don’t tell me that. i mean like tell me, but like that’s so weird.

max kinda looks embarrassed and benjamin clocks him so quickly. 

benjamin: oh. you two aren’t together here. you two have never been together here.

max: … yeah

benjamin is immediately like fuck everything about them being drivers what do you MEAN they aren’t together???? he looks at the malaysia photo again. looks at max again. 

benjamin then decided his only goal is to parent trap his parents. which i think he did achieve. good job dude.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Photo Helmut Newton - Ralph Fiennes, 1995

* * * *

“Mr. Fiennes, what’s the best advice a director has given you on a film set?”

“Well, I remember Steven Spielberg was incredibly informed about lenses and technical things, and that made him very instinctive in terms of how he directed: “Do it quicker, faster, something’s not right.” He is totally spontaneous, he doesn’t try to measure his direction but it’s very true, it’s very direct and for that reason, very exciting. Anthony Minghella was wonderful, gently guiding you over here, over there, wonderfully reassuring and very, very nurturing. But something I’ll always remember is working the Hungarian filmmaker István Szábo.”

“Why is that?”

“I did a film called ‘Sunshine’ with him, and he has a very classical approach. I remember him saying to me that he felt that the close-up was the key element, that cinema is about the close-up on the human face, that thoughts and feelings are born on the face for the first time. And that always stuck with me how he looked for that when he was directing, for the virgin moment.”

Interview with Ralph Fiennes Conducted by KALEEM AFTAB For The Talks

[Follies Of God]

[thebirdsareafterme]

Lately there’s been a lot of talk surrounding VCARB’s driver situation and how they are “technically” supposed to be RBR’s junior team. People use this argument a LOT when trying to justify their opinion on why Daniel should be replaced by Liam next season.

HERE’S THE THING: VCARB or Toro Rosso or AlphaTauri have NOT been a junior team since Red Bull Racing signed Sergio Perez as their second driver in 2021. Checo, as a driver who did not go through the Red Bull driver academy and has never driven for the junior team, being signed to the main team defeats the purpose of having a junior team. There’s no point in having a junior team if you’re not going to sign someone from the team onto the main team once the seat is empty. The fact that RBR keeps extending his contract also makes the junior team even more useless. There was no chance of Yuki even having a chance at that seat even though he’s been with the junior team for 3 years. It’s one of the main reasons Pierre Gasly left, because he knew there was no way he was getting on to the main team. Although the junior team has been useful in the past in training new drivers to inevitably get chewed up by Max Verstappen, it became obsolete when they chose an already experienced driver to take the second seat instead of a trainee from the Faenza team.

At the beginning of the year, when VCARB was rebranding from AT, they made it very clear that they were trying to move away from being a junior team and becoming more of its own team that could stand on its own two feet. One of those moves was by choosing to retain Daniel for 2024. They said that they wanted one experienced driver to help develop the car and one younger driver to potentially be trained up for RBR, which fulfills both sides of their mission. But now, all of a sudden, Helmut Marko is saying that it’s once again a junior team whose only objective is to train new drivers for RBR. Laurent Mekies and Peter Bayer say that it’s not and that they would like to continue developing the car to be its own midfield team. Obviously there is some disconnect between Marko’s perception of the team and the team’s actual mission, but at the end of the day, Mekies and Bayer have only had positive words for Daniel and his contributions to the team. After reading Peter Bayer’s most recent interview, it is clear that Marko’s comments about the team are not accurate and that no decisions have been made yet. I think we can all chill out a bit and stop listening to what the media has to say about this whole situation because it’s pretty obvious that no one really knows what they’re talking about and are just talking out of their asses.

[tinyinvadr]

Well, this is it! The final chapter of the Psychoborrower series! This was such an amazing journey, and I’m glad I saw it through to the end. I definitely wanna write more for this universe, though I think I’ll take a little break for a bit. I’ve been dying to replay the first Psychonauts haha.

Psychoborrower 2

Epilogue

The next day truly was the calm after the storm. Truman and Gristol’s minds had been successfully swapped back, and Helmut’s brain was put into one of those brain hamster balls for the time being.

It would take some time for Truman to fully recover, but he seemed to be doing well considering everything he’d been through. Having Lili around definitely helped.

As for Gristol, he was locked up in Psychoisolation. Technically, a regular jail cell would have done just fine since he doesn’t have any psychic powers that we would need to suppress, but the Psychonauts opted not to turn him over to the authorities in order to protect Lucrecia. Though, if it were up to me, I’d have him locked up in a giant birdcage.

That afternoon, Hollis gathered everyone in the classroom, telling us she had an important announcement to make.

“I would first like to apologize for the things you interns have seen over the past few days. It was my responsibility to ensure your safety amidst the chaos. But… I think there’s something to learn from all of this. There are flaws in our organization, and in ourselves. In order to move forward, we have to address them. Only then can we properly help each other to grow. The goal of the Psychonauts is and always has been to help people work through their issues. And all of us here have seen you doing exactly that. So, it is my pleasure to officially welcome a new generation of agents to the team. Razputin Aquato, Samantha Boole, Lauren Forsythe, Adam Joseph Gette, Flint Loveseat, Morris Martinez, Elizabeth Natividad, Norma Natividad, and Gisu Nerumen. You are now… Junior Psychonauts!”

Everyone gave us a round of applause, and we all cheered in celebration. Well, almost all of us. Norma was somewhat offended by the “Junior” part of it, but what was she expecting? At the end of the day, we were still kids. Besides, she was one of the older interns, so it would only be about a year or so before she turned 18 and got promoted to a full on adult Psychonaut. But hey, that’s just typical Norma.

We all got our badges, and we were then free to roam around HQ as we pleased. Raz and I took that opportunity to check up on everyone.

With Truman back in charge, Hollis didn’t hesitate to take a two week vacation. Of course, Lori went along with her. She was particularly excited since her dad would be going with them as well, and it had been a while since she’d seen him due to spending most of her time at the Motherlobe. Had to appreciate the fact that Hollis’ husband was on board with her impulsively taking in a psychic borrower child, no questions asked.

She also decided to let the Aquatos stay, since Frazie was a big help in taking down Maligula, and she also heard about how Augustus helped us back at camp. I was 100% on board with that decision, since I knew Mom and Dad would be staying with them. The last thing I needed was to be separated from my family again. Or my potential girlfriend.

Raz and I finally got to talk to the real Truman for the first time. He seemed to like Raz, much to his relief, though he did express concern over Lili kissing boys at summer camp, so we left that part out. And he definitely couldn’t find out about the brain kissing. Any sane person would find that gross.

With his alcoholism under control, Bob was welcomed back into the Psychonauts, and he and Helmut were hard at work planning the mission to retrieve his body from Grulovia. Helmut was confident he’d be able to locate his own body, and I couldn’t wait to actually see him in person. He also offered to let me have his brain’s tiny Viking helmet once he got his body back. I’d have to wash the brain juice off of it first, though.

We eventually made our way to the bowling alley, where we met Sasha and Milla.

“Heh… too bad my internship’s over. Kinda wish I got to work with you a little bit longer.”

“You still can, Flint. It will just be as a fellow agent.”

“That’s true. And… I thought about what you said before. About figuring out what being a Psychonaut means to me. I’m still not really sure, to be honest. I know I wanna help people, but that’s kind of vague. I thought this whole mission would give me a definitive answer, but I still don’t know.”

“I wasn’t expecting you to find an answer right away. It takes time to figure out what exactly it is that drives you to be a Psychonaut. But, I do have an offer for you of something you might be interested in. Don’t feel obligated to join us if you need a break, though. I know you’ve been through a lot these past few days.”

I smirked. “Whatcha got?”

“I’ve been in contact with Sheegor, since she’s been watching over Whispering Rock for us, and she’s spotted a few psychic borrower children. We instructed her not to confront them directly, but she’s kept watch over them for the time being. It sounds like word spread of your heroism at camp, and it inspired these kids to follow in your footsteps. But they’re still not comfortable interacting with humans. We figured we could train them the same way we trained you, but seeing as you’re a Junior Psychonaut now… how would you like to be a junior counselor for the rest of the summer, Flint?”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Other kids were inspired by me? And Sasha and Milla wanted me to help train them?

“That… That sounds amazing! I’d love to!”

It was only after I said it that I realized what going back to camp would actually mean.

“Wait, I can’t. I can’t leave my Mom again.”

Milla nodded. “That’s okay. We understand, darling.”

I could tell she and Sasha were somewhat disappointed, and I really did want to go, but it didn’t feel right to leave.

Raz could also tell I was conflicted, and suggested we talk to my Mom about it. I was hesitant to even float the idea of leaving at the risk of upsetting her, but bottling up how I felt wouldn’t be good either.

Before we left the Motherlobe, we heard a crash as we passed Sasha’s lab, and stopped in there to investigate. Dr. Loboto was in the process of squeezing himself into the Otto B.O.N. tube system. He told us he was escaping back to Whispering Rock, since he left his kid there.

He was already gone before we could ask any further questions. Absolutely wild that he had a kid at Whispering Rock the whole time, and he still went through with stealing everyone’s brains. Then again, that was before his moral compass was restored. The real question was which kid was his. My money’s on Bobby Zilch.

This felt like another sign pushing me to go with Sasha and Milla, but I still wanted to talk to Mom first.

We went over to the campsite. Mom was nowhere to be found, but Dad was sitting in the grass beside Mirtala, listening attentively as Frazie went over a chart she made of the updated Aquato family tree.

“Okay, so the Galochios never cursed us, and both our Grandma Marona and Nona actually came from that family, meaning we have Galochio blood.”

“So wait, which one is our grandmother again?”

“Marona. Nona is actually our great aunt, but she raised Dad in place of Marona after she died, so as far as we knew growing up, she was our grandmother.”

“Okay… and she’s dating the bacon man, so does that make him our grandpa?”

“No, let me start again.”

“Actually, before you do that, can you explain where Sibi fits into all of this? I’m very out of the loop.”

Frazie looked over at me and Raz, frustrated and exhausted.

“You guys wanna take this?”

Raz shook his head, and I turned my attention to Dad.

“I can tell you the stuff about Mom later, though I think it would be better if she explained it herself. Where is she, by the way?”

He sighed. “Not sure. She and Augustus have been gone all morning. I’m sure they have a lot to talk about. I just… wish I knew more about this beforehand. Your mother and I have been together for so long, but there are so many things she never told me. Though, I guess I can’t blame her. A lot of it was horribly traumatic for her, and she probably didn’t want to revisit it.”

Mom didn’t realize that hiding her past wasn’t just hurting her, but Dad and I too. There were things she did in the past that still hurt me, even after everything I learned. But people aren’t all good or all bad. Mom’s complicated. I’m complicated. And that’s okay. At least now we know we can work through it together.

Donatella directed us to the waterfall, explaining that Augustus liked to go to high up places to think about things. Sure enough, up on the cliffs, we found him sitting and watching the reverse waterfall, with Mom on his shoulder.

“Hey… how are you two holding up?”

“The best we can. This is just a lot to process.”

Augustus also had very complicated feelings, specifically towards Lucrecia. It hurt him to realize he’d been living a lie, but at the same time, he couldn’t really resent her, as her mind had also been altered. He admitted that he wasn’t happy with Ford, to say the least, but he wasn’t going to confront him any further, seeing how much he also suffered from the ordeal. After all, Ford destroyed his own mind just to forget about everything that he went through.

“I just wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t opened the door for that man from the orphanage. At least then we wouldn’t have been separated, and you wouldn’t have ended up with that awful family.”

“Don’t blame yourself for that, Gus. We were kids, and you had just been told your parents died. None of us knew what would end up happening.”

He sighed. “I know. But I promised to protect you.”

Mom let out a slight chuckle. “You know, I’m a lot tougher than I look. And I gave that Gristol kid a hell of a time while he had me trapped. But… I am glad to have you back. We can look after each other now. And our families.”

They both got quiet, and I knew I had to ask. I wasn’t sure how soon Sasha and Milla were planning on leaving, so I had to get an answer.

“Hey, Mom? Sasha and Milla asked me to go back to camp with them to help train some new borrower kids. I really wanna go, but I’ll stay if you’re not okay with it. I know you just got me back and everything, so I understand if you want me to stay here. A-Actually, now that I’m saying it out loud, yeah, I shouldn’t go, I don’t wanna leave you again.”

She smiled warmly, signaling for Augustus to bring her closer to me.

“Go ahead. Do what you need to do.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I’ll be alright here. We have a lot to work out, but I won’t hold you back. After all, you’re a Psychonaut now.”

I jumped over to her, tackling her with a hug.

“Thanks, Mom. And I’ll be back when the summer’s over. I’m sure I’ll have a ton of new stories to tell. Maybe some new pictures to add to the scrapbook.”

“I’d like that. Now go, before you miss your flight.”

Raz took me back to the Motherlobe, briefly stopping so I could say my goodbyes to Dad and Frazie, and we met Sasha, Milla, and Coach at the jet.

“Hey! Got room for one more?”

Sasha and Milla exchanged a glance, smiling, while Coach ran over to pick me up.

“Knew you’d come around, soldier! Glad to have you back on the team!”

Raz smiled, though I could tell he was a bit sad. I knew I was gonna miss him, even if we ultimately wouldn’t be apart for that long in the grand scheme of things. Still, we’d been through so much together. He was my best friend. My Gus.

“Don’t just stand there, man. Bring it in.”

He briefly took me back from Coach, hugging me to his chest.

“You’re gonna do great at camp. After all, those kids are learning from the best.”

He passed me back to Coach, and Sasha and Milla boarded the jet. I took one final look at Raz, waving goodbye.

“I’ll see ya in the fall!”

We got onto the plane, and Coach deposited me on Sasha’s shoulder so he could use the bathroom. Again.

Once everyone was seated, we took off, the Motherlobe slowly disappearing in the distance. It was tough to say goodbye, but I knew in my heart that everyone and everything would be right there when I returned.

Sasha and Milla were both very quiet the first few minutes or so. I think they knew I was still processing a lot of what happened. After a while, Sasha broke the silence.

“A bit strange to be going back to camp after all this, isn’t it?”

“Sort of. Though, I guess it isn’t that weird since I’ve been living there the past three years.”

“In any case, do let us know if you need help with anything.”

“Heh, of course. And this time, you don’t have to hide the fact that you’re helping me.”

We got quiet again for a while, until Milla spoke up.

“Sasha and I heard from the other agents about how you and Raz helped them. They didn’t go into full detail, though. I’m curious to hear about what you two did out in the field.”

So, for the rest of that flight, I told my story. It was a long one, but it lasted the entire trip. The whole time, they stayed invested. It felt amazing to have these two professional agents take interest in my exploits, and it was at that moment that it really, truly felt like I was one of them.

From that day on, I was proud to know that I was one of the first borrowers to become a Psychonaut. And I knew there would be many more to come. Those kids at camp were living proof of it.

It would be a long way to go for us to feel fully secure with being in the public eye, so until then, we still had to be kept a secret. But among the psychic community, we would be recognized as the butt-kicking agents we truly were.

I wasn’t just a Psychonaut. I was a Psychoborrower.

[yesloulou]

abt the lewis thing. there are now reports/pics that the merc crew was there just behind all the ferrari/mclaren guys but I haven't seen it personally and still find the situation iffy tbh.

also toto was interviewed like basically next to the podium so he seemed to have been there??? but imo it makes no sense that they weren't at the front. its a weird ass hell situation ngl.

wdym you (my one source for lewis info and media) don't know either 😭😭

ok i went back to watch singapore. yk in the podium broadcast they normally give a driver a trophy and then pan the camera to their team cheering under the podium? yesterday they did the sequence w ferrari and mclaren but not merc. i mean i dont know for sure either but i agree it's iffy

i mean technically it could happen? parc ferme is first come first serve and there's literally no assigned celebratory zone or anything. here's a delightful photo i found of helmut marko having to fight thru a sea of mclaren and photographers to get to the fence lollll

[autisticbokutoenthusiast]

Tracking nuthphop through music 8 and 9

ep 7

- (1:25) there’s a song introduced when nont points the gun at phop (similar to last ep)

- (fields of fate- heath cantu 2:58) this serene string piece plays when nuth realizes phop is alive and well after nont releases him [i think the audio team might have mixed this to make the lows come out more, and lowkey i like it better this way]

- (expressions - heath cantu 5:44) get it heath! twice in a row!! anyway this piece plays while nont asks nuth if he’s the masked dog from the video. it’s reversed and delayed synth and keyboard notes that add this like mysterious yet light vibe to the scene. by this i mean it’s not mysterious in a dark or scary way but more in a curiosity and the unknown way

- (6:48) super low wind instrument sound, almost like if you took wood chimes and programmed it way out of its natural range

- (couldn't find the track 7:23) a simple but haunting piano melody plays over nuth and nants meeting in a flashback. as the flashback turns darker (nuth gets into nants sex and drug addiction, the argument they have over the lost drugs) bass, guitar, fuzzy synths, and drums get added in until the sound is quite epic and fitting of an action sequence. the song is kinda hard to make out over nuth and nant screaming at eachother but i think its interesting how they keep the foundational piano melody clear throughout the whole encounter. the song drops out when nant and nuth start arguing

- (chasing the truth - dream cave 9:04) the music is really faint here and while there are lots of layers, the majority of what we hear is the haunting piano melody. after nuth gets stabbed tho the rest of the instruments come in

- (faith in you - dex 1200 10:40) this really reverbed and sad piano and string piece plays over nants suicide video. the piano repeats a quite simple part, as does the violin but the two feel like two lonely voices.

(the smoke clears - wendel scherer 12:12) this haunting vocal choir piece plays as the chair falls and we see nants feet dangle and him struggle against the rope, while in the present nont cries. the song is haunting but it’s not overly sad in fact as nont starts to sob the chord progression becomes major and begins to resolve, in a way that sounds relieving, only to return to minor chords

- (fulmar - if water 22:50) this upbeat plucked guitar/ rock-ish track plays while nuthphop discuss the status of their relationship after the nant revelation. nuth being happy phop hasn’t broken up with him and phop saying there isn’t anything to be upset over. it’s also the track that played during the baddies scene before this. (the way this song and the camera angles focus on phop and zouey…. won’t spoil but for those who haven’t finished the series but those who have…. iykyk what connection im making right????)

- (นี่นอยด์นะ - korn and chat 24:30) the ending theme plays as nuth and phop finish they’re convo about they’re struggles living up to dating expectations in the gay community and how they’re happy they found eachother

- (chasing the truth - dream cave 28:17) plays during keen and nuths convo about hiding the dog mask and the party this song plays again (played earlier during and nuth and nant flashback 👀)

ep 9

(they werent in this ep till the end)

- (moon glow - helmut schenker 43:10) this pretty piano ballad plays while phop sulks over nuth not paying attention to him and the clip he wants to share, and then nuth trying to tease phop to get him to show it. it’s when phop explains the controversy that is tutor and jumps leaked sex tape and shows captains twitter for his secret clips that the song stops

- (44:49) this eerie piece is made of a sustained string note and a simple beat. i think it was mixed in house but it starts when nuth gets a call from keen and continues to soongs narration of breaking up with first

- (spiral geometry - cobby costa 48:40) this song technically starts playing when zouey tells nont there could be two dog masks but nuth is in frame and i think its pretty so im writing it down

(a certain shad of blue - paper twins 51:51) again this song plays while first and soong break up, but continues while nuth shows keen the clips captain has been selling of him

i think its interesting that we get a repeat track and repeat musician!!

[vro0m]

I agree with your prev post btw, however a similar discourse was fueling the bird app a while ago and i’ve been meaning to say something adjacent;

>>This is also all my opinion, i’m also not trying to police f1, Lord knows we have enough of that;

I personally think as long as you’re a journalist, why shouldn’t one be biased? it’s a sport at the end of the day. A technical one so there’s a more quantifiable logic but a sport regardless. I don’t like comparing F1 to other sports but atm that’s what’s lacking (imo). Rivalry makes a sport. it allows like minded people bond over mutual love/distaste (maybe those are harsh words and it gets borderline toxic most times but ygwim). Again, you and you alone are entitled to how you enjoy your hobbies.

I appreciate Max and Lewis fans so much cuz imo they’re the ones keeping the lights on. These drivers haven’t been in a title fight in a while lol but the fans would argue over the color of the sky if they could. Everyday Alonso fans say “if Alonso had gone to… in 2014, he’d have had… championships by now”. Sainz and Leclerc fans as of lately are also at each other’s throats cuz these are great drivers.

When Lewis got announced to Ferrari, people fell to their knees cuz that’s the enemy, that was the death star. Sure this may not be our grand parents Ferrari and here we sing and do marshmallow challenges now but it’s a long rivalry. Mclaren-Ferrari, Red Bull-Mercedes. I’m not trying to dissect what was said or what caused what but Toto seemingly trying to cozy up with Helmut and Max felt like backstabbing to some.

delusional takes?… exists everywhere, some driver’s fans have blamed the wind,mirrors, chassis and even his own team sabotaging him for poor performances. saying the other teammate’s win has been “nullified”.

AFCON, Nig vs Cameron, one team absolutely bottled it but the fans were dancing up until the last minute to boost morale. it’s what fans do. Objectively is good but so are biases, it makes us human imo.

These days a lot of the races imo are boring asl. It’s why DTS tries to milk slight disagreements as intra team rivalries. There’s also new wave of fans who’s welcome to the sport ofcourse but i just personally don’t understand this “I love every driver and want to see everyone do well”. If i wore an arsenal muffler with a Tottenham jersey in North london i’m getting jumped over rivalry that’s been here almost 100 years lol.

Again yes it gets extremely racist and parasocial but that’s the toxicity that doesn’t belong in a fandom but exists in most if not all. It’s all capitalism at the end of the day but at the core of it or what it should be is a sport

ps…this long ass essay lol and it’s also one of the reasons imo football socials don’t take us seriously and also calling f1 not a serious sport😅

Yeah that's what I meant by everyone is entitled to enjoy the sport the way they want. I personally think it's fine if you're 100% delulu biased following other like minded delulu biased people if that's what's fun to you! God knows the delulu posts are the funniest on this hellsite!

I understand what you mean with rivalry and I agree but personally didn't find the teamLH-orange army war fun at all because it got nasty really quickly. Fans were hating on each other and very aggressive about their opinions and I don't like that. I like heated arguments fine but when it tips into hate then it becomes a bad experience for most people.

To take your football example, I think singing songs in the stadium, making fun of the other team and fans, it's all playful and part of the culture. But fuck ultras, you know what I mean? I shouldn't be worried about getting jumped when I leave a game. Same thing goes here. The problem is a lot of people get genuinely angry at things and then genuinely aggro and that's not fun. So like I said in my previous post, if getting into fights with other people over these things is fun to you, you do you, I'll personally probably block you cause it's not enjoyable to me.

Imo the difference lies in self awareness. If you're a bit or even fully insane about your fav but you know that you are then it's generally all in good fun. But some people aren't aware that they are being irrational about things and that can get ugly because they take things seriously and get serious emotions about it and send serious hate about it etc. But it's not only bad for other people they might get aggressive towards. I've had anons here be genuinely distraught and/or enraged by the lack of performance at the moment. I've had to ask many a person "are you sure F1 is enjoyable to you?" because at the end of the day arguing can be fun (God knows I looove debating, irl and online, I'm annoying that way) but if you step away from these fanspaces angry, sad, frustrated most of the time, then is it really good for you? are you really having fun?

[boredtechnologist]

Framed AI reproduction of Helmut Jacoby’s 1961 “The IBM 7094”

The IBM 7094, introduced in 1962, was an important mainframe computer in the evolution of computing technology and brought several technical innovations that marked significant improvements over its predecessor, the IBM 7090. Here are some key technical innovations of the IBM 7094:

Increased Speed and Performance: The IBM 7094 operated at higher clock speeds than the IBM 7090, running at 2.18 MHz compared to the 7090's 2.0 MHz. This increased its computational speed, making it one of the fastest machines of its time. It could execute up to 229,000 instructions per second.

Double Arithmetic Unit: The IBM 7094 featured a double arithmetic unit that enhanced its capability to handle floating-point arithmetic, a critical feature for scientific computations. This made the 7094 particularly valuable for applications in fields such as space research and engineering.

Additional Instructions: The 7094 introduced additional instructions to the existing IBM 7090 instruction set, which allowed for more versatile programming and operations. These instructions included ones for handling interrupts and improved input/output operations, which were essential for managing the complex computational tasks it was designed for.

Hardware-based Multiply-Add Unit: The 7094 included a hardware-based multiply-add unit that could perform a multiply-add operation in a single step. This was particularly useful for certain types of vector calculations common in scientific computing, significantly speeding up these operations.

Improved Input/Output Capabilities: The 7094 offered improved input/output capabilities which allowed for more efficient data handling and transfer between the computer and peripheral devices. This was crucial for large-scale data processing tasks.

Compatibility with IBM 7090: The IBM 7094 maintained backward compatibility with the IBM 7090, allowing for the use of existing software and peripherals. This compatibility was important for customers upgrading from the 7090, as it protected their investment in software and training.

The IBM 7094 played a significant role in the advancement of computing during the 1960s, contributing to major projects such as NASA’s Apollo space missions. Its technical innovations not only provided enhanced performance and capabilities but also helped set the stage for future developments in the field of computing.

[autisticsupervillain]

My last post about Agent 47 being a Tumblr Icon proved popular, so here's more Tumblr approved 47 facts.

47's wife has technically killed him twice. Both times it was so he could come back to life later and kill his actual target. Diana could walk right into his living room, stab him with a butcher's knife, and he'd just go "well, who are we killing today honey?"

47 once had to get close to his target by disguising himself as a giant flammingo mascot. One of his target's bodyguards, a furry, tries to start a conversation about it. 47 could not end that conversation quick enough.

One time, 47 tried to disguise himself as a realtor to get close to his target. All of his attempts to sell the house to his target involve advice on how to kill someone in those rooms. The target never questions this. Later, both the target and 47 stumble across a month's old crime scene. 47 goes full detective mode and delivers a full paragraph detailing what happened and how the victim died, before remembering he's supposed to be a realtor right now and brushing it off.

One time, in order to get close to a target, 47 got a job interview at a bank. His response to every question involves more or less just flat out admitting that he kills people for a living. They hire him on the spot.

47 has read his universe's version of the Twilight novels. He also killed the author of said Twilight knockoffs, but not before criticizing his writing and complaining about a plot point he didn't like.

47 once infiltrated a secret meeting of international spies, billionaires, and supervillains by walking right past the guards in his regular iconic suit, as everyone took one look at him and assumed he was supposed to be there.

Agent 47 canonically has an aura of death that hangs over him that only psychics can see. When an actually psychic meets him for the first time, he panics and all but pushes 47 out of his establishment.

47's most used alias, Tobias Rieper, as an instagram account. It's filled entirely with travel pictures from places he's visited while killing people.

Agent 47 inexplicably looks identical to one of the most popular fashion models in the world, Helmut Krueger. This doesn't hinder his ability to disguise himself as literally anyone in the world though.

One time, a bunch of nuns in stripper outfits showed up at 47's hotel to blow him the fuck up with a rocket launcher. He was inexplicably completely unharmed by the explosion.

One time, a mad scientist tried to test his mind control device on 47. 47 resisted it so hard that the scientist dropped dead from the psychic backlash.

One of his regular outfits for missions is a clown suit.

47 has a reputation at his agency for killing people in the most ridiculous and over the top ways possible. It got to the point that another assassin tried to imitate 47's style, which backfired so badly that the assassin accidentally killed everyone in the building, including himself, and let the target get away completely unharmed.

47 once manipulated another assassin into killing his targets for him. Unfortunately, said assassin was so bad at his job that 47 had to do everything for him, from adjusting his sniper rifle so he could actually fire it, to getting the targets into his line of sight so the assassin would actually see them.

47 once stopped a depressed person fresh off a bad break up from an abusive relationship from committing suicide by following him around the globe and beating him unconscious every time he tried to kill himself, all without the guy ever actually noticing him. 47 only stopped when the guy decided he must have a guardian angel looking out for him because he keeps falling asleep whenever he considers going through with the deed, deciding he owes that angel an honest attempt to getting his life back on track again.

Agent 47 has a friend in the CIA named Agent Smith, who keeps getting kidnapped and held prisoner at all the locations 47 is doing missions in. 47 keeps having to rescue him because Smith usually has good intel on his targets. Smith considers 47 his best friend, while 47 holds Smith in open contempt.

47 is a millionaire, but he cannot spend any of his money on luxary items due to his life style. His profession means he's constantly moving to new homes and can only live safely in sparce homes with nothing but fast food to tide him over. His suits are his only affordable luxary, as anything more lavish could expose his location and get him arrested or killed. He's a millionaire who has to live like a broke king thanks to his triple digit body count. It's only when Freelancer happens that he finally gets his own home.

47 is a pro at Dance Dance Revolution, but only when he is dressed like a ninja.

And finally, 47 has canonically killed countless fascists, pedophiles, billionaires, and even anti-vaxers who run MLM pyramid schemes. Up to 365 of them and counting, in fact.

[sarahsmi13s]

Lieutenant Rogers - pt 7

Shield of Injustice

pairings: romantic!neil ‘omaha’ vikander x rogers!reader, platonic!dagger squad x rogers!reader, plantonic!sam wilson x rogers!reader, platonic!bucky barnes x rogers!reader

characters: sam wilson, bucky barnes, john walker, lemar hoskins, helmut zemo, joaquin torres, karli morgenthau, the flag smashers, the dora milaje, sarah wilson (mentioned), y/n rogers, neil vikander

word count: ~6.9k 

series warnings: language, blood, fighting, sexual inuendoes, john walker, cannon dangers, cannon deaths, suggestive themes, the flag smashers, super soldiers, angst, if i miss any please let me know

chapter warnings: language, blood, fighting, death, murder, john walker in general, suggestive oma-star content, threats of harm or violence to loved ones, poorly written fight sequences (i’m so sorry), if i missed any lmk

a/n: if you couldn’t already tell, i’m OBSESSED with crossovers. reader is the daughter of steve rogers, and has the super soldier serum as well

also this part is basically episode 4 of tfatws, so we get mentions of star and a little cameo in the middle

sources: Top Gun: Maverick (2022) , The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)

series summary: 13 pilots were called back to Top Gun in 2023. at the same time, Lieutenant Rogers learns that her father’s shield was passed down to John Walker.

chapter summary: while star and her friends fly the mission of a lifetime, sam and bucky are on a mission to find karli before john does. but they all get way more than the barganed for...

‘lieutenant rogers’ universe

pt 1  pt 2  pt 3  pt 4  pt 5  pt 6  pt 8

*****************

It’s been about two weeks since Bucky and Sam really talked to you except for when John showed up unannounced at Top Gun.

A lot’s happened with them.

They broke Zemo out of jail, but Bucky will tell you Zemo escaped all on his own. They went to Madipor and almost died. They also saw Sharon Carter. Zemo killed some scientist that had recreated the serum and then they almost died again.

And now they were looking for Karli in Latvia.

****

Zemo just told them that Donya Madani’s funeral would be that afternoon, and it’s highly likely that Karli would be there.

Bucky may have lost his temper a little bit, thrown a teacup maybe. But could you blame him? Not only was he trying to stop a radicalized supremacist Super Soldier and get his best friend's shield back, he was worried about you.

He understood that you had limited contact while on a carrier but he would have liked a text or phone call, something to let him know you were okay.

Sam came back from the call he had to make to Sharon.

“Hey Sam?” Bucky got his attention. “What Bucky?” “Have you heard from Y/N yet? You know anything about the mission she was sent on?” Sam shook his head, “No, I haven’t heard from her. But I know the mission is dangerous and that she said she’d get in touch with us as soon as she was on shore.”

Bucky nodded, “I know it’s just been awhile and she said the mission would only take a day.” “Bucky, she’s on a carrier in the middle of the ocean, it’s gonna take more than a few days,” Sam reasoned.

“She’d want us to focus on our mission, not worry about her. Not that I’m not worrying, but she knows distractions can be fatal.” Bucky just pressed his lips into a thin line and nodded.

*****

When time came to go to the memorial, Bucky, Zemo, and Sam left the safe house.

“Karli Morgenthau is too dangerous for you guys to be pulling this shit.”

Great, John’s here.

Bucky threw his arms to the side as Lemar and John jogged down the steps, “Ah, how’d you find us now?”

“Come on, man. You think two Avengers can walk around Latvia without drawing attention?” Lemar retorted as they went down another flight of stairs.

“No more keeping us in the dark,” John started, as they reached the bottom. “You can start by telling us why you broke him out of prison.” He pointed at Zemo.

Bucky tilted his head a little as they met John and Lemar at the stairs. “He did that himself, technically.”

“What would Lieutenant Rogers think-” Bucky pointed at him, “You leave her out of this. She’s got nothing to do with this. She doesn’t even know we’re here.”

“Well, this,” John gestured to Zemo again, “better have an unbelievable explana-” John got closer and Sam stepped between him and Zemo. “Hey, take it easy before it gets weird.”

Zemo rolled his eyes and stepped through, “I know where Karli is.” Him and Bucky started walking around John.

John’s hand on Zemo’s chest made him stop. “Well, where?” John asked impatiently, looking at Sam. “All we know it, it’s a memorial,” Sam answered. Zemo looked over John’s shoulder and walked around him.

“That means civilians. High risk of casualties,” Lemar said, turning to follow the Baron. “Alright, good, we’ll move in fast. Take her by surprise,” John strategized.

Sam looked at John, “No, I wanna talk to her alone.” John looked over, shaking his head, “I’m not losing her again.”

Sam wasn’t about to let John near Karli, “Look, the person closest to her died, she’s vulnerable. If there’s any time to reason with her it’s now.”

But, John wasn’t having it. He ran up in front of them all, “What? No. Wait, no! No! Stop. Hold on. Stop, okay?” He looks at Sam in the back, “I think we’re way past reasoning with her, unless you forgot that she blew up a building with people still in it.”

Lemar agreed, “Look, Sam, you walk in there cold, she could kill you.”

“If I go in hot and the op goes wrong, more people will die,” Sam argued back.

John looked at Bucky, “You’re gonna let him do this? Are you gonna let your partner walk into a room with a Super Soldier alone?”

“He’s dealt with worse. And he’s not my partner,” Bucky sassed.

Sam tried to reason with John as he walked around Bucky, “I used to counsel soldiers dealing with trauma, okay? This is right in my wheelhouse.” He stood in front of John now.

“Yeah, I know. And I know those soldiers, which is why I know this is a bad idea.” John really just wanted to get this over with and complete his first big mission, and gain your respect.

Lemar shook his head, “Wait… If he can talk her down, it might be worth a try.”

John scoffed, but finally complied. He pointed to Zemo, “We’ll deal with you later.”

“I’m sure it will all come to an agreeable conclusion. My associate is just up ahead.”

They turned and saw a little girl. Zemo led the way.

He spoke to her quietly before she gestured for them to follow her.

“What the hell?” John asked, frustrated that Zemo could gain allies so quickly.

****

The girl led them to a GCR building and pointed in the direction of the memorial.

“Karli’s in there,” Zemo further explained. Sam nodded and walked through, “Alright.”

Zemo goes to follow but John harshly grabs him and shoves him against the wall. Zemo groans a little bit as John speaks to Sam, “Hey. You got 10 minutes.” He cuffs Zemo. “Really?” Zemo rolls his eyes as the cuff locks around his wrist.

“Then we're doing things my way,” John was still talking to Sam as he locked the other around a bar.

“Aggressive,” Zemo mumbles. John looks back at him. “But I get it.”

****

John paced as he waited for Sam.

“You’re gonna pace a hole in the floor, Walker,” Bucky said, arms crossed.

He looked at Bucky, “I’ve been meaning to ask, what would Lieutenant Rogers think about all this? Breaking him out of prison, letting Wilson go in there alone.”

“You seem to care an awful lot about what the pilot thinks,” Zemo observed. John’s jaw clenched. Zemo’s mouth formed an ‘o’, “Oh, you want the lieutenant's approval. That’s what it is.”

Bucky scoffed, “You think bringing Karli in is gonna earn her respect?” John stayed silent. “Well, you better hope Karli’s alive when you do.”

John sat down for a minute or two before beginning to pace again.

“Uh-uh. No, no, no. This is a bad idea,” John said. Whether he genuinely felt uneasy and worried for Sam’s safety, or he just didn’t want Karli to get away and ruin his chance at his first big mission was unclear. However, with his attitude thus far, it was safe to assume the latter.

“It hasn't been 10 minutes,  John. Just sit tight,” Bucky said from his spot in the doorway.

“Don’t do that. Don’t patronize me,” John spat going down to look at the clock.

Bucky shrugged and watched him, “He knows what he’s doing.”

John stares at the clock before Bucky watches his demeanor change and he walks towards him.

When he gets to him, Bucky stops him, giving him a look and a head tilt that said, ‘Don’t even try.’

John stepped back, looking at the ground with a clenched jaw. He looked up at Bucky, attempting to be intimidating and not frustrated. “This is all really easy for you, isn’t it?”

He was talking about the serum in Bucky’s veins, in your veins, but not in his own.

“All that serum runnin’ through your veins. Barnes, your partner needs backup in there…” Bucky just stared as John looked past him. “Do you really want his blood on your hands?”

****

Well…

That went… horrible.

John managed to push past Bucky and into the room, just as Sam was getting somewhere.

His intrusion not only made Karli run, but it also destroyed any rapport Sam had created with her.

But don’t worry, Zemo managed to get free and find her.

He got multiple shots off, hitting her in the abdomen with one of them. But when she knocked the table over, she knocked her vials of serum onto the floor.

Zemo smashed them under his boot, destroying any potential Karli had at expanding her army.

And while he was doing that, Karli managed to escape and John caught up with him, knocking him unconscious with the shield.

****

Back at the safe house, Sam is emailing Sharon while Zemo rested with a cold compact on his face.

“Were you ever offered it?” Zemo asked Sam.

“What?”

“The serum.”

“No.”

“If you had been, hypothetically, that is, would you have taken it?”

That caught Sam’s attention.

“No.”

“No hesitation… that’s impressive.”

Zemo grunted a little as he took the compact off his face. “Sam, you can’t hold out hope for Karli. No matter what you saw in her, she’s gone. And we cannot allow that she and her acolytes become yet another faction of gods amongst real people. Super Soldiers cannot be allowed to exist.”

Sam shook his head and turned toward Zemo, “Isn’t that how gods talk?”

That made Zemo think, leaving him to sit there silently.

“And if that’s how you feel, what about Bucky, or Y/N?”

That didn’t draw a response from Zemo.

“Blood isn’t always the solution.”

The door opened and closed as Bucky walked in, shucking the leather jacket off.

“Somethings off about Walker…”

Sam chuckled, “You don’t say.”

Bucky laid his jacket on the bar and went over to a cabinet. “I know a crazy when I see one.” He pulls out a glass to pour himself a drink, “That’s because I am crazy…”

Sam chuckled, “I believe it.”

Bucky uncorked the bottle and poured his drink, “You and Y/N shouldn’t have given him the shield…”

“We didn’t give him the shield.”

“Well Steve definitely didn’t,” Bucky sassed, bringing the glass to his lips.

Before Sam could retort, the door was kicked open.

“Alright. That’s it. Let’s go. I’m now ordering you to turn him over,” John demanded as he stormed in, Lemar trailing behind him.

Sam stepped up to him, “Hey slow your roll. Now let’s be clear; shield or no shield, the only thing you’re runnin’ in here is your mouth.” John squinted his eyes a little but didn’t say anything. So Sam continued. “Now, I had Karli and you overstepped.”

He pointed with his thumb towards Zemo, “He’s actually proven himself useful today. And we’re gonna need all hands on deck for whatever’s comin’ next.”

“How do you want the rest of the conversation to go, Sam, huh?” Sam just looked at John, making the latter chuckle softly. “Yeah…” John gestured with the shield, “Should I put down the shield? Make it fair?”

Sam scoffed at John’s poor attempt at being intimidating. John put the shield down, preparing himself for a fight.

But before either man could make a move, a vibranium spear was thrown right between them.

Everyone looked in the direction it came from, seeing a Dora Milaje make herself known. Then two more soldiers came through the opened doors.

Ayo spoke in Wakandan to Bucky, “Even if he is a means to your end… Time’s up.” Then she switched to English, “Release him to us, now.”

John turned and held out a hand, “Hi, John Walker, Captain America.” When he got no response he looked around awkwardly. He was losing control of the situation and he didn’t like that.

“Well, uh, let’s put down the pointy sticks and we can talk this through, huh?”

Sam chuckled a little, “Hey, John, take it easy.” John turned to Sam with a look on face, making Sam grin a little bit. “You might want to fight Bucky or Y/N before you tangle with the Dora Milaje.”

John smirked and turned back to Ayo, “The Dora Milaje don’t have jurisdiction here.” She narrowed her eyes and tilted her head, “The Dora Milaje have jurisdiction wherever the Dora Milaje find themselves to be.”

John nodded, “Okay…” He chuckled, “Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot.”

John then proceeded to make the mistake of placing his hand on Ayo’s shoulder…

She used her spear to knock his arm away before hitting him in the knee, then the face. While he was disoriented, she kicked him in the chest and into the spear that was still lodged into the column.

Then just absolute chaos ensued.

The Dora Milaje used their speed and agility to fight both John and Lemar. They’re trained warriors and the way they fight is unique, the two American soldiers were very under prepared.

Sam, Bucky, and Zemo just watched, the latter two finding it pretty amusing.

But Sam walked over to Bucky, “We should do something…” Bucky nodded a little and crossed his arms, “Looking strong John!”

Ayo wasn’t letting up and it made Sam a little antsy. And by the time she got John on the ground, he was sure she would put her spear through his chest.

“Bucky…”

The addressed looked at him and sighed, “Alright, fine.”

Bucky walked over and grabbed the spear, “Ayo…” She pulled the spear back, making Bucky grunt in surprise. “Ayo, let’s talk about this,” he managed to say as he fought her.

In the living room, Sam had to assist Lemar. He took the hits and dodged what he could as the other trapped John to the table by threading her spear through the straps of the shield.

Back with Bucky, Ayo managed to get the upper hand and disarm him… no literally, the Wakandas had embedded a code into the arm in the event the Winter Soldier ever made an appearance again.

While Bucky was stunned Ayo checked the bathroom where she saw Zemo sneak off to, but he had escaped through the grate in the middle of the floor.

John managed to free his arm just before the soldier that threw it took her spear back, letting the shield fall to the floor.

And he didn’t dare move to grab it, so the Dora warrior did.

But Ayo was on a mission.

“He is gone,” she said, referring to the Baron. Then she nodded to the shield. “Leave it,” she ordered.

The warrior nodded and gave the shield back to John, who still sat on the floor trying to catch his breath.

In the kitchen area, Bucky knelt down and picked his arm back up and just looked at it.

“Did you know they could do that?” Sam asked as he got off the floor and walked over to him.

Bucky didn’t answer as he put his arm back on, groaning a little as the plates got back into place. He flexed his fingers, “No.” The mechanisms whirled and clanked a bit before he rotated his arm around and set everything back into place.

Lemar gets up and walks over to John, who is just staring at the floor.

“You alright man?”

“They weren’t even Super Soldiers…” John mumbled out.

His ego was severely damaged. He felt like he was taking a step forward only to get pushed ten steps back. John had lost control and then got his ass handed to him on a vibranium platter.

John was frustrated, he was failing his mission. He’s not ready, and it’s painfully obvious to him now. This role is harder than he thought, Steve’s shoes are too big to fill on his own.

“Come on,” Lemar said as he helped him up.

Sam walked by and only gave John a disgruntled look. A look that clearly told John he fucked up.

*****

John and Lemar stood at a table in the mall, talking about the mission.

“Look man, the serum and its source are gone,” Lemar started. “I know it didn’t work out the way you wanted it to, but it ain’t all bad.” John nodded and gave him a small, tight lipped smile.

Before John could respond, a girl came up to him and asked for an autograph, which he gave her.

He thanked them and wished them a good day before turning back to his friend, rubbing his face in exhaustion.

“How long until that gets annoying?” Lemar teased. John chuckled, “You’re just mad she didn’t ask for yours…” “Oh, it’s her loss,” Lemar threw back. “Even got a little Battlestar logo to go with it.”

John exhales amusedly through his nose.

He tapped the table, “If you had the chance to take the serum, would you do it?” Lemar nodded, “Hells, yeah.”

“You wouldn’t be worried about how it might… how it might change you?”

Lemar thought about it before sighing, “I mean… Power just makes a person more of themselves, right?” He shrugged, “Karli Morgenthau. Steve and Y/N Rogers.”

John nodded a little before looking at him, “And me?”

Lemar faced his friend completely, “You already have three Medals of Honor. You consistently make the right decisions in the heat of battle.”

John rubbed his brow, “Yep…” He kept his eyes on the table, “Three badges of excellence to make sure I never forget the worst day of my life…”

He looked up at Lemar, “We both know that the things we had to do in Afghanistan to be awarded those medals felt a long way from being right… Being Cap is the first time I’ve had the chance to do something that actually feels right.”

“But God! Imagine how many lives we could have saved that day if we had that serum,” Lemar said. John nodded, “I know… I know.”

*******

You laid on the couch, your fingers gently running through Omaha’s dark hair as he rested his head on your stomach.

The setting sun casted a beautiful orange glow over the room as the movie played on TV. You could feel the vibration of Neil’s chest against your thighs as he snored.

The squad had just gotten back to North Island earlier that afternoon and after the debriefing all you and Omaha wanted to do was cuddle and be with each other. So that’s what you did.

You knew you should probably call Sam and Bucky, but you had been on a cramped carrier all week and you just wanted to spend some time with your boyfriend. You also weren’t sure where they were or if they were busy, so you’d just let them call your first or check in with them after you’ve had time to decompress.

Which is why you were finally letting your eyes slip closed as you relaxed.

And then your phone rang.

Groaning, you reached for your phone. You picked it up and answered it, not bothering to check the caller ID.

“Hello?”

“Hello, is this Y/N?”

The voice on the other end was unfamiliar, and it put you on alert. It was foreign, sounded European but pinpointing exactly where wasn’t really your concern.

You carefully sat up, hoping you wouldn’t wake Omaha, “It is. Who are you?”

“My name is Karli Morgenthau.”

You froze for a second. You recognized that name.

Sam and Bucky tried to keep you in the dark, but you had connections. Someone on the very inside that was keeping you updated as best he could. And the name ‘Karli Morgenthau’ came up a lot recently.

You gently get up as you speak, “I know the name… You’re the leader of the Flag Smashers, right? The group against the GRC?”

Making sure Neil is still asleep, you step out onto the back porch.

“I am, and you’re Steve Rogers daughter…”

“I am… Why are you calling me Karli?”

She sighs, “I need you to stay out of my way. I know how close you are with Sam and Bucky…”

“Are you threatening me, Karli?”

“All I’m asking is that you make sure Bucky stays out of my way. I want to speak with Sam, alone. If Bucky comes with him, I can’t promise he’ll make it out alive…”

You cross your arms and lean against the railing, “Bucky can hold his own, he is a trained assassin after all.”

Karli’s quiet for a moment before speaking again. “You know that we’ve reached people all across the world right? Have pulled hundreds of people to the cause, some in San Diego?”

You knew what she was doing but you weren’t going to take any chances.

“What do you want me to do?”

“Just stay out of it. Don’t try and warn them, I’ll know. I can track your calls and text,” she says with authority.

You can see why she has a following, and you understand her cause… but her methods don’t sit right with you.

“And if I don’t?”

“If you want your friends, your boyfriend, to stay safe… you’ll do as I ask…”

You can hear the smirk in her voice, the baseless arrogance thinking that she had intimidated you. You knew there was a big chance that she was lying, that she was just using the people you held close and loved as leverage. She was a bully, and the Rogers don’t like bullies.

But were you really going to risk the safety of your family? No, you weren’t.

“Okay, I won’t intervene…”

“Good.”

She hung up and you let out a breath.

“Everything okay?”

You looked up and saw Neil in the doorway. You smiled at him, “Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine. I just needed to take a phone call… I didn’t want to wake you.” He nodded and came over to you. 

“Was it Sam or Bucky?” You shook your head, “No, it was my contact. He was updating me, said they were doing just fine and were getting close to stopping this group.”

He smiled, “Okay that’s good.” He wrapped his arms around you, “Do you want to go out for dinner or just eat here?” You put your arms around his neck and tilt your head, “I’d rather eat here, if that’s okay?” 

Omaha nods, “Of course that’s okay. I do need to go get some stuff-” “I can go get it. I don’t mind.” 

He squeezed your hips, “Are you sure?” You nodded and pressed your lips to his.

He hummed against your lips and pulled you close. You arched into him and got on your toes. Neil gripped your hips and picked you up to sit you on the railing.

You giggled and sat your phone down as he began to kiss your neck.

A moan fell from your lips and your hand slipped under his shirt. His hands moved up your sides; one in the middle of your back to keep you firmly against him and the other buried itself under your messy bun to pull your lips to his in a deep kiss.

Your free hand pulled him closer by his waistband as he licked your bottom lip. 

He slipped his tongue into your mouth, battling for dominance with yours.

You’re moaning and whimpering against each other’s mouths before he has to pull away for air.

“Fuck, Star-light…” You chuckled at the breathlessness in his voice as you took a few deep breaths. “After dinner Oma, I promise.” 

Neil nodded as he swallowed, “I’ll hold you to that.” You laughed again as you both sat there in each other’s arms. 

Your phone going off vibrated the railing you were perched on and shattered the moment.

You checked it, just to see that it was a text from Fanboy about a new show you had talked about watching together. 

You looked back up at your boyfriend, “I should probably head to the store.” He nods, “Let me make a list. What sounds good?” You think about it for a minute, trying to find out what’s making your mouth water. “Ooooh, chicken and steak quesadillas? With homemade tortilla chips?” 

“Do we have tortillas?” You nod, a grin spreading across your face. He mirrors it, “Then that’s perfect. I’ll make the chips while you go to the store.” 

Giddy, you peck his lips, “Okay, make a list while I fix my hair and make myself look presentable.” He grinned and kissed you back, “Yes, ma’am.” 

You shove him away with a giggle and you both go inside.

You go into your room and fix your hair before throwing on one of Neil’s hoodies. As you do that, your phone dings with another text, this time it’s from Sarah Wilson. 

“I need you to call me. Karli just made contact with me…”

You huffed and dug through one of the drawers in your closet.

“C’mon…” You sighed once you found it. “There you are.” You pulled out the old burner phone Nick had given you and slid it into your pocket.

After that you slipped on your shoes, got the list and another kiss from Neil and you’re out the door.

******

Sam and Bucky were walking around Latvia looking for Zemo when Sam’s phone rang.

“Who is it?” Bucky asked, not looking at the caller ID. “It’s my sister,” Sam mumbled, concern in his tone as he answered. “Hey, what’s up?”

Bucky couldn’t hear what Sarah was saying but by the way Sam responded, he could tell it wasn’t good.

“Listen, pack an overnight bag and take the boys.”

Bucky turns his head, “What happened?”

Sam pulled his phone away from his ear, “Karli called Sarah. She threatened my nephews.” He brought his phone back to his ear.

“Okay. Go somewhere safe. Only pay cash. Alright? Let me know when you get there.”

Bucky’s phone vibrates in his pocket.

“I know. Look, I love you. I’ll never let anything happen to you and the boys.” Bucky pulls his phone out to check the notification.

“Okay, bye.”

Sam hangs up as Bucky slows to stop to read the text from an unknown number. Bucky’s brow furrowed and he frowned at his phone.

Sam arched an eyebrow, “Everything okay?” Bucky shook his head, “I’m not sure.” Sam peaked over at Bucky’s phone screen, reading the text on the screen.

“Karli wants to meet Sam somewhere alone. Don’t let him go alone, but don’t get caught either. Watch your 6, Buck - ⭐”

“That has to be Y/N…” Bucky said, a sense of dread filling his chest that Karli knew your number. “It’s signed with a star… thingy.”

“An emoji?”

“Whatever it is, that can’t be a coincidence.”

Sam nodded as he sighed, “She used an Avengers burner phone… we can’t track it because she most likely took the battery out. But that means no one else can track that text back to her either.”

Bucky nods and deletes the text and the number from his phone, just as a secondary precaution.

“But she’s right… Karli wants to meet me somewhere. She left a contact number with Sarah,” Sam confirmed just before his phone sounded with a text notification.

He looked at it and it was a location and time. The rooftop about North Plaza, and now. She wasn’t going to let him sit and develop a plan.

“She said to come alone… Like Y/N said…” Sam told Bucky, nerves and fear filling him as he looked at the sniper.

Even had you not warned Bucky, he wasn’t about to let Sam face Karli alone.

“I’m coming with you.”

****

After changing into their gear, they went to the plaza.

“Karli!” Sam shouted as soon as he entered the room.

The Super Soldier leaned over the railing to make herself known and the two men made their way up the stairs.

“You called my sister? That’s how we’re gonna play this?” Sam questioned the moment he topped the steps.

“Sam, I would never hurt her,” Karli said gently as she leaned on the banister. “I just wanted to understand you better.”

She pushed off the half wall, “I see you, uh–” She pointed to Bucky, “–didn’t come alone.”

“You have to end this, now,” Sam said, natural, but gentle, authority in his voice.

Karli shook her head, “I don’t wanna hurt you. You’re just a tool in the regimes I’m looking to destroy.” She glances at Bucky who walks a little closer to cover Sam’s back, “You’re not hiding behind a shield.”

“If I were to kill you, it would be meaningless,” she said bluntly.

In all fairness, Sam and Bucky weren’t representing symbols like John was. They weren’t members of the government or the GRC. Their deaths would do nothing for Karli’s cause.

Sam glanced over his shoulder to Bucky, assessing his body language and overall demeanor before turning back to Karli.

“I was gonna ask you to join me… or do the world a favor and let me go.”

Before Sam could say or do anything, Sharon spoke into his comms.

“Hey, Sam, new Cap is moving, looks like he’s found them, or maybe they found him.”

Sam’s eyes widened and he looked at Bucky, “It’s Walker.”

Bucky quickly made the move to jump down, but Karli had other plans. She jumped and slammed into Bucky, causing him to slam into the column.

While Bucky pushed off the ground with a groan, Sam fought Karli. He placed a kick to her chest, throwing her off balance.

He looked at Bucky, “I’ll send you the location, go.” Buck nodded and ran through the door while Sam deployed his wings and took off before Karli could get up.

****

When Sam landed at the location, having cannonballed through the skylight onto the stairs, a Flag Smasher was kicked through the door about two flights above him and straight into the wall.

Sam looked up the flight of stairs and saw John walking down them with a look of determination on his face, sheathing the shield on his back as he got closer.

Sam could only watch as the Flag Smasher tried to hit John with a pipe, only for John to catch it and wrestle with him for a moment… before he easily bent the pipe. The steel pipe.

“Oh shit…”

John threw the soldier into a pillar, who hit it harshly but managed to get up and run.

Sam watched John descend the steps and walk past him, “What did you do?” John bypassed the question, “They’ve got Lemar.”

****

Bucky entered the building from the bottom floor, skipping steps as he ran up the stairs.

As he ran up a flight, he’s ambushed on his left side and slammed into the wall.

The soldier grabbed him from behind and tried to put him in a chokehold. But Bucky leveraged himself against the wall and launched them into a pillar.

He managed to free himself from the guy's hold. Bucky parried one of the punches thrown at him before kicking him down the stairs.

Bucky hurdled the railing and stalked toward the Flag Smasher as he tried to get up.

Before he could stand up, Bucky planted his boot into the guy’s chest and sent him through the brick wall.

Bucky checked to make sure the soldier was unconscious before leaving.

“Stay there.”

****

Sam and John made it to a big open, seemingly empty, room.

Then two soldiers jumped down behind them from the landing.

John reflexively threw the shield, hitting them both. Sam closed-lined one with his wing, while the other pulled a knife on John.

“What’s with all the knives?”

Within a few minutes of them fighting, Bucky made his appearance as well as two more Flag Smashers.

The one with the knife tried to stab John, but he countered it with the shield and sent the blade flying towards Bucky. Luckily he caught it.

But a soldier approached him from behind with a knife of their own.

Bucky readied himself and the soldier charged, kick flipping before attempting to attack. But the attempted slashes were parried and countered with a few punches and a knee to the ribs. Then Bucky gets leverage and is able to flip them onto their back.

He flips the knife in his hand and throws it into the floor next to the soldier’s head.

Another soldier grabbed Sam from behind. He quickly elbowed them and turned on his thrusters, using the heat to disorient them before kicking them over the table.

John hit one in the face with the shield before throwing another on the ground.

The one thrown charged at a preoccupied Sam, but Bucky intercepted them and punched them out.

“You’re welcome.”

As John fought, he was grabbed from behind by a maskless Flag Smasher.

John struggled to get free and the soldier locked his arms, exposing his chest.

Karli charged in, hurdling a table and running to John, knife at the ready.

But Lemar came in just in time and tackled Karli.

They both got up off the ground, ready to fight. But Karli was faster.

One well placed, powerful punch to Lemar’s chest sent him into a concrete column. Killing him instantly.

****

It was like the world was put into slow motion.

The fighting stopped as Lemar slumped on the floor.

John broke free of the hold on him and went straight to Lemar.

He knelt next to him, “Hey. Hey. Hey.” John patted his chest and shook his shoulder. He held Lemar’s face, “Lemar. Lemar.”

John kept repeating Lemar’s name, but it was no use. Lemar was dead.

The rage that filled John was visible. Everyone in the room felt it.

Bucky and Sam were stunned, catching their breath as they watched John.

But the Flag Smashers took their chance and ran.

Karli took a different exit than the others, and Bucky and Sam followed her.

John took the quickest exit, jumping out the window. He immediately clocked the soldier that held him back.

He chased him into the town square. Using the shield to block what concrete object was thrown at him.

“Where is she?!”

John ran, throwing the shield at the soldier’s back before running up to him and hitting him in the chest, knocking him back into the memorial.

He tried to get up but John knocked him down with the shield. He tried again but John pinned him under his boot.

“It wasn’t me!” He shouted, begging for his life.

John said nothing as he raised the shield.

“It wasn’t me!”

The soldier’s final plea fell on deaf ears as the edge of the shield was brought down on his chest.

****

The crowd that had gathered gasped as John brought the shield down three more times, shouting in rage.

Once the man fell limp under John, he stood and took deep breaths.

Bucky and Sam ran through the crowd, but they were too late. Far too late.

John strapped the bloodied shield to his arm. Brandishing the tainted symbol to the recording phones.

Blood was rushing in John’s ears, dampening the sounds of the world around him. But his eyes worked just fine.

The sight of a crowd, multiple cameras, Sam and Bucky, and a dead body greeted John as he looked around.

Then the sprinkling rain hit his skin and the weight of his actions barreled into him… and he ran.

******

Bucky and Sam chased after John, finding him in an abandoned train station.

They find him kneeling, grieving the loss of his best friend. They don’t intervene, they know he needs it.

It’s not until John stands and walks in their direction that they make their move.

“Walker…” Sam said cautiously.

John looked at them, but didn't stop walking, “You guys should see a medic, you don't look so good.”

“Stop, Walker.”

John turns around, “What?” He started gesturing with his hands, “You saw what happened. You know what I had to do. I killed him because I had to! He killed Lemar!”

Bucky shook his head, “He didn’t kill Lemar, John.”

Walker just rolled his eyes and sighed.

“Don’t go down that road,” Bucky advised. “Believe me, it doesn’t end well.”

“I’m not like you.”

Sam stepped up, trying to reason with John and calm him down.

“Listen, it was the heat of the battle. Okay? If you explain what happened, they may consider your record. We don’t want anyone else to get hurt.”

Bucky couldn’t stop looking at the blood on the shield as Sam stayed calm.

“John… You gotta give me the shield, man.”

Walker looked up at the two, “Oh…” He smirked a little, appearing as if he just figured a riddle. “So that’s what this is…” He looked at Sam, “You almost got me.”

Sam shook his head and shrugged, “You made a mistake.”

John looked between them, “You don’t wanna do this.”

Bucky clenched his jaw and looked up at Walker, tearing his eyes away from the now tainted memory of his best friend.

“Yeah we do.”

****

The fight that ensued was quick, but it was ugly.

John wasn’t giving up that shield easily, but Sam and Bucky weren’t letting him leave with it.

Faces were bloodied, rib cages were bruised and broken.

Sam and Bucky’s intentions were just to incapacitate John and take the shield.

Walker was trying to kill them.

He was aiming for the chest, the throat, the face, the head. Anywhere that could be lethal, that’s where John was aiming.

John thought he deserved that shield. After everything he went through to be chosen. After what he endured that got him a spot on the list.

He wasn’t going to let them simply take it. They would have to kill him.

But they didn’t.

Sam and Bucky had every opportunity to kill John. Just like that, John is dead and the shield is theirs.

Except, it wasn’t that simple to them… Well maybe to Bucky it was but he had to think about more than just what he wants.

They fought and fought. Their backs met the concrete more than they would care to admit.

John ripped Sam’s wings from his pack, nearly decapitated him with the shield before Bucky intervened.

After Bucky took hits to the ribs and face, Sam managed to get ahold of the shield. Both of them work together to take the shield from where it was strapped to John’s arm.

Bucky had John pinned to a broken down forklift and Sam had to use his thrusters to get the shield to finally come off… snapping John’s arm in the process.

But Walker wasn’t letting them just walk away.

He stood from the ground, chest heaving as he walked towards them. “It’s mine.”

Sam stared him down. “It’s over, John.”

“It’s mine!”

He throws a punch at Bucky, only for it to be countered. While disoriented from the punch, John tries to run at Bucky, only for the assassin to lower his shoulder and pick him up by the legs.

Sam took the shield and ran, the shield meeting John’s back as Bucky slung the man and knocking them all to the ground.

Bucky is the first to stand, picking up the shield and dropping it by Sam’s head before walking out.

*****

The next day, Sam and Bucky met with Torres at the same building Mama Donya’s memorial was in.

Bucky left shortly after Joaquin arrived, leaving Sam alone with him.

“What’s our next steps, Torres?” Sam asks, propping himself on the table.

“Captain America killing a foreign national in public, it’s kinda like a big deal… Like-like international incident big. Folks, uh, higher up on the payroll are all over it now. So, unfortunately…”

“They’re taking jurisdiction,” Sam finished.

Torres nodded, “Yeah.”

He looked down and noticed Sam’s equipment bag on the ground, broken wings inside.

“What happened to these?” He walked over and picked the bag up with a grunt, sitting it on the table.

“So, is there anything we can do?” Sam asked Torres as he looked through the bag.

Joaquin shook his head a little, “Not really.” He continued to look at the damaged wings, “As you can see, they’ve cordoned off the whole camp, and Karli’s a ghost. After what went down, she’s laying extra low. Like under-underground.”

“And that’s why it makes sense for us to get involved. The longer we let her regroup, the harder it’s going to be to find her,” Sam told him.

“She’s got people helping her from all over the world, on all platforms. She’s… really good at this thing.”

Sam nodded his agreement, “Yeah.”

Torres ran his hand over the wings, “How’d these break?” But his question is only answered with a sigh.

So he moved on.

“Anyway, all we can do now is sit tight and just chill. Sometimes, there’s nothing to do until there’s something to do.”

Sam stood and smirked a little, “That’s bizarrely wise.”

Torres chuckled, “Well, I’m a bizarrely wise man, Sam.” “Yeah, alright.”

Sam’s phone rang in his pocket and he sighed. He picked up the shield and turned to leave.

“That Star?” Joaquin asked, standing straighter. Sam reached for his phone, “I hope so… Thanks Torres.” He nodded, “For sure.”  

Sam pulled his phone out and walked toward the exit.

“Wait, yo, you forgot the wings,” Torres called out. Sam looked over his shoulder, “Keep ‘em.”

****

Sam answered your call once he got outside.

“I know-”

“What. The. Fuck did he do?”

Sam sucked in a breath.

This was bad.

********************

well....

that was... something

john walker has defiled and tainted the shield’s legacy... everything steve rogers stood for covered in the blood of someone. sam and bucky had their go, now it’s star’s turn

i’m sorry it took so long to get this part up, but it’s here know! and we’re getting more into the events of TFATWS. the next few parts will follow the events of the last two episodes. but it won’t stop there.

let me know if you want to be added to my top gun taglist or the lieutentant rogers taglist by rebloging the masterlist linked at the top, commenting, or sending me an ask!

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thank you guys for being here <33 *mwah*