#Silver Arrow 2022

[the-nomadicone]

Ex. Silver Arrow // German Army

[shes-unwell-babe]

Seeing the silver arrows at Silverstone again is so emotional to me🥲

[capricorn-ascending]

Faithful and Virtuous Night, Louise Gluck (insp)

On February 1st 2024, it was announced that 7-time Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton and Formula 1 team Mercedes AMG Petronas would be parting ways after the 2024 season. This announcement ends an 11-year long partnership between Hamilton and the Mercedes works team, and a 17-year long relationship with their parent company, Mercedes-Benz.

Hamilton will drive for Scuderia Ferrari in the 2025 season. It will be the first time in his racing career driving a car with no connection to the Silver Arrows.

Image credits, in order:

Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes Garage (Photographer unknown, 2023) / Lewis Hamilton takes his first pole position since 2021 (via Lewis Hamilton's Instagram, 2023) / Lewis Hamilton celebrates with the Mercedes team post-race (Photo by Dan Istitene, 2022) / Lewis Hamilton celebrates his 7th F1 title with the W-11 (Photo by Clive Mason, 2020) / Lewis Hamilton celebrates his 7th F1 title on the podium with Sebastian Vettel and Sergio Perez as confetti falls (Photo by Pool, 2020) / Lewis Hamilton and his father share a moment in the aftermath of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Fuck the FIA (Photographer unknown, 2021) / Lewis Hamilton doing donuts at the end of the season (Photo by Marco Renzi, date unknown) / Lewis Hamilton at the Silverstone Grand Prix (Unknown source) / Lewis Hamilton during a F1 press conference (Unknown source) / A young Lewis Hamilton accepts a junior racing trophy (via plus44world's Instagram, 2023) / A young Lewis Hamilton poses with his signature yellow helmet, inspired by his childhood racing hero, Ayrton Senna (via Lewis Hamilton's Facebook, 2018) / A young Lewis Hamilton racing remote-controlled cars (Unknown source) / Lewis Hamilton takes the podium for third place at the 2007 Australian Grand Prix, his first podium in F1 (Unknown source) / Lewis Hamilton celebrates his win at the 2013 Hungarian Grand Prix, his first win with the Mercedes works team (Photo by Mark Thompson, 2013) / Ferrari Trento sparkling wine is pictured on the podium at the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix (Photo by Marco Renzi 2023)

[bad268]

Waking Up in Vegas (Max Verstappen X Reader)

Fandom: RPF/Formula 1

Requested: Nope, Vegas inspired

Warnings: Hungover, alcohol, brief joke about cheating

Pronouns: You/your

W.C. 1762

Summary: Chaotic wins mean forgotten proposals and spontaneous marriages.

As always, my requests are OPEN

MASTERLIST // HITLIST

~~(@/Max's insta from April 14, 2022)

“Did we get hitched last night?” Was not the question you thought to be asking yourself after you woke up hungover from the grand prix after-party. The Las Vegas Grand Prix after-party, that is.

Your head was still pounding to the point you could still feel the bass and vibrations from the music the night before. It was an unexpected win for Max since he started on the third row (rare), but when the silver arrows collided (replay 2016) and Ferarri fucked up Charles’s strategy, it only took a few laps to get in front of Lando. The raw speed of Max’s Red Bull was still not comparable to the McLaren. That’s what led to you both getting fucked at a popular nightclub on the strip. In all honesty, you were not even sure how you made it back to your hotel room, but you were not going to question it.

“I don’t think so, but I don’t remember,” Max groaned, turning to hide his face in your neck. “I bet Daniel would know. He’s probably the one who got us back. Either him or Charles.”

“I ask because I’m wearing a ring,” you chuckled as you looked at your left hand. Max’s head shot out of your neck to see the ring. His eyes widened immediately, causing you to get concerned. “Do you remember anything from last night? It’s all blank for me.”

“No,” he trailed off. He hesitated for a minute as he looked up to meet your eyes before dropping his head again with a shy smile as his face heated up. “I just…”

“You can be honest, Max,” you gently pushed. You moved down on the bed, so you were leaning on your side, face to face with Max. “Unless it was cheating. In that case, I would rather remain blissfully unaware.”

“No, it’s not that,” he laughed nervously.

“Then, it cannot be as bad as you think,” you reassured. “Trust me. You can tell me anything. Nothing could top walking in on Daniel singing, ‘She Keeps Me Up,’ in Austin last year. That was awkward.”

“No, it’s not that bad,” he laughed sincerely this time as he finally brought himself to look into your eyes. “I recognize the ring.”

“Oh, is it yours?” You asked back immediately, moving to take the jewelry off. “You can have it back.”

“No! I mean yes!” He rushed, grabbing your hand to stop you from removing the ring. “What I’m saying is I bought the ring for you, schat (darling).” He stopped to give you a minute to register the information. Your eyes grew wide as the gears in your head started to turn.

“You bought it for me?” You whispered back, looking back at your hand which is still being held by Max.

“I mean, I would have wanted to remember if I proposed, but I guess it worked out either way,” he chuckled, becoming shy again.

“Then ask me again,” you replied, pulling back to sit up in bed. You realized that you were wearing one of Max’s shirts, yet you still could not remember anything from the night before. You pushed that from your mind as you continued reassuring Max. “If you’re so pressed about it, ask me again. Right now.”

“I had a whole day planned out,” He jokingly whined, moving to sit up as well. This is when you noticed that Max was wearing grey sweatpants while shirtless.

“Well, now I’ll be expecting it,” You joked back, reaching out to hold both of his hands. “I don’t need anything extravagant. I just want you, Max.”

“If I ask you to marry me now, we’d need to either plan the wedding quickly to do it over the winter break or wait a year,” Max pointed out with a sigh.

“Max, you're forgetting where we are,“ You laughed, “We’re in Vegas!”

“Our families will go crazy if they find out we got married in Vegas, and they weren’t here for it, liefde (love),” Max chuckled as he shook his head. He wrapped his arms around your torso to pull you onto his lap, leaning his head onto your shoulder as he held you.

“I highly doubt your dad will care,” You retorted quickly, placing your hands on his cheeks to make him look at you. “And it’s not like we will not have a ceremony eventually. I don’t really want to have a whole wedding, but we could host a party during the summer break with all of our friends and family. We could make vows for it too. We wouldn’t be rushed to plan a wedding or wait a whole year for it. Plus, I want your last name as soon as possible.”

“Why didn’t you say that earlier?” Max joked as he leaned in to place a short kiss on your lips. “I would have proposed a lot sooner if I knew.”

“I thought I was dropping enough hints! It’s been seven years, Max!” You chuckled, leaning back a little. “You know, in some of the States, we are technically considered married already.”

“Then I see no other reason to wait,” Max chuckled, leaning in to press his forehead to yours. “Can’t wait to make you Mx. Verstappen.”

Just as you both started leaning in, the moment was interrupted by knocking at the door. You both got out of bed, throwing on a pair of sweatpants and a shirt in the process. Max moved toward the door as you started making tea/coffee and grabbed out meds to calm the still-raging hangover you had. As soon as Max opened the door, what felt like half of the grid fell into the room. In reality, it was just Charles, Daniel, Lando, and Liam.

“What the hell?” Max laughed as he helped Charles stand up after Daniel, Lando, and Liam practically threw themselves into the room, and accidentally tripped the Monegasque in the process. They all just walked in and piled on the sofa, leaving Max to sarcastically say, “Why don't you come in?”

“Is there a reason you all flooded our room?” You asked as you walked toward where Max was sitting to give him his mug. Instead of letting you move to sit in another seat, Max pulls you to sit on his lap. “Not that we don’t love hanging out with you lot, but we have plans for later.” You really should have expected them to all start talking at the same time, but you did not

“Someone dared us to jump into the fountains,” Lando chuckled.

“I did not agree to be the chaperone last night,” Liam sighed.

“I saw a video of Max proposing last night,” Charles said.

“Honestly thought one of us was gonna get alcohol poisoning,” Daniel admitted.

“Woah, woah, woah,” You shouted over the group. “Back up. Take a breath. Who remembers last night?”

“You guys made me the chaperone because I didn’t race, so I didn’t drink anything,” Liam complained. “You all got piss drunk like I’m talking 5 drinks each minimum. Oscar jokingly told Lando to jump into the fountain, but he pulled you and Max with him. That was pretty funny honestly. Max also told his entire plan of proposing to you to Alex, completely forgetting you were there until you suggested getting married in Vegas. Max said something about in the morning, and then we got kicked out of the club.”

“Not who I expected to have been the responsible one, but okay,” Max whispered into his mug as he took a drink.

“Thanks for being responsible, Liam. I’ll cover you next time,” You said to the Kiwi. “Speaking of last night, though, the plans for today were to go get married before our flight out, and we need at least one witness. Do you guys want to come?”

“That’s a dumb question,” Lando replied quickly. “I call dibs on being the photographer!”

“No, I’m a much better photographer than him!” Daniel protested, “Plus, I've known them longer.”

“I mean Lando you can be the photographer for the ceremony and Daniel can do the actual wedding if you want,” You offered.

“No, I want to do the real thing!” Lando complained.

“Then I’ll do today, deal?” Daniel compromised.

“Deal,” Lando agreed.

“Good, because photographers can't get drunk at the wedding or be part of the wedding party,” Daniel boasted with a smug look toward the McLaren driver.

“Wait, that’s not fair! Max!” Lando looked to you and Max for help.

“You agreed to it,” Max laughed. “There’s nothing we can really do, Lando.”

“We could also just hire a photographer, so you’re both included in the wedding?” You suggested the obvious. “Either way, we should probably get ready to head out now. Our flight leaves at like 7 right? You guys also probably have debriefs too.” Receiving nods in response, you stood up to make your way to the bathroom. “Then we better get ready.”

~

Las Vegas was not as enhancing as it was the night before. It was missing the infamous Vegas lights as all the glitz and glam was replaced with normal street lights and normal activities. There was still the occasional impersonator on the corner, but nothing seemed too extravagant. It was like Las Vegas had an on-off switch.

When you all walked out of the hotel, it was still 2 PM, and everything just seemed too normal for what you were about to do. The drivers met up with their teams for the debrief as you explored around the strip and had a little spree. By the time the debrief finished up, those Vegas lights were appearing and the city was livening up. It was nearing 5 o'clock as your group made its way to one of the (surprisingly) many chapels on the strip.

“This is the most un-serious thing we have ever done,” Max laughed as you both stood at the small alter, separated by an Elvis impersonator. Neither of you had packed anything super fancy, so you were wearing white and red feather boas provided by the chapel. “My mom is going to be so mad.”

“I mean, I’m not complaining about it. Isn’t that what matters?” You laughed with him. “As long as we get a real party after this, I think it’ll be a funny story. Plus, we were never ones to follow the rules.”

The ceremony went on filled with laughs. In the end, it did not matter if it was serious or not because all that mattered was you were pronounced as Mr. and Mx. Verstappen.

~~~~~

© BAD268 2023. DO NOT REPOST WITHOUT PERMISSION.

[humanpurposes]

Karma is a God, Chapter 15: The Lakeshore

The Dance of the Dragons begins on a lie, and Aemond owes a debt, one Lucerra will see repaid in Fire and Blood // Main Masterlist

Aemond x Lucerra Velaryon (fem!Lucerys)

Warnings for this chapter: 18+, spoilers for F&B and future seasons of HotD, canon divergence, descriptions of violence, angst, mentions of death and war

A/n: We're back after five whole months!! I've been deep in the brainrot for this fic recently, and I'm so happy I've come back to it. I've had this series planned out since December 2022 and I'm really excited to see it through.

Also, psa I guess, this series is no longer going to be updated on Tumblr, all future chapters will be posted on AO3.

I do want to say thank you to everyone who's shown this fic some love on here, it makes me so happy seeing it come up in my notifs, I can't wait for you all to continue reading it :)❤️

Full Chapter on AO3

The voice in Luke’s head whispers again. Blood.

It is everywhere, in the colour of the sky, in the clouds and the setting sun. It’s in the water, spilled from the bodies of two dead dragons. Watery red waves ripple over the lakeshore, rushing over her boots, running back to the lake and seeping through the pebbles into the earth.

Aemond is covered in it. He is on his knees before her, an arrow lodged in the shoulder of his sword arm, his riding leathers sodden, his silver hair soaked and stained pink. She wonders if he can taste it, the blood of Caraxes and Vhagar on his tongue.

Even when she takes up Dark Sister and places its point to his throat, he is staring at her with the intent of a hunter. His seeing eye is wide, his eyepatch washed away and his sapphire almost black in the absence of light. The scar that frames it, the scar carved by her hand, is inflamed, furious and red.

The last time she had seen it, he was holding a knife against her cheek, demanding retribution, seeking payment for her debt.

It seems like another lifetime ago, before Arrax, before Shipbreaker Bay, before she had clawed her way through endless, agonising pain to find her way to Jace, before she had buried two of her siblings, when Rhaenyra was her mother and not her Queen. 

The sword– Daemon’s sword, feels wrong in her hand, but then it should not be hers to have.

“Remember all he has taken from you,” her step-father had said. 

And she does. She remembers it all.

Aemond’s arrogance to not weep and grovel and beg for his life, after everything, is an insult. 

She had never felt so sure of herself, so determined that she knew what path the Gods had mapped for her. Aemond would not have a noble death or the burial rites of their family. He would be lost to the lake with an arrow pierced through his black heart, remembered as a traitor and a kinslayer. She would be his end. It was only right.

Daemon had trusted her, handed her the bow she would use to kill him, told her to stay hidden amongst the trees and wait for the right moment to strike.

In the blur of battle, as night engulfed the sky and poisoned the air with its cold, she had missed her mark. She knew it the moment the arrow left the bow that it would not be enough to kill him.

The danger in that was Vhagar. The dragon howled in fury and surged towards her atop Grey Ghost. Aemond had his chance then. He could have finished what he began at Storm’s End, claimed her life, seen his debt fulfilled.

Then Vhagar had steered away.

It was hard to see what became of them in the final struggle. The dragons were a single mass of bloody flesh, joined with teeth and talons. Daemon leapt from his saddle, sword in hand. She might have screamed, either way it would have gone unheard.

Aemond must have realised what was happening when he started to fuss with his chains. He released himself and then they were falling.

Aemond and Daemon were lost to darkness but Vhagar and Caraxes plunged into the God’s Eye with a colossal splash that reached so high it appeared to match the height of Harrenhal itself.

She was standing on the lakeshore before she found herself in the mind of her dragon.

She watched through Grey Ghost’s eyes as he flew towards the lake and dived beneath the surface of the water. In that void his claws curled around a body.

She was standing on the shore again, inside her own mind again, waiting for Grey Ghost to deliver what– who he had found.

Grey Ghost set the body down. He may have had stained silver hair and Dark Sister clutched in his hand, but she knew right away it wasn’t her step-father. There was still life in him– in Aemond.

What will her mother think now?

She feels Aemond swallow against the blade, the movement of his throat piercing his skin. A droplet of blood trails down his neck, below his collar. 

She knows what she has to do– what she should do: push forwards, watch him choke on blood and steel. 

He draws his tongue between his lips. His voice is almost a whisper, thick and strained. “Please.”

Her hold on the hilt falters. Perhaps she should feel some semblance of pride, now that she has him at her mercy, breathless and broken. 

“Please.”

She watches the blood trail from the small cut she has made in his neck. She imagines it spraying from a larger wound, coating Dark Sister, seeping through his teeth and his lips.

“You can beg better than that, surely,” she says...

Read the rest of Chapter 15 on AO3

Tags (comment to be added to either)

Series taglist: @adragonprinceswhore @toodlesxcuddles @arcielee

General taglist: @randomdragonfires @theoneeyedprince @targaryenrealnessdarling @jamespotterismydaddy @tsujifreya @blackswxnn

[teafourbirds]

Please take a moment to admire Tiny Baby Roy Harper who is Trying So Hard to organize his notes and finish his book report while Ollie cheerfully smokes a pipe and distracts him with random facts.

It is my firm headcanon that Ollie goes on to derail the writing of the book report by reading Connecticut Yankee out loud, substituting himself and Roy for Hank Morgan, and that the whole of the following comic (later described as "maybe a dream????") is actually his retelling (Chitty-chitty Bang Bang-esque, for anyone old enough to have grown up on that movie). Because really, what else is Ollie's dream (especially this clean-shaven young Ollie) but to be an old-fashioned hero saving villagers from wild boars and emptying slaves from the dungeons of evil queens?

Adventure Comics #268

There will just never be enough early Ollie-tiny Roy content on this earth to suit me, and one of my favorite games to play is building out their golden/silver age stuff in my head to fit with the later comics. I still haven't read very much past the early 2000s (and almost nothing post-Flashpoint) but one of the major exceptions is the 2022 "Earn It Back" story, which is the loveliest Roy-Ollie relationship, where Ollie is Trying So Hard to be a good parent for Roy but also is clearly uncertain about what a good parent looks like, vacillating between being overly permissive and overly strict.

(Ollie's lack of parental figures growing up is another of those astonishingly under-explored stories, IMO. The few interactions we see involve him begging to be allowed to travel with his parents, and his father telling him to "toughen up" when he doesn't want to go hunting. This followed almost immediately by his parents getting mauled by lions in front of him, and then getting shipped off to boarding school by an unnamed uncle. Of course Ollie doesn't know what he's doing. Bruce, the famous orphan, had Alfred from the beginning - who did Ollie have? What does he know about being a parent? I think he goes in with a lot of love and no game plan, except maybe for his firm conviction that Roy is strong and capable and resilient. That he'll be okay no matter what Ollie does. That he probably doesn't really need Ollie at all except as a partner in crime.)

So I'm eternally fascinated by going through the old World's Finest/Adventure Comics (which is nearly all we have of young Roy-Ollie) and imagining how those dynamics fit together. Little Roy, who collects stamps and stands up to bullies and is the secretary of the school's Green Arrow Fan Club (lmao) and is saving up to buy a sailboat and tries SO HARD to prove himself. Ollie, who trusts Roy to pull himself up but still follows him to make sure he's safe when he’s been gone to long, who whisks Roy away from school and homework to save the world, who doesn't realize the extent of his influence over Roy, who trusts that Roy has everything under control because of course he does, because Roy is just that great.

Adventure Comics 262 // Green Lantern (1960) #85

Anyway, all that is to say, enjoy a bit of Ollie trying to be helpful by distracting Roy from his homework with stories of heroism and bravery. They are everything to me.

Adventure Comics 264

[umseb]

Sebastian Vettel: Four-time F1 world champion 'speaking to' Mercedes boss Toto Wolff amid thoughts of return to grid

Sebastian Vettel says he is thinking about making a return to Formula 1 amid ongoing discussions with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and the sport's other team principals.

The four-time world champion retired in 2022 after 16 seasons in F1, but has since been regularly linked with a possible return to the grid. Mercedes have a 2025 seat to fill following Lewis Hamilton's decision to join Ferrari, while Red Bull, the team Vettel won his four drivers' titles with, could also have a vacancy with Sergio Perez's contract expiring. Asked whether he is in the market for a 2025 seat, Vettel told Sky Sports News: "Well, potentially I am because I haven't got a drive, but the question is, am I looking for one? I think it depends on the package. I retired from Formula 1 not to come back, but I also did say that you never know, so I think it still stands. Obviously there's things that I miss, which is mostly the competition, and things that I don't miss, so that hasn't changed. Obviously life is very different if you're not involved, and I do enjoy that still. You never know where life is taking you, so maybe it takes me back behind the wheel, maybe it doesn't." Having earlier confirmed to Sky News that he has been "speaking to" Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, Vettel was asked whether he would be able to resist the lure of an offer from the Silver Arrows. He said: "I've had conversations with him (Wolff), not really about the seat. We did speak about the whole situation in short, as well. But I did speak to others, as well, because I'm still keeping in touch every now and then. I have some projects and ideas together with F1. We'll see if they will turn out or not. So I am staying in touch. I don't know. It has to be a couple more phone calls and conversations, I guess, to really find out a little bit more. But for sure it's one of the best seats on the grid. Performance-wise, Mercedes has a great track record, struggling a little bit in the last years, but then struggle and you're still second and third in the constructors', it's not like you're racing in no man's land."

Vettel tempted by Le Mans opportunity

If he were to return to F1, Vettel would currently only be the third-eldest driver on the grid, with the 39-year-old Hamilton and 42-year-old Fernando Alonso still performing at a high level. Asked what he has missed since hanging up his helmet, Vettel added: "The thrill, the speed. I think the competition mostly, really. Driving quick is not the only thing, but it's really the competition." Vettel recently tested the Porsche hypercar that will run in this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans race in June. The German said there's a possibility he could make his debut in the famous race. "Maybe. I don't know yet," Vettel said. "I've been testing. I was curious, so I wanted to see how it feels. It's obviously a different discipline. It's still racing, but it's a different car, different discipline. Lots of things that excite me, lots of different things, not necessarily just looking at something behind the wheel, but also outside the car. I am (tempted) and I'm not. I am obviously also looking for lots of other things and there's lots of other things that do interest me outside of racing."

'Hamilton Ferrari switch surprising but exciting'

Having shared intense world championship battles earlier in their careers, Vettel and Hamilton had developed a strong relationship by the time the former retired. With Hamilton set to follow in Vettel's footsteps by driving at Ferrari, the German admitted he was "surprised" by the switch. "I was surprised, like I guess most of us," Vettel said. "But exciting. Obviously he's looking for a new challenge, and it will be different to see him in red, in a different colour." The final two of Vettel's six seasons with Ferrari saw him drive alongside Charles Leclerc, who remains with the Italian team and will be Hamilton's teammate next year. Vettel is confident the pair will get along, but warns Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur will face a challenge in managing their competitiveness. "Charles is good, Charles is easy," Vettel said. "He's very quick, very competitive, but so is Lewis, so it's more difficult, I guess, for the team to manage."

[kay-elle-cee]

As 2022 comes to an end, I wanted to share 22 fic recs from my reading list this year. Not all of these necessarily came out in 2022 (it was my first full year back in fandom, so I had a lot to catch up on!) 🥰

If you're tagged in this post (or even if you're not!) I'd love to see you post some of your 2022 recs!

ONESHOTS Prophecy by @alohaemora I Have Questions by @cascader foreigner's god by @clare-with-no-i chasing down the silver linings of wounded minds and wounded souls by darlingjustdont lingering days, short-lived nights by @thegobletofweasleysasleys The Light Come Shining by @nought-shall-go-ill we should just kiss like real people do by @theesteemedladydebourgh tell me where your secrets lie by @thequibblah

MULTICHAPTER Fragmented Foes* by @alittlebitofeverything23 theogony* by clarewithnoi Guarding the Gates* by @corinnesamuels Everlong by @emeralddoeadeer but he's a little bit too far away by @firefeufuego Shelf Awareness by @ghostofbambifanfiction some with arrows, some with traps by @isahorcrux Sunshine in My Eyes by monroeslittle even the bones will do* by @oneofthesirens Come Together* by thequibblah

SERIES The Last Enemy: The Howling Nights + TLE: Dark Marks* by @chdarling the way you left me/heart of glass by @possessingtheproperspirit Shout Out To My Ex + Sequels* by @wearingaberetinparis Jingle—Holy F*ck and The First Time Divorcees Club* by theesteemedladydebourgh

*notes a WIP

In full transparency I've read over 200 fics this year and there are SO MANY MORE fics I could add but I really wanted to stick to 22 for the ~vibes~. If you want more recs, drop a 📖 in my ask and I'll reply with another title! Happy New Year to you all!

[effervescentdragon]

This might be a bit random but after seeing that post with seb's wdc radio, i wonder how many drivers have lewis present on the podium while they had their maiden wins/wdc? How many people had their first victory, a moment they can't ever forget, celebrated by lewis?

Hello friend, you broke my brain with this. Well, not broke, but I didn't wanna do my project writing, so I took this chance to actually do some research and I think I caught them all! :D Here comes a comprehensive list of people who had Lewis Hamilton with them on the podium as they won their first race and/or first wdc!

Nico Rosberg (race 2012/ wdc 2016)

Both his first race win (Chinese GP 2012) and his WDC win (Abu Dhabi GP 2016) had Lewis on the podium. I will not comment on the difference in their relationship, because, well. We all know 😢

Sebastian Vettel (wdc 2010)

Abu Dhabi 2010 my absolute utter ultimate beloved beloved beloved!!! Fave race Fave everything. GOD. JUST. HALLO WELTMEISTER!!! ☀️ both Jense and Lewis cant help but be happy for Seb. I love for it.

Charles Leclerc (race 2019)

HE WINS IN SPA!!! BELOVED!! ❤️️ Do you remember the cooldown room after Bahrain 2019? Do you? I DO. ALL THE TIME. Lewis remains Charles' biggest fan to this day, and I love him for it.

Esteban Ocon (race 2021)

Hungarian GP 2021. Its a little cute I guess. Seb is there! Yay! And Ocon was/is a Merc boy, so I guess it was pretty special for him, to have Lewis there :) and Lewis is always so good with the younger generations, and so supportive.

Max Verstappen (wdc 2021)

Abu Dhabi 2021. I forgot Carlos was on the podium then too. Huh.

Carlos Sainz Jr (race 2022)

Silverstone 2022. I was so upset during this race I left right after Zhou's crash and walked for 2 hours. Touching grass is cool.

George Russell (race 2022)

Interlagos remains the best fucking race out there. Pure joy, every time. Britcedes aka hoecedes on the podium. Adorable.

I love how Lewis was there for technically either 3/4 or 3/5 podiums for younger generation first race wins, depending whether or not you count Max in the younger generation or not (Max's first win was Spain 2016, with Seb and Kimi in Ferrari on the podium, after both Silver Arrows... lets say DNF'd and leave it at that xD). He was absent for Pierre's 2020 Monza win, due to a penalty.

BONUS: Jenson Button, Interlagos 2009, WCD

Jenson won the WDC in Interlagos, coming in fifth, but Lewis technically was on the podium for Jenson's WDC win, so I'm counting it, tongue-in-cheek. :)

Hope you enjoyed this descent into research, I did immensely! <3

[lesbianspeedy]

Sorry if this is a bad question or more likely just hopeless. I’ve been trying to find a good Connor Hawke comic to read (first found out about him in Damian’s Robin solo and he and Rose were the only two things I liked besides the Robin chase but I’m a bat brat) and I’ve only read the Silver Monkey story and as I’m not a fan of Oliver Green at all (my exposure to him has in no way been positive) and I HATE Dixon and I know he’s the main writer for Connor, but I had to drop the Tim solo because of his obvious, I guess bigotry would be the right word to use here, but he is one of the three writers I refuse to let myself read anymore to try and keep my blood pressure low. Are there any Connor stories or series that exist outside of those parameters to read because I’m having 0 luck. I’m also not sure if you’re a fan of Mia or Emilio or have any go-to stories for them, but I know nothing about them and I’d like to change that if at all possible.

i understand, i do i do. while i think dixon is capable of good character writing, and he did manage to do it in connor's run, i also understand his very very obvious politics shine through all the time and it gets tiresome (at one point in his ga run he manages to write OLIVER QUEEN "both sides"ing literal nazis that he and hal fought in GL/GA). here's the best i can do for recs outside of dixon (though few and far between)

Before i start, i do wanna clarify that his character in robin is. well. pretty different from his actual pre-established character. I'm not saying you won't like him, and im genuinely begging you to give him a shot, but if youre looking for the snarky brawler type, you might be a lil thrown by the polite buddhist monk you're gonna get.

you are in luck, as his first few appearances were by kelley puckett, so if you havent already read GA vol. 2 #0, do that first! #91 and #92 are also by puckett until dixon takes over for #93, so read those if you dont mind just stopping in the middle of an arc, otherwise avoid.

now this next rec IS 1/3 written by dixon but if you can get through it, the crossover connor has with wally and kyle is enjoyable, thats Green Lantern Vol. 3 #96, GA Vol. 2 #130, and The Flash Vol. 2 #135

Connor's JLA run! JLA Vol. 1 #8-#15, #8 and #9 are specifically about connor saving and joining the league, the rest of the issues just feature him in a team setting, as, well, its the league.

if you want to read mia as well, read Green Arrow: Quiver (GA Vol. 3 #1-#10), Connor plays an important role but its almost entirely in the very last issue, and it's more about Ollie's role dynamic with him than anything else, so just read that if it tickles your fancy.

I wish i could recommend more of GA Vol. 3 for connor, unfortunately he's pretty fucking sidelined, and for every good moment theres 2 bad ones. (immediately after quiver he is shot and put in a coma for an arc, somehow this isnt the last time this happens.) Though i do recommend #11, and i think #21 is a good issue to read for ollie and him, but it also includes a pretty huge retcon to Connor and Ollie's past

Other than those, he has One-shots in Green Arrow 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular: "One", DC Pride 2022: "Think Of Me", and DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration: "Hawke & Kong"

to answer your second question, my URL aint lesbianspeedy for nothin! Mia is what i breathe and bleed, my recs for her are here!

as for Emi, your best bets are Green Arrow Vol. 5 #18-#20, #22, #28-#34 for her origin (though read N52 green arrow at your own risk, even i havent properly read these), Green Arrow Vol. 6 #1-#7 (this may feel like a completely new character, i'm sorry, dc has a angsty characterisation problem, if you enjoy either of these characterisations, i'd recommend you keep reading said runs past my specific recs for more issues with her!) and Stargirl Spring Break Special + Stargirl: The Lost Children #1-#6

[f1]

Toto Wolff confirms Mercedes DID try to sign Daniel Ricciardo for 2023

Toto Wolff confirms Mercedes DID try to sign Daniel Ricciardo for 2023 as team boss concedes that the lure of 'coming home' to Red Bull saw him miss out on capturing the Australian By Ollie Lewis For Daily Mail Australia Published: 11:58 GMT, 6 December 2022 | Updated: 11:58 GMT, 6 December 2022 Toto Wolff has revealed that Mercedes were in the race to sign Daniel Ricciardo for 2023, but the lure of 'coming home' to Red Bull saw the Silver Arrows miss out on the Australian. Sportsmail reported earlier this year that Mercedes had earmarked Ricciardo as a possible successor to Lewis Hamilton after the Australian's contract with McLaren was torn up a year early amid a poor 2022 campaign.  However, Red Bull won the race to sign the 33-year-old and announced him as their 'third driver' for the 2023 season late last month. Toto Wolff has admitted that Mercedes tried to sign Daniel Ricciardo for the 2023 season 'Yeah, there were discussions,' Wolff confirmed via GP Fans. 'He is a super guy. There is nothing to say. It's a shame that he is not in a cockpit because Daniel Ricciardo needs to be in a race car. 'But it didn't happen. Nobody understands why the years in McLaren didn't work out like all the previous years did. I remember Daniel from the junior series and he was always there.' Ricciardo stamped himself as a star in the making during his time in the junior ranks with Red Bull, and Wolff has conceded that the Australian's fond memories at Red Bull played against them. 'Basically, we just needed time to figure out what we wanted to do and Red Bull was his home for a long time,' added Wolff. 'He knows the people and he hopefully has a good deal there.' Ricciardo was a man in demand after his early exit from McLaren following a poor season But Wolff says Mercedes could not compete with Red Bull's offer of 'coming home' next year After his return to Red Bull was confirmed, Ricciardo said: 'The smile says it all, I'm truly excited to be coming back home to Oracle Red Bull Racing as their Third Driver in 2023. 'I already have so many fond memories of my time here, but the welcome from Christian, Dr Marko and the entire team is something I'm sincerely appreciative of. 'For me personally, the ability to contribute to and be surrounded by the best team in F1 is hugely appealing, whilst also giving me some time to recharge and refocus.  'I can't wait to be with the team and support with simulator work, testing sessions and commercial activities. Let's go!'  Share or comment on this article: Toto Wolff confirms Mercedes DID try to sign Daniel Ricciardo for 2023 via Formula One | Mail Online https://www.dailymail.co.uk?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490

[hibiscusangel15]

Merch haul from the SF Gorillaz concert. The Murdoc button was handmade by a fan who passed them out to us while we were waiting in line :’)

Image ID under the cut:

[Image ID: First picture is a combination of buttons, stickers, and a pink water bottle with the band members on it. Pins have magenta backing and the individual characters on them plus two Pazuzu buttons. One Pazuzu button has lightning bolts and the other has black arrows spinning out from the middle.

Button on the bottom is of Murdoc holding his bass and sticking one of the strings through his teeth as he smiles. It was handmade by a fan who kindly handed them out to others waiting to get in.

Water bottle is pink and has band members encompassing it from left to right: Murdoc, 2-D, Noodle, and Russel.

Several stickers with a gray backing. Pink Gorillaz logo, pink lightning bolts and fists, pink lightning bolt Pazuzu, pink Pazuzu with black arrows swirling out, triangular sticker with pink backing and Murdoc floating cross-legged (and cross-eyed) in the middle in his cult leader outfit, a head with pink liquid pouring out of a pitcher into it that reads: “Just doing OUR JOB”, The Last Cult sticker, No more Zeitgeist anymore sticker, and stickers of each of the band members.

Gorillaz North America Tour Fall 2022 poster. Pink Gorillaz graffiti logo across the top. Band members stand to the right with Russel in the top center, Murdoc hiding behind him and poking out of his right side, Noodle in the bottom left, and 2-D in the bottom right. Tour dates are listed on the left.

A poster of the Great Leader Murdoc. He is wearing dark magenta cult garb and has a scraggly black and white beard.  A gold chain hangs off his neck and swings to the left. A wheel logo with arrows sticking out of the spokes rests over the right side of his chest. He holds his hand over his abdomen to reveal his thumb and middle fingernails painted red. He is also wearing a gold ring with Pazuzu stamped in the middle on his middle finger. The background is a spotlight on him from behind.

Pink Russel shirt. He is smoking a cigar and holds his hand out while he faces right with his eyes closed. His other hand rests on top of a three drums with the American flag painted down them. Russel is wearing a blue beanie and red jacket with gold cuffs.

Purple Murdoc shirt. It’s more elderberry colored. Murdoc holding a black and pink bass straight in the air with one string stuck between his teeth as he grins at the camera. He is wearing a dark green leopard-print shirt and black pants. He wears his gold anticross necklace and a new chain with Pazuzu’s gold head in the middle. There is a faint blurry purple background of a city and white car behind him. On his bass is a faint Ace of Spades card and a crude doodle of 2-D behind the strings.

Magenta Noodle shirt with her crouching down and holding her guitar slanted right and down towards the floor. She has short red hair and round, white sunglasses with red lenses. Her jacket is extremely colorful and full of random logos. She is also wearing a Crayon Shin-chan necklace. She is wearing brown boots with tan straps over the toes. A white Kabuki mask hangs off her hip.

Light pink 2-D shirt as he stands facing left with his eyes closed. He holds a white melodica over his head. He is wearing a fuzzy blue and pink shirt, a silver beaded cross necklace and a yellow and blue bracelet on his arm.

Black Gorillaz North America Tour shirt. The front features the band members while the back lists the dates.]

[nowgiveusakiss]

loki laufeyson masterlist (updated 8/13/2022)

"outside of time and space" by @mochie85

"make you sing" by @sarahscribbles 18+

"on the throne" by @sarahscribbles 18+

"don't move, darling" by @sarahscribbles 18+

"one more week" by @sarahscribbles 18+

"do i haunt your mind?" by @sarahscribbles

"when you play with fire part 1 | part 2" by @sarahscribbles 18+

"i want to make you feel wanted" by @sarahscribbles 18+

"little green dress" by @sarahscribbles 18+

"14 hours to cape town" by @sarahscribbles 18+

"bliss" by @mellowswriting 18+

"qui dormit" by @grufflepuff-writes-stuff

"lost on me" by @grufflepuff-writes-stuff

"as you sleep" by @grufflepuff-writes-stuff

"the place you need to reach" by @grufflepuff-writes-stuff

"the mirror in his eyes" by @grufflepuff-writes-stuff

"friendship set to music" by @grufflepuff-writes-stuff

"talk honestly" by @grufflepuff-writes-stuff

"soft things" by @grufflepuff-writes-stuff

"through the night" by @grufflepuff-writes-stuff

"under the lights" by @grufflepuff-writes-stuff

untitled prompt blurb by @wheredafandomat 18+

"welcome home" by @lokisgoodgirl 18+

"breakfast" by @britishserpent 18+

"occupied" by @britishserpent 18+

"master laufeyson" by @lokis-little-fawn 18+

"bad dragon" by @lokis-little-fawn 18+

"full" by @cake-writes 18+

"ostara" by @cake-writes 18+

"2:33am" by @cake-writes 18+

"every breath you take" by @flames-bring-a-ton-of-ash 18+

"all i wanted" by @andsheloved

"library card" by @lowkeyorloki

"the king and queen of asgard" by @lowkeyorloki 18+

"stolen" by @lowkeyorloki 18+

untitled break up blurb by @lowkeyorloki

"gentle | harsh" by @lowkeyorloki 18+

untitled blurb by @clandestineloki 18+

"the seven deadly sins: pride" by @clandestineloki 18+

"norse gods and magazines" by @scandalous-chaos

"do you accept?" by @give-me-a-moose

"sketchy" by @give-me-a-moose

"wait a minute" by @give-me-a-moose

untitled drabble by @megthemewlingquim 18+

"revenge is complicated" by @tricksterlokilaufeyson

"calling to join them the wretched and joyful" by @darkficsyouneveraskedfor 18+

"the hands that hold you" by @stjarnaloki 18+

"cherry on top" by @stjarnaloki 18+

"what did you call me?" by @stjarnaloki 18+

"playing his hand" by @stjarnaloki 18+

"partners in lust" by @stjarnaloki 18+

"sworn to you" by @grippingbeskar 18+

untitled president loki blurb by @sserpente 18+

"kneel" by @bellesque 18+

"in shades of blue, he'll dream of you" by kneel-bitches on AO3 18+

"a lesser evil" by @silver-tongued-bby 18+

"time away - a keeper tale" by @silver-tongued-bby 18+

"overcast - a keeper tale" by @silver-tongued-bby 18+

"tear you apart" by @silver-tongued-bby 18+

"on the trail" by @silver-tongued-bby 18+

"the darkest timeline" by @silver-tongued-bby 18+

"birthday tricks" by @geminigirl0298 18+

"after" by @earlgreydream 18+

"jealous" by @earlgreydream 18+

"correction" by @earlgreydream 18+

"starlight" by @emeraldiis 18+

"t as in toxic" by @emeraldiis 18+

"falling for a god" by @emeraldiis 18+

"pillow talk" by @emeraldiis 18+

"ravish me raw" by @inklore 18+

"so very bad" by @clints-lucky-arrow 18+

"even ice can burn" by @theshireisburning-so-mordoritis 18+

"to love the man, to love the monster" by @theshireisburning-so-mordoritis 18+

"holy things in this world" by @modern-vellichor

"stay safe" by @thesnowsoldierwrites 18+



*all recs will be tagged under #loki x reader*

[astranne]

LOST LOVE AND BROKEN HEARTS !genshin snippet

kaedehara kazuha x gn!reader

notes // just a small angsty thing, in which kazuha rejects reader because he still loves someone else. not edited nor proofread because i'm lazy <3

tagged // @sakuraoora , @theother-victoria , @theblueskyofthedawn

You met him during the war. Well, rather at the end of the war. In the final battle between the two opposing forces, you finally fought side by side with the famous Kaedehara Kazuha, wandering samurai and vision holder. High on adrenaline and the fact you were in the midst of a deadly battle, dodging arrows and swords, you didn't notice at first how beautiful he was.

But then, when the Resistance celebrated, full of joy and relief, finally free again- then he was standing there in the soft light of the full moon shining down on you, making his white hair silver and his pale skin glow. He looked eternal. He was telling a tale from Liyue, soft spoken words and a soft smile on his face, everything was so soft about him. And in this exact moment, you fell in love and lost your heart to Kaedehara Kazuha.

You kept your love hidden, shying away from rejection, because why would Kazuha, the possibly most perfect man in all Nations of Teyvat look at you? You paled in his presence, your words almost crude compared to his poetic ones, your talent with the sword nothing against his.

And yet you stood bravely in front of him, taking a deep breath and uttering the cursed words.

"I am in love with you, Kazuha", with a deep blush on your cheeks and fiddling hands showing your nerves. "And I wanted to ask..." His soft look made you blush even worse and you had to turn your head away to keep calm.

"I wanted to ask, if you would be my love and partner." Your voice became more silent and silent, until you barely whispered the last word. But Kazuha still heard you.

And he still broke your heart.

"I apologize, [Name]. For my heart yearns for another person to be by my side."

You'll never know that Kazuha will never be with his friend, his partner, the love of his life. Tomo has long left him, in this cold, cruel world, alone until he will finally be reunited again, embracing death with open arms.

ASTRANNE 2022

[seblaineaffairs]

Seblaine Week 2022 - Masterpost*

What a way for @seblaineaffairs to go out, with a WHOPPING 70+ NEW ENTRIES IN THIS FANDOM! Big thanks to everyone who contributed to making this an AH-MAZING week yet again, for all your continued love and support honestly we’re getting better with age.

Below is a handy list of everything posted over the past week. Give it a peak, leave it some love, like, reblog, or kudo!

day 1 - reunion

fic: 2am, Who Do You Love? by @why-therapy-when-ships (ao3)

fic + graphic: And All This Time You Held My Heart by @seblaineaddict (ao3)

fic: Begin Again by @andyandersmythe (ao3)

fic: Burn Baby Burn (8) by @pseudowoodo (ao3)

fic: Cities of Love by @nightbirdssidekick (ao3)

fic: Dalton Boys by @akfanficlove (ao3)

fic: Every Night that Summer Just to Seal My Fate by @endiness (ao3)

fic: Gardens of March by @arwenp (ao3)

fic: I'm Proud of You Today by @wren-stirlinglove (ao3)

fic: Journey's End by @imogenlefay (ao3)

fic: You'll Always Find Your Way Back Home by @mollyellee (ao3)

fic: Reconnection by @sperrywink (ao3)

fic: Royal Purple and Dove Gray by @whatdiditellyouflawless (ao3)

fic: The Beat that Won't Leave Me by @xonceinadream (ao3)

fic: The Scent of Home by @anisstaranise (ao3)

day 2 - amnesia/memory loss

fic: Amnesia by @imogenlefay (ao3)

fic: And When I Felt Like An Old Cardigan by @andyandersmythe (ao3)

fic: Champagne Supernova by @lusthurts (ao3)

fic: Didn't Mean to Fall by @merry_mint (ao3)

fic: Forget Me, Forget Me Not by @arwenp (ao3)

fic: I'd Move the Earth and Lose the Fight by @xonceinadream (ao3)

fic: Soon You'll Get Better by @akfanficlove (ao3)

fic: What You Don't Know Won't Hurt You by @endiness (ao3)

graphic + fic: A Month to Remember by @seblaineaddict

day 3 - detective au

fic: Celebrity Island by @merry_mint (ao3)

fic: Champagne Supernova by @lusthurts (ao3)

fic: Charade by @merry_mint (ao3)

fic: Dissecting the Details by @justapassingglance (ao3)

fic: He Was A Detective, He Was A Musician by @arwenp (ao3)

fic: I've Been the Archer, I've Been the Prey by @andyandersmythe (ao3)

fic: The Best They'd Ever Seen by @mollyellee (ao3)

fic: The Case of the Missing Diary by @xonceinadream (ao3)

gifset by @endiness

graphic: We Are Detective by @seblaineaddict

day 4 - free

fanart by @amy-arts

fic: Cities of Love by @nightbirdssidekick (ao3)

fic: Coffee Order by @imogenlefay (ao3)

fic: Flour Powder by @akfanficlove (ao3)

fic: Half and Half Makes One by @arwenp (ao3)

fic: Safe and Sound by @andyandersmythe (ao3)

fic: Some Nights (I Hold You Close) by @mollyellee (ao3)

fic: When You Cry Diamonds, Yeah, They Shine by @xonceinadream (ao3)

gifset by @endiness

graphic: Dancing in the Light by @seblaineaddict

day 5 - time travel

fic: Back to November by @jammie3132 (ao3)

fic: Keeping Time by @merry_mint (ao3)

fic: Like There's No One Else But Us by @xonceinadream (ao3)

fic: The Devil's in the Details by @andyandersmythe (ao3)

fic: The Past Stays in the Past by @arwenp (ao3)

fic: Thirty, Flirting, and... Thriving? by @wren-stirlinglove (ao3)

fic: Time's Arrow by @nightbirdssidekick (ao3)

fic: Today, Forever by @mollyellee (ao3)

fic: When the Dance Is Over by @akfanficlove (ao3)

fic: Yesterday by @amy-arts (ao3)

graphic: The Quantum Bridge by @seblaineaddict

day 6 - exes with benefits

fanmix by @secretseblaineshhhhh

fic: A Season Finale (This Isn't A Breakup) by @justapassingglance (ao3)

fic: Back to You by @mollyellee (ao3)

fic: I Didn't Know What I Was by @xonceinadream (ao3)

fic: I Won't Let Go by @akfanficlove (ao3)

fic: In the End They Always End Up Together Anyway by @arwenp (ao3)

fic: The Way I Loved You by @lusthurts (ao3)

fic: We Never Go Out of Style by @andyandersmythe (ao3)

gifset by @endiness

graphic: It's (Very!) Complicated by @seblaineaddict

day 7 - years and years/years later

fic: A Single Thread of Silver by @akfanficlove (ao3)

fic + graphic: A Most Unexpected Turn of Events by @seblaineaddict (ao3)

fic: Are We Out of the Woods Yet? by @andyandersmythe (ao3)

fic: Hold the Line by @nightbirdssidekick (ao3)

fic: Kiss Me Like Your Ex is in the Room by @xonceinadream (ao3)

fic: No No Never by @imogenlefay (ao3)

fic: No Time Like the Present by @lostintheread (ao3)

fic: Of Complicated Internships and Long Summers by @arwenp (ao3)

fic: Something More by @lusthurts (ao3)

fic: To the Future by @mollyellee (ao3)

gifset by @anisstaranise

*Entries are organized by (alphabetic) type, then title, then username. Titles link to tumblr posts, other links are self-explanatory. Please do let us know if we missed anything, or if any links are wrong/broken.

[writinginfinite]

"imagine" part vi

imagine: form a mental image or a concept

plot: you didn’t know what you were getting into when you turned your hobby into an actual career on f1. based on Lewis’ “imagine” tweet.

Sunday March 20, 2022

"you were lying to this man's face and millions watched it live" 

You couldn't sleep at all Saturday night. Knowing what was happening today and Friday's event still replaying in your mind, it was a rough night. You flipped and flopped, avoiding the bedside clock because you knew looking at the time would anger you. Hours passed, and you may have had one decent hour of sleep. 

As you got up to do your morning routine, you reflected on how frustrating Saturday was for you. You felt you only had yourself to blame for constantly living in the past, but that was who you were. You couldn't focus all of your energy on covering final practice and qualifying because you were in your head. The reaction from Friday's events had died down, and people came to your defense, understanding what you meant. 

Though there were still those negative comments here and there, you felt the need to lie low. Saturday morning you avoided social media. Doing so pained you because you had questions you felt would open the drivers up, but fear again got the best of you. So you worked with the information you had at your disposal. The second you published the article, you knew it wasn't your best work, but you had to do it. You swore it'd be the first and final time you'd do something like that. "That's enough," you said to your reflection in the mirror. You grabbed your phone and played music to get those negative thoughts out of your head, at least until it was time to leave. 

When you arrived at the Paddock, the butterflies in your stomach were back and worse than Friday. You'd think getting to Bahrain three days prior would have helped your nerves, but that wasn't the case. The atmosphere felt different on this day. That's because it was race day. You never entered a Grand Prix from the Paddock entrance, nor with a bag full of your laptop, notebooks, chargers, and other materials to cover a race. You looked around to take everything in, scanned your badge, and walked towards the media center with your head held high. 

Like you've done throughout the weekend, you set up your workstation in the back row off to the side. You wanted to explore the track before it was "lights out." But you felt the need to check social media. To your surprise, people were questioning your whereabouts. "Where have you been? No one wished the drivers well today?" "We see the articles yet, haven't heard your voice?" It had only been less than a day and a half, but seeing people care warmed your heart. It made you feel wanted again. You tried avoiding being negative, so you sent a tweet downplaying what was happening to you mentally. "I've been sure busy covering my first Grand Prix weekend! I've learned a lot these past few days. I hope to be ready today and for more to come. I can't wait for 'lights out and away we go!' I'll check back in soon. Thanks for reaching out!" You set your phone on the charger, grabbed your camera, and did a quick tour before the festivities began. 

You didn't realize how different it would be to cover a race at the track. A lot was going on, the sounds of the cars, the crowd, and commentary over the speakers. Watching the race from monitors and keeping social media updated was more difficult than you thought. Still, the fan in you wanted to see the race live on the track, not on a screen. So during the final five laps, you stepped away from your laptop, grabbed your camera, and headed to the spectator area of the track. You knew you were being watched, so you tried your hardest to look neutral, but on the inside, you were screaming. Laps 54 hit and you wanted to yell but had to remain stoic. "After a terrible qualifying, would a Silver Arrows find their way to the podium?" You thought to yourself. Lap 57 came, and something snapped you out of your daze. Number 11 spun around, and the crowd went wild. You took a photo and posted it on your socials with "Did this just happen?" You then ran towards the podium area for the media to get a decent spot to watch. 

This was the first time you'd been this close to the podium, and it didn't feel real. You watched in amazement as the anthems of the teams and drivers played, then the champagne celebrations. You tried to get as many photos as possible. You wanted to remember this moment and share it with those who supported you. You knew trying to write and export these videos would lead you to a long night. But it was worth it, as this is a moment you'd never forget.

Deep down, you were still a fan, and watching Lewis sneak his way into a podium finish made you smile. As you were about to snap one last photo, your screen notified you of it being out of storage. You tried to switch to your phone but unlocked it to see a 10% battery warning. Realizing your predicament, you had to call it quits and ran back to the media center. 

You couldn't understand why the room was so empty since the podium celebration was over. You checked social media to see if you missed anything and realized you were supposed to be in the media pits to get all the drivers' responses. "Rookie mistake," you said to yourself. It was too late to run out of there, so you made a mental note about the protocol. Fortunately, this gave you more time to get your thoughts together while the room was quiet. You didn't realize how much time had passed, but the room got busy as soon as you published your first article. Reporters and other media members came piling in, ready for the top three finishers: Charles, Carlos, and Lewis. 

As introductions and congratulatory messages flew, it was time for questions. You had all the confidence in the world and felt fearless. You were the first person to raise their hand. When you realized what you had done, you said a quick prayer that you were not called upon. You must have prayed too late because a mic was in your face. You took a deep breath and said, "Congratulations to you all on a podium finish. Charles first, Carlos second, and Lewis third. I have two questions, if I may".

Your first question was to a very gleeful Charles and Carlos about describing their feelings for a double Ferrari podium and their hopes as the season continued. Then your second question was for Lewis, asking how he felt about the car after "sneaking" his way into a podium finish, which also kept his record of being the only driver to have a podium each season. 

Lewis responded with, "First, how are you? I hope you're well." This caused a laugh to erupt throughout the room. Lewis had been the first and only person to ask you that. On the inside, you were burning up but had to keep it all professional. You responded, "I learned my lesson and kept the mic, but I am well. Thanks for asking!" You were lying to this man's face and millions watched it live. You were still a nervous wreck, as you had been the whole weekend. Whatever Lewis answered, you couldn't remember because you were still taking in what had just happened. 

The night ended, and you were back in your hotel room, posting your second article and scheduling a video for tomorrow. As exhausted as you were, you couldn't fall asleep. You swiped through the countless photos and videos as you lay in bed. As you went to lock your phone, you received an email regarding "Media Availability, 29 March 2022" Maybe you were delirious from the lack of sleep and didn't think you read the subject line correctly, so you went to open it. You were invited to be a guest contributor to give your thoughts live the following Monday after every Grand Prix. The invite was for the Australian Grand Prix. You pinched yourself to make sure it wasn't a dream. Once you winced in pain, you knew it was real. 

You wanted to respond immediately but chose not to so as not to appear desperate, replying at an ungodly hour in the night. So you left your phone open on that email, locked it, and went to bed. 

Life and everything hit you quickly. Opportunities after opportunities were flowing, and you were tired, but success came with great responsibility. You had to continue to put yourself out there. "Never giving up and never doubting myself lead me here" was what you said aloud before going to bed.

// parts

author's note: this one is probably my favorite part i've written. i can't explain and it annoys me. hope you enjoy! feedback is always welcomed

i have no idea why it isn’t showing in the tags i use, so if you wanna reblog this post i’d greatly appreciated it. thanks.

part vii