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vivwritesfics · 8 months

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Hooked On A Feeling

Chapter Eleven - Mwuah

Daniel is a Formula One driver, but, more importantly, he was a single dad to a wonderful little girl. He wants her to be a normal little girl, to have a normal social life, so he sends her to daycare. That was where she met Milo, her future best friend.

Milo's mother was incredibly stressed. She worked so hard to provide a good life for her son. But then he makes a new friend, a friend who has a hot dad (ofc they fall in love)

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"Mr Ricciardo," said Milo as he tugged on the bottom of Daniels shorts, trying to get his attention. "Mr Ricciardooooo!"

Daniel hadn't stopped staring at Milos Momma. She was dressed in his AlphaTauri shirt again, speaking animatedly with Laurent Mekies. He wore heart eyes, whether he realised it or not.

Again, Milo tugged on his shorts, gaining his attention. "What can I do for you, Milo?" He asked as he crouched down, meeting his height.

Milo looked behind him, looking at his car. "Can I drive it?" He asked, somewhat timidly.

Daniel didn't laugh at him. He wore a kind smile as he stood up straight and held his hand. "You can't drive it, buddy. But, if your Momma says it's okay, I might be able to let you sit in it?" He proposed.

Immediately Daniel began tugging him towards his mother, calling for her. But Y/N was in conversation. Unless something bad was happening, she wasn't turning around. "I think somebody wants you," said Laurent as he let her turn around.

Y/N sent him an apologetic smile and turned around. There Milo was, holding Daniels hand. She looked around for Olivia, who was sitting in the corner, on her iPad. "What do you boys want?" She asked, her voice teasing.

"Momma, can I sat in Mr Ricciardos car?" Milo asked quickly.

"Did Mr Ricciardo say its okay?" She asked, looking up at Daniel through her eyelashes.

It wasn't supposed to be sexy, Daniel knew that. But seeing her dressed in his AlphaTauri shirt, looking up at him like that, he couldn't help it. She was so damn pretty, so damn alluring.

"It's fine with me," he said, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"Then it's fine by me."

She watched as Milo dragged Daniel back over to his car. Daniel picked him up and lowered him into the Formula One car. Immediately Milo reached for the steering wheel, which wasn't there. His mother pulled out her phone as she snapped pictures of him pretending to drive. He moved his arms and hands like he was steering and moved his feet like he was pushing pedals. Daniel leaned against the halo, telling Milo where to turn. He didn't use left and right to direct him, instead telling him to drive towards his Momma, towards Olivia, keep going straight - push! Push! Push!

Y/N looked away from her son and Daniel. She loved it, loved how he was with him. But her eyes locked onto Olivia, who was no longer playing on her iPad. The iPad was in her lap as she glared at Milo and her father.

She pocketed her phone and walked around the car, walking over to Olivia. "Hey," she said as she sat beside her. "Whatcha doing?"

But Olivia was still glaring. Y/N gently nudged her shoulder. "You know, if you asked your daddy if you could have the next go, I'm sure he'd say yes," she said.

Olivia set out a sigh as she let her gaze fall to the floor, visibly upset. "Oh Livvy, what's the matter?" She asked as she grabbed a hold of the iPad, stopping it from sliding to the floor.

"Daddy looks like Milo's daddy," she said quietly.

"Oh, Livvy," Y/N said sympathetically. Somehow she understood what Olivia was saying. That they, Daniel, Milo and Y/N, looked like one happy family, one she wasn't a part of.

Standing from her chair, Y/N offered Olivia her hand. She took it and, together, the girls walked over to the car. Olivia squeezed her hand and looked up at her as they walked. When they got to the car, Y/N scooped Olivia up and placed her on her hip. "Daniel, somebody has something they wanna ask you," she said, turning Olivia towards her father.

Daniel looked away from Milo. "What is it, Badger?" He asked softly as he took Olivia from Y/N.

While they walked, Y/N lifted Milo out of the car. "Come here, munchkin," she said and stepped away, letting Daniel and Olivia have their moment. Before she knew it Olivia was sat in the car, pretending to drive it just the way Milo was.

***

The AlphaTauri car was doing exceptionally well, considering it was an AlphaTauri car. At first Daniel was just fighting for points, but now he was fighting for the podium. "Go, daddy, go!" Olivia shouted as she watched, squeezing Y/N's hand.

Somebody's car had stopped working and two had crashed into each other, taking each other out of the race. That left just seventeen cars in the race.

This was going to be Daniels highest points finish since he was put back into the AlphaTauri car. Olivia couldn't wait to see him on the podium again.

But Daniel wasn't on the podium, not this time. He couldn't get in front of the Ferrari car that took third, leaving him finishing p4.

He was still happy though. As soon as he could he was pulling his helmet off and running over to Olivia. He didn't care how sweaty he was as he pulled her into his arms. "Yay, daddy!" She cried, wrapping her arms around her neck.

"Mr Ricciardo!" Daniel shouted as he attached himself to his leg.

But Daniel put both of the kids down. They stepped back, watching with wide, curious eyes as Daniel walked towards Y/N. His gloved hands reached towards her, settling on her waist and pulling her close.

"Congratulations, Danny," she whispered and reached up to kiss his cheek.

But that wasn't good enough for Daniel. He tightened his hold on her and leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back.

There were probably cameras on them, Daniel realised. They were in the middle of the AlphaTauri garage, the moment not very private. But he didn't care. The whole world might've been watching, but he didn't care.

Milo and Olivia watched. This wasn't meant to happen. Their parent's weren't meant to start... kissing. "Daddy, stop it!" Olivia called, but Daniel didn't hear it.

He pulled away from Y/N and rested his forehead against her own. But neither of them could say anything, not before Milo began calling for his momma.

"What is it, Munchkin?" She asked, turning away from Daniel.

Milo scrambled around for an excuse. "I... need to go to the bathroom, momma," he said, reaching for her hand. Y/N shot Daniel an apologetic look and took Milo off to the bathroom.

As she did, Daniel grabbed a hold of Olivia. "Come on," he said softly and walked her to his drivers room. Olivia sat on the white sofa as Daniel stepped out of his racing suit. She kicked her legs, playing on her iPad as her father got changed.

"Daddy," Olivia said slowly as Daniel put his hat back onto his head. "Is Miss L/N gonna be my new momma?" She asked innocently, looking away from her iPad.

Daniel took the iPad from her and placed it into his bag. "Badger," he began as he picked her up and placed her on his hip. "Badger no. She's not gonna be your new momma."

"Then why were you kissing her?"

It was delicate, something Daniel didn't know how to explain to Olivia. "Look, Livvy. I like Milo's momma, but things take time, okay. And I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell your mum just yet."

"So, it's a secret?"

"Yeah, jelly bean. A secret I'll tell your mum when everybody's ready, okay? Think you can keep that secret for me?"

Olivia pouted and laid her head against Daniels shoulder. "Okay Daddy," she said as he carried her out of the drivers room.

Taglist (CLOSED): @biancathecool @rewmuslupin @prettiest-at-the-party @hellowgoodbye @cassie0sstuff @spideybv28 @andydrysdalerogers @aundercover @lou-bean28 @landossainz @purplephantomwolf @ggaslyp1 @layazul @phantomxoxo @minkyungseokie @gills-lounge @hollie911 @annispamz @lillians-world-is-f1 @cixrosie @notyouraveragemochii @charli123456789 @amalialeclerc @teamnovalak @tallrock35 @teenwolf01 @chiliwhore @darleneslane @sava207 @thatsusbitch @formulaal @leptitlu @angiesw0rld @yunakynn @landosgirlxoxo @msolbesg @cherry-piee @catmouseggy @bathedinheat @chanshintien @ilove-tswizzle @woozarts @evie-119 @trouble-sistar @mysticalnightenthusiast @lewisvinga @spilled-coffee-cup @starkeyellow @fxrmuladaydreams @viennakarma @radiator101 @lightdragonrayne @angelxxrose @millinorrizz @xemiefx @ellies-world61 @the-depressed-fellow

#daniel ricciardo #daniel ricciardo imagine #daniel ricciardo x reader #daniel ricciardo fluff #daniel ricciardo smut #daniel ricciardo x reader smut #daniel ricciardo x you #f1 #f1 imagine #f1 x reader #formula one #formula one imagine #formula one x reader #formula 1 #formula 1 imagine #formula 1 x reader #dr3 #dr3 imagiine #dr3 x reader

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imaginaryf1shots · 6 months

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My Girls (X) | Max Verstappen

WC: 2.9K

Driver!OC x Max Verstappen

Summery: Cecilia Hansson daughter of a Swedish billionaire, a race car driver, with a dream of making it big in Formula 1. However she has a few secrets that may hurt her as women are disliked in the sport.

Series Warnings: google translated french, dutch, cursing, child abandonment, absent father, drinking, car accidents, Jos Verstappen, misogyny, Christian horner (tell me if i missed anything)

This is a secondary blog so I won't be able to respond but I'm adding you all to the taglist.

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Admit? Deny?

2022

Hungary GP

With Hungary being in europe Laurent, Cecilia’s brother was able to make it to the race with his oldest two children, who he was in charge of as well as Nathalie, his wife had to stay back home with their third child, so had to take care of the three kids on his own, which he’s done one many occasions.

One difference this time, he did not take into account how much the kids would take in and get hyper, they’ve been given sweets and running circles around him all day, the only time they settled down was for Qualifying the day before and parts of the race. Nathalie had her cousins sit down and watch as her mum secured another P2, and how her daddy got P1. She was the proudest little girl and as always she liked showing her parents off, well to those that knew about the couple anyways.

Laurent doesn’t know how it happened, but Nathalie had managed to slip away from his grasp. The girl was out of his sight in a second, he had no idea where she went, he had both his kids by the hand as he panicked and asked around, asking for the help of Mercedes team members, the whole of the team was searching for the 6 year-old, if they don't find her and it gets back to her parents they’ll have a very angry Mercedes and RedBull drivers on their hands, if not all the grid.

Cecilia was unaware of her missing daughter as she waited for a spot in the media pen to open up so she’d go inside. Charles was finishing up his last interview, and came over to her side, they both talked for a couple of minutes, no doubt the fans spotting them in the back of the interviews. Max was more than halfway done with his lap of interviews when Cecilia went in.

Charles was still lurking around when he saw a familiar head of blonde hair slipping around, dodging people left and right, he knew the headband on top of her head, he got her that one, it was red. Charles frowned and moved to intercept her from getting into the pen, but she saw him and gave him a mischievous look and just as he was about to get her she slipped inside the pen.

“Nattie!” Charles called, gaining the attention of the parents, just as Nathalie reached her destination hugging her parent’s legs, looking up with an innocent smile.

Max looked at his girlfriend and gave her a reassuring nod, not wanting to draw attention to her daughter choosing Max over her, she turned back to the interviewer with a smile. Max picked up Nathalie, the girl beyond happy to be with Max, but overly shy when she saw the cameras around her.

“Say hi to the cameras, Nat.” Nathalie smiled and waved to the cameras, Max and the interviewer smiled at her cuteness, Max gave Charles a nod for the monegasque to calm down, the Ferrari driver looked more worried than the parents. “Looks like I have a companion today.”

“Cecilia, it looks like your daughter has made it to the arms of your rival at RedBull.” The interviewer stated and she turned to look at Max and Nattie, Nathalie was looking around in wonder, her first time seeing the action from this point of view and not from the garage and on screen.

“Yeah, well we're off the track so I'd say she's with my friend.” Cecilia replies with a smile, more than a friend.

“How do you feel having her here, seeing your face and on the podium.”

“I feel beyond happy, her seeing me achieving my dream, being the first woman to do what I'm doing, you know it sets her up with the mentality that she had do whatever she wants and that her gender is not a limit that she can achieve whatever she wants if she just set her mind to it.” Cecilia had that smile on her face, her voice was loving and bright not just from her podium but from thinking and talking about the best thing that has ever happened to her.

“And do you think we'll be seeing her on track in the future?”

“Maybe, she's been karting before, and only over the last year that she started wanting to go every weekend, so we'll have to wait and see, Charles has also been taking, he’s making her a Ferrari enthusiast.” Cecilia said with a laugh before the questions then turned back to the race and she moved from interviewer to another doing her circle.

She'd hear Nathalie laughing and giggling as all the drivers passing her would poke her or tickle her and Nathalie is at the age now where once she gets over her shyness and just LOVES the attention.

Max was moving to his last interview with Nattie still refusing to let go of him, he asked her if she wanted to go to her mother and she refused.

“Daddy, are you almost done?” Max's eyes snap from Nathalie to the interview and everyone around him, wanting to see if anyone heard Nattie, and no one showed any reaction, he breathes a sigh of relief.

“Last one, schatje.” He whispers to her and kisses her cheek. “You can go to the garage if you want. Uncle Lewis can take you.”

Max said and looked at the Mercedes driver who just answered his last question. Lewis, having heard him move closer, opens his hand for Nathalie. Nathalie looked conflicted for a few seconds before she moved toward Lewis, she was starting to feel tired from all the playing she's been doing with her cousins, she sugar crash hitting her hard.

“Hey sweetheart.”

“And there goes your daughter to your teammate.” Cecilia turned and saw Lewis walking away with her little girl, shaking her head at the attention her daughter managed to gain by crashing the media pen, it’ll be all over her social media by the time she’s back in the garage.

“She loves her grid uncles.”

Unbeknownst to them, how much her presence is about to change.

The interview was live and as much as nobody on scene didn't pick up Nathalie’s words, people at home sure picked it up. And Twitter was on fire, theories and demands for answers were raised. Neither drivers had their phones yet both in debrief, RedBull and Mercedes’ PR teams were the first to find out that there's something going on, both teams' social media were blowing up.

Toto was talking with his team when a frazzled woman rushed in from the PR team, all eyes snapped to her. She looked nervous as she walked up to Toto and whispered something to him. His eyes snapped to Cecilia making her and Lewis share a look. Cecilia stood from her place and walked closer.

“What happened?” She asked knowing full well that it has to be about her.

“Nathalie… she uh.” The female trailed off looking to Toto to continue, but just the mention of her daughter had Cecilia on edge.

“What's wrong? Did something happen with her-”

“No, no she's fine.” Toto interrupts her shaking his head, knowing how the mind of parents work. “She just accidentally called Max dad on live TV, and apparently social media is in uproar.”

“Oh.” Was all Cecila could say, as her mind ran over what she just learned, it wasn't the worst thing that could happen, but this isn't what the couple or the teams had planned. “What do we do?”

“We'll have to talk to RedBull about it after the briefing.”

By the time Merc team were done both PR teams were gathered at Mercedes meeting room. Lewis was in charge of Nattie with Laurent wanting to stick around and see what the teams would agree on.

Cecilia sat down in an empty chair, she didn't have to wait long before Max and Christian came in. Max sat next to his girlfriend while Christian took the empty seat at the head of the table across from Toto.

And so the talking began, she felt like she was back to when people first found out she's a mother. Words were flying around the room as both teams struggled to agree on the best course of action for both drivers. And they were set aside no one asking them what they wanted to, as if this didn't involve them at all.

Deny. Say the truth. Slipped. Accident. Agree. Children are innocent. And so on and so forth. A repeat of last year. This time Mercedes and RedBull are at each other’s throats.

“I don't understand why we're having this conversation.” Max didn't have to raise his voice for everyone to shut up and listen to him. He was unamused. All this talk made nonsense to him and he's not the type to hide his distaste. His hand was intertwined with Cecilia’s under the table.

“What don't you understand?” Christian asked his driver leaning back in his chair, he knew how to handle Max, but it doesn't mean he loved it. Max is good at what he does but sometimes, sometimes his temper gets the best of him. Christian sent a silent prayer for this meeting to end well.

“What are you all arguing about, I mean Cecilia and I are dating and you all knew that, it was only a matter of time before someone slipped.” Max explained shrugging his shoulders with a slight shake to his head.

“It's not just the fact that you’re both in a relationship, which is a big thing in itself but Nathalie called you her dad.” Toto pointed out.

“When no one knows who her father is.” Christian added and his eyes went to Cecilia.

“I'm not telling you who he is, if that's what you're concerned about.” Cecilia tone left nothing to be added to that subject, this is a sensitive topic for her. “We can say he's not her biological father, but that's all I'll ever say about this topic.”

“Look, its nobody's business anyways, just confirm that we're dating.” Max stated wanting to be done with this.

“Its not that simple.” One of the staff said.

“Then simplify it.” Max leaned forwards speaking with his hands now, Cecilia placed her hand on his thigh under the table to try and calm him down.

“Its not just you two that are involved, there's the teams, sponsors, fans and even the FIA.” The same staff added, they were brave to be honest because Max was getting agitated and they were not handling the situation right.

”Again, we didn’t break any rules, both our teams knew about our relationship and about Nathalie, so why does it sound like you’re all surprised?” Max asked his brain not comprehending why they’re still making a big deal out of this, this just doesn’t make any sense at all.

”Because they thought we’d break-up before it ever went public.” Cecilia stated and everyone went silent, Max’s head snapped to look at his girlfriend, Cecilia looked up from her hand on the table and met every single eye that was looking at her. “Isn’t it right? Both teams? You all secretly hoped we’d break up.”

”For fucks sake.” Max muttered, he rubbed his eyes in frustration realising that what Cecilia was saying is true, the teams continued to stay silent and that just proves it, Merc and RB may be rivals and handn’t talked about it but they had the same hope. it would’ve been easier and made the duo more competitive on the track. Alas little Nathalie ruined their hopes and dreams with her slip up.

”I don’t think we’ll be coming to an agreement right now.” Toto said and Christian agreed, that was all it took for the couple to stand up and leave as did everyone else. Cecilia went back to her room and Max to his. They collected their things, Cecilia met Lewis and her brother giving them a brief talk about what happened at the meeting before they got her nephews and daughter before she was led out discreetly off the track and into her ride back to the hotel.

Max wasn’t as lucky, on his way to the car, the media found him and surrounded the dutch driver. Max kept a poker face as he moved through the crowd with his team and to the car. He had received a text from Cecilia that they made it to the car and were okay, that was the only thing calming him down.

But as the car ride was silent, Max’s mind brewed with all kinds of things, he knew where he stood and he didn't care about anything else at the moment.

When he got to the hotel room he shares with his girlfriend and Nathalie, Nattie was already showered and in her PJs while Cecilia was doing her skin care, they would be leaving the next day, so they could relax for the rest of the night and pack everything up early morning.

“Daddy.” Nattie shouted and ran to Max, as she always does whenever they’re alone, and he knows that it must’ve taken everything out of the little girl not to do the same thing whenever she saw him on track.

”Hey, sweet girl.” Max stopped her up for a hug, that she returned and clung to him, Cecilia finished up in the bathroom and joined them, Max leaned in and they shared a short but sweet kiss.

”Come on cheri, let daddy shower and then we can watch a movie and cuddle.” Cecilia said knowing that her daughter loved nothing more than cuddling between her parents and chilling, she did miss them when they were travelling so she held the moments they shared close to her heart.

”Can I pick the movie?”

”Of course you can.” Max replied and gently threw the girl onto the bed, Nathalie screamed and giggled, making the adult chuckle at her cuteness.

After Max had showered they did exactly what they were set out to do, and had a movie playing of Nathalie’s choosing, she was cuddling up to Max before she fell asleep not half an hour into the movie, having run around all day had exhausted her. Nathalie moved in her sleep and cuddled up to her mother instead, Cecilia was fighting sleep herself, wanting to talk to Max, but her tiredness was catching up to her.

”Just sleep, shatje.” Max whispered seeing how every time she closed her eyes it took longer for her to open them, Cecilia didn't even try to fight him and just let her eyes close. Max sat there watching his girls as they slept peacefully and he was the happiest he could. In that moment he was content, moments where he has his family besides him gives Max a kind of happiness that he can never get with winning a race, he never expected a few years ago that he’d be in a committed relationship with his childhood rival and that they’d have a daughter together albeit she’s not biologically his, she’s everything to him. And so he knew what he had to do, so he took one out of Cecilia’s books and decided to break his instagram feed that was only racing related and post something, hell with his team and their ideas, what will they do? Fire him? Not a chance he’s winning them championships and gaining points every week, they wouldn't lose him for something like this, he turns the do not disturb on his phone and Cecilia’s to ignore the coming calls from the teams through the night.

So he went to sleep like he woke up, with his family feeling happy.

The next day Cecilia wakes up first and gets out of the bed to use the bathroom, once she is done she goes back to the bedroom and looks for her phone finding it on Max’s side of the bed. She frowns seeing all the text messages and notifications she has, one thing that catches her eye is the post notification for Max’s instagram, clicking it she smiles, before she laughs, the noise wakes Max instantly and causes Nathalie to move on the empty side of the bed.

”What?” Max asks his morning voice rough and slow, he takes Cecilia’s hand and she just shakes her head at him in amusement, a smile on her face.

”You Max Verstappen are a one of a kind.” Cecilia says and leans down pressing her lips to Max’s in a loving kiss.

”What did I do?” Max asks his brain not fully on yet, but he’s happy if that’s the reaction he got. Max places his hand on the side of her thigh furthest from him after she leans back now sitting on the bed beside him.

“You just told the world that you have a 6 year old girl and for everyone to essentially go fuck themselves if they’re bothered by it.” Still smiling, Cecilia looks at her boyfriend.

”Well, it’s the truth and now I can have Nathalie on my side of the garage.” Cecilia shakes her head at him.

”I love you so much, Max.”

”I love you too.” Max says smiling and he tugs her slightly. “Get back to bed, it’s not even 6 yet.”

Cecilia felt too awake to sleep but she slips back in bed between Nathalie and Max this time, Max pulls her flush against him wrapping his arms around her. It doesn’t take too long for him to fall back asleep, while Cecilia stays on her phone and scrolls through the text messages she’s gotten over the night before heading to her social media to see what people are saying.

Maxverstappen1

liked by landonoriss, lewishamilton, charles_leclerc and 4,235,648 others

maxverstappen1 my girls ❤️

758,963 comments

username1 AAAAAAAAAAh

username2 this is not a drill I repeat this is not a drill 😤

username3 they’re so cute wtf 😍

username19 cutest couple on the grid

alex_albon the only couple on the grid

georgerussell63 are they?

username19 WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? GEORGE EXPLAIN YOURSELF

username4 and she calls him daddy 😭

username5 honestly a round of applause for Max for posting bc I know I just know both teams would’ve been against it 👏 👏 👏

username6 so true like he’s a daddy and he isn’t about to hid it anymore

ceciliahannson15 my man je t'aime tellement (i love you so much)

maxverstappen1 je t'aime tellement

username7 my question is how long has they been together for 🤔

username8 I’m guessing a while for Nathalie to call him dad and everything

username7 true

username9 So did all the drivers know or?

username8 Charles definitely knew, and if Charles knew Pierre knew

username12 and if Pierre knew than Yuki knew as well

username7 I mean if we’re guessing then LAndo, lewis, daniel, alex and Carlos as well

username11 yeah… I think they all knew

landonorris FINALLY 🥳💃🕺

ceciliahannson15 why are you acting like it was hard for you hide it

landonorris do you know how many photos i couldn’t post because you and Max are disgusting???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ceciliahannson15 1. that’s an alarming amount of exclamation marks 2. why are you taking photos around us anyways 3. we’re never inviting you anywhere with us again 🤨

landonorris how dare you! I was on call the first time you lot went out also max will tell me @/masverstappen1

maxverstappen1 hey, what she says goes

landonorris I see how it is, first you steal my ex-teammate now you’re choosing her side

maxverstappen1 😇🤷🏻‍♂️

username this^^

Charles_leclerc and I’m still the favourite 😁

maxverstappen1 I’m convinced you give her something bc why aren’t her parents number 1

charles_leclerc I’m just special 😇🤗

maxverstappen1 until Seb is around that is

charles_leclerc we don’t talk about that

username34 these comments are everything

username56 so all this time we thought it’d be lestappen but it was Milia 😑💀🙃

NEXT ->

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@luciaexcorvus . @vellicora . @tpwkstiles . @belennasif . @eugene-emt-roe . @fanboyluvr . @fangirl125reader . @christianpulisic10 . @belennasif . @itsjustkhaos . @crashingwavesofeuphoria . @mynameisangeloflife . @mirrorball-6 . @skynel09 . @barcelonaloverf1life . @lilipiggytails . @rebelatbay . @christianpulisic10 . @ironmaiden1313 . @dark-night-sky-99 . @amalialeclerc . @bborra . @allsouls-emma . @buckybarns4life . @distancedss . @xoscar03 . @aquangxl .

#f1 imagine #f1 fanfic #f1 x reader #f1 scenario #max verstappen one shot #max verstappen #max verstappen imagine #my girls #max verstappen x oc #max x oc #formula 1 imagine #formula one imagine #f1 x oc #f1 x driver

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chaithetics · 1 month

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The Muse

Pairing: Laurent LeClaire (In Secret) x plus size f (afab) reader Word count: 2.6K Warning: 18+ MDNI, smut, oral (f receiving, are we surprised?), and unprotected piv, pwp honestly! Reader is plus size but there's no other physical descriptions beyond that 🫶 A/n: Nobody asked for this but I have serious brain rot, please enjoy! Yeah, I know the title sucks, sorry. Comments and reblogs are appreciated! Please validate me beautiful people🫶

The way Laurent painted made you feel seen in a way that you never had been before. His large, deep brown eyes seemed to have the gift and curse of seeing a soul for what it really was and capturing it naturally onto the campus. You couldn’t help but hold your breath under his gaze, it was only each time he blinked and you were able to appreciate his full, long lashes that you remembered breathing was more than encouraged.

His paintbrush glided across the canvas, he’d blended the right colours to perfectly capture your glowing skin, radiant he thought. You weren’t the first person, or even woman, that he’d painted before. He’d painted many, many portraits of dreary souls but yours wasn’t one of them. Your face wasn’t begging to be shadowed in dreary greys, he wanted the most vibrant greens.

That pretty smile of yours made him think of pleasant summer strolls in nature, how he’d love to sit down by a tree with you and then take you, he knew your face would only light up more when approaching an orgasm. It was something he had to see. Something he had to feel.

The way he painted made your cheeks heat up, you’d never seen a man pay such close concentration to a task before, it was impossible to not feel like it was a compliment as he studied and compared your full cheeks to the one on his campus. You wanted to feel his lips on you as he thought about how soft your round cheeks would feel under his fingertips.

He painted with his mouth slightly agape, every now and then you’d spot his tongue poking out as he carefully looked at the canvas and then back at you, analysing every feature, appreciating every curve. It was criminal that your family was putting you in this position. Sure it sounded nice in theory, paying a talented young artist to capture their favourite child in a piece of art. But it was beyond impractical, leaving you unsupervised with him, some would call that improper.

So it was only natural that your cheeks heated up and that his gorgeous brown eyes made butterflies flutter around in your stomach and made your heart turn into one of a hummingbird. He was devilishly handsome, talented, and Laurent had waltzed into your family’s estate feigning humbleness and polite manners that you’d seen through immediately.

You didn’t trust him as far as you could throw him and you wouldn’t have been able to throw him far at all. But you also wouldn’t be able to deny any sparks, or him, even if you didn’t want to. He was a womaniser without a doubt, you could see that but you still couldn’t get over what he was doing to you.

“Tilt your chin to the left, just a tad.” His voice broke you out of your thoughts, it felt slightly stilted as if he was measuring over his words. You obeyed and tilted your chin slightly to the left.

Laurent nodded approvingly and stepped closer, his soft looking curls bounced slightly as he approached you and you wondered how soft his brunette locks would feel in your fingers. “You look quite perfect in this light, more so than usual.” He says softly as he places his fingers on your chin and looks at you reverently. He admires how the light of the afternoon dances on your skin, how your soft lips look and how your skin is as soft and warm as he’d imagined, dreamed of.

You tilt your chin without his aid to look up at him, you look at the lines of his face, the sharpness of his jaw, the perfectly tousled curls, the bridge of his nose, he’s handsome and you feel yourself holding your breath as you look up at him and his big brown eyes of cinnamon and other warm spices meet yours.

His fingers lightly trace over your soft jawline, he watches your face as he does, you gasp and feel your cheeks heat up as you feel the electricity meet you from the pads of his fingertips. If there was a candle to light for desire, he’s already lit it.

“You’re a pretty one to paint and an even prettier one to admire up close.” He says as his fingers start to trace back up to your cheek, Laurent lets out a shaky breath as he feels the smoothness of your plump cheeks, his fingertips lightly trace down to the edge of your lips.

“Do you mind?” He asks softly, his eyes are blown out though as lust starts to take over.

“No,” you whisper looking at his eyes and watching as his pupils expand, “not at all.”

It’s all the confirmation he needs, his fingers trace over your full lips, they’re just as soft and as warm as he imagined.

“Is this part of the painting process?” You whisper, trying to break some of the tension that’s threatening to make you explode on the spot. Laurent’s fingers feel your lips move and he smiles at the sensation and watches your mouth shape out each syllable.

“No, no it’s not.” He smiles at you and puts his other hand to cup your cheek, he smiles wider as you lean into his touch naturally, almost instinctively. “It does help to… Explore a muse’s body, but this… This is for me.” He whispers and while you’re seated in front of him, he leans down to kiss you.

There’s a bump of noses, the kiss isn’t perfectly smooth, it’s a strained cord of tension being pulled and sparks flying as his soft lips crash into yours. They’re pillowy and you love the feeling and taste of them against yours, you love this and you need more.

You knew this would be deemed improper but you were getting to the point of lust taking over and not caring. You knew that you technically could be caught, but this was to be expected right? You were left to be painted by this handsome man, completely unsupervised.

You put a hand up to run your fingers through his silky curls, he lets out a groan against your lips as you do. You smile and feel your cheeks heat up at the sound of his delicious groan and open your mouth up for him. Laurent dips his tongue in and slides it against yours.

Laurent deepens the kiss as your tongues dance with each others, and he pulls you up from your seat with his strong hands on the back of your waist. He keeps his hands there as his thumbs rub small circles over the fabric of your dress.

You walk with your hands in his hair, revelling in the kiss as he guides you down to the chaise in the room to lean back on that. You gasp out against his lips and he nips your bottom lip slightly with another delicious groan. Each noise he makes only turns you on more.

Laurent then drops down he looks at you as he pushes the layers of your heavy skirts up to your waist in order to expose you, he needs to taste you. He looks at your face, seeking a confirmation that this is what you want, this is what you need. You nod your head frantically.

“Yes…” You whisper, eager for his touch.

“Good.” He whispers.

You’re an incredible muse, one he plans to worship.

Laurent brings himself down to your legs, he runs his hands over your thick thighs for a moment as he lifts one up to over his shoulder. His eyes focus on your heat, you’re already visibly aroused and wet which makes his eyes light up and another musical groan comes from his mouth.

A line of kisses is sprinkled along your inner thigh that tickles and makes you gasp and squirm slightly before Laurent reaches right to your core, he wastes no time, he can’t, you look too divine to tiptoe around indulging in. He needs this just as much as you do.

His mouth dives in and your back arches as you feel him immediately lap up at your heat and he moans against you as he does, it just makes you moan out and shiver.

The vibrations from his moans against you are heavenly, you close your eyes and put your hands into his hair. Running your fingers through and gripping as his tongue circles your sensitive bud, his tongue moves frantically to create the perfect sensation and he keep moaning against you. You can’t help but cry out and tug his hair which just pulls out another sweet song of moans from him.

Laurent grips your thigh of the leg that’s over his shoulder as he keeps licking you frantically, with his free hand he slowly slides his index finger into your wet hole, you’ve done a perfect job of lubricating his finger as your entrance eagerly swallows him before he even has the chance to start pumping it.

You gasp and cry out and you feel your eyes roll back at the added, new sensation of his thick finger inside of you. You keep one hand rooted in his hair while the other comes out to cover your mouth to try and muffle your cries of pleasure.

This reaction only spurs Laurent on as he looks up at you while he continues, he presses his face against you more and starts to suck on your little, sensitive bud, you gasp out and thrust your hips up to try and meet him, desperate for more friction. Laurent groans against you and starts to grind desperately in his position as he keeps lapping you up and moves his finger, curling it to meet that soft, spongy part of you inside that feels like heaven.

As his mouth passionately continues and his finger touches you in just the right way, your back arches and your eyes roll back and you gasp, desperately flailing your hands to reach some part of the furniture to grip onto as you feel yourself reach the top of that mountain and come undone because of him.

It’s an explosion that leaves you breathless, after a moment you let out a shaky deep breath and pant. Laurent’s satisfied with his work of bringing you undone, he stops grinding and licks up your sweet, tangy orgasm gently and then moves to adjust himself.

“You taste heavenly,” he whispers in awe as he looks at you with wide, lust-blown, dark eyes. He brings his slick finger up to his lips and sucks your juices off of it slowly, savouring the taste. You gasp at this and feel your cheeks heat up even more.

“That was… I don’t even have words for that…” You whisper as you look up at him.

Laurent chuckles almost bashfully, there’s something charming about you, hypnotising and he can’t just walk away now or resume painting you without feeling you.

“I need… I need more…” He whispers as he looks at you reverently and caresses your cheek.

“Well I want more… So it sounds like we’re quite the match.” You whisper with a smile as you watch him.

He chuckles and then immediately undoes his trousers, he adjusts himself and you bite your lip as you see his thick member for the first time.

Laurent positions himself and slowly sinks in, your mouth opens in an ‘o’ shape as you moan out at the full feeling of him slowly sinking in. He lets out a soft whimper as he feels your warm walls swallow him up and squeeze him lightly. You’re perfect. He feels so at home like this.

Laurent watches your face as he enters you, the sounds of your moans only ignite him further and he closes his eyes and he waits for a few moments, giving you time to adjust to the sudden fullness, the feeling of him. He then starts to slowly move his hips and your eyes open wide and you let out a moan as he does. It’s heavenly. It feels so right, like your bodies fit together perfectly.

You let out a whine as his pace starts to increase, he moves his hips rhythmically, you’re sure he must be a true artist, dabble in music as well because of the way he moves. There’s no other explanation you think as your back arches pressing you more into him and he smiles at the feeling, his hand running along your cheek as he moves with passion and affection.

His pace has increased, his hips move quickly and you whine out. He moves with need, a need that only you can fulfil. You tilt your head slightly as he thrusts into you and kiss him, your lips meet together in another messy kiss of wet, soft lips dancing against each other and vibrating with the other's moans.

The kiss breaks when he thrusts into you deliciously and makes you cry out, your head falls back against the chaise more and your back arches as you’re overcome with pleasure. The angle of his movements hits you in the most pleasure-inducing way.

Laurent moves his head down, presses a soft kiss to your throat and then groans into your neck as his hips move quicker, his soft lips leaving a wet spot, it’s a sensation that would tickle in any other circumstance, any other circumstance that doesn’t have him buried in you. The few calluses on his hands are from paint brushes, despite the fact that he’s atop of you, socially he’s below you, but he still hasn’t worked a day of manual labour in his life. His hands are delicate and blend the greatest scenes of pleasure in your body.

His careful hands move to interlace with yours above your head as he continues to thrust into you, his eyes are squeezed shut as his hips roll and he groans, he’s getting closer. Laurent leaves open mouthed kisses all over and the feeling of his hot breath on your throat makes you gasp each time.

There was something truly divine about seeing you in the throes of passion, it made his length twitch inside of you as he groaned but it also inspired him. Inspired him to paint. He wished more than anything that there was some way for him to simultaneously take you, fuck you, make love to you and to also paint you at the same time. He would rather die than have somebody else give you this pleasure and for him to paint you, but he also wouldn’t trust another artist to be able to do you justice if they watched you two together. He’d have to take breaks between fucking you and painting you to try and achieve his vision, something he had no issues with.

Laurent watches you and squeezes your hands slightly as his hips move more sporadically and he becomes more out of breath, he’s just a few more thrusts away from reaching his orgasm. He groans out and whimpers as he gives you that final thrust and spills into you, you squeeze him and his eyes blink shut tightly as he orgasms.

His breath is shaky as he comes down from that high and he looks down at you, below him. He knows that only the beautiful muse of the woman below him would be able to give him that kind of pleasure. He won’t complain about that though, that’s the type of realisation an artist like him could dream of.

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cobaltperun · 9 months

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Lost (10) - Blood // Water

Tara Carpenter x female Reader

Summary: To anyone on the outside, and to Tara’s friends, you were Tara’s fierce protector, the MMA fighter who’d take anyone on for Tara. The Guard Dog, as Amber called you. You had no idea you’d have to protect her from people who claimed they loved her. It didn’t matter. As long as you and Tara had one another there was nothing you wouldn’t be able to survive.

Story warnings: Scream violence, family issues, trauma, angst, certain sensitive topics

Word count: 4.4k

Story masterlist / First part / Previous part / Next part

-The price of your greed is your son and your daughter. What you gon' do when there's blood in the water?-

You weren't at your best. You were far from it, really. Sure, the wounds healed, though slower than they should have since you kept pushing your body past your limit constantly, but the recovery and getting your strength and stamina back was another story. Soaked from head to toe in sweat from hours of working out, driven only by adrenaline and anger you cursed yourself for getting closer and closer to your limit.

Frustration, however, helped, as you slammed punch after punch into the bag. The sound of the hits echoed in the empty gym, since it's long been past the closing time. The owner knew your coach and it helped that your success brought some new people to his gym, so he let you use the equipment after hours.

You needed that. You were angry. At yourself for not stopping Tara. At Tara for putting you in that position when she asked you to leave. At Amber for starting all of this in the first place. Punch after punch, you hoped the next one would finally set you free from the anger. Yet with every punch you would be reminded of the recently healed injuries and that only made you more furious. You gritted your teeth as the cycle continued until you heard the doors opening.

"Y/N," you didn't stop pummeling the bag, it was just your coach. He faked a cough and you let out an exasperated sigh, finally turning to look at him, only to see a face you vaguely recognized.

"Hello, miss L/N, it's a pleasure to finally meet you," the man next to your coach was Thomas Laurent, a former middleweight MMA fighter who had a promising start in his career, but then got seriously injured in his fight against Zack. He never truly recovered after that. Nowadays whenever someone mentions his name all they say is he had potential, but that the injury ended his career before he could reach his prime. From the looks of it, he kept training, and with no weight class to hold him to a certain weight you figured he was somewhere between light heavyweight and heavyweight now. He was thirty-seven and you were sure he could still give plenty of fighters a run for their money.

"What? You want to swap retirement stories?" you really had no desire to deal with him, or anyone else right now.

Your coach flinched for a moment, but Thomas merely laughed, it was a loud, hearty laugh and despite your mood, you wiped the scoff off your face and looked at him with a raised eyebrow, now a bit curious about his reasons for coming here.

"No, no, I'm here to make the greatest retirement spectacle women's MMA has ever seen," he boasted with confidence that made you genuinely intrigued.

"Is that so? And how do you plan on doing that, exactly?" you were pulling your gloves off, only now seeing how bloody your knuckles got. There were bloodstains on your bandages. Both Thomas and your coach noticed that, seeing as their eyes widened when they saw the state of your hands. "Long day yesterday, I had a lot of pent-up frustration," you explained as you shoved the gloves into your bag, not really bothered by scrapped knuckles. The tiny scars you had accumulated from training had long since stopped bothering you. “What did you have in mind?”

Thomas nodded, disregarding the state of your hands as you winced and peeled the bandages off. "You have two fights, so let's make history. You'll fight at the end of November against one of the previous title challengers and then, on the ninth of December, if you accept, you'll challenge Anya Golubeva," Thomas didn't need to explain any further.

Anya Golubeva has been the women's featherweight champion for the past five years, with good grappling and explosive punches, she hardly left any openings. In addition to that you would fight someone around her skill level two to three weeks before that fight. He wasn't kidding when he said he wanted to make history. You'd have one of the shortest, if not the shortest, breaks between two fights, and in case you won the second fight you'd retire as the world champion.

You didn't ask how he could make it happen. You didn't need to know. You knew just one thing, that would be an issue. You couldn't prepare for those fights in Woodsboro. No sparring partner, the gym that lacked equipment... You'd have to leave as soon as tomorrow.

If Tara hadn't told you to leave her, you would have gone to see her, to talk with her. But she told you to leave, and as much as you loved her, you weren't about to waste this opportunity. You’ll see Tara in two months. "I'm in," this was your only chance to make Zack, and your own, dream become a reality, and you were not about to miss out on it.

~X~

Being in, however, meant calling Sam to handle your absence. So, that's how the two of you were sitting in Woodsbo-Restaurant. She looked tense, though you couldn't see any anger, at least on the surface.

"So, did Tara tell you what happened?" you guessed she probably did, it's been over forty-eight hours since Tara left your apartment, and you haven't seen her since. That alone would have been enough for anyone who knew you and Tara to figure out something happened. You were actually surprised Mindy didn’t text you to get you to fix things.

Sam sighed, but instead of answering she added sugar to her coffee and began stirring it. Honestly, you were growing impatient. "About retirement, or how she asked you to leave her?" she finally spoke up, her eyes staring into your soul.

You slumped into your seat, consumed by the look on her face when she asked that of you. Sam was disappointed, worried, she wasn’t angry, but you could tell she absolutely wasn’t happy with either you or Tara. "Both, I guess. Not that it matters. I'm leaving Woodsboro, I won't be here for two months," you told her and placed a key to your apartment on the table.

"You're leaving? You'll actually listen to Tara?" Sam got up, pressing her palms against the table and leaning over it toward you. There was anger in her eyes now and most people would have backed away, intimidated by Sam.

You weren’t most people. "Yes, but not because of what Tara said. I'll have two of the biggest fights of my life by the end of those two months and I'm not about to fuck it up," you didn't even budge when Sam got up. You slid the key across the table and met Sam's angry glare. "Tara is free to spend as much time in my apartment as she wants. She can sleep there, move in, whatever she wants. You can work here since there's about to be an open spot starting today," you had no intention of stopping, you needed Sam to hear you out.

You straightened your posture as Sam began sitting down. "Tara and I grew too codependent, Sam. We grew too attached to guilt. If it spirals out of control she'll stay by my side because she feels guilty for my retirement and I'll stay because I'll feel guilty for not being there to protect her the first time, for letting Amber make her vulnerable and not noticing she was a danger to Tara. Love built on guilt isn't love, it's just regret," you stood up, leaving enough money to pay the bill, and began walking away. You didn't have any time left. Your coach was already waiting for you outside the restaurant.

"Y/N, I'm sorry I dragged Tara into all of that," Sam's declaration didn't surprise you, she felt even more guilty than Tara or you did. All three of you were being consumed by guilt, and it had to stop, otherwise living a normal life would become impossible.

"It's not your fault those two were crazy," you stopped and turned to look at her.

Sam shook her head, surprising you for a moment. "It is. Billy Loomis is my father, and that's why all of that happened."

It was actually the first time you heard Sam and Tara were half-sisters. Not that it mattered. "It's not, Sam. Who your parents are has nothing to do with it. It's an insane excuse made by insane people," you shrugged and offered her a smile. "So, how about this? Instead of being Billy and Christina's daughter, how about you just remain Tara's sister?"

The last thing you expected was for Sam to grab and pull you into a hug. Whispering a small, emotion filled 'Thank you' as you patted her on the back. You had no idea when Sam found out about Billy, but things somehow began making sense. Why Sam left, why she was distancing herself from Tara when they were younger, maybe even why Tara’s dad left. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that at least some of it was connected to Billy Loomis.

“Take care of Tara,” you requested, though you understood there was no need to ask for that, but you did anyway.

~X~

You left, you actually left and Tara couldn’t reach you, you weren’t answering your phone. It’s been three weeks since she last set foot in your apartment, she didn’t want to make Sam do more than she was already doing for her. And she missed your presence more than ever. Was this how you felt when Tara was with Amber? Alone? Lost? Tara guessed you did.

Her leg was finally healed, and she could walk once again, though she was yet to recover her strength. It would take some time and going up the stairs all the way to the third floor to your apartment exhausted her more than she predicted it would. How much stamina did you have when you could, as injured as you were, climb up those same stairs while holding her in your arms? It was just another reason to admire how strong you were. She unlocked your doors and was met with a familiar scent, her anxiety lowering almost instantly as she was reminded of you. The place was almost exactly the same as when she left, only this time your bag was missing.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled, feeling like she had to say it as she locked the doors behind her. She moved on autopilot, going to your bed and lying down. She shouldn’t have told you to leave her, and sure, she understood you would have left anyway to prepare for your fights, but she still shouldn’t have told you to leave her. She should have been there to see you off, she should have been the one you gave your spare key to, she should have hugged you and told you to be careful, she should have told you she loved you, or she should have thanked you or at least told you that she would miss you.

Anything would have been better than telling you to leave her.

And then, from the corner of her eye, she noticed your phone on the nightstand drawer, left there, likely on purpose. Her eyes widened and she sat up to take it, just to make sure she wasn’t seeing things. Her cheeks turned red when she noticed the photo of you and her, hugging, as your lock screen, but she couldn’t help but smile. She didn’t know, you rarely used your phone while you were with her.

~X~

Fresh out of the shower, you stumbled into the apartment above the gym Thomas had you training and living in, and dropped to the floor, not even having any strength to get to bed. You just needed to take a quick nap and then you’d move to your bed, at least that was the plan. But, much like many of the previous nights you woke up on the floor as the first rays of sunlight entered the room. And you didn’t wake up naturally either, you were woken up by Thomas and your coach knocking on your doors.

“Up you go, Y/N!” Thomas bellowed as you pushed your body up from the floor.

“Easy for you to say, unless we’re sparring you’re just overlooking my training,” you grumbled and groaned as you stood up.

~X~

Six weeks, six days, and thirteen hours. That was the last time Tara saw you, heard your voice, touched you, spoke to you. That was when she told you to leave her. So much has changed. In the few weeks since she went to your apartment and found your phone. She cut contact with her mom and moved into your apartment because she couldn't take it anymore and just needed a semblance of you in her life.

And seeing as you left your phone behind no one could reach you, not her, not Susan, no one. So, that's how she ended up in Sacramento with Sam, Mindy, and Chad, waiting for your second-to-last fight.

“Who is she fighting anyway?” she found herself asking, almost a bit excited to watch the fight, if only so she could see you.

“Uh, not sure, but her opponent fought for the title before and lost in a fairly even fight, there wasn’t even a knockout,” Chad told her. Ever since you began fighting Chad was her source of information.

You opponent fought for the title before? So, she was close in strength to the world champion? Tara remembered how you came back after your first fight and she couldn't do it, she couldn’t watch the fight. Despite being excited to see you, she just couldn’t handle seeing you get hit. You probably still haven't fully recovered from what Amber and Richie did to you, what Amber forced Tara to do to you. So, she'd miss the start, maybe even miss the entire first round or two, because she couldn't take watching you get hurt.

“Tara?” Sam question as Tara stood up.

“I need a moment, don’t worry,” Tara assured her softly and went toward the kitchen.

“Tara, uh, can’t exactly watch Y/N’s fights. Because Y/N gets hurt,” she heard Chad explaining and Sam’s small ‘Oh,’ at that.

She entered the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water. She felt cold, she missed you, she wanted to be near you, to grab onto you and not let go. Instead, all she could do was clutch the necklace you gave her, all she could do was hold onto it as she hugged herself. A sob tore through her throat, but she stopped herself when she heard the doors opening.

"Tara, honey, it's about to start," Susan came in. The woman became Tara's ally since you left, offering reassurance and convincing Tara you'd come back. Somehow, her words held more weight than anyone else's when it came to you, and Tara somewhat believed her.

"I don't think I can," Tara admitted, ashamed that she couldn't watch you even now that she knew how much it meant to Susan and you. That she couldn't watch you even if it was her fault that ten days from now, you'd be out of MMA.

Susan gently rubbed Tara's left shoulder. "I get it, how about we just sit here then. I'll go and turn the volume up so we can hear what is happening. Is that okay?"

Tara nodded and sat down, thankful that the woman understood and was willing to stay by her side to support her. She watched as Susan turned to go and get the volume up, only to freeze on the doorstep. "It's over."

Tara felt her blood run cold. Over? What was over? The fight? She ran outside of the kitchen and took in the sight in front of her. Chad sitting there with his mouth wide open. Mindy was frozen as she leaned over to Sam to grab the popcorn. Sam just watching the TV wide-eyed and confused. And you on the TV, without a single scratch, just standing with one fist raised in the air.

She watched as the fight replayed on the TV, right from the start. Your opponent approached, and opened with a punch, only for you to counter with a punch straight to her face and she just dropped. Six seconds into the fight. You knocked the woman out in six seconds.

She just stood there, taking your figure in. Her heart beat out of rhythm as she saw the results of your training, the defined muscles, the power and speed you possessed. Tara had never spent this long away from you, even when she was with Amber you two still hung out as a part of the same friend group and though rarely you still spent some time alone as well, and seeing you like this, so abruptly and so briefly made her realize exactly how much that affected her.

"How's the ogling going, T," Mindy's teasing made her look away. She wasn't ogling, she was just looking.

Less than two weeks to go. You'd come back to her soon.

When the title match came Tara watched with Sam, Chad and Mindy in your apartment and she nearly had an asthma attack as she watched you take hit after hit.

~X~

This was the end, in half an hour you'd step into the octagon and have your final professional fight. Yet you never felt more relaxed than you were tonight.

The doors opened and you expected to see your coach. Instead, you saw Anya Golubeva, a blonde Russian with piercing blue eyes. You met recently but between promotions that required some hostility, you didn't have any other interactions with her.

"Hello, Y/N," her accent was thick, and you stood up as she approached you. She was 5 foot 8, almost an inch and a half shorter than you, but considering her skill and strength it felt like there was no difference at all.

"Anya," you nodded to greet her, the two of you already met, and you did the usual trash talking that was supposed to hype people up for the fight, honestly, to you it was just part of the business, and from the looks of it she saw it the same way. No matter who won or what either of you would say in an interview after the fight, there wouldn’t be bad blood between you. At least you hoped that would be the case.

"I just wanted to say I am sorry this is how your career ends," the sentiment surprised you. "I wish I could have fought you at your peak, in a few years," despite being fine with the retirement that was somewhat of a regret. You'd never reach your professional peak, you were only twenty, most MMA fighters reached their peak sometime between twenty-five and twenty-eight years old. You could train, sure, but you doubted you'd reach the same heights you would've if your career continued.

Anya, however, was at her peak, in fact, most experts predicted she would wipe the floor with you prior to your previous match. Now that you knocked your opponent out in six seconds the predictions were different, and some even dared to bet on you.

You sat down, grinning a bit. "I guess that's right. I don't regret it, though."

"You were protecting a friend. Admirable, really," Anya nodded her approval.

"More than a friend, at least as far as feelings go," you blurted out, not really sure why you felt the need to say it. You just missed Tara so damn much.

Anya chuckled a bit and motioned to the bench next to you.

"Of course," at your words, she sat down and leaned her back against the wall.

"What's her name?" she asked.

"Tara," you replied, unable to keep the smile off her face.

Anya remained silent for a moment. "There's a river in the Balkans called Tara. In a small country called Montenegro. Its canyon is the deepest in Europe, so if you ever go there, make sure you take your girl rafting through it. I personally found it to be more exciting than most things I did in my life."

You had no idea there was a river called Tara, but you really wanted to see it now, and you wanted to take Tara with you. "Thanks. I'll keep it in mind."

"Make sure you do, it really is an experience," she got up. "Well then, good luck," she offered you a hand.

You took her hand and nodded. "Good luck to you too."

Her behavior took you by surprise, there definitely weren't many fighters who were openly like this. Still, there would be no holding back. You had a fight and you were going to do everything in your power to win.

~X~

She was strong. You had never encountered a fighter that could match you like this. You traded blows, and you barely got out of her submissions. You couldn't make her submit. In the four minutes since the fight started, you managed to get her on the ground once, and she easily got out. You on the other hand found yourself on the ground for the second time, with your neck in a chokehold as she pressed down on your abdomen and kept your legs immobile by holding them between her own.

In an almost desperate attempt not to lose in the first round, you managed to move your fist back enough to land a fairly strong blow to her side. Her grip on you loosened with a grunt coming above you. So, you hit her again, and then the third time before she finally let go enough for you to get your legs free and twist the position. She pushed against your abdomen with her legs, but you landed a solid right punch to her face. You raised your fist again, but just as you were about to hit her again the round ended, and you got up.

You gave one another a quick fist-bump, enjoying the way this fight was going as you separated. There was no malice in this fight. It was just a competition.

The second round started off much better. You circled each other, throwing faints, and testing the distance for a bit. You landed a low kick to her left leg, she in turn grazed your head. You exchanged a couple of punches, pulling away from one another with nearly simultaneous clean hits to the faces. You could feel blood dripping from your nose and your lower lip, you could feel the area around your left eye starting to swell. She wasn't doing much better, though. You landed an elbow on the side of her head, grazing her forehead in the process. From the looks of it, you also made a small cut on the side of her nose.

Both of you were bloody, both of you had taken several hard hits. Anya went in for a kick, but you pushed her back, landing a couple of good blows to her upper body. It wasn't enough. She quickly recovered, bouncing away from your assault. She hit you in the side with a nasty uppercut and you felt wind getting knocked out of your lungs, but you managed to block Anya's follow-up attack.

The following exchange ended in your favor when you landed three good blows to her head and upper body and finished it with a kick to the side.

You made a mistake, though. You misjudged the distance and her kick connected with your jaw. The next thing you knew you were slammed into the ground, feeling the back of your head bounce off the octagon mat and you just barely had enough consciousness to lift your forearms above your face to guard against the flurry of punches raining down upon you. And then, just as your guard was about to be shattered the round ended.

You stumbled to your side of the octagon, slowly regaining awareness of your surroundings as several icepacks were pressed against your face and sore muscles. You felt something warm trickling down your neck. You touched it and saw red. Blood. That kick made your scar bleed. Scar...

Tara.

Your breathing became steady, and you slowly shifted into the breathing pattern Zack taught you. In, out, two times in, out, in, two times out, in, out, two times in, out, in, two times out. Your head was getting clear again just as you were left on your own and just as the third round began.

You needed a bit more time, but Anya wouldn't let you have it. So, you went in, hoping a good offense would give you that precious time. You managed to surprise her, catching her in a clinch and landing two good uppercuts to her face before she pulled back. There was a smirk on her face, indicating she wasn't annoyed by your continued resistance.

You smirked back, going for a quick exchange of punches that ended with a side kick from you. The two of you had a few more exchanges, trading blow after blow and it wasn't clear who was getting the upper hand. the second minute of the third round was already halfway done when Anya went in for and went for a grapple. You had no time to react, no time to think, you just went in for a flying knee and got her right in the face. She dropped and you stumbled away from her, barely registering that the collision of her and your momentum made that hit much more effective than it ordinarily would be.

It was over.

Third round, twelve minutes in total and you were the champion. The end results of your career. Two years and five months of fighting. Thirteen fights. Thirteen wins. Twelve by a knock-out. You were the world featherweight champion. You were retired.

Story masterlist / First part / Previous part / Next part

#tara carpenter x reader #tara carpenter x female reader #tara carpenter x you #tara carpenter #scream #jenna ortega x reader #x reader #x female reader

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mecachrome · 2 months

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I’m dying cause Oscar literally like manifested his mannnn

omg Anon i know......... TT___TT honestly i constantly feel so vindicated for being happy about the mclaren move in 2022 and predicting that he'd develop much better there than in alpine and that he and lando would get along because oscar is humble without being demure and they both have straightforward personalities 🧡 even while people were crowing about alp podium in 2023 i still knew... ok sorry where were we

it's just so much though because oscar is SO clearly someone who resists idolatry and he respects what mark does for him as his manager and obviously appreciates his support but when it comes to his record as a driver he's like... well mathematically seb was better than him. and he very clearly hates when too much credit is given to other people for HIS achievements (how did prema/mark/etc. help you in your junior career), and over and over again we hear about how oscar thrives off solitude and doesn't need that extended network of support to ground himself........ and like 2 be clear this still applies with lando he's not that special, but there are still so many *__* idk tiny moments of vulnerability we get to see that are often about or adjacent to him and it's soooasdflkahsdflhkdf. ACK. like ctfu a bit at the "i don't have to get close my first year since everyone knows how good lando is" quote because the implication is that he doesn't rate oco anywhere even remotely NEAR lando... and all these little snapshots really illuminate how much lando has been a reference point for his career — not just as a driver but in building his persona on social media, in becoming more comfortable with the celebrity associated to being an f1 driver (MY TEAMMATE'S ABANDONED ME DOT MP4), just the little things... like wdym it's really been almost 9 years 🙃🙃🙃

oscar is a very shrewd person who has come as far as he has by respecting himself and being able to confidently assess his own opponents... and it speaks volumes that he trusts and respects and rates lando so much. truly 🥲 thank u laurent rossi for giving ocon a 3-year extension

#ask #if i think about it too much i will >. have a lot of emotions #and now they live in monaco together. good for them #814 meta

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blue-sadie · 9 months

Text

The Different Versions

Masterlist

Oscar Isaac Characters: Moon System, Marcus, Shiv, Basil Stitt, Jonathan Levy, Llewyn Davis, William Tell, Cecil Dennis, Robbie Paulson, Outcome 3 (David), Santiago Gracia, Kane, Nathan Bateman, Leto Atreides, Poe Dameron, Peter Malkin, Bassam, Prince John, Orestes, Laurent Leclaire, Oscar Isaac

Preview

Prt 1. The Ones I Don't Remember Summary: waiting is more tiring then being together, what changed was it you or him?

Prt 2. The Bad Influence Summary: waking up in an unknown place untouched by wounds and another version of your husbands

Prt 3. The Slick Back Summary: waking up in a small apartment in Moscow it reminds you of something and someone

Prt 4. The Lonely Summary: waking up in an modern apartment with a strange but nice neighbor who likes to wear a bag over his head

Prt 5. The Married Summary: waking up in a classroom being taught by... marc?

Prt 6. The Musician Summary: waking up at 00:31 in the morning and not being able to fall asleep maybe water will help right or something... else

Prt 7. The Focused Summary: waking up in a room with another version of your husbands but he's so much like them

Prt 8. The Revengeful Summary: waking up on yours and your doppelgangers shared birthday and getting the best gift ever

Prt 9. The Accused Summary: waking up by someone pulling you out of bed is a rude awakening so he just puts you to bed very nicely

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ninicaise · 1 year

Text

obsessed with the fact that auguste loved laurent so much and took care of him so well and reassured him and built up his self esteem so solidly in the 13 years he was able to that it was just enough for laurent to be confident enough in himself to keep his head up while being alone against a man who hurt and belittled him constantly literally every day for seven years. something something love can't save you but it will help you through

#laurent #auguste #auguste & laurent #captive prince #also the fact that laurent literally lived like this for so long #its like how can you stand this nightmare?? and the nightmare is just where he lives. i live here. its my house #laurent has a will of steel but like he barely made it out alive as it is. a little less love and that boy would not have made it

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yandere-yearnings · 14 days

Note

I know Laurent intro isn’t out yet, but if it’s ok can we have a bit of info about him? I really need to know if he is the pathetic type WHO SAID THAT

I understand if you want to keep the info secret until he makes his debut!

ask and you shall receive nonnie, i will absolutely give you more info abt him😌✨️ also, thank you for sending this in, anything concerning laurent always makes me the happiest🥺🩷 he'll hopefully be debuting soon btw!! his intro is mostly written, now i just need to salvage some time to actually finish it😔💔 and yes, he is definitely pathetic haha i will be expanding on that at a later date

With the way Laurent keeps up public appearances, it would be ridiculous for most to entertain the idea that he works in a field where there's more graves than grass. Under scrutiny, his smile alone is enough for people to turn a blind eye to the blood that stains his skin.

Somehow, he's even managed to claim the title of communal grandson amongst the elderly, and he's dutiful to it too — ever ready to lend a helping hand where needed.

Charming, charismatic, the textbook definition of 'sunshine' whose warmth will undoubtedly melt the coldest of hearts. Rival organisations fear his magnetism will lure away their best workers.

The unequivocal respect he commands wasn't built on power and influence alone, though they were important contributors. If you were to ask any of Laurent's men why they'd take a bullet for him so easily, they'd tell you it's because never once in their lives has anyone showed them as much compassion and sincerity as him.

To those under his wing, he's the reliable older brother that never lets them down. There is security with Laurent; in the way he listens, and the way he protects. Since he's aware of being a home to many, he hides how hard he has to toil to keep the roof from caving in.

Clover knows, ever his trusted right-hand. They've been best friends since childhood, so she's the only one who he can't fool. He depends on her for a lot of things — she insists he does. He tells her about how much he wishes this wasn't his reality, tells her about his guilt, his heartbreak. He tells her all about you.

As full as his heart is to pour out to others, love has never been good to him. Desensitised in a world of death and deceit, it's the only thing he's truly afraid of. He wants to trust you. Laurent thinks you'd be able to fix him.

That being said, it takes a lot of persistence and coaxing to get him to take your advances seriously. He's the type of person who'll pamper you with extravagance, but can't seem to understand why you'd ever want to return the favour.

Over time, you might just notice Laurent's habit of keeping the things that make him happy the furthest from him. If you ever ask him why, he'll deflect and change the subject — something Clover will tell you he does when he feels vulnerable. In any case, that'll be the first and last instance you'll see his eyes unmatching the rest of his cheerful façade.

Although not a quality that matches his job, Laurent is surprisingly gentle. He likes animals, and nature, and reading books under the low light cast from his lamp — a gift from the owner of the oddities shop in his hometown. You could join him, he'd never say no.

He has a lot of scars, and a lot of tattoos to cover them up. He knows he's got nothing to be embarrassed about, if anything, they're signs of loyalty. It's just, sometimes, all he wants to do is pretend he lives a normal life.

In the middle of the night, the stack of towering papers on the desk his sole company, Laurent finds himself thinking about you more often than not.

If there was no duty tied to his name, if he were anyone else and less of a coward trapped within constant tragedy, he'd have liked to reach out. He'd have liked to hold your hand.

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lucky-clover-gazette · 4 months

Text

prince's gambit highlights & annotations

chapters 5 & 6

indented text is from the book. some quotes have commentary, some do not. some comments are serious, and some are definitely not. most of them will only make sense to people who have read the series. and, like, there are spoilers. so please read the books first if you're interested!

also: part of the reason i'm doing such a close reading is to study cs pacat's style, especially in terms of how she does romance and erotica. there are "craft notes" that might seem weird, like i'm being redundant or restating something rather than analyzing, but those are more things that i want to remember/take away from the writing!

i'm going to tag these longer posts with "sam reads capri" in case anyone wants to read them all at once.

this is a google doc i wrote with overall content warnings for the captive prince series. it's not perfect, but i do think it's important to include.

Laurent glanced at their surroundings, and said, ‘It’s the wrong terrain for an ambush.’ ‘The town isn’t,’ said Damen. For good measure, he took hold of Laurent’s horse’s bridle. ‘Consider alternatives. Can you entrust the task to someone else?’ ‘No,’ said Laurent. He said it as a calm statement of fact. Damen forced down his frustration, reminded himself that Laurent was in possession of an able mind, and that therefore his, ‘No,’ had a reason behind it other than pure stubbornness. Probably.

i love this entire passage! damen taking control of laurent's horse is great

‘This doesn’t suit me,’ he said, meaning that it didn’t suit him to wear them. ‘No. It doesn’t. You look like one of us,’ said Laurent.

well this definitely helps laurent with his evolving self-delusion and cognitive dissonance. also i like how damen's pov specifies that he is not calling himself unfit for the clothing physically, bc he's hot enough to wear anything, it's more of a figurative unfitness

‘The Prince has business away from the camp,’ said Damen. ‘He plans to return mid-morning. He wants you to captain the men as usual while he’s gone.’ ‘Whatever he needs. How many men is he taking with him?’ ‘One,’ said Damen. ‘Good luck,’ was all Jord said.

jord, immediately assuming that the one man is damen:

Vistas of endless ridiculousness opened up before him.

Laurent was considering the women. He was far from wide-eyed, but there was a certain quality to his gaze. For Laurent, Damen realised, this experience was wholly new and highly illicit. Compounding Damen’s sense of the ridiculous was the sudden acute awareness that he was accompanying the chaste Crown Prince of Vere to his first brothel. From elsewhere in the house, you could hear the sound of fucking.

damen you’ve seen the court of vere, why the fuck do you think laurent would be flustered by this. is it the heterosexuality?

You’re sitting so far away,’ said the blonde. ‘Then get up,’ said Laurent. She got up. The brunette rose too, and made for Laurent. The blonde came to sit beside Damen.

not the blonde going to damen and the brunette going to laurent 😭

‘Unlace his jacket,’ said Laurent. The blonde looked from Damen to Laurent. Damen looked at him too. Laurent had dispensed with his own woman wordlessly, perhaps with a single dismissive flick of his fingers. Elegant and relaxed, he was regarding them without urgency. It was familiar. Damen felt the moment when his pulse kicked in, remembering the love seat in the garden bower, and Laurent’s cool voice giving explicit instructions: suck it, and, tongue the slit. Damen caught the blonde’s wrist. There was not going to be a repeat performance.

“do it yourself coward”

it is interesting, to get some insight re: how damen feels about the garden scene. he seems to regard it as less of a personal violation, and more of an insult or annoyance. it might even be something he’s intentionally avoiding BECAUSE he knows how much laurent’s instruction turns him on.

the use of “performance” is interesting here, too. damen’s reactions in the garden had been real, and he knows they would be real here again. but he seems to assume that to laurent, it’s all just an act. which at this point, i think it pretty much is, although… i’m not quite sure what this specific gesture would have gotten laurent, if damen had allowed it. is it possible that laurent genuinely wanted to do damen a favor by getting him laid? or was he just “yes, and”-ing the situation on damen’s behalf, for fun?

‘The plaster’s old,’ said Damen. ‘Here.’ He took hold of the grille, and gave it a tug. Bits of plaster rained down from the edges of the window, but it wasn’t enough to detach the grille from the frame. He changed his grip, braced his stance and put his shoulder into it. On the third attempt, the whole grille came away from the window. It was surprisingly heavy. He placed it carefully on the floor. The thick carpet muffled any sound, as it had done when he had moved the chest. ‘After you,’ he said to Laurent, who was staring at him. Laurent almost looked as though he was going to speak, but then he just nodded, pulled himself through the window and dropped soundlessly into the alley behind the brothel.

another rare early instance of obvious laurent attraction. i think he is smitten by damen’s irreverent blunt efficiency, as well as the display of raw strength. seeing this, laurent might be thinking to himself, “he could have snapped me in half this whole time, but he hasn’t.” kind of foreshadowing of the “i could have done this...” line in book 3.

anyway, laurent’s attraction here seems to consist of 1) respect for damen’s competence, 2) intrigue regarding his usual restraint, and 3) physical attraction to big hot strong guy. #3 is the one i personally have the most trouble analyzing, and i’d bet laurent would be equally confused by that aspect of his own reaction. but he’s definitely feeling Something here, whether or not he’s able to understand or verbalize it. he can’t even manage to make the expected snarky comment!

‘Here. Take this,’ said Laurent when they were half the town away, tossing Damen his coin purse. ‘It’s better if we’re not recognised. And you should do up the collar on your jacket.’

when exactly do you think laurent came up with the role reversal plan? was it before or after damen ripped a metal grate off a wall with his bare hands?

whatever the case, he’s preparing for it now. damen will just have to play along.

Anyone seeing a young blond man of noble birth is going to guess it’s you.’ ‘I brought a disguise,’ said Laurent. ‘A disguise,’ said Damen.

did he only make this specific disguise plan after damen agreed to come with him? if not, was he just going to pretend to be an unaccompanied pet????

After no more than a brief, dismissive glance at Laurent, the innkeeper gave Damen his full attention, greeting him respectfully. ‘Welcome, my lord. Will you and your pet require lodgings for the evening?’

(the noise i made when i read this for the first time…)

every single uncomfortable, indulgent detail about veretian pets in book 1 justifies itself in this moment.

some disorganized thoughts:

from the moment they left, laurent knew this is where they were heading. and he intentionally did not inform damen of the role he would have to play. there might have been a slight strategic advantage to keep damen in the dark, but i also think laurent just figured it would be funny to make it a surprise. a little treat, to get himself through the horrors.

if laurent was asked to examine WHY this specific arrangement is a fun treat, he’d probably jump out of a window to escape the question. (damen, too, but for different reasons.)

like, there… really is no strategic reason for laurent to be a pet here. he could have disguised himself and damen in plenty of other ways, but laurent chose this specific bit for them both. interesting.

i'd like to think that laurent would eventually unpack this choice. i’m sure there’s plenty of fic exploring the idea of him roleplaying as a pet, relinquishing his authority, and reclaiming his sexual identity in a controlled environment. maybe he and damen can do it on purpose, without the high-stakes mission to justify the act.

craft note: this subversion is incredible, in terms of characterization, plot, romance, and sexual tension. the perfect payoff to nicaise’s earring, the focus on pets in book 1, and laurent’s affinity for “performance.”

as i begin close-reading chapter 6 of prince’s gambit, i remind myself that this is meant to be rational and eloquent literary analysis.

'I want your best room,’ said Laurent, ‘with a big bed and a private bath, and if you send up the house boy, you’ll find out the hard way that I don’t like sharing.’ He delivered the innkeeper a long, cool look. ‘He’s expensive,’ said Damen to the innkeeper, by way of apology.

And then watched as the innkeeper sized up the cost of Laurent’s clothes, and his sapphire earring—a royal gift to a favourite—and the likely cost of Laurent himself, the face, the body. Damen realised that he was about to be charged three times the going rate for everything. He decided with good humour that he didn’t mind being generous with Laurent’s coin.

i’m obsessed with how quickly damen commits to the bit with good humor. i wonder if it surprises laurent, even delights him to have such a willing scene partner

Why don’t you find us a table. Pet.’ Enjoying the moment. And the sobriquet.

“A sobriquet is a descriptive nickname, sometimes assumed, but often given by another. A sobriquet is distinct from a pseudonym in that it is typically a familiar name used in place of a real name without the need for explanation; it may become more familiar than the original name.” (Wiktionary)

damen is enjoying the sobriquiet. he is enjoying calling laurent “pet.”

craft note: i can’t do this. i don’t know. something something, role reversals and subversion. there.

Being the best table, it was occupied. Laurent emptied it with what appeared to be a glance, or a word, or the simple fact of his approach.

okay so what do we think this was. like, he’s not using his prince privileges here. he’s being perceived as essentially a very expensive prostitute. it happens quickly, it couldn’t have been a long con. what did laurent say or do, subtly enough that damen couldn’t make it out, to empty an entire table of people???

The earring was not a discreet disguise. Every man in the common room of the inn was taking the time to have a good look at Laurent. Pet. Laurent’s cool-eyed arrogance proclaimed that no one could touch him. The earring said that one man could. It transformed him from unattainable to exclusive, an elite pleasure no one here could afford.

has anyone ever drawn laurent in the “i am a luxury few can afford” sweater

But that was an illusion. Damen sat down across the table from Laurent on one of the long benches. ‘What now?’ said Damen. ‘Now we wait,’ said Laurent.

previous line “… no one could afford.” there’s a sort of double meaning here, i think, when damen says this is an illusion. what he means, consciously, is that laurent’s entire act is an illusion. but what i can imply, from the following action and dialogue, is that damen IS that one person who can touch laurent—the real laurent, behind the disguise. damen sits with him unceremoniously and speaks to him like an ally, not a pet.

their dynamic drives me fucking insaneeeeeee

Then Laurent rose and made his way around the table, sitting himself beside Damen, close as a lover. ‘What are you doing?’ ‘Verisimilitude,’ said Laurent. The earring winked at him.

nothing sexier than vocab

‘I’m glad I brought you along. I wasn’t expecting to have to tear things out of walls. Do you visit brothels often?’

i ask again: was laurent planning to do the pet thing without damen???

‘Not brothels. Camp followers?’ said Laurent. And then: ‘Slaves.’ And then, after the satisfaction of a pause: ‘Akielos, the garden of delights. So you enjoy slavery in others. Just not in yourself.’

get his ass laurent

Damen shifted on the long bench, and regarded him. ‘Don’t strain yourself,’ said Laurent. ‘You talk more,’ said Damen, ‘when you’re uncomfortable.’

i love this moment so much. damen is not giving laurent the satisfaction of his attempted blindsiding. if he's going to join laurent in this, they are going to commit to the bit as equals. laurent teases damen for his discomfort and damen teases him right back.

between the brothel and this scene, damen is correcting the dynamic he and laurent shared in the court and gardens of arles. it’s not that he refuses to play the game—but now, he insists upon playing with equal advantage.

(also: “you talk more when you’re uncomfortable” is a very true observation, and they both know it! after a few chapters of laurent being a boss ass bitch, it’s good to see him slightly humbled. especially when it’s damen doing the humbling.)

‘We’ll try to entertain ourselves. Who’s that?’ said Laurent.

kid in a candy shop behavior

Laurent was watching Volo with the same expression with which he had regarded the women in the brothel.

it’s like he’s playing the sims. like he took his self-made “laurent ofvere” sim to the club in a cunty outfit and now he’s trying to figure out what kinds of entertaining Situations he can provoke.

‘All right. Give me some coin. I want to play that man at cards.’ Laurent rose, leaning his weight against the table. Damen reached for the purse, then paused. ‘Aren’t you supposed to earn gifts with service?’ Laurent said, ‘Is there something you want?’ His voice was sinuous with promise; his gaze was steady as a cat’s. Damen, who preferred not to be eviscerated, tossed Laurent the purse. Laurent caught it in one hand, and took for himself a handful of copper and silver. He tossed the purse back to Damen as he made his way across the inn floor, seating himself opposite Volo.

I LOVE THEMMMM

Charls trusted the Prince to stand firm in negotiations with the bastard Akielon King more than he trusted the Regent uncle.

charls knows what he’s talking about

The Crown Prince was camped at Nesson this very minute, on his way to the border to stand up to Akielos. He was a young man serious about his responsibilities, Charls said. Damen had to make an effort not to look over at Laurent, gambling, when he said it.

incredible writing. 10/10

Laurent took the drink and picked his way back across the room, where he put it, untouched, in front of Damen. ‘Spoils of someone else’s victory.’

thoughtful <3 like when a cat brings its owner something it’s killed <3

Damen said, ‘If you wanted a drink and an old hat that badly, you could have just bought them from him. Cheaper and quicker.’ ‘It’s the game I like,’ said Laurent.

character-defining quote! laurent takes pleasure and pride in the chaos of improvisation. if everything was made simple for him, he wouldn’t be having any fun.

laurent has spent the last seven years of his life starved for enrichment in his enclosure. but he’s not in arles anymore—still a captive prince figuratively, but he’s finally having some fun >:)

He reached over and appropriated another coin out of the purse Damen carried, then palmed it. ‘Look, I’ve learned a new trick.’ When he opened his hand, it was empty, as if by magic. A second later, the coin dropped out of his sleeve onto the floor. Laurent frowned at it. ‘Well, I don’t have it quite yet.’ ‘If the trick is making coins disappear, I think you do have it, actually.’

they’d have this interaction in literally any au. modern, role reversal, whatever. just a cringefail theater nerd and his affectionately teasing prep-jock boyfriend.

(yes, damen is a prep. i’m sorry. look inside your heart and you’ll know it to be true.)

‘What’s the food like?’ said Laurent, his eyes on the table. Damen tore off a piece of bread, and held it like a treat to a house cat. ‘Try it.’ Laurent looked at the bread, and then he looked at the men by the fire, and then he looked at Damen, a long, cool look that would have been difficult to hold if Damen had not had, by now, a great deal of practice. And then he said, ‘All right.’ It took a moment for those words to penetrate. By the time they did, Laurent had settled next to him on the long bench. Laurent straddled it, facing Damen. Laurent was really going to do it. Pets in Vere made a teasing production out of this, flirting and making love to their masters’ hands. Laurent, when Damen brought the mouthful of bread to his lips, did none of those things. He maintained an essential fastidiousness. There was almost nothing of pet and master about it at all, except that Damen felt, just for an instant, the warmth of Laurent’s breath against his fingertips. Verisimilitude, thought Damen.

Laurent ate the bread. It was like feeding a predator, the same feeling. Laurent was so close that it would be easy to wrap a hand around the back of his neck and draw him closer. He remembered the feel of Laurent’s hair, his skin, and fought the urge to press against Laurent’s lips with the pads of his fingers. It was the earring. Laurent was always so austere. The earring reframed him. It gave the appearance of a sensual side, sophisticated and subtle. But that side didn’t exist. The glint of sapphires was dangerous. As Nicaise had been dangerous. Nothing in Vere was as it seemed. Another piece of bread. Laurent’s lips brushed against his fingertips. It was brief and soft. This wasn’t what he’d intended when he picked up the bread. He had some sense that his plans had been overturned, that Laurent knew exactly what he was doing. The touch resembled the first brush of lips in the kind of sensual kiss that begins as a series of smaller kisses, and then, slowly, deepens. Damen felt his breathing change.

He reminded himself forcefully of who this was. Laurent, his captor. He made himself recall the fall of each lash on his back, but thanks to some misfiring of the brain, found himself instead in the memory of Laurent’s wet skin in the baths, the way his limbs fitted together like a hilt fitted to the blade of a balanced sword. Laurent finished the morsel, then rested a hand on Damen’s thigh, and slowly slid it upward. ‘Control yourself,’ said Laurent. And shifted in, until, facing one another on the straddled bench, they were almost chest to chest. Laurent’s hair tickled against Damen’s cheek as he brought his lips to Damen’s ear. ‘You and I are almost the last ones here,’ Laurent murmured. ‘And so?’ The next murmur slid softly into Damen’s ear, so that he felt the shape of each word, made of lips and breath. ‘And so, take me upstairs,’ said Laurent. ‘Don’t you think we’ve waited long enough?’

craft… note…

i said i was going to analyze scenes like this in order to understand how they work and improve my own writing. like laurent, i take pride in committing to the bit.

overall, the eroticism here is in the improv. i’m sorry, but it’s true. "yes, and” is basically dirty talk in lamen. the long pauses, the mutual unspoken challenge, the suggestive performance… it all builds tension towards something exciting and unknown. damen and laurent’s connection, in this scene and the majority of the book, is like a string that they’re both pulling taut—and neither of them has any idea what will happen when it finally snaps.

i think it’s helpful to compare this moment with the garden scene from book 1. that erotic interaction was instructive and detached—laurent was completely in control, and ancel was there, doing something, probably. but here, damen and laurent are both actively and exclusively partaking, and encouraging each other to take it just a little bit further. they are close in a way they’ve never been before, figuratively and literally. they are exploring the space of the unfamiliar scene with good humor, mutual investment, and (from damen at least) unsubtle attraction.

if they weren’t so attracted to each other, it could truly just be an act. a performance. something they can put on to accomplish their mission, but drop as soon as it’s done. but here, i think, is when it becomes clear to damen that he and laurent can’t DO that. this territory is both unpredictable and too close for comfort, whether they’re approaching it ironically or earnestly. there’s no way for them to perform eroticism and remain instructive and detached. they are playing with fire.

damen realizes, when he feels laurent’s breath against his fingertips, that he can’t be normal about this. and he continues to think that, as i recall, for the remainder of the series.

laurent, meanwhile, will take much longer to have a similar realization, because that would mean inescapable attachment—something damen has never feared, but laurent fears more than anything else. like… emotional captivity, almost. (am i suggesting that attachment is emotional captivity? i think i am. hm, okay. anyway.)

with the way that this scene is written, we can see that things between damen and laurent are real. they’ve always been real, and they will continue to be real. the eroticism is in the improv, and we want them to continue “yes,and”-ing each other into a satisfying resolution. but, of course, the story is going to make us wait. and that just makes this scene even hotter.

from my breakdown of the book 1 garden scene:

i think what i like here, is that… yeah, it’s horny. it’s indulgent, easily the most blatant instance of kink we’ve seen so far. but it’s not really what i think frequent readers of this kink genre would expect, or even want to read—it is a subversion, with laurent completely disrupting the basic scenario that everyone else (but damen) in the scene wants to mindlessly enjoy.

how can i replicate this? set up a thing that follows expectations. don’t actually do the thing. do something significantly more insane than the expected thing. do not elaborate on the insane thing, leaving more questions than answers, and move on as if it wasn’t insane at all.

set up a thing that follows expectations = damen is playing master and laurent is playing pet. i think most people would expect damen’s archetype to exercise power over laurent’s archetype in that sort of situation, especially since he’s been denied the opportunity to assert his dominance in previous circumstances. i don’t know a lot about common dynamics in this specific kink space, but i do kind of assume that people would want to see laurent submit, both because of his characterization and physical appearance. and this would be an ideal place to indulge that expectation, characterization and plot be damned, since it can be called an act and stripped of actual consequences.

don’t actually do the thing = pacat doesn’t give an inch of her characterization to provide easy fanservice. the scene is erotic simply by suggestion, and laurent is almost entirely in charge—the instigator and the star of the show. damen, meanwhile, is physically passive and deeply confused by his own feelings and reactions. this is all consistent with their characterization in non-erotic scenes so far. they are acting here, but not as a “normal” master and pet. i don’t think they could be normal, even if they tried.

do something significantly more insane than the expected thing = check. see analysis above.

do not elaborate on the insane thing, leaving more questions than answers, and move on as if it wasn’t insane at all = check. yaoi break’s over, back to the secret mission.

The lobe of Laurent’s ear was pierced through with the ornament of his uncle’s child-lover. It suited him, in the mundane sense that it matched his colouring.

this happens during the bread scene, but i wanted it quarantined. way to harsh the vibe, damen

And there was a man of about thirty with a dark, closely trimmed beard sitting on the bed, who propelled himself off it and onto one knee when he saw Laurent. Damen sat down rather heavily on the chair by the door.

laurent launching into a clandestine business meeting while damen is still trying desperately to fight off the horny. lmao

The man drew a piece of sealed parchment from inside his jacket. Laurent took it, broke the seal, and read the contents. He read it slowly. From the glimpse Damen caught, it looked like it was written in a cipher. When he was done, he dropped the parchment into the fire, where it curled up and blacked over.

context: fuck, i don’t remember what this is. i don’t know. it doesn’t matter. like damen, i'm still thinking about the bread scene

‘I’m the type who takes a great deal of pleasure in small victories,’ Laurent said.

Laurent unpinned the earring. ‘I think we’ll be safe on the road in the morning. The men who followed us seemed more interested in finding him than harming me. They didn’t attack us when they had the chance tonight.’ And then, ‘Does that door lead to the bath?’ And then, halfway to the door, ‘Don’t worry, your services aren’t required.’

laurent drops the act so quickly. at a loss for any logical conclusion about what the fuck just happened, i think damen just decides to pretend he’s equally unaffected

i do wonder how laurent acted as soon as he shut the door and got some priavcy, though. hm.

When he was gone, Damen wordlessly picked up an armful of bedding and dumped it on the floor by the hearth. Then there was nothing to do. He went downstairs. The only patrons now remaining were Volo and the house boy, who weren’t paying any attention to anyone else. The house boy’s sand-coloured hair was a tousled mess. He went all the way outside the inn and stood for a moment; the cool night air was calming. The street was empty. The messenger was gone. It was very late. It was peaceful here. He couldn’t stay out here all night. Recalling that Laurent had eaten nothing but a few fraught mouthfuls of bread, he stopped by the kitchens on his way back upstairs and requisitioned a plate of bread and meats. When he went back into the room, Laurent had emerged from the bath and was half clothed and sitting drying his damp hair by the fire, taking up the majority of the space on Damen’s impromptu bed. ‘Here,’ said Damen, and passed him the plate.

okay, so here’s my read of this entire sequence: damen tries to get some space from his own recently-realized attraction to laurent. he remarks that it is peaceful outside, where he manages to get himself that space. and THEN he immediately tells himself to go back inside, because he can’t stay out there all night—can’t leave laurent alone for too long. he picks up food specifically for laurent on his way back up, sets things up nicely for them both, and greets him as if he never even left at all.

this is a parallel, i think, to the scene where damen abandons laurent in book 1. i just want to get that easy part of the analysis out of the way.

what i really find interesting here, is that it’s almost like… damen’s decision to accept his own attachment to laurent. he accepted his attraction to laurent during the bread scene, but attraction is a passive response. attachment is an active choice.

if attachment is emotional captivity, then this interlude is damen admitting to himself that he doesn’t want to be free. he knows what his heart wants—and unlike laurent, damen isn’t afraid to trust others with his heart. he doesn’t yet believe that laurent would treat his heart gently, which is exactly why he doesn’t give it to him. but privately, i think this is when damen finally admits to himself that his feelings are not only real, but also worth pursuing.

so he “yes, and”s the feeling, goes back inside, and fully commits to the bit, making sure that laurent is well-fed and cared for. if he’s going to do this, he might as well do it right.

‘Thank you,’ said Laurent, looking at the plate with a blink. ‘The bath is free. If you like.’

laurent’s little blink is very cute. and then he tells damen to go take a bath, so he (laurent) can privately process whatever the hell this is all supposed to mean

He told himself that this was no different from two dozen nights together inside of a warfield tent.

… but he knew that he was totally lyinggggggg

When he returned, Laurent had carefully eaten half of everything on the plate, and had placed it on the chest where Damen could get at it if he wanted it. Damen, who had eaten his fill downstairs and who didn’t think Laurent should be able to take over his bed when he had left untouched the vast comfort of his own, ignored the plate and came to stake his claim beside Laurent, on the blankets by the hearth.

head in my fucking hands. i love them so much. no thoughts, just domestic comfort. and they were roommates.

‘I thought that Volo was your contact,’ said Damen. ‘I just wanted to play him at cards,’ said Laurent.

great exchange. damen assumes that laurent does everything for a strategic reason. laurent just wanted to have fun. they’re breaking down their preconceived notions of each other, finally.

After a moment, Laurent said, ‘I don’t think I would have arrived here without your help, at least not without being followed. I am glad you came. I meant that. You were right. I’m not used to . . .’ He broke off.

from chapter 5: “You’re too used to doing everything on your own.” :’)

‘You’re in a strange mood,’ said Damen. ‘Stranger than usual.’ ‘I’d say I’m in a good mood.’ ‘A good mood.’ ‘Well, not as good a mood as Volo,’ said Laurent. ‘But the food’s decent, the fire’s warm, and no one’s tried to kill me in the last three hours. Why not?’

‘I’ve seen your court,’ Damen reminded him gently. ‘You’ve seen my uncle’s court,’ said Laurent.

excellent response for both damen and the reader to chew on

Would yours be any different? He didn’t say it. Maybe he didn’t need to know the answer. The king that Laurent would be, he was becoming with every passing day, but the future was another life. Laurent would not then be leaning back on his hands, lazily drying his hair before an inn-room fire, or climbing in and out of brothel windows. Nor would Damen.

a kingdom or this?

so far, damen has been able to tell himself that helping laurent is a way for him to help akielos—that he will leave laurent, as soon as he feels that his country is safe.

it’s going to get harder and harder for him to believe that, though, from now on. he did not just go back inside for akielos. if he had, he wouldn’t have stopped to find laurent a meal.

the lives in damen and laurent’s futures are just as real as their ruse downstairs. as in, only as real as they choose for them to be. so far, they’ve both assumed their own eventual choices, and each other’s, to be very set in stone. after this outing, i think damen at least begins to reconsider.

‘What really happened to make Kastor send you here? I know it was not a lover’s quarrel,’ said Laurent.

context reminder: he is asking this, fully knowing that damen is damianos. this definitely threatens his own cognitive dissonance. but he still asks, because he is vulnerable and relaxed.

I don’t know what I did to make him hate me as much as this. Why we couldn’t go as brothers to mourn— —our father—

i love damen as a character so much. beneath his determination to conflate niceness with goodness, is the crushing despair of knowing deep down that he can't trust people to treat him in the honorable way he treats them. he’s not angry or spiteful about this, even though he has every reason to be—just confused, and sad, and betrayed.

a younger laurent must have felt this way after his brother’s death and during his uncle’s abuse. but then came anger and spite, because he had no one to trust.

these characters were literally made for each other, like on a construction/craft level, and you can tell. it is really, really well-done.

‘My honourable barbarian. I wouldn’t have picked that as your type.’ ‘Type?’ ‘A pretty face, a devious mind and a ruthless nature.’

i love the mild anachronism of “type” here. also, lol. a rare moment of laurent not realizing his own dramatic irony, because there’s no way in hell he thinks at this point that damen genuinely likes him. also, i’m not sure if laurent sees himself as ruthless at all. he is pragmatic, but i don’t think he considers himself merciless or cruel.

‘Perhaps I . . . I knew she was ruled by her mind, not her heart. I knew she was ambitious, and, yes, at times ruthless. I admit there was something . . . attractive about it. But I never guessed that she would betray me for Kastor. That I learned too late.’ ‘Auguste was like you,’ said Laurent. ‘He had no instinct for deception; it meant he couldn’t recognise it in other people.’

i love it when my previous analysis is further reinforced by the text

And what about you?’ said Damen, after a difficult breath. ‘I have a highly developed instinct for deception.’ ‘No, I meant—’ ‘I know what you meant.’

when he’s relaxed, laurent talks like a total nerd. awkward attempts at irony, defensive self-awareness, and an obvious desire to be the most clever person in the room.

Now, after a night of earrings and brothels, he thought: Why not ask him about it? Laurent didn’t look uncomfortable.

the fact that damen has not only noticed laurent’s discomfort with the topic of sex, but is also considerate and thoughtful about it, makes my heart ache

‘I wondered,’ Damen said, carefully, ‘if you reserved your love for women.’ ‘No, I—’ Laurent sounded surprised. Then he seemed to realise that his surprise gave something fundamental away, and he looked away with a muttered breath; when he looked back at Damen there was a wry smile on his lips, but he said, steadily, ‘No.’

i’m guessing laurent’s thought process went something like this:

me, straight? lmfao i’ve had sex with a man

but that man was [redacted]. shit.

but damen doesn’t know about [redacted], so why does he assume i’m straight?

oh, i’ve got it. in my culture heterosexuality is taboo with the nobility, so damen would assume that i’m secretly straight and hiding it. dumbass. (smiles, because now he gets to call damen a dumbass)

‘It’s not my fault that no one in your country can think in a straight line,’ said Damen, frowning a touch defensively.

not the veretian homonormativity 😭

‘That isn’t why. She would have chosen him even if you’d had royal blood in your veins, even if you’d had the same blood as Kastor. You don’t understand the way a mind like that thinks. I do. If I were Jokaste and a king maker, I’d have chosen Kastor over you too.’

i’m pretty sure laurent means this as both a comfort and compliment. it also helps to reinforce his own cognitive dissonance between damen and damianos.

‘Because a king maker would always choose the weaker man. The weaker the man, the easier he is to control.’ Damen felt the shock of surprise, and looked at Laurent only to find Laurent gazing back at him without rancour. The moment stretched out. It wasn’t . . . it wasn’t what he had expected Laurent to say. As he gazed at Laurent, the words moved through him in unexpected ways, and he felt them touch something jagged-edged within him, felt them shift it a first, tiny fraction, something lodged hard and deep, that he had thought immovable. He said: ‘What makes you think Kastor is the weaker man? You don’t know him.’ ‘But I’m coming to know you,’ said Laurent.

this pulls everything between the lines of this chapter together beautifully. the mutual re-evaluation, the undeniable reality of their connection, a kingdom or this. i would love to know just how many drafts and editing passes this specific chapter went through, to achieve this degree of excellence.

also, a theme from book 1: "there is no honor in obedience."

#this one is very long #nothing but the best for my beloved bread scene <3 #jokes aside i've really proud of the analysis here #capri #sam reads capri #captive prince #prince's gambit #laurent of vere #damen of akielos #lamen

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rabid-reads · 3 months

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Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat (book 1 spoilers)

Right away, so many terrible things are happening. One after the other, the horrors are persisting, and I’m thinking…. Didn’t Pacat say whatever happened between Sarcean and Anaharion was worse than Damen and Laurent? 💀

Because how? How does a situation get worse than this?

It took me a while to read because there were so many parts where I had to put the book down and take a break. The story is great, but there were some super heavy themes.

Damen is so precious for not being able to understand how evil the people around him can be. Even when his brother betrayed him, he wanted to understand why because it was hard for him to accept. He’s so precious he’s not catching on to the very obvious hints of what The Regent has done to Laurent (his own nephew). Because Damen would have trouble understanding such a horrifying concept—it hasn’t even crossed his mind yet. Damen, who wanted to make sure the Akielos slaves were treated well would never understand the actions of The Regent. It’s crazy too, The Regent going around on his campaign to smear Laurent and promote his own flavor of moral superiority and virtue signaling. I hate The Regent so much.

Speaking of which, it’s amazing how Pacat has used Nicaise’s character to develop Laurent’s character. Because Nicaise is living through the horrors Laurent did as a child, and it makes sense that despite everything Laurent has a soft spot for Nicaise. The amount of empathy for Nicaise outweighs any of his behavior, because someone as vulnerable as Nicaise would want to hold on to any amount of power he can get. Especially while navigating life through this pit full of monsters.

I can’t even imagine how healing it was for Laurent when Damen refused Nicaise. There must have been a shift in his entire world view to take in the concept everyone isn’t a monster. And Damen’s constant chipping away at Laurent’s defenses by showing him not everyone is trash. When Damen consistently shows up for Laurent and defends him out of just Damen’s inherit goodness. It makes me want to sob. And I know Damen’s not a saint, but that’s the point. Damen is generally decent and even decency isn’t available to Laurent in his current situation.

It’s going to be rough watching Damen have to learn how to navigate these types of horrors, but at least it will be heartwarming to hopefully see Laurent change for the better because Damen helped show him a slightly improved world view. Hopefully.

Overall, I like the writing itself (the line work) in the Dark Rise series better, but I am more invested in the characters for this series. I also feel like every time a side character is explored in Captive Prince, it’s more interesting than it is in the Dark Rise series. And I like the narrative in Captive Prince better too; I’m not a fan of how many POVs the Dark Rise series has going.

But yeah. Quick mentions, Ancel sucks (pun intended), but Erasmus is adorable.

Time for Prince's Gambit! :D

#captive prince #captive prince damen x laurent #damen x laurent #c.s. pacat #book blog #bookworm #bookblr #book review #the captive prince #captive prince trilogy

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emeryhiro · 2 months

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anon with Q "three of them together":

My guess is that Isabelle will die before Carol arrives/Caryl reunion. Daryl would be depressed, upset, which would also be ambiguous, that he had feelings for her (all these shots where he suffers in handcuffs, sad sitting in the car, sad when we see Carol coming in. He should be happy. But no). Carol will make his condition a little better, but I'm afraid it won't be like the "What did you do?" moment again. Because then I give up... Carol has been through too much to get to him, and he will be depressed for his failed new family and play in the war that is not even his

Hello again anon 🙂🩵

I also think that Isabelle will die this season, however, my guess is it would be later in the season, probably episode 5, but I also think that we won't see much of her after episode 2.

I'm not sure if you happened to read my theory that I posted at the end of my analysis from the other day, but I kind of gave a summary of what I think the timeline will look like and why Daryl looked disheartened in some of the scenes we saw in the trailer.

But to summarise what I said there, I think the reason why he looks upset in those scenes is that he's torn between:

Leaving with Carol while they can, without taking extra risks, which would mean leaving Laurent, Isabelle and the others to fend for themselves, and

Asking Carol to wait a little longer before leaving (risking their lives) so that they can help Laurent and the others.

I wish I knew exactly what to say to reassure you, but in the chance that my opinion carries any weight in the matter, I'll add that I don't expect Daryl to be heartbroken if Isabelle dies; he may feel guilty because he knows that she trusted him and he wasn't able to protect her, and also since it would mean that Laurent would've lost the last of his family, but that guilt won't haunt him. I also don't see or sense him having any romantic feelings or deep affection towards Isabelle.

Once they're reunited, expect Daryl to follow Carol around like she's his north star because that's exactly what she is. We saw how frustrated, lost, and short-tempered he was becoming in Season 1, but watch how he comes back to life once she's around.

And one last thing I'll add is something I haven't been able to stop thinking about since I watched the SDCC panel, which is how Norman said that their reunion scene was his favourite moment from season two and how, he described his feelings while filming it as, and I quote, "fireworks were going off inside of me". What an insanely beautiful way to describe a scene which must have meant so much to both himself and Daryl ♡

#daryl dixon #carol peletier #the book of carol #isabelle carriere #caryl #caryl positivity

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ofstarsandvibranium · 2 years

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My You-niverse: Laurent LeClaire

Fandom: Oscar Isaac

Pairing: Laurent LeClaire x F!Reader

Summary: You and America get stuck portal jumping until you reach your universe again. In the meantime, you meet various versions of your husband.

Series Masterlist

The man, face similar to your husband's, thick, brown wavy locks, looks at you with concerned brown eyes.

You look down to see yourself now downing some...really old looking clothing. 19th century, perhaps? Since when did America's powers now come with a wardrobe change?

"Mademoiselle, are you alright?" he lends out a hand towards you.

You reach for his hand and wince. You look down to see a dark red stain on your sleeve.

America rushed to your side, also wearing a 19th century dress. She presses a hand to your arm and you wince. She then looks up at your husband's doppleganger, "She needs help!"

The man immediately rushes to help you stand, an arm wrapping around you to hold you up, "We must move, quickly."

You nod, trying to keep up with his hurried pace, "What are your names?"

"America," your young friend answers, "and this is Y/N."

"A beautiful name for a beautiful woman."

You can't help but scoff, "Are you this charming to every woman?"

"Only the ones that come falling out of nowhere from a strange light," he peers at you with a smirk.

America hurries her pace, "Yeah, we'd appreciate it if you actually don't tell anyone about that?"

"Are you witches of some sort? Devil worshippers?" he gives a scrutinizing gaze to America.

You grunt an answer, "No. We don't know what happened. One moment, some men were chasing us, the next we're here. We're just as confused as you are." you give a look to America, letting her know that that's the story you two are going with.

She nods, "That's right."

The man appears a bit unconvinced, but says, "Alright."

"You know our names, what's yours?" you ask and the man leads you to a village.

"Laurent. Laurent LeClaire."

"And what do you do Laurent?"

"I'm a painter." You can't help but scoff at his answer and he cocks a brow at you, "Something amusing?"

You shake your head, "You just remind me of someone."

"Your husband?" Laurent asks. You open your mouth to question him but he gestures to your hand, "Your wedding ring."

You don't say anything else. The three of you remain in silence until you're led into a small hospital. They allow America to go with you, but Laurent stays behind.

"Thank you for your help, Laurent."

He gives a silent nod to you and then America before you're ushered back to get your arm looked at.

______________

After a nurse cleans and wraps up your arm, you're left alone with America.

She's awkwardly rocking in the bed beside yours, "Soooo...do you think we're just going to keep running into Marc's dopplegangers?"

You snort, "I'm not the one with portal powers. Also, since when did your powers come with wardrobe changes?"

The young Avenger held up her hands, "Hey, I'm just as surprised as you are. That's never happened before." then she gasped, "Do you think I'll eventually be able do those badass costume like Thor?!"

You snort, "Guess you'll have to keep training and see."

The doctor, an old man, approached you two, "Alright, mademoiselle," he says looking at you, "as long as you keep your wound clean and change the bandages every few hours, you should be well on your way to complete health."

"Thank you, doctor," you say to the old man, standing and giving him a grateful smile. You then nod to America to follow you and you two are exiting the building.

"Y/N!" you hear a call of your name and see Laurent walking towards you.

You look at him with surprise, "Laurent! You're still here?"

He softly smiles and you see the look your husband would give you when it was just the two of you, "Yes, I just wanted to make sure everything went well."

"She'll recover," America intrudes, "She's strong so.."

"That's good to hear." he responds. The two of you continue to look at each other, leaving your young companion feeling a bit awkward.

"Sooooo I think we should go now, Y/N."

You take a step back from Laurent, "Of course. We need to find our way back home." You go to turn, but a hand catches your arm.

"It's getting dark," Laurent says, pointing to the sky, "Two ladies such as yourselves shouldn't be wandering. Who knows, you might run into the men who attacked you again. You need rest."

You shake your head, "We don't-"

"You can stay the night at my home." Laurent offers a solution with a smile, "I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you two. The inns are dodgy and can be unsafe."

"I suppose we can rest for the night...?" you reply with also a questioning gaze to America. She gives you a look as if what you're saying is the most ridiculous thing in the world. The look you give back to her silently asks, 'What choice do we have?'. She sighs and then you look back to Laurent with a smile, "We'll take you up on that offer, Laurent, thank you."

"Wonderful," he holds out his arms to you and America, "Shall we?"

He leads you to his small home a short distance away from the main streets of the village.

At his home, Laurent treats you and America to a small meal. Nothing fancy, but just something to fill your bellies enough to be satisfied. He then led you and America to his bedroom where you two will be sharing a bed.

You look at him with concern, "Where will you sleep?"

"Don't worry about me. I will make do."

"Laurent-"

"Sssshhh," he presses a finger to your lips and your breathing stills. He's close. His skin touching yours. Your body suddenly feels on fire. You see your husband, your Marc. You see his eyes, the intensity and playfulness, the mischief, the...slimmer of darkness.

With a gulp, he steps back and nods to America and then you, "Goodnight, ladies." He promptly leaves the room and you don't take a breath until the door shuts.

America plops onto the mattress, "Not gonna lie, that was a little uncomfortable to watch."

You roll your eyes, "Let's just go to bed."

Eventually, you and America are laying beside each other. America is out like a light, but you...you're still awake. Your thoughts mull over the recent events. Marc, the whole Blue Jones thing, and now Laurent. You knew, from what America's told you, that various universes exist. This means there are different versions of you, America, and Marc.

As you and America try to get back home, would you be encountering a different version of Marc every time?

These thoughts plague you, the endless possibilities, the desire to see your husband, hoping to get back home soon.

You've become restless. You're tossing and turning in the bed that smells like Marc's doppleganger. His face, the way he looked at you, plagues your mind.

Eventually, you're out of bed and stepping out of the room with a sheet wrapped around you.

You make your way to the living room where you see Laurent is still up. He's standing by the fire, painting on an easel.

He looks up and sees you, "You're still awake."

"So are you," you point out, holding the sheet tight against you for warmth.

"What ails you?" he asks as he continues to paint.

"It's been a very eventful day and I can't seem to ease my mind."

"We share the same ailments I see." he's concentrated on his task at hand. So much so that his brows are furrowed and you're reminded of Marc again. You sigh and begin to fiddle with your ring.

"Tell me about him," Laurent speaks again. When you look up, he clarifies, "Your husband. Tell me about him."

You set yourself on a cushion beside the fireplace. You stare at the dancing orange and yellow hues, "His name is Marc. He's...stubborn, a little selfish, but also brave and caring. He's brash, but also gentle. He's funny and annoying. When he upsets me, he always goes out and comes home with my favorite flowers and sweets. He's the love of my life." You then turn to look up at Laurent, "Do you have someone?"

He shakes his head, "No. Many say I'm married to my paintbrush though. I spend so much time with it."

You smile up at him, "I'm sure you'll find that person you're meant to be with."

He hums in response and you don't necessarily know if it's in agreement or not.

You move off the cushion you were sitting on, now using it to rest your head on as you lay on your side. You continue watching the fireplace until your eyes flutter close.

...

"Wake up, sweetheart."

You groan and your eyes open. Your vision still blurry but you see a figure standing over you.

"Wake up, honey, come on."

"Marc?" you rasp out and rub the sleep away from your eyes.

As your vision clears, you see another version of Marc standing there. However, he's bald and is donning glasses and a thick beard.

He cocks a brow at you, "Who the fuck is Marc?"

You sit up and realize you're sitting at a desk. A paper sticks to your cheek and you pull it away. You skim through it and see "Nathan Bateman" and "Blue Book".

"Nathan-"

"Listen, sweetheart, I don't pay you to sleep all day. You were supposed to transcribe these for me and because you fell asleep, it's setting me back by a day. Wake the fuck up."

You watch as Nathan waltzes out of the room and you're left shocked and jaw to the floor. This universe's version of your husband is a fucking dick!

#marc spector x reader #nathan bateman x reader #marvel au #ex machina #nathan bateman imagine #oscar isaac #oscar isaac x reader #f!reader #female!reader #fem!reader

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imaginaryf1shots · 7 months

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My Girls (VIII) | Max Verstappen

Words count: 1.4K

Driver!oc X Max Verstappen

Series Warnings: google translated french, dutch, cursing, child abandment, absent father, drinking, car accidents, Jos Verstappen, misogyny, Christian horner (tell me if i missed anything)

This is a secondary blog so I won't be able to respond but I'm adding you all to the taglist.

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Previous || Next

Dinners

It’s inbetween race weeks, the couple are back in Monaco, and after Cecilia talked to Sophie and her parents she decided to host a family dinner. Jos is also invited, with both families present Cecilia had a hope that Jos would come around and he’ll change his mind about her and her daughter. He’ll get a chance to see Max with Nattie and she knows that seeing how in love they are with each other it would change his mind. Max is his son after all and she found that whenever he’s with Nattie he has always a type of happiness that isn’t there when he’s doing anything else he loves, it’s a type that is only reserved for a father and his daughter. Even if Nathalie doesn’t call him dad and Max never referred to himself as her dad it’s not something they have to say for it to be true.

Cecilia and her mum were at it in the kitchen for hours the day before preparing everything so they’d only have to cook and finish everything the day of the dinner. The couple’s house wasn’t as big as her family's, but they did make sure to have a big dinner table to host dinners and family gatherings and to welcome Max’s family whenever they’re in Monaco.

Nathalie was having the time of her life with Victoria’s children and Laurent’s(her brother) children, the kids had a bunch of toys out on the living room floor with Max watching over them with Börje and Laurent. The women were in the kitchen finishing up, gossiping and waiting for Jos.

Cecilia heard the bell ring, while she was busy in the kitchen. She looked at Sophie in question, who shook her head. Cecilia nods to herself knowing her dad and Laurent will leave a good impression for her, she hadn’t told them about her conversation with Jos, only that he was a bit hesitant about her and that she wanted to win him over. Cecilia reassured them that Max didn't care about what his dad thought but she wanted to win him over nonetheless, it would be for the better good of everyone if he did.

“I’ll start taking stuff out.” Laurent’s wife Layla said with Victoria following after her. Cecilia heard Layla and Victoria greeting Jos.

“I’ll go say hi.” Cecilia said wiping her hands on a hand towel, she was feeling nervous, the female rarely felt nervous, she drives cars with speeds over 300 KM/H for a living but Jos always left her nervous. On her walk to the living room she passed Laurent who was going to help bring things out of the kitchen. The kids were unaware of the little tense atmosphere that settled on the adults in the room. “Hello Jos, thank you for coming.”

Cecilia put her hand out for him to shake, with the eyes of his son and her dad on him he couldn’t refuse shaking her hand even if he didn’t look overly happy about it.

“No problem.” He said stiffly but Cecilia smiled at him nonetheless, she stepped back and found herself stepping into Max, he placed a hand on her back, his thumb moving slightly in comfort.

“Food is finished, we can move to the dining room.” Cecilia informed them right as the mothers called for their children to come to eat. Nathalie looked at Cecilia and Max before she too jumped up and ran to Max, pulling him.

“I’m hungry.” She whined, Max pulled her up in his arms as she squealed and the group moved to the dining room.

Max and Cecilia had some food made for them to fit their diets, and who's to say that they didn't eat something their trainers wouldn’t be too happy about, what they don't know won't hurt them. They’ll just run an extra mile to burn it off.

Cecilia thinks that her dad has some type of magic powers because how did he get Jos to smile and laugh with him like they knew each other for years. Börje is a businessman, he's a smooth talker and he's seen all types of men and knows how to deal with them. He's seen the likes of Jos before and he knows the type of man he is, he's not the happiest about him being related to his daughter, but he'll never disapprove of Max because of who his father is.

Cecilia is grateful to her dad being able to get Jos talking and laughing, before he went and said something negative towards her, because if this happened then her dad would make sure that Jos was never in her vicinity and that would certainly make family gatherings awkward.

“What are you talking about?” Laurent asked seeing his dad and Jos in an intense conversation.

“Just sharing our stories on raising F1 drivers.” Börje said with a teasing smile aimed at the couple, Nathalie sitting comfortably on Max’s right, engaging in an animated conversation with her cousins.

“How did Cecilia get into driving? I don’t think I’ve ever heard that before.” Victoria asked, interested in where this conversation was going.

“Oh god.” “Here we go again.” The Hansson siblings groaned knowing how much their dad loved telling this story, their mum laughed at the identical look on her children’s faces.

“What? I haven’t been asked this in so long.” Their dad defended himself to the amusement of Max’s family. Max had his hand on the back of Cecilia’s chair, he pulled her closer to his side and kissed her forehead as they settled in for the story. “So, Cecilia is around four years old and my brother is watching a Nascar race on the TV, she sees how much my brother, who she was obsessed with back then, was into the cars, and because she loved him so much she wanted to copy him in everything, she became to me begging to drive a car, didn’t matter what car, she wanted to drive a car.”

“She was relentless.” Her mum added.

“After like five weeks of insistent begging and crying I took her to a karting track.”

“And me as well.” Laurent interjected, he remembers hating karting and doesn’t know how his sister could be so into it.

“Yeah, yeah, but you hated it, finished a few laps and was already out of the car, your sister was in the car for as long as they allowed her, and when the time was over we couldn’t even get her out of the kart.” Börje had a smile on his face as he was telling the story. “Again she cried and cried, got her one of those video games simulator things for kids, and every weekend we’d be at the track, when my brother was over from Sweden one time he came with us and saw her drive, said she had potential, and that it looked like she’s doing good for her age, so when Cecilia didn’t show any signs of wanting to stop we booked her lessons and started looking into academy’s, she was young when she started racing and met Charles and Pierre, it was nice meeting families with children who had the same interests. My Cece always did so well.”

Cecilia smiled at her dad, who had the proudest look on his face.

“And I’m here, helping run the family business and he still isn’t as proud.” Laurent said knowing it’s not true, but he likes to keep his family on their toes.

“That’s not true.” “Laurent!” His parents said at the same time one in defence and one in scolding.

“So why did you want to be an F1 driver and not a NASCAR?” Sophie asked Cecilia.

“I grew up here in Monaco, so every year the Monaco GP is like the biggest event, and I remember hearing the cars back then and just loving the sound of them, and when we got tickets for the GP when I was six, I felt like I wanted to be there, driving those cars.”

“But it wasn’t easy.” Max stated, making Cecilia look up at him and smile.

“It wasn’t, but it’s never easy for anyone to make it to F1.” Cecilia shrugged, brushing off her struggles to get into F1 just because she’s born a female, and the time she had to take off while she was pregnant. “It only gave Max a head start.”

“Look, we both know who the best driver in this house is.” Max smiled.

“ME!” Nathalie exclaimed, making them all fall into laughter.

“That you are, Schatje.” Max kissed her head and smiled at Nathalie.

War is over I guess… for now.

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Taglist:

#f1 imagine #f1 fanfic #f1 scenario #max verstappen x oc #max verstappen one shot #max verstappen imagine #max verstappen #f1 x oc #f1 fic

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