#lily: everything is going to be fine!

[pink-n-greennneerg-n-knip]

Make me your god, I can give you everything

[invinciblerodent]

(on that note i'm finally getting to watching the cast oneshot on high rollers and whoo boy)

(i might need to move my wyllmance playthrough up the line a smidge)

(i was gonna go with my cringefail loser "abolutely no rerolls for any reason" ranger and then my dark urge next but.... yknow? what can i say.)

[forlorn-plushie]

Mediabread: Ender Lilies

This game rules, the art fucks, the upgrades are all fun, almost every weapon seems to have a use case... it's just the sort of "Challenging But Fair" that's perfect. Several bosses I've had to come back to another day, 20-40 attempts, having fun the whole time.

There's multiple endings, one is a fake-out and the third says "go recheck the map" as is metroidvania tradition. The map, in service of this, marks unused exits and incomplete rooms. If you've played normally, you probably have mostly clear rooms, so it's not bad at all to go clean up. This is great even before the ending - if I ever didn't know where to go, I just checked the exits I couldn't remember being impassable.

For people who are Very Good At Games it's probably on the easier side - the dodge is extremely invincible and the parry is very generous. More games do this please and thank you.

Once I've fought a foe a couple times, if I try to parry something, I can usually get it. If I try to dodge and I'm not stuck in an animation, I can pretty much always do it. This is how it should be. The challenge is learning the timings, not executing perfectly.

The music is also stellar, with most of the game having beautiful string arrangements (I don't music. there's definitely a better term.), and then the last area makes me want to crawl out of my skin. On purpose! And it did it without making me want to stop playing. Expertly done!

Gorgeous! Touching story! 9/10, this is up there near Hollow Knight so if you're waiting for Silksong, go play Ender Lilies. There's a sequel in Early Access (Ender Magnolia) that I'm 100% gonna play when it hits full release.

[crenna]

tumblr is actually so bad for my mental health rn i’ll be back later i’m so sorry i’m so inactive especially on my dante blog i’ll be back and i’ll be back to normal soon i swear.

[umilily]

i really am the definition of wasted potential.

[concernedbrownbread]

Before he could place a White Lotus tile down, General Ting had already moved three steps ahead in her strategy. Alas, it had become too late for a harmony, and Iroh had to concede that for one, the White Lotus wasn’t going to get him out of this mess.

The irony was not lost on him.

“I notice your niece is out and about once more,” Ting said, not taking her eyes off the board.

Iroh smiled, moving his Lily. “She and her friends have been enjoying their time in Ba Sing Se.”

“Have they?” Ting said, letting doubt seep into her patronizing tone, “Down here in the Lower Ring?”

Iroh was dearly fearful he’d lose more than the game should he confess where Azula was in the moment and wisely kept his mouth shut. Ting finally looked up from the board, her face as impassive as always.

“Your move,” she said.

“Ah yes, of course,” Iroh replied, breaking her harmony.

She nudged the piece forward, taking his Boat, “I would like to talk to her.”

Iroh blinked, the only thing that showed he had been caught off guard, “I was under the impression that you wanted nothing to do with my dear niece, General.”

“You talk too much,” she said, as he captured her Knotweed, “I’m hoping she is more concise.”

“Perhaps I may be privy to what you require of her,” Iroh cajoled.

“Perhaps when it concerns you,” Ting’s Rock broke into another one of his harmonies, “This is my city.”

“And I will not let myself forget it,” Iroh promised somberly.

He moved his piece. One last time. Ting huffed, vaguely amused.

“Stalemate,” she muttered, “Should’ve kept my eye on the Lily.”

When he laughed, she seemed utterly unimpressed.

-WIP for Lily White, Poppy Red. I'm almost done!!

[shares-a-vest]

Love how I waited all week for a day off and now I have what I can tell is the beginnings of a major headache and nausea. I just wanted to be able to paint and write all day and listen to music 😭

[hylemorph]

Spoilers: Eggers' Nosferatu

There's a lot of debate right now on if Count Orlok represents Ellen's shame/trauma/abuse, or if he represents her repressed erotic desires, and in turn there's debate on whether or not viewers who find the Ellen/Orlok dynamic alluring are "missing the point." Eggers and Lily-Rose Depp have both said in interviews that there's a mutual pull between Ellen and Orlok, and even that there's a love triangle element, but obviously the experience is terrifying for Ellen. How can we reconcile the sexual tension and the horror?

I think the broader theme is that Orlok represents everything in a woman's inner world that men refuse to acknowledge and accept - fear and shame and trauma, yes, but also our appetites . After the prologue, the story starts with Ellen begging Thomas to stay in bed with her; she says "the honeymoon was yet too short" and tries to pull him in and kiss him (obviously trying to start some nuptial bliss). But Thomas is anxious to meet with his boss and get his promotion, because he has a narrative he's going to fulfill: he's going to pay Friedrich back, buy a house, and then start having kids (he and Friedrich touch on this a bit later. Notably, Friedrich discloses Anna's pregnancy to Thomas before Anna has made it public.)

It's the start of Ellen and Thomas' married life and she just wants him to prioritize her sexual desire, but he chooses to focus on his ideal of success, which sets him on this path to confronting Orlok. We know Ellen doesn't care about having a house or fine things and she begs him not to go, but Thomas listens to Herr Knock and Friedrich, who tell him that as a husband he has to provide materially. He ignores Ellen's stated desires, and so fails to provide sexually and emotionally. When Thomas gaslights her about her nightmares and calls them childish fancies, he shuts down her vulnerability, which kills the intimacy she was enjoying in the literal honeymoon phase.

On a related note, there's a defence in here for Aaron Taylor Johnson's performance, which I've seen a few male critics call "over acting." In this story Friedrich represents the masculine ideal of the time, he's a rich business owner with a beautiful wife and kids. Thomas clearly looks up to him and wants to emulate him - he wants to give Ellen the life "she deserves." But Friedrich's elevated masculine status is why he refuses to listen to Ellen's "hysterical, sentimental" worries, he's too rational for all that of course. And his stubborn "rationality" leads to the death of his entire family. Friedrich IS the patriarchal ideal that crumbles when confronted with nuance and uncertainty. Some people see Friedrich and assume that a character like him is meant to come across as dignified, and that Aaron Taylor Johnson is messing up by making him look annoying, but really he is giving a great portrayal of a really common, annoying kind of guy. The kind of guy who melts down and has childish tantrums whenever they lose control of a situation, or their manly skills and values are shown to be irrelevant.

The men in the movie (excluding Professor von Franz) frame Ellen as childish for speaking about her dreams candidly, but their own childishness is revealed when her dreams manifest in the form of Orlok and become unavoidable. Ellen (partially? possessed in the moment by Orlok) tells Thomas how "foolish and like a child" he was in Orlok's castle. In the literal context that's cruel, and obviously that shit was scary as hell, but it hits on Thomas' failure in the metaphorical reading. He was a child playing house: 'I'll be the husband and make money, you be the wife and make babies.' When it came time to confront his wife's inner world and all the scary, traumatized, lustful complexity of it, he was completely inept. The message isn't that Orlok is what Ellen really needs, or that Thomas is a wimp, but he's not a perfect husband either. I think "the point" is that a real healthy marriage with sexual, emotional, and spiritual mutuality is impossible in that society with Thomas/Friedrich's ideals. In that kind of society, a spiritually and sexually potent woman like Ellen ("in heathen times you might have been a Priestess of Isis") will always be caught in a "love triangle" with her husband and her own inner world.

[ari-ana-bel-la]

Answered Calls

Part 2 to this: Unanswered Calls

The sterile beeping of the hospital monitor echoed softly through the whitewashed room, in rhythm with the faint thrum of rain tapping against the window. The IV dripped slowly into her arm, and even though she’d just woken up, Yn felt so heavy. Everything ached — her head, her ribs, even her eyelids. The bright hospital lights buzzed above, and she blinked against the sharp white, her vision blurry, her chest tight.

“Yn?” a soft voice came from her right. Her mother’s voice.

She turned her head slowly, every movement screaming in protest, and saw her parents sitting on either side of the hospital bed. Max’s face was pale, his blue eyes rimmed red. Kelly was holding her hand gently, tears slipping down her cheeks as though they had never stopped.

“Oh my god,” Kelly whispered, choking on a sob as she leaned over to press her lips to Yn’s forehead. “You’re awake. You’re okay. Thank god, thank god.”

Max followed suit, his arms wrapping tightly around her, trembling. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” he said in a hoarse voice, pressing a shaky kiss into her hair. “I should’ve answered. We should’ve been here sooner. I’m so, so sorry.”

Yn blinked at them, feeling like she was underwater. It hurt, emotionally, more than anything else. But she was used to that ache, the one of always being second — no, third now — to her sisters. She didn’t want to add guilt to the pile her parents clearly already carried.

So she smiled faintly, her voice barely more than a breath.

“It’s okay,” she said. “I’m fine now.”

“No, it’s not okay,” Max said fiercely, pulling back to look at her. “We weren’t there for you when you needed us most. That’s not okay, Yn. I—” His voice cracked. “I thought we lost you.”

Kelly brushed Yn’s hair gently back from her forehead. “You’ve always been so responsible. So independent. We… we thought you didn’t need us as much anymore.”

“I didn’t want to be a burden,” Yn murmured, her voice fragile. “You’re always so busy with Lily and P. I didn’t want to make things harder.”

That broke something in all three of them. Kelly covered her mouth with her hand, tears falling faster. Max turned away briefly, hiding his face in his palm. And from the wall, Daniel stirred.

He had been silent the entire time, arms crossed tightly across his chest, his jaw clenched so hard it looked like it might crack. Now, he stepped forward slowly, his eyes locked on Yn. He didn’t say anything at first — he just leaned down and wrapped his arms around her, cradling her gently but firmly, like she was something infinitely precious.

“You’re not a burden, bub,” he whispered into her ear. “Not ever. And we’re gonna talk about that later. I promise.”

Yn nodded against his shoulder, too tired to respond, but comforted by the warmth in his voice, the quiet strength in his presence. He’d always been there. Since she was little, Daniel had always made time — even when her parents couldn’t. Ballet recitals, school events, birthdays — he was never late.

Her parents stayed by her side, murmuring apologies and reassurances until the hours passed like fog. The sun had set behind the hospital window, casting long shadows into the room. The overhead lights had been dimmed. Yn dozed, waking now and then to sips of water and a gentle hand stroking her hair.

And then Kelly’s phone rang.

She answered in a whisper, turning away from the bed slightly. Daniel noticed immediately — the way her shoulders tensed, how her hand came up to rub her temple.

“Hi,” Kelly said softly. “Is everything okay?”

There was a pause, then the volume on her end rose slightly. “What? She did what? Again?”

Another pause. Kelly sighed, exasperated. “Okay, okay, we’re coming.”

Max, who had been adjusting the blanket around Yn, looked up sharply. “What’s going on?”

Kelly turned around with a tight, apologetic smile. “The sitter. P’s been impossible all day. She threw her dinner, tried to cut Lily’s hair, and now she’s screaming because she wants us.”

Max sighed, rubbing his temples. “Of course.”

Yn had watched the entire conversation in silence. She could already see it — the look in their eyes. That pull. The need to be somewhere else. To fix something else.

“Go,” she said softly.

Max and Kelly looked at her like she’d grown another head. “No,” Kelly said. “No way. We’re staying.”

“I’m fine,” Yn said again. She even added a smile this time, though it felt cracked. “I’m okay. They need you.”

“You need us too,” Max said, kneeling beside her bed. “We’re not leaving you again.”

But Yn just reached out and took his hand. “Please. I’ll be okay. Dani’s here.”

She turned her head slightly to smile at her godfather, who gave her a look like he knew exactly what she was doing — and hated it — but said nothing. Max and Kelly hesitated, torn. And finally, with one more round of kisses to her forehead and tearful apologies, they left in a rush, already talking about Lily’s feeding schedule and how they needed to call the sitter back.

The door shut behind them with a quiet click.

Silence settled over the room like a blanket.

And then Daniel moved.

He walked over slowly, no longer keeping up the cheerful front. His arms wrapped around her gently as he sat on the edge of the hospital bed, pulling her into his chest. They sat like that for a moment — no words, just the sound of beeping machines and the soft thunder of rain outside.

And then, Yn broke.

It wasn’t loud at first. Just a shaky inhale, a trembling of her shoulders. But then the dam burst.

Sobs racked her body, loud and broken, the kind of cries that came from somewhere deep inside — the kind that didn’t care who was listening. Her fingers clutched at his shirt, desperate and aching. Every bit of strength and independence she had built, every time she told herself she was okay, every time she smiled while her parents rushed past her to tend to Lily or P — it all poured out.

Daniel held her tighter, rocking her gently, whispering soothing words against her hair.

“I’ve got you, bub. I’ve got you,” he murmured, his own voice breaking. “Let it out. I’m here.���

She sobbed into his chest, again and again, whispering things she’d never dared to say out loud.

“I thought I was going to die alone.”

“I didn’t want to be mad at them.”

“They didn’t come, Uncle Dany. They didn’t come.”

He closed his eyes, his jaw trembling as he fought the burn behind his eyes.

“I know, sweetheart. I know. But I came. I’ll always come.”

She cried until she had no more left. Until her throat was raw and her arms felt like lead. Until she could barely breathe through the tears. And still, Daniel held her, like he had every time before — through scraped knees, and heartbreaks, and disappointments. Only this time, it felt like even more than that.

It felt like the moment everything changed.

The air in the apartment was filled with soft baby giggles and the rhythmic tapping of keys as Yn worked through her math homework. Her eyes were heavy with exhaustion—healing after a car crash while keeping up with school wasn’t easy, especially when the people around you slowly started forgetting how close they’d come to losing you.

At first, when she’d been discharged from the hospital, things had been different. Someone—either Max or Kelly—had always been near, bringing her snacks, fluffing her pillows, helping her up the stairs. But that attention faded fast. It always did.

Now, Max was on the couch with Kelly, his arm slung around her as she held Lily up in the air and made silly faces at the baby, both parents giggling when Lily let out a happy squeal.

Yn glanced up from her homework, watching them for a second. Then her eyes drifted to the side as Penelope ran into the room, full of energy and noise. The six-year-old spotted Yn at the table and made a beeline for her, grabbing a colored pencil from the cup and climbing onto the chair next to her big sister.

“Whatcha doin’?” Penelope asked, already scribbling on the edge of Yn’s workbook.

“Homework,” Yn said calmly. “P, don’t draw on that. I need it.”

“But I’m helping,” Penelope said with a grin, her little hand still pushing the pencil over the page.

Yn took a breath. “I know you want to help, but this is something I have to do on my own, okay? Please, just go back to your toys.”

“No!” Penelope said defiantly, trying to grab another pencil. “I wanna help!”

“Penelope,” Yn said a little firmer, gently pushing her hand away, “please stop. I really need to concentrate.”

Penelope blinked at her, lips puckering into a pout. “You’re mean!”

“I’m not mean,” Yn said, jaw tight, trying to stay patient. “I just need space. Please, Penelope.”

But the little girl didn’t budge. She started kicking her feet under the table, humming loudly, then grabbing another pencil. That was it.

“Stop!” Yn snapped, her voice louder than intended.

Immediately, the whole room froze. Max’s head whipped around from the couch. Kelly tensed with Lily in her arms. Penelope’s eyes widened as her bottom lip began to tremble. A second later, she burst into tears.

Max was already on his feet.

“What’s going on here?” he asked as he hurried over, crouching down next to Penelope who had now thrown herself into his arms.

“She yelled at me,” Penelope cried, “I just wanted to help…”

Max hugged her tightly. “It’s okay, baby. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I—I tried to tell her—” Yn started.

Kelly stood now too, swaying slightly with Lily on her hip. “Sweetie, maybe you could’ve been a little gentler, hmm? She’s just trying to be like you.”

“I was gentle,” Yn said, eyes wide, heart racing. “I asked her three times. She wouldn’t stop.”

“She’s six,” Kelly said, her voice light but pointed. “She doesn’t always know when to stop. You’re older.”

“And I’m tired!” Yn snapped, standing up so fast the chair skidded. “I have been trying to catch up on everything while healing from a car crash that you didn’t even show up for! But sure, let's talk about how I was too harsh!”

Max frowned, confused, holding Penelope like a precious thing. “Yn, calm down. This is not a big deal.”

“Not a big—” Yn let out a breathless, angry laugh. “Of course it’s not. Because nothing ever is with me. It’s always about Penelope or Lily. Always them.”

“That’s not true,” Kelly said gently.

Yn was shaking now, her hands clenching into fists at her sides.

“Yes, it is,” she whispered. “It’s always been true. Ever since Lily was born, I’ve been invisible.”

Max moved toward her. “Don’t be dramatic. You’re not invisible.”

“Really?” Yn snapped. “Because I lay in a hospital bed for hours after crashing my car and no one answered the phone. No one. I could’ve died and it wouldn’t have made a difference because you had Lily and Penelope here, and you wouldn’t have even known.”

“That’s not fair—” Max started.

“No, you know what’s not fair?” Yn’s voice was rising now, louder, angrier, more hurt than anything else. “The way you always treat me like I’m too much or too intense or too sensitive. But all I ever wanted was to matter. To you. To her. To this whole damn family.”

Kelly’s eyes widened as she adjusted Lily in her arms. “Yn, you know we love you—”

“No, you love them,” Yn said, tears pricking her eyes. “You tolerate me. And I’m so tired of pretending like that’s enough.”

She stormed past them to her room, flinging open her closet and yanking a duffel bag off the shelf. She stuffed it with random clothes, socks, charger cords, not really thinking. Her vision blurred with tears.

Footsteps approached her door. Max appeared, Kelly right behind him.

“What are you doing?” Max asked. “You can’t just run away every time something doesn’t go your way.”

“Oh my God,” Yn muttered, zipping the bag. “You really don’t get it.”

Kelly reached for her arm. “Yn, don’t go. This is just a bad moment. You’re overreacting.”

“Overreacting?” Yn spun around, eyes blazing. “You think this is just about today? I have felt like a damn ghost in this house for years. Every time you post a picture with the girls and forget to even mention me. Every time you skip my dance recitals. Every time you call the sitter and not me. I’m not your daughter—I’m the afterthought.”

Max’s expression darkened. “Don’t say that.”

“I hate you,” Yn said, voice cracking. “You’re a terrible father to me. Just like your dad was to you.”

And with that, she rushed out of the apartment, ignoring Max’s call of her name. She didn’t stop. Down the stairs. Through the building doors. Into the streets.

She ran and ran, wind cold on her face, feet pounding against the pavement. It didn’t matter where she was going. Her legs knew. Her heart knew.

Finally, breathless and crying, she reached the familiar door and knocked. Hard. Again and again.

The door opened and Heidi appeared, wearing a cozy jumper and fuzzy socks, a mug in her hand. Her eyes widened the moment she saw Yn—disheveled, red-faced, eyes swollen.

“Oh sweetheart,” Heidi whispered, immediately putting the mug down and opening her arms.

Yn crashed into her, sobbing so hard she could barely breathe.

A second later, Daniel appeared behind Heidi, looking alarmed. “Yn?”

Yn lifted her head just long enough to reach for him too. He moved fast, wrapping his arms around both of them, holding them tightly.

“I couldn’t stay there,” Yn sobbed into his chest.

“You’re safe,” Daniel whispered, his hand stroking her hair, kissing the top of her head. “You’re safe now. You’re here. I got you.”

Heidi nodded, guiding them both inside, closing the door behind them. “You’re home, sweetheart,” she said softly. “We’ve got you. We’re not going anywhere.”

And between their steady arms, Yn finally let herself fall apart.

It had been over a week since the fight. Since Yn had stormed out of the apartment—red-eyed and furious, shaking with heartbreak—and into Heidi’s arms. Since she had made the decision to stay, not just for the night, but truly stay, at Daniel and Heidi’s place.

She hadn’t returned home since. The only time she’d been back to the apartment was when she knew Max and Kelly were out. She and Heidi had gone together, picking up her clothes, her sketchbooks, her ballet shoes, even the silly little mug she always used for hot chocolate. She had packed everything quietly, methodically. No trace of her left behind.

And she’d blocked both Max and Kelly on her phone without hesitation.

Heidi hadn’t asked many questions that day. She just held Yn’s hand, rubbed soft circles into her back as she packed, and drove her back home—to her new home—with Daniel. The place that didn’t feel temporary. That felt… right.

One quiet evening, Daniel entered the living room with a dramatic sigh, holding a tray with three mugs of steaming cocoa, each topped with a silly amount of whipped cream and rainbow marshmallows.

“Ladies,” he said in a mock serious voice. “Your elixirs of joy have arrived.”

Yn, curled under a blanket with her feet tucked beneath her, giggled. “Did you put the extra marshmallows this time? Or did you ‘accidentally’ eat them again like yesterday?”

“That’s a vicious accusation,” Daniel gasped, feigning offense as he handed her the mug. “I’ll have you know, your marshmallows are safe. Heidi witnessed the whole process.”

Heidi, who was painting her toenails on the other end of the couch, nodded. “It’s true. He was on his best behavior.”

Yn grinned, nestling into the warm drink. “Thank you,” she said softly. Her voice held that tiny bit of surprise every time she thanked them—like she still didn’t fully believe she deserved all of this care.

Daniel leaned over and plopped down next to her, bumping her shoulder gently. “You know you don’t have to thank us for that stuff, right?” he said, sipping from his own mug. “You’re family.”

“Yeah,” Heidi chimed in, setting down the nail polish. “We love having you here. Seriously, we’ve never had this much glitter and noise. It’s amazing.”

Yn laughed, looking down at her cocoa. “I just… I feel safe here,” she admitted. “I can breathe. You don’t make me feel like a burden.”

Daniel put his mug down and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, squeezing her gently. “You’re never a burden, munchkin. Not even close.”

There was a pause, the kind of silence that wasn’t uncomfortable but full of weight. Yn swirled her marshmallows around before saying, almost too quietly, “I think Max still thinks of me as an inconvenience.”

Heidi set her nail file down. “Honey…”

Daniel frowned. “He’s… struggling,” he said carefully, always the peacemaker when he could be. “But that doesn’t mean you have to forgive him just because he’s your dad. What he did—what both of them did—hurt you. And it’s okay to say that. It’s okay to take space.”

“I’m not ready,” Yn whispered. “I don’t want to see them. I don’t want to hear another ‘you’re overreacting’ or ‘she’s just a kid’ or watch them treat P like she’s the sun and I’m… I don’t know. Just the shadow behind her.”

Heidi stood and crossed over to Yn, kneeling in front of her and gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Then we protect you from that. As long as you need. You’re not alone, Yn.”

“I blocked them,” Yn murmured.

“I know,” Daniel said gently. “And I only messaged Max once. I told him you were safe, and you didn’t want to talk. That’s all he needed to know.”

“Has he tried again?” she asked, voice trembling.

Daniel looked at Heidi briefly before answering. “Yeah. He’s come by a couple of times. Kelly too. But we didn’t let them in. They wanted to talk to you, but… we told them to respect your wishes. That this isn’t about them anymore.”

“They said they deserve to see her,” Heidi added, clearly still angry. “But you know what, Yn? Deserving someone’s presence comes from love, not blood. And they haven’t shown you the love you deserve. We’ll never let them come in here and make you feel like you did that day.”

Yn looked between them, eyes glassy. “You don’t hate me for this?”

“Oh my god, baby, no,” Heidi whispered, hugging her tight. “We’re proud of you. For standing up for yourself. For knowing what you need. That takes guts.”

Daniel smiled warmly, brushing a tear from her cheek. “And look at you now. Ballet princess by day, face-mask bandit by night. You’re crushing life.”

Yn giggled through her tears. “I still can’t believe you let me paint your nails.”

Daniel held up his hands with mock grace. “Excuse me, this fuchsia glitter is art. I’ve been complimented.”

Heidi rolled her eyes. “He got one compliment from the barista, and now he thinks he’s a trendsetter.”

That night, like every night since she’d moved in, they watched their silly show together. Daniel fell asleep halfway through, his head tilted comically against the sofa cushion, one of his hands resting on Yn’s shoulder like a protective weight.

In the days that followed, their routine became sacred.

Heidi drove Yn to ballet practice every afternoon, always staying to watch through the glass with a little smile on her face and snacks ready when it ended. She cheered the loudest when Yn nailed her pirouettes, and on the car rides home, she always gushed about how graceful Yn looked.

Daniel made sure dinner was ready when they got home. They all sat around the table together, sometimes dancing around the kitchen to loud music, sometimes eating in comfortable silence, but always together.

On the nights Yn had nightmares—usually vague, confusing ones about being left behind—Heidi would rub her back until she fell asleep again. Sometimes, Daniel would bring her tea and let her talk if she wanted to. And sometimes, she didn’t want to talk. They always understood.

One rainy evening, while they were baking cookies and making an absolute mess of the kitchen, the doorbell rang.

Heidi froze. Daniel turned off the music.

Yn’s body went tense like a wire.

“I’ll get it,” Heidi said quickly, placing a hand on Yn’s arm. “You stay here.”

Yn nodded, backing away slowly. She knew it was them. She could feel it.

Heidi opened the door, her eyes narrowing. “You weren’t invited.”

Max’s voice was quiet. “I just want to see her. Just for a minute.”

“No,” Daniel said from behind her, suddenly beside his girlfriend, his tone more steel than usual. “You want to make yourselves feel better. But she’s the one who deserves peace, and right now, that means you staying away.”

“We’re her family,” Kelly said, her voice sharper.

“You were,” Heidi shot back. “But family doesn’t make a child feel forgotten. Family doesn’t silence her pain or compare her to their trauma. You had a daughter standing in front of you begging to be seen, and you told her she was overreacting.”

Daniel stepped forward, blocking the door completely. “She’s not ready. And until she says otherwise, this is her home.”

Without another word, he shut the door.

When he turned around, Yn was standing there, eyes wide, face pale.

“Was it them?” she asked.

Daniel didn’t lie. “Yeah. But it’s okay. We took care of it.”

Yn nodded slowly, stepping forward and hugging him tightly. “Thank you for protecting me.”

He bent down to wrap his arms around her fully. “Always, kiddo. Always.”

And as the rain poured outside, the little family in the warm kitchen returned to their cookies, their music, and the love that asked for nothing but acceptance.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♥︎♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Authors Note: Hey loves. I hope you enjoyed reading this story. My requests are always open for you.

I decided to make a sad ending cause I felt like it, so.... sorry, not sorry!

-♡○♡

[agentstarkid]

YOU'RE THE ONE (TO MAKE ME LOSE MY MIND) ✦ AZRIEL

✦ SUMMARY: Azriel prided himself on restraint—on silence, shadows, and secrets. But you, with your unshaken confidence and maddening obliviousness, were testing every last thread of his sanity. As chaos ensues, the Shadowsinger realizes one thing: he might be doomed.

✦ WORD COUNT: 1.2K

✦ WARNINGS: crack fic, archeron!sister (briefly mentioned), miscommunication, angsty fluff and humor (maybe??), obliviousness, azriel is stressed and about to have an aneurysm—azriel fanart by harleetattoos

✦ MAY'S RADIO: this was a fun little experiment 😅 azzie boy is a certified swiftie™ 😆 i hope this is somewhere close to what you had in mind, lili bestie! -> based on this post by @lili-of-the-wildfire 🖤

< back to general masterlist

Azriel was losing his damn mind.

He had spent centuries perfecting the art of self-control—of mastering his shadows, his emotions, his very existence. But this? This was unraveling him at the seams.

And he was at his limits.

Not the normal limit, like when Cassian got a little too rowdy or Rhysand smirked a little too much. No. This was a whole new brand of suffering.

Since the moment you were thrown into the Cauldron, he had kept his distance—watching, waiting, giving you space to adjust to your new life, to the Night Court, to him. Knowing how difficult it was for your sisters, knowing that maybe you needed time to grieve what you lost.

But you—you seemed fine.

You smiled, you laughed, you trained with Cassian and traded insults with Rhys, you asked Mor endless questions about the best places to visit in Velaris. You were fine.

Except Azriel knew that wasn’t true.

Because he felt it—the crackling in the air whenever he was near you, the way your emotions bled into his own, even when you weren’t looking at him. The bond—the one you were blissfully ignorant of—was there, thrumming between you.

And it was killing him.

Because you didn’t know.

You were testing him in ways he never thought possible.

Which was why you were currently sitting across from him at the dining table, casually eating a pastry, completely unbothered by the fact that every time you so much as breathed, the bond between you screamed at him.

“I was thinking,” you said, licking a crumb from your finger, completely unaware of the way Azriel’s eyes tracked the movement, “maybe I should go to the Winter Court for a while. Just to clear my head, see more of Prythian, you know?”

Azriel’s fork snapped in half.

You blinked at him. “You okay?”

No. No, he was not okay.

“You can’t,” he said, voice tight.

Your brows knitted together. “What do you mean, I can’t?”

“You can’t just—” He took a breath, ran a hand through his hair. “You can’t just leave. You belong here.”

You scoffed. “I belong nowhere, Azriel. That’s kind of the problem.”

He exhaled sharply. “You belong with me.”

“Excuse me?,” your expression twisted in confusion. “Why are you being so weird about this?”

Azriel exhaled sharply through his nose. He had planned to do this delicately, to ease you into it, to find the right words—

That plan was dead.

“You’re my mate.” he rasped, voice strained.

“…Okay?”

Silence.

Azriel just stared at you. His mind short-circuited so violently that his shadows actually stopped moving.

“…Okay?” he repeated, his voice an octave higher than usual.

You shifted on your seat. “Yeah? You seem really stressed about it, though.”

His eye twitched. His shadows twitched. Everything twitched.

Cauldron boil him, you had no idea what it meant.

He inhaled sharply, his wings flaring slightly. “Do you understand what that means?”

You folded your arms. “Is it, like, a fae kink? I mean, I don’t judg–” You tilted your head, raising an eyebrow. “Why do you look like you’re about to have an aneurysm?”

A FAE K—?

He had seen battle. He had been tortured. He had infiltrated enemy territory and survived things that would make even Cassian cry. But this? This was what was going to kill him.

“I—No,” he choked, rubbing his temples like he could physically press the stress out of his skull. “It’s not a kink. It’s a bond. The mating bond.”.

You hummed, swishing the tea in your cup thoughtfully. “Right. So, like… what does that mean, exactly?”

“You don’t know,” he whispered to himself. “You don’t know. No one told you.” He let out a breath that sounded like a mix between a groan and a whimper. “I’m going to kill Rhys.”

His shadows curled and twisted like they were also on the verge of a complete breakdown. “It means we’re soulmates. Destined. Bound by the Cauldron itself. You’re mine.”

You blinked. “I what?”

“You. Are. My. Mate,” he repeated, slower this time, as if you were a particularly dense trainee.

You tilted your head. “So… like an arranged marriage?”

Azriel made a sound that was somewhere between a snarl and a sob. His hands were shaking.

“No,” he gritted out. “It’s deeper than that.”

You frowned. “Like a super intense best friendship?”

“I—NO.”

You hear someone wheezing, barely holding their laughter in—then, moments later, a crash followed by a yelp.

You turned just in time to see a figure darting away, a blur of wings and siphons.

Cassian.

Azriel’s shadows had found him eavesdropping—and, judging by the way he stumbled, they had made sure he regretted it.

Azriel’s eye twitched. He’d deal with him later.

“Was that…? Is he okay?” you asked, glancing toward the door.

Azriel exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose. “He’ll live,” he muttered, clearly deciding that his brother’s suffering was not his current priority.

Instead, he turned back to you, inhaling deeply, speaking very slowly. “The bond ties our souls together. It means you’re meant to be with me. It’s why you feel drawn to me.”

Your face scrunched in thought. “Oh.” A pause. “I do feel really attracted to you.”

Azriel’s heart stopped. His wings tensed.

Finally. Finally, you were understanding—

“I thought it was just, you know… female hysteria.”

Azriel.exe stopped working.

You gestured vaguely. “Like, I figured I just had a stupidly big crush on you. Thought maybe it was the trauma or the near-death experience. But the mating bond? That makes so much sense.” You laughed, shaking your head. “Wow, I really thought I was just—”

Azriel inhaled sharply. Fine. If words weren’t getting through to you, maybe this would.

He reached deep into himself and gave the bond a firm tug.

You gasped. A shiver shot down your spine, warmth curling in your chest like liquid sunlight. Your breath hitched, and—Cauldron damn him—you gasped, eyes going huge and then giggled.

Azriel felt his soul crack in half.

You blinked at him, eyes wide with wonder. “Wait, what was that?!” Then, catching the look on his face—his pinched expression and the slight tension in his shoulders—, you gasped again, pointing at him accusingly. “Was that you?!”

Before he could respond, you beamed, wiggling excitedly in your seat. “Oh my gods—do that again. That tickled.”

Azriel was going to pass out. Or throw himself off a balcony. Maybe both.

“I—” He pinched the bridge of his nose so hard it nearly bruised. “You—You don’t just have a crush on me. That feeling? That’s the bond. The Cauldron literally forged us for each other.”

Your smile faltered and you squinted at him. “Are you sure?”

Azriel’s grip on reality was slipping.

“Yes.”

“…Huh.” You sipped your tea. “Neat.”

Azriel’s vision blurred. He was on the verge of blacking out.

Cassian’s laughter echoed from the hallway.

Azriel snarled. “Go away, Cassian.”

More laughter. Then a whispered, “I cannot wait to tell Rhys.”

Azriel inhaled so sharply his chest ached. He turned back to you, shadows writhing. “You do understand what this means, right?”

You smiled. “Of course I do.”

Azriel exhaled in relief.

Then—

“Anyway, as I was saying—I think I’d still like to visit the Winter Court and maybe then the beaches in Summer.” You smiled dreamily. “I could get a nice tan. A little vitamin D never hurt anyone, right?”

Azriel dropped his head onto the table so hard he thought he might develop a second brain injury to match the first one you’d unknowingly given him.

< back to general masterlist

[23victoria]

“I Love You” ❁

f1 grid x fem!reader

this is a drabble based of the “i love you but not saying it back to your partner” tiktok trend

wc: 1.7k

authors note: this is my first drabble! any feedback is appreciated and please like, comment, and reblog!! hope you enjoy!!

f1 masterlist

Lewis

You saw this TikTok trend and found it funny. Lewis was getting ready to go to his training session so it was the perfect time. Setting up your phone discreetly to capture the moment, he walked to the door, ready to leave.

“I love you,” he said warmly.

“Bye!” you responded, busy with mixing the batter for your cupcakes.

Lewis paused, a bit taken aback. “I love you,” he repeated, louder this time.

“Bye, Lewis! Hurry or you’ll be late!” you repeated, waving him off.

Lewis’s brow furrowed slightly. “Is everything okay baby? Did I do something wrong?”

“Lewis everything is fine, you can’t be late for your training session. I’ll see you later!” you say still paying him no mind, making sure the batter is mixed smoothly.

Lewis starts to worry that he did something wrong. “Baby I'm sorry if I did something that upset you. Can you please say I love you back” he says getting ready to cancel his session.

Finally, you broke into laughter, revealing you were just playing with him. “No, it’s just a TikTok trend. I promise you did nothing wrong. I love you baby!” you say walking up to him.

Relieved, Lewis laughs giving you a quick kiss. “You got me good. I love you too,” he said, leaving with a smile.

Max

You are always up for a good laugh, so you decided to try the trend with Max before he heads to his meeting.

“I love you,” Max said, grabbing his keys to the car.

“Bye, Max. Be safe!” you responded nonchalantly from the couch watching a true story documentary.

Max stopped in his tracks. “I love you,” he repeated, his tone more insistent.

“Bye!” you replied, looking at the tv with a faint smirk.

Max’s usually confident expression faltered. “Is something wrong? Why aren’t you saying it back?”

“Saying what back?” you say with a confused face trying to mask your laughter.

“I love you, Y/N. Say it back.” Max says no longer in the door but in front of you blocking the tv.

You couldn’t keep a straight face any longer and burst out laughing. “It’s a just TikTok trend, babe!”

Max's shoulders dropped in relief, laughing with you. “You made me so worried! I thought I did something to piss you off or forgot an important day! I love you too.” he says shaking his head making his way to the door.

Lando

Lando loves to play tricks and pranks on you so you decided it’s time to return the favor. You set the camera up on the dresser as you sit up in bed. Lando is on his way to film a YouTube video for Quadrant.

“I love you,” he said cheerfully.

“Bye, Lando!” you replied, focused on your phone.

Lando stops in his spot, staring at you. “I love you,” he repeated, sounding more unsure.

“Bye! Have fun!” you said again, trying not to smile.

Lando’s playful demeanor turned serious. His heart racing. “What’s wrong with you?”

Looking at him confusedly, you say “Nothing, why?”

“Why? Um, maybe because you aren’t saying “I love you” back to me” Lando says now siting on the bed infront if you.

“Did I do something wrong? Why won’t you say it back” he adds.

Unable to play along anymore you laugh, saying “It’s just a TikTok trend, baby.”

Lando lays his back in the bed singing in relief, “You scared me, I was about to call Oscar and ask Lily to see what’s wrong with you.

“Aww baby” you say moving to laying on top of him. Smiling at him while you kiss his nose you say, “I love you!”

Lando smiles hugging you and flipping you over so now he’s on top. “I’m so gonna get you back, but I love you too.” he says giggling in your neck.

Charles

Charles was going to take Leo for a walk, you decided to stay back to make lunch. You set up the camera on the kitchen counter ready to prank Charles.

“I love you,” he said softly, giving you a kiss on the cheek as he hold Leo in his hands.

“Bye, Charles. Bye, Leo!” you say only paying attention to Leo not him.

Charles repeats himself. “I love you, ma cherìe” he says again, a little louder.

“Bye!” you repeated, paying him no mind.

Charles’s face showed genuine concern. “Is everything okay? Did I upset you?”

“Yes everything’s fine.” you say trying to ignore his presence again.

He sets Leo down and stares and the side of your head and says even louder, “I love you, ma chéri”

You do your best to hold your composure and not laugh while focusing on the task in front of you, “Bye Charles, be safe!” you say in a normal voice.

Charles' eyes bore into you and the next thing you know, you feel one hand under your chin, the other on your waist turning you to face him. “I.” Kiss. “Love.” Kiss. “You.” Kiss.

You smile as he kisses you between each word, giggling at him, you say “I love you Charles.” “I’m just playing with you baby, it’s a trend going around on TikTok.”

Charles shakes his head and laughs. “Don’t ever do that again, ma chéri” “You really had me worried. Thank you for finally saying it back. I love you too.” he says smiling cheekily, giving you a kiss on the lips before he’s out the door with Leo.

Oscar

The trend has been going around on TikTok for a min now and you immediately knew you had to play this prank on Oscar. He’s always so calm and laid back so you wondered if this will get to him. He’s getting ready to leave to record some videos with Lando for McLaren, so this is the best time to do it.

“I love you,” he said with a smile, halfway out the door of the hotel room.

“Bye, Oscar!” you replied, not meeting his eyes.

Oscar stopped dead in his tracks looking confused. He turns his body around at the door. “I love you,” he says again, trying to get your attention.

“Bye, Oscar!” you respond, hiding your smile behind the blanket as you play a game on your phone.

Oscar still has a confused look on his face as he says, “I love you, Y/N.” You don’t respond instead just straight up ignore him.

He walks back into the room, closing the door. He stands at your side and repeats himself with his arms crossed. “I love you Y/N.”

You look up at him and say “Okay, hurry and go before you're late!”

Oscar looks at you dumbfounded and gets on the bed laying on top of you. You groan and try to push him off, “Oscar get off! You're going to be late! You have to go! you say still trying to escape free.

“No, not until you tell me what I did to make you so upset that you're not saying “I love you” back to me” he says , putting even more of his weight on you.

You laugh saying, “Aww, babe, it’s just a prank.“ It’s a TikTok trend!”

Oscar lifts himself off of you, and sighs in relief laying next to you, laughing. “You know I only just joined TikTok, you had me really worried there. You laugh rolling on him to give him a kiss. “I know. I love you too, babe, even if you do act like a millennial sometimes.”

“Hey!” he says as he rolls over trapping you as he attacks you with tickles to your stomach and kisses all over your face.

Carlos

Carlos is on his way to a photo shoot with Charles and Ferrari for Vogue. You decide it’s the perfect time to do the TikTok prank on him.

“I love you,” he says, giving you a kiss on the forehead, his eyes twinkling.

“Bye, Carlos!” you reply, barely glancing at him as you walk away.

Carlos paused, looking puzzled. “I love you,” he repeated, his tone even louder.

“Bye!” you say again, stifling a giggle as you sit on the couch, searching through Hulu for a show to watch.

Carlos’s face falls. He walks towards you and says your name. You ignore him and now he’s sitting on the couch next to you just staring.

Feeling his eyes burn through the side of your head you turn to him and say “Did you forget something? You can’t be late for this photoshoot.”

“Ah okay, I see how it is. You acknowledge my presence to ask me if I forgot something but you can’t say “I love you” back to me?” he says moving closer to you on the couch.

Ignoring what he said, you say “Bye!”

Carlos doesn’t move and just sits there and grabs your chin and says “Repeat after me cariño. Say “I”

“Bye” you say.

“No, say “I”, he says again.

“Bye.” you respond.

Carlos shifts in his seat moving even closer to you, saying “Cariño say the word “I”

You look Carlos dead in the eyes and say “Bye.”

“Okay, that’s how you wanna play.” he says as he tackles you softly on the couch, your back hitting the sofa with him on top of you pulling your shirt up revealing your stomach.

Holding the shirt he says, “I’m going to ask you one more time, cariño, say “I love you.”

“No.” Just as that word escapes your mouth you feel him blowing raspberries on your stomach, tickling you as you try your best to escape from his hold. “Say it!” he yells. “No!” and now he’s biting your cheeks and kissing you all over your face.

“I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you” Say it back he says not stopping his attacks.

“Okay, okay!” “I love you, Carlos,” you say breathlessly.

Laughing as you try to catch your breath. You kiss him all over his face, telling him, “It’s just a TikTok trend, baby. You know I love you so so much!”

Carlos laughs, “Of course it is, you and your TikTok addiction” “Hey!” you say eyes wide as he calls you out. “I’m just playing cariño, your TikTok addiction is cute, not so nice when the tricks are played on you huh?” “Yea, yea, whatever!” You say pushing him off smiling.

© 23victoria 2024 I all rights reserved. do not republish, steal repost, modify, translate, or claim my work as your own.

[plethorawrites]

So we’ve seen all of the batbros as cats but what about the reader? What would happen if they were turned into a cat?

This took forever, sorry! But yes, I totally can!

Bruce: Weary and worried.

• Before all else, he's concerned with making sure you're alright. He calls Zatanna immediately to ensure it's not permanent and then after he knows it's not, he can relax enough to try to comfort you.

• He was never a cat person, only ever owning dogs, so he really has no clue how to take care of a cat. Let alone a cat who's really the love of his life. He tries, though. He gets Alfred to make you dinner, something that's fresh and not gross Tuna or Salmon from a can. He gives you your choice of every throw pillow in the manor to tear up when he sees you get antsy, your claws flicking in and out in stress. And of course, everything poisonous to cats like the peace lilies in the living room are moved far away.

• Bruce still has to go to work, unfortunately and with no idea how to keep you entertained, puts on those "Soothing cat videos" on the big TV in his bedroom for you to watch. A six hour loop of a fishtank is less than ideal but seems to work well enough.

• You're in the same place as when he left you, so he assumes you didn't mind too much. He notices you grooming yourself, not because you want to, but out of some strange instinct you've developed and he can tell you're grossed out by your own actions, so he does his best to clean your fur himself. You might be a cat, but you seem to like water so he puts you in the bathtub and scrubs your fur with your normal soap which makes you pur.

• Until he takes you out of the warm water and you're absolutely freezing, shivering from the cold. He wraps you in a towel and holds you to his chest until you're mostly dry, then, despite the dampness of your fur, let's you curl up under the covers since you're still a bit chilly. It makes his own skin wet, but he doesn't mind since at least you seem a bit happier.

---

Dick: Amused and empathetic.

• He tries not to laugh. He really does. It's just...so much harder than it should be. You look so small, so adorable, so fuzzy. You have a tail, for God's sake. How could it not be hilarious? He only stops chuckling when you swat your paw at him, catching him with sharp claws, cutting him. He doesn't get upset since he knows he deserved it.

• Goes to the pet store with you, letting you sit in the cart and pick out your own things, which, he can tell you dislike but reluctantly comply—otherwise he'd buy you a rat themed toy instead of the feather one you wanted. You gurgle and growl repeatedly when he picks up those stupid cat costumes, but he still buys them anyway.

• And yes, he does force you to wear them. You resisted, at first, of course, but eventually gave up when he gave you those puppy dog eyes. If you thought being a cat was humiliating, you couldn't have prepared for being a cat wearing a sombrero and poncho. "Those are our Christmas cards this year," he tells you, kissing the top of your head while you meow in protest.

• Despite that, he's still sweet to you, apologizing for you having to go through this and swearing he'll fix it. In the meantime, just try to stay positive. He'll say you can rip up the drapes if it makes you feel better. You do and it does. You always hated them and he refused to get rid of them, but now there was a valid reason to.

• He sits on the floor with you, swinging the feather toy around as you chase it, gaining a good amount of height the longer you play. His arm gets tired but you're clearly not, so he sits there until you eventually get sick of it and he sets it down while you crawl into his lap for a nap. He was going to make something to eat, but he supposes he can wait.

---

Jason: Paranoid and terrified.

• His initial response is to reassure you that you'll be fine. He'll do whatever it takes you turn you back into a human, no matter what. His second response, is to freak out. He has no idea how to take care of a cat, let alone his partner who's a cat! What if he hurts you? What if he can't fix it?

• Being a cat, you, unbeknownst to him, sense him apprehension and almost immediately start rubbing against his legs until he hesitantly picks you up, cradling you in his arms as gently as possible. You rub your head against his jaw, trying to soothe him and he takes a few deep breaths, relaxing and nuzzling your fur.

• It takes him a while, and a lot of trial and error to figure out how to take care of you, be it buying food you don't like, to accidentally leaving the window open and panicking that you escaped (you were under the bed, because it was warm and safe) but he eventually calms down once the day is finally over.

• Cuddling with you on the couch, he can barely even feel your claws kneeding on his arms because there's so much scar tissue it's too hard to scratch and hurt. Your purring is what calms him down the most though, after an extremely long, stressful day. You sitting on his lap, his hand resting on your back as he slowly and accidentally falls asleep.

• When he wakes up, you're still a cat, still sleeping on him. He picks you up carefully, taking you to the bedroom so he can sleep in his bed and you aren't left alone in the living room. He has a feeling you'll be yourself soon enough, even if he doesn't know exactly when. He'll keep you safe until then.

---

Tim: Shocked and Frantic

• He immediately starts to panic. You're a cat. A freaking cat. How? Why? What does he need to do to fix it? He has a million questions and no answers. But his stress only adds to your own and he quickly tries to calm down before soothing you: "No, no, no. It's fine. You're gonna be fine. I swear."

• Still, the second he gets you out of the room, convincing you that you'd be more comfortable in the living room than in the batcave, he starts to pace and freak out again. It's actually Damian, of all people, who gets him to snap out of it, literally slapping him across the face and telling him to be there for you instead of worrying about the details.

• He listens, to an extent, going back upstairs to where you were chewing on the fern in the living room, ripping a leaf apart. Pulling you away from it as you meow in protest, he cradles you in his arms, apologizing for fretting and promising he won't leave again.

• And he doesn't. He does, however, keep working on a way to fix you. He tries to be annoyed when you start knocking things off his desk, pushing stuff into a water bowl, jumping into his bottom drawer, laying on his papers, but he can't do it. You're just acting too cute to genuinely be mad. Eventually, he takes a break, closing the drawer you were sitting in and hauling you to his bed.

• He'll admit, he threw you with a little less caution than he probably should have, but you didn't mind, crawling onto him the moment he laid down, eager to close your eyes after being awake for far too long. Aka 5 straight hours, which, for a cat, was a lot. He didn't quite realize that, but notices almost immediately how fast you fall asleep once you lay down, curling into a ball, tucking your nose under your tail to keep it warm.

---

Damian: Is both fascinated and prepared.

• He has over a dozen pets, so when you're turned into a cat, he already knows everything there is to know and gets you anything you could possibly need. A nice cat bed, toys to keep you entertained, a post to scratch so you don't ruin any furniture.

• His others pets want to play or chase you, but he scoops you up before any of them can get even close to you. And he insists you stay close to him and not wander off, because you could get lost, kidnapped, or hurt.

• You always knew his knowledge of animals was extensive but didn't realize how much so until he was petting you, explaining how the hair follicles on cats work, which is why they never like to be pet in certain areas.

• Despite having an extremely nice bed, you'd really rather prefer his and he allows it, reminding you not to scratch the pillows or the sheets. "They're Egyptian silk. Don't ruin them." Still, when he catches you clawing at them in your sleep, unaware you were doing it, he doesn't stop you.

• In the morning, he switches feeds you breakfast, in a human bowl so it's not so degrading and takes you with him while he works on a way to fix you. He quickly gets distracted, though, by how you're looking around at everything like it's the most interesting thing ever.

[roanofarcc]

A LITTLE LIFE

pairing. tyler owens x fem!reader

summary. when a storm tyler is chasing changes course, putting you and your daughter in the direct line of danger, tyler drops everything to reach you. 

warnings. established relationship, descriptions of injuries, reader gets hurt, angst w/happy ending.

word count. 2.7k || masterlist

You watched as Tyler slung his overnight bag over his shoulder and patted his pockets to ensure he had everything he needed for his latest storm-chasing adventure. 

“Are you sure you have everything? Did you pack your charger? Because-” Your husband cut you off with a gentle chuckle. 

“It was the first thing I packed,” he said. The one time he had let his phone die while on a chase nearly sent you into cardiac arrest. He hadn’t sent you his usual indication that the chase went well and he and the rest of the Wranglers were just fine. You were in a fit of panic until Lily called you with words of reassurance and a promise to scold Tyler for his forgetfulness. Since then, you always bugged him to ensure he had his charger and that he used it. 

But he had gotten a lot better about checking in since you had your little girl. The reckless Wrangler pumped the breaks just slightly, calling every night he was away to hear the little baby babble before he fell asleep. He’d taken a rather long break from chasing when she was born, but you knew he missed it dearly. And while you’d miss him, he promised to keep his trips to a couple days tops and he’d come home the second you felt overwhelmed or needed help, no matter the size of the storm they were after. 

You were nervous to let him go, but you always had been. Yet, Tyler’s love for the dangerous weather wasn’t something you wanted to stand in the way of. He was doing what he loved, with the people he loved even more. You were proud of him and his friends for sticking to their guns and doing everything they could to help the people affected by the storms. 

Tyler moved to stand in front of you and your little girl, who you held on your hip. She was all smiles as Tyler kissed her cheeks. “You keep an eye on your momma for me this weekend, okay? She’s a handful.” 

You playful rolled your eyes. “Right, because I’m the one who refuses to sleep at bedtime.” That had been an ongoing battle. Your little girl liked to stay awake all night and nap off and on through the day, leaving you and Tyler on the backward schedule too. 

Tyler pressed a kiss to your lips, pulling away too soon for your liking. He looked unsure of himself, eyes flickering between you and your daughter. “You sure you’re gonna be all right?” he asked, for what had to be the hundredth time that morning. He always checked before he left, over and over again just in case you changed your mind, but you never did. 

You placed a hand on his cheek, smiling in reassurance. “I promise,” you said. 

He nodded, kissing you once more as he muttered, “I love you,” against your lips. 

“I love you too.” 

With your baby’s backward sleep schedule, you had managed to put her to sleep by mid-afternoon. She slept soundly in her crib, and you collapsed on the couch with a tired sigh. The TV droned on, playing some old sitcom that you’ve seen a million times, lulling you to sleep slowly before it overtook you completely. 

The gentle breeze swept in through the open windows, filling your home with a springtime sweetness you thought would remain throughout the weekend, sprinkled with a few rain showers throughout. But as you slept, the pretty blue skies started to shift, changing into something much more sinister. 

The storm was glorious. Tyler’s veins were filled with adrenaline as they followed the twister down an empty backroad, watching as it gained speed. Boone stayed steady filming it, hollering in excitement the whole time. They didn’t get a chance to catch their breath until the tornado was choked out, dissipating before their eyes like it had never been there at all, but leaving behind a clear path of destruction across the open plains. 

The weekend was supposed to host a slew of storms just north of Tyler’s home, and he and his team felt pretty good about their luck based on the first tornado they caught. Maybe it was a little superstitious, but they often used the first storm they chased as a baseline for how lucky they’d be during that outbreak. 

Meeting back up with the rest of the Wranglers, Tyler watched the sky with his hands on his hips, his mind split between the storms and you. Even though he had been chasing since your daughter was born, he was still a little hesitant, especially considering how much of a hassle it was to get her to sleep through the night, but you were just as supportive and wonderful as ever. His responsibility to you and your daughter was his first priority, but his responsibility to the Wrangles was second. 

“We got another big one brewin’ southeast,” Dexter said, eyes glued to the radar. Peering over his shoulder, Lily watched it too. The fixed small smile on her lips faltered before her brows furrowed. She patted Dexter’s shoulder to get him to step aside from the device. 

Tyler could tell she was thinking hard about something, her lip pulled between her teeth and shoulders rolling back. 

“Lily,” Tyler said. “What is it?” 

“It’s heading right for town.” 

Boone’s face pinched in confusion. “What town?” 

All Lily had to do was look at Tyler before he felt a cold twist of dread overtake his body. The storm was heading straight for you. 

You were exhausted. So much so that you didn’t wake up until a loud crash jolted you out of your slumber. You shot up from the couch with a gasp, heartbeat quick in your chest. The curtains that framed the open windows whipped around wildly as a harsh wind blew through screen. It pushed over the vase of flowers that were resting on the end table in front of the window, leaving broken glass and water strewn across the floor. 

You hurried over to the window, only to be assaulted by the violent wind and rain that seemed to be coming down sideways. Cursing under your breath, you went around the living room, closing the windows and blocking out the loud howl that rose goosebumps on your skin. 

Thunder rumbled loudly, rattling the house and waking up the baby. You hurried down the hall, scooping up your daughter with her woven pink blanket. As you tried to calm her down, the sirens rang out with a fury. 

Tornadoes were as common in spring as rain, but your nerves never vanished whenever the sirens sounded. You had been lucky, always just out of the direct path of the storm resulting only in a fallen tree or ruined patio furniture, but nothing too damning. Yet, you never wanted to take your chances, try to outsmart the force of nature by testing your luck. And you had another person to be responsible for. So, you grabbed the diaper bag hanging on the back of the closet and started toward the basement. 

It was half-finished, but home to an emergency stock of supplies if worse ever came to worse during tornado season. Usually, you stayed calm during storms, either reassured by Tyler or able to talk yourself out of any worry as the storm passed by without too much rocking of the house. But Tyler wasn’t there, and it was your first big storm with the baby. 

Panic welled in your chest, pushing against your ribs as you sat on the old cot set up in the far corner of the basement, beside the shelf of food, water, and a radio. Your baby girl had stopped crying, lulled by you gently rocking her. Flipping on the radio, you listened as the weather overhead worsened. The weatherman only confirmed your fears when he listed your county as being right in the path of the increasingly powerful tornado. 

With one hand, you fumbled around in your pockets, in search of your phone, only to realize you had plugged it in not long after Tyler left. It remained upstairs. You heard the howl of wind increase and you knew you’d missed your window to safely venture upstairs. Instead, you were stuck, huddled in the corner of the basement silently praying your luck hadn’t run out and the storm would switch its path or disappear before it reached your home. 

But your luck seemed to have run out. 

Tyler was sure he’d never been so terrified of a storm before. Normally, he found the beauty in them, but he also had seen their destruction firsthand. It was always devastating to see people’s homes flattened and watch them in a desperate scramble to find their missing loved ones in the rubble. That was why they put their money towards helping those people; it wasn’t much, but it was the only way he knew how to help. 

It was a different kind of heartbreak when the devastation plagued a familiar place. As soon as he turned down the little gravel road that led to his neighborhood, he felt violently ill. It was like a swift punch in the gut, nearly causing him to double over at the wheel. The homes he had memorized along the street were gone, old trees completely uprooted, and cars overturned and totaled. 

“Oh my God,” Lily muttered from the backseat, bringing Tyler slightly out of his increasing panic. He didn’t know what he expected, based on the damage leading down the road toward your guys’ home, but nothing prepared him for seeing his little house in ruins. His mind didn’t even register what was happening until he abandoned his truck, running across what used to be the front yard. 

“No, no, no,” he whispered, unable to say much of anything else as he climbed over the rubble of the house. His chest felt impossibly tight, like his heart had been flattened alongside the homes, because his heart wasn’t in his chest anymore, not really. His heart was with you and your little girl; he’d given it away to you long ago and then again when he held his daughter for the very first time.

And neither one of you were anywhere to be seen. 

The Wranglers started to yell your name before Tyler found his voice and joined them. He peeled through the debris, numb to the pain in his hands as they cut against the mangled pieces of what once was a house. With each second that passed that he couldn't see you or hear you, his whole world seemed to darken around him. 

In the very back of his mind, he held a worry of something happening to him while he was chasing; he was as careful as he could be, making sure to only get into situations he could get himself and his team out of, but he never had considered he’d one day he at risk of losing you. 

Tyler had never considered having a little family of his own until he met you. He’d never felt so at home with a person since you crash-landed into his life. And after you two married, and you told him you were pregnant, he was faced with a brighter future than he’d ever imagined for himself. The idea that he may have lost it so suddenly was excruciating. 

“I got ‘em!” Boone yelled above the blood rushing in Tyler’s ears. Boone was on the other side of what used to be the house, grasping a bloodied hand that poked out of the rubble. “I need some help over here!” 

Tyler sprinted across the yard, as did the rest of the Wrangles. Lily, Dexter, and Dani ripped back the pile of debris while Boone and Tyler pulled on your hand, helping you out of the basement. You landed on your knees, one hand still clutching Tyler’s while your other was holding onto the baby. 

A cry of relief left Tyler’s lips as he fell to the ground in front of you. Your hand wasn’t the only thing that was bloodied, it ran down the side of your face and stained the sleeve of your shirt. 

“Baby,” he muttered, carefully grasping the sides of your face to get a better look at you. Your eyes were a little unfocused, red-rimmed, and watery. He wiped some of the blood off of your cheek, causing you to wince in pain. “Are you okay?” Clearly, you weren’t, but he needed to know if there was more damage than the cuts and bruises. Your eyes instantly fell onto the baby in your arm, panic taking hold of your features. 

“I-I don’t know,” you cried. You pulled back the blanket slightly from your daughter’s face, and there were a couple drops of blood smeared across her delicate skin. “I don’t know,-” Your voice caught in your throat, resulting in a shaky sob. 

Carefully, Tyler took the baby, who looked up at him with a quiet contentness, despite the chaos. She babbled quietly, reaching up toward him. He let her wrap her little hand around his fingers and quickly looked her over for any injuries. When he wiped the blood away, he quickly realized it was yours, not hers, which made him both feel relief and panic at the same time. 

“There’s EMTs comin’ in now. I’ll grab one!” Dani said before she took off down the road where the sirens wailed. 

Boone kneeled beside Tyler, squeezing his shoulder lightly. “Do you want me to take the kid to get checked out while you wait here, with her?” Tyler nodded, passing off the baby to Boone, who smiled kindly down at her and started talking nonsense in the way that always made the little girl smile. 

Tyler’s full focus was on you as your shock started to wear off. You grabbed a fist full of his shirt, struggling to breathe as you tried to speak. “I fell asleep,” you choked out. “S-She went down for a nap, and I fell asleep. I didn’t…” A sputtered breath fell from your lips as Tyler held you close, hand placed firmly on the back of your head and the other rubbing something circled across your back. 

“It’s all right,” he whispered against the side of your head that wasn’t cut. “You’re okay.” 

You buried your head into his chest, sagging against him. “I’m sorry,” you said between hiccups. 

Confusion flushed Tyler. “What in the world are you sorry for?” He was the one who was sorry. He knew tornados were unpredictable, that was all a part of their nature. But he felt like he should have known the storm was coming for you, even if it was something completely out of his control. You had done everyone right; he left you alone. 

You didn’t answer, though. Instead, you squeezed your eyes closed just as Dani led an EMT back to where you two sat in the front yard. Not too far, Tyler could see Boone holding onto your baby girl while she was looked over too. By the little smile on her lips when Boone made a funny face, Tyler knew she was okay, and that was all thanks to you. 

You had to spend a couple of hours in the hospital, getting a couple stitches and diagnosed with a minor concussion. Other than that, both you and your daughter were okay. 

Since your guys' home was torn apart, the three of you posted up in one of the nicer motels just outside of town. You lounged on the bed, smiling softly as you watched Tyler and your daughter engage in a riveting conversation of nonsensical words and babbles that almost sounded like words. He felt your gaze and met it from his position at the end of the bed. 

The bumps and bruises would fade, and homes could be rebuilt; the most important thing was that all three of you were okay. Your little family, something you only wanted to protect, was still standing strong. 

Tyler scooped the baby girl up in his arms before he moved it sit right beside you, pressing a kiss to your cheek before he did the same to your daughter. You rested your head on his shoulder, brushing a gentle finger across the little girl’s chubby cheeks. 

“We’re okay,” you whispered, like a reminder to yourself. 

Tyler wrapped an arm around you, pulling you impossibly close before he repeated, “We’re okay.”

[ravenclaws-stuff]

James Potter x Reader

Summary: Five separate fights you have with James Potter.

Tags: time skips, James and Sirius are a dick at first, kissing, unwanted kiss, reader is wildly talented

A/n: Guess who forgot she was supposed to rewrite this until last night. If you guessed, this bitch. Then you are correct. You win a James Potter story. (find below) If you guess wrong, then you also get a James Potter story.

Five Fights of Potter

First Year

Cauldrons bubble as Professor Slughorn droned on about the newest discoveries in potions. You try to focus, you really did. But the two meddlesome boys behind you would not shut up.

James Potter and Sirius Black. Been trouble since they became friends on the train.

You shake your head, turning your ladle counter clockwise just like the recipe calls for. Just ignore them and everything will be fine.

At least so you thought until one of them gasped, causing you to turn around.

Your eyes widen as their potion bubbled violently before exploding. You groan, taking a step back, bumping into your potion station, an intense burning sensation pulses throughout your whole right arm.

“Shouldn’t have stood so close.” Black says offhandedly as Slughorn rushes over to your station.

“Oh dear. That looks like quite nasty.” He looks around the room, stopping on the messy hair culprit. “Potter, please take Mrs L/n to the infirmary. Mr Black, clean up this mess.”

Black groans, complaining how it wasn’t fair as Potter grabbed both of your bags. “Lets go.” You hiss, walking towards the infirmary. “L/n, wait!” James calls, grabbing your shoulder. The same shoulder connected to your charred arm.

“I don’t need your help.” You hiss, shoving his hand off of you. Potter throws his hands into the air, glaring at you. “Well too bad. Slughorn told me to walk you and that’s exactly what I am going to do.”

You quicken your pace. The quicker you get to the hospital wing, the quicker Potter leaves you alone.

You wince, the pains from the burn only seems to increase the longer it goes untreated. James catching your expression frowns.

“L/n, slow down.” Potter groans, grabbing your wrist. You hiss, tears pooling in the corner of your eyes.

“L/n?” He whispers, finally noticing how much pain you were in. The guilt ate at him, knowing it was his fault. He wasn’t paying attention to what old Sluggy was saying and now you were hurt.

“Just leave me alone Potter.” You reach over, grabbing your bag off of his shoulder. “Please.” You beg, before leaving a stunned James Potter standing frozen in the hallway.

“Stupid Potter and Stupid Black. Can’t even make a bloody potion properly.”

Third Year

You have to hurry. Lily is currently waiting for you in the library as you were supposed to meet there ten minutes ago. At the beginning of term, you both agreed to get a head start on your end of year projects.

For Muggle studies, you were assigned to write an essay on which Muggle creation would be the most useful for the wizarding world to use. Personally, you believe electricity would be the most beneficial. No more candles laying around the house or having to use your wand.

Turning the corner, you groan as you collide into a group of four boys. Your books clatter against the stone floor. You drop to your knees, quickly picking up your book.

“Seriously duckie, can't even take your head out of the books long enough to watch where you are going.”

Your shoulders tense, trying to ignore the cruel voice. ‘I do not have time for this.’ Looking up, you shoot a glare at the four boys before you.

Peter Pettigrew. Remus Lupin.

Sirius Black. James Potter.

Pettigrew glances between his friends, shackles up as he prepares for fight. Lupin sends a apologetic smile but makes no move to help. Black stands there, leaning against the wall with a wicked grin. He never knows when to shut up. Finally the last of the quartet, Potter stands directly in front of you. His dark brown eyes shine through his glasses with mischief and anger.

“Seriously you should have been sorted into the bird's nest.” Your glare sharpens as you stand up with your books in hand.

Over the past three years, Potter has always speculated I was sorted in the wrong house. Calls me an ugly duckling, searching for my “real” house.

“Shut it Potter.” You hiss. Potter takes a step forward. “Make me, duckie.” your wand appears in your hand, digging into his chest. His eyes widen, slightly alarmed. “Do not test me. I am not in the mood to deal with you. Not today.”

Deciding to push his luck, Potter steps forward, shoving your wand to your side. “You won't do anything. Sure you can read but we both know, you don't have the skill….”

James falls silent as the rest of his so called friends snicker behind him. “What?” He spins around, searching from answers from his friends but receives no help. He turns again, freezing as he spots his reflection in the a window. A brand new reflection. A small brown tail, resembling one of the Muggle films you watched in class.

“What? How?” He sputters. “Nonverbal spell?” Lupin asks, clearly impressed. With a roll of your eyes, you scoff at the tall Gryffindor. “Don't act so surprised Lupin.” He chuckles, shaking his head. “Didn’t know you could.” You glare at the boy. “My apologies Lupin. Should I have informed you of my talent.” You send an icy glare to each of the boys. “You lot only care about yourself.” Turning to Potter, you push down the pride at his frozen state. “Do not underestimate me again Potter.”

With that, you storm off. You look down at your watch, sighing at the time. Lily is going to kill you.

“Mate, you look like a deer in headlights.” Remus taunts, pulling James out of his frozen state. “Oh shut up and help me get rid of this damn tail.”

Fifth Year

The cold air does nothing to calm the burning anger boiling inside of you. Today was supposed to be a fun day. A fresh blanket of snow covered Hogsmeade the night before. You were supposed to be inside of the The Three Broomsticks, on a date with Gideon Prewett. The seventh year asked you on a date. An actual date. One you gladly accepted.

Did you have feelings for him? No but you were certain you would develop them eventually. Gideon was the perfect date. Offered you his arm, even bought you a book.

The bell rings, signalling another customer walker in. Your eyes dart, frown as you meet the brown eyes of James Potter. His flicker between you and Gideon. Without paying him any mind, you turn your attention back to Gideon as he spoke about his younger sister, Molly. You try to recall the younger girl who was sorted into your house earlier this year.

A hand wraps around your wrist, pulling you away from your table. “Let go of me, Potter!” You demand. He ignores you, pulling you into the cold outside.

“What is your problem?” Potter lets go of your hand, shoving his own into his pockets. “Are you on a date with Prewett?” You take a step back, the cold wall seeping pressing into you. “What?”

Taking a step closer, his voice rumbles in the air between us. “Are you a date with Gideon Prewett?”

Were you hearing this correctly? Surely not. Surely the cold is affecting your brain in some way and you are currently hallucinating.

“So what if I am? What's it to you?” James looks around main street as people push past. “Are you?” Sighing, you nod. “Yes.” His brown eyes shoot to yours, something brewing behind those glasses. “Do you like him?” You nod. James shakes his head. “No say it.”

You look down, propping your door up onto the wall as if this was a casual conversation between friends. Yet you weren't friends and the look in his eyes were too heated for it to be casual. “I enjoy being around him. He's charming and hilarious. Probably one of the kindest people in this entire castle. But I am not sure I will have feelings for him in that way.” You whisper, unsure why you are sharing this with Potter.

James reaches out, interlacing your fingers between his. You look up, eyes wide with surprise. “P-potter?” He leans forward, pressing his lips against yours. His lips soft but the kiss rough, filled with hidden desire. “Don’t go back in there. Don’t go back in there to him.”

With a sharp tug, you step to the side. “No.” He frowns, glasses sliding down his nose. “No?” You shake your head, pulling your jumper tighter. “No. You don’t get to pull me from my date, kiss me without my permission, and expect me to say yes. If you want to go on a date with me, try being a Gryffindor you claim to be and actually ask.” Tears burn in the corner of your eyes as you walk away. “L/n wait!” You shake your head, wiping the tears. “Goodbye Potter.”

Seventh Year

“Love.” You ignore your boyfriend, trying to focus on your essay. You already knew what he wanted to ask. It was the same question he has asked three times just today alone. “Love.” Jams whines. A sigh falls from your lips as you place your quill onto the table. James reaches over, curling your hair around his finger. “Leave my hair alone Potter.” He chuckles, tugging on the strand of your hair wrapped around his finger. “Why is it whenever you are cross with me, you always resort to calling me Potter?”

The soft smile on his face cools your annoyance despite you wanting to be cross with him. “Maybe you should take the hint.”

James rolls his eyes as he leans into your personal space. “C'mon love. Give me one reason you won't meet my parents.” His nose brushes against your cheek. “Give me one real reason and I will drop it.”

You smile, knowing he was lying. At most, he would drop it for at least the rest of the day. But he will ask again, starting tomorrow. James is the most meddlesome wizard you have ever met.

“Jamie. We just started dating. I want to enjoy us,” you say, squeezing his hand. “just a bit longer. Just a bit longer without the expectations.” A frown pulls on those beautiful lips of his. “Expectations?” You nod, looking away, eyes watching as students walk across the library. “What if I meet your parents and they hate me? Or worse they like me but we break up.”

James gently grabs your chin, tilting your head. “Love please look at me.” You shake your head, keeping your eyes down. “Please.” You look up, his brown eyes. “I can promise neither of those will happen. My parents will absolutely love you and I do not play on letting you go anytime soon. I have loved you since fifth year.”

You gasp, your hand covers his. “Love? Y-you love me?” He nods, a blinding smile adorned on his face. “Of course I am in love you. Have been ever since you punch Crouch in fifth year. You have one of the sexiest right hooks I have ever witnessed.”

You giggle, letting your head fall onto his chest. “You really love me.” You whisper, voice full of disbelief. “With all my magic.”

You pull away, leaving just enough room to look at him but still feel his warm breath on your face. “I love you too.” Your hand slides up his arm, running through his hair. Pulling him down, meeting him partway as you lips brush against his.

You turn back to your parchment with a everlasting smile. “Love?” James pulls you away from your essay. You sigh, accepting you won't be able to finish your essay with your boyfriend by your side. “Jamie?” He pulls the end of your hair, similar how he did just moments ago. “Meet my mum and dad.” You smile, kissing his cheek. “Yes Jamie.”

Ten Years Later

“Daddy higher!” You drop you book, dread racing through your veins as you rush out the back door. Only to find your five year old daughter flying around the backyard.

“James Fleamont Potter!” Like two bandits caught, your daughter and husband freeze at the sound of your voice. “Uh oh.” Aurora whispers, looking at her dad for help. “Looks like we got caught, baby girl.” James helps Aurora dismount off the broom, flashing a hesitant smile your way.

“Mummy?” You smile at your daughter, scooping her into your arms. “I'm not mad at you, little love. But can you run inside so I can talk to Daddy?” She looks over to James, whining as James nods. “Sorry mummy.”

“Love please just let me explain.” James wraps his arms around your waist, thumbs brushing under your shirt. You glare at your husband, unamused. “Don't *love* me. We agreed we would wait until she was seven.” James quickly nods, kissing the tip of your nose.

“I know we did, but we both know I can't say no to her. She's got your eyes.” Just as the bubbling lot of anger started to simmer down, your husband opens his mouth. “So technically this is your fault.”

You take a step back, his arms returning to his side. “Excuse me?” James pales, as he scratches the back of his neck. “Shit. That's not what I meant.” He takes a step forward but you shake your head, taking a step back. “I promise she is safe. Not only am I right here at all times, but I have cushioning charms placed under her as well.”

You sigh, looking inside the house, hearing your daughter laugh at something. Most likely her Uncle Pads on a floo call. “You promise she's safe?” His hands squeeze your hips, pulling you into his chest. “I swear it on my magic.”

Later that night:

“I think she has a future as a chaser.” James falls from the bathroom. You groan, dropping your hairbrush into your vanity. An auror for a husband and apparently a quidditch player for a daughter. “I swear you Potters live t stress me out.”

[fanfictionismyaddiction]

WAG Bootcamp: Part 2

Part 1

Word count: 593

Pairing: Lando Norris x reader

Summary: On her first-ever race day, Y/n experiences the chaos, stress, and excitement of Formula 1 as the WAGs teach her how to survive the emotional rollercoaster.

________________________________________________________

Y/n thought she had survived the worst of the initiation. She had learned the pre-race rituals, mastered (or at least attempted) the mysterious “paddock girlfriend face,” and even accepted that she now had to irrationally hate any driver who so much as looked at Lando the wrong way.

But nothing could have prepared her for race day.

The paddock was buzzing with energy—fans screaming, engines roaring, and mechanics in a frenzy. Y/n had barely taken a sip of her coffee when Kika grabbed her arm.

“Alright, rookie. Time for the next lesson.”

“What now?” Y/n asked warily.

“How to survive a Grand Prix,” Lily said, tossing her a pair of noise-canceling headphones. “Trust me, you’ll need these.”

Lesson Four: The Race-Day Survival Guide

Y/n followed the WAGs to the McLaren hospitality area, where they had their usual spots. The screens showed the cars lining up on the grid, and she could already feel her heart pounding.

“Step one,” Alex said, crossing her arms. “No matter what happens, you do not freak out on camera. If Lando crashes, you hold it together until you’re inside.”

“Wait—crashes?” Y/n swallowed. “We’re talking about, like, little crashes, right?”

Silence.

“Right?”

Susie patted her shoulder. “You’ll be fine, dear.”

Not comforting.

“Step two,” Rebecca added, “learn the art of selective hearing. The commentators will say stupid things, the fans will tweet even dumber things, and some guy named David Croft will mispronounce names. Ignore it.”

“Step three,” Carmen leaned in, lowering her voice. “If Lando is leading, do not say out loud that he’s going to win. You will jinx it.”

Y/n blinked. “You guys actually believe in jinxes?”

Kelly, who had remained quiet until now, turned to her with a dead-serious expression. “Max retired from Monaco 2021 because I said, ‘This is going well.’”

Y/n gasped. “Oh my God.”

“We don’t talk about it,” Kika muttered.

The lights went out, and the race began.

Lesson Five: How to Emotionally Handle a Race (Spoiler: You Don’t)

It started fine. Lando had a clean start, holding position. Y/n sat on the edge of her seat, gripping her hands together, trying not to scream every time someone got too close to him.

Then, lap 12 happened.

A driver—who Y/n immediately decided to despise for eternity—dove down the inside, nearly taking Lando out.

Y/n shot to her feet. “WHAT THE—”

Lily yanked her back down. “Cameras!” she hissed.

“That was reckless!” Y/n whisper-yelled, furious.

“Congratulations,” Alex smirked. “You just experienced your first ‘what the hell was that’ moment. There will be many more.”

For the next thirty laps, Y/n experienced every emotion possible. Joy when Lando made an overtake. Panic when the pit stop took too long. Rage when another driver squeezed him off track. She nearly passed out when he was fighting for a podium.

And then—P2.

“He did it!” Y/n gasped as Lando crossed the line.

The WAGs cheered, clapping and hugging.

Y/n exhaled, feeling like she had just run a marathon. “I don’t know if I can do this every weekend.”

“You will,” Kelly said, sipping her drink. “Welcome to the rest of your life.”

Lesson Six: The Post-Race Debrief

After a chaotic cooldown period, Y/n finally found Lando, still in his race suit, hair messy from his helmet, grinning as he pulled her into a hug.

“How was your first race?” he asked, slightly breathless.

Y/n looked at him, remembering everything—the stress, the screaming, the insane group of women who had taken her in.

She smiled.

“Terrifying. But I think I love it.”

[blueberrybirdsworld]

Plus one 6/9

Summary : When Lando Norris realizes he's the only F1 driver attending the Monaco F1 movie premiere without a girlfriend, he panics and convinces Oscar to help him find a last-minute plus one.

Author note : I get this story idea after the private projection of the F1 movie with all the drivers in Monaco (also can we imagine they weren't wearing their team kit and actually did dress up).

Genre : pure fluff

Serie masterlist

Main masterlist

Author note: so I extend the storie to 4 more chapters, I actually like writing about them so much I got inspired! Hope you will like it, next parts will drop in the next day one by one. Enjoy :)

Saturday morning in Monaco was crisp and too bright.

Lando had been awake since 6:17 a.m., not because of the usual pre-qualifying nerves, but because his brain wouldn’t shut up. He had replaying every second of walking her home, the soft pressure of her hand in his, the way she’d looked at him just before he kissed her. The way she hadn’t pulled away.

That should’ve been enough to calm him.

It wasn’t.

He spent most of the morning pretending to be fine, bothering Oscar in the drivers’ room like a toddler who couldn’t sit still.

“Do I look normal?” he asked for the third time.

Oscar didn’t even glance up from his phone. “No.”

“What do you mean ‘no’?”

“You’ve adjusted your collar six times, said ‘I’m chill’ out loud twice, and you just asked if the espresso machine was working even though you hate espresso.”

“I was just making conversation.”

Oscar glanced at him, deadpan. “You’re pacing.”

Lando stopped mid-step. “Am not.”

Oscar gestured to the floor behind him. “You made a line into the carpet.”

Lando rubbed his face with both hands, heart pounding.

“She’s coming today.”

“I know.”

“For quali.”

“I know.”

“And I asked her to come for me this time.”

Oscar finally gave him a look that could only be described as fond exasperation. “You kissed her. She said yes. What exactly do you think is going to go wrong?”

Lando didn’t have an answer. Because nothing was wrong. But everything felt like it could go wrong. What if she regretted it? What if she saw him in broad daylight and realized he was just a boy who drove fast and flirted badly?

Jon, his personal coach, passed by the corridor and gave him a suspicious look. “You alright?”

Lando nodded way too quickly. “Normal. Totally normal.”

Jon didn’t buy it for a second.

Later on when his parents arrived, flown in for the weekend to support him, even his mum gave him one of those slow, knowing glances after a hug.

“You look... different,” she said, smoothing down the shoulder of his polo. “Not nervous-different. Something else.”

“I’m not hiding anything,” he blurted.

She raised an eyebrow.

And then, right on cue, it happened.

The door to the McLaren hospitality opened, and Lily stepped in first, all sleek blonde hair and Monaco cool-girl ease. Then came Y/N.

Time slowed for just a second. Or maybe Lando did.

She wore a black sundress, simple but soft, fitted at the waist, her back naked and the fabric brushing her ankle. Her hair was up with a flower pinned at the back of her head, strands tucked behind her ears, and the light caught on the little gold chain around her neck. She wore heels, and sunglasses pushed into her hair. She looked like summer. Like sunlight bottled in a girl.

And he could feel every cell in his body lean toward her.

Oscar bumped his shoulder. “Go say hi, mate.”

“What do I do?” Lando asked in a low voice. “Hug her? Kiss her? Wave like an idiot?”

“Maybe just… start with a hello?”

But it was already too late, she saw him.

Her face lit up instantly, and something in his chest twisted at how effortlessly beautiful that expression was. He felt everything inside him quiet.

He stepped forward. “Hey.”

“Hi,” she said, smiling so softly it made his palms sweat.

There was a pause.

“I wasn’t sure if I should… like, do this—” he half-laughed, half-gestured toward her hand, while she lean to hug him instead and they almost kissed by mistake, akwardly laughing about it.

She laughed. “We’re both terrible at this.”

He scratched the back of his neck. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you.”

Her smile turned a little shy. “Same.”

He reached out, almost unsure, and gently touched her hand. She didn’t let go.

“Thanks for coming.”

“You invited me,” she said. “Kind of hard to say no when you ask so nicely.”

Lily and Oscar stood a polite few feet away, pretending to scroll on their phones, but exchanging very obvious glances.

Lando glanced toward them. “Will they always be like this?”

Y/N nodded. “Pretty much. I think they are very proud that they settle us together.”

He grinned. “Impossible.”

“You say that now, but you are happy they did.” she teased.

There was a weird, perfect kind of stillness between them. A bubble forming in the middle of chaos. Engineers and staff moved around them, Zak was calling for timing sheets, Jon passed again with his stopwatch, but Lando didn’t move.

She leaned in slightly, voice low. “You should probably focus now. Quali.”

“Right.” He stepped back. “I’ll try.”

“Try hard.”

“For you?”

“For me.”

He smiled, heart pounding in his ears.

Then Lando walked beside her to lead her through the paddock toward the observation zone tucked near the screens, one of the only places close enough to feel the energy but safe enough for guests. Her presence, somehow, had already softened the edge off his usual nerves.

“Here,” he said gently, leading her to a high table with a clear view of the track feed and live telemetry.

She nodded, brushing a hand down her dress as she sat.

Lando hesitated, then stepped a little closer. “It might get loud.”

“Oh. Right.”

He lifted the spare team headset from the hook behind the screen and reached for her. “May I?”

She smiled. “You’re asking very politely.”

His fingers brushed the side of her face, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear before settling the headset gently over her head. The touch lingered a little too long, thumb against her cheek, knuckles trailing the curve of her jaw.

When he finally stepped back, she was smiling.

Then, after a pause, he handed her a bottle of water. “In case you get hot. Or dizzy. Or...whatever. Just in case.”

Her eyebrows lifted, amused. “Are you always this caring?”

He shrugged one shoulder. “Not for just anyone.”

Before she could answer, the sound of shuffling feet approached. Lando turned, heart stuttering.

His parents.

His mum, Cisca, was already smiling like she’d seen the whole thing.

She came up first and hugged him tightly. “Good luck, sweetheart,” she whispered. “You’ve got this.”

“Thanks, Mum.”

Adam, his dad, reached out to Y/N. “Hello there. I’m Adam. Lando dad. And Lando can you present us this lovely lady ?”

Lando immediately short-circuited.

“I...uh, we didn’t really...I mean, it’s kind of new, and we just met properly the other day...”

“Y/N,” she said smoothly, standing to shake Adam’s hand. “Friend of Lando’s. I know Lily. We go to the same university.”

Cisca smiled knowingly. “Oh. Just a friend?”

Lando’s ears burned. “Mum.”

“What?” she said innocently.

“She was at the premiere,” he mumbled. “We got talking. And… yeah. She knows Oscar. And Lily.”

“Well,” Adam said, clapping his son on the shoulder. “Maybe we’ll watch together then. Be nice to chat a bit.”

Lando looked seconds from combusting.

Y/N, of course, just smiled. “I’d like that.”

He wanted to say you don’t have to, but instead, he just nodded, squeezing her hand once before heading for the garage.

Time to focus.

The car roared to life like it had a will of its own, low and growling as he rolled out into pit lane. Monaco unfolded in front of him: tight, twisting corners, sun-blinding straights, buildings crowding the circuit like a canyon of pressure. But he could still feel the imprint of her hand on his.

He rolled out, eyes flicking across the delta time as the tires warmed.

Lando flew.

The car felt on rails. He didn’t know if it was the tires or the setup or just the absurd clarity that came from having a girl back there believing in him. Either way, he was flying.

As he crossed the line on his final run, the screen lit up.

P1: L. NORRIS

As Lando climbed out of the car in parc fermé and raised a fist to the team, the roar of the crowd swallowed him.

But through it all, he only wanted to get back upstairs , back to that table, to that chair, to that girl who saw something in him and didn’t look away.

The moment Lando stepped back into the hospitality, still in race suit and hair damp, the place erupted.

Applause. Cheering. Someone actually whooped.

Zak was grinning from pure joy. Jon gave him a rare nod of real pride. His engineers clapped him on the back as he passed by, breathless from the adrenaline and beaming like an idiot.

But Lando only saw her.

She was still at the table where he’d left her. Same black dress, same soft smile, now with her hands together in delighted applause. Her eyes found his immediately, and for a second, the room melted away.

He hugged his mum first, her arms tight around him, proud tears threatening to spill again. Adam clapped him on the back with the kind of pride that didn’t need words.

Then he made his way through a series of congratulations and a thumbs-up before turning toward her.

Lando swallowed hard, wiped his palm on his suit leg, and crossed the space like he had a mission.

“Hi,” she said, smiling up at him.

“Hey,” he managed, voice a little hoarse. “Did you see?”

“I felt it,” she said. “Everyone here nearly knocked over their drinks when you crossed the line.”

He laughed, unable to stop smiling. “You’re good luck.”

“Oh, so I did all that?”

“Obviously.”

She grinned. “Well then… congratulations.”

He should’ve just said thank you.

Instead, riding on pure adrenaline and the high of a Monaco pole, he blurted... “Are you free tonight?”

She blinked. “Tonight?”

“Yeah.” He leaned against the edge of the table, still practically glowing. “Like, today. Later. After everything’s done.”

Y/N froze, lips parted. “Like… a date?”

He nodded, heart pounding beneath the suit. “Yeah. A real one. Proper. You pick the place.”

“Because you got pole?”

“Exactly. It’s a victory dinner. And I’d like to spend it with you.”

She opened her mouth, then closed it, then smiled. “Are you not supposed to be resting? Like… mentally in the zone or something?”

Lando shrugged, cocky now. “Who says I can’t have a nice dinner first? I’ll do my media, shower, change, then I’m all yours.”

Behind them, his mother coughed suspiciously.

Lando froze.

Cisca was grinning at him. “All hers, huh?”

“Mum...”

Adam placed a hand gently on her back. “Let’s give them a minute, hmm?”

They retreated with half-concealed smirks, Lando resisting the urge to hide his face in his hands.

When he turned back, Y/N was laughing quietly, looking at her hands in her lap.

“Sorry,” he muttered. “I should’ve waited until I wasn’t covered in sweat and family embarrassment.”

“No,” she said, still smiling. “I’m glad you didn’t.”

Her voice softened. “I’d love to go to dinner.”

He looked up. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. What would you say to something by the sea? There’s this little spot near the beach. Nothing fancy, but the food’s amazing. Then maybe a walk after.”

His heart tugged so hard he actually leaned toward her. “That sounds perfect.”

She stood, brushing down her dress. “I’ll text you the location.”

He nodded, eyes still locked on her. “I’ll be back here by… I don’t know, two hours max. Press stuff, shower, change, pretend I’m cooler than I am.”

She tilted her head. “So… seven?”

“Seven.”

She smiled, stepping a little closer. “Congrats again, pole-sitter.”

Lando chuckled, feeling heat bloom up his neck. “You’re not allowed to say that with that face.”

“What face?”

“That one. The I-know-you-like-me face.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

He was grinning now, flushed and happy and entirely too eager to be anywhere but Monaco hospitality, anywhere, as long as she was with him.

“Seven,” she said again. “Don’t be late.”

“I wouldn’t dare.”

And then she walked off, turning back once to glance over her shoulder. He stared after her until she disappeared into the hallway.

God help him.

He was completely, stupidly, wonderfully gone.

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