#racing vespa

[importantbusinessdinosaur]

AM2 days

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[the-gentle-art-to-going-insane]

Recently, I've been confronted with the fact that I 'look' lie a guy that drives a moped. I went to the store today, casually minidng my own business, and some lady I don't know is like, 'that's your moped out there? It's cool!'

I did not see her when I was putting my lock on. I was walking around Walgreens trying to find my preworkout for almost half an hour.

This happens at least once a week.

I look like a moped guy, and I don't understand why.

[arabiidhound]

Some Bee people who are also apart of my insectoid race, still need to design what a Queen Vespa looks like for each subrace

[jpnriikicore]

Paul Aron as your best friend core

paring paul aron x reader, word count 994, genre fluff, warning roughy translated estonian, authors note sorry, for not releasing this faster i was writing other works for charles and lando <3 ( masterlist )

beach days.

you spend a lot of time on the beach in your free hours lounging around. go off swimming in the ocean. the sun is like a warm blanket wrapped around your body that came fresh out of the dryer. filming him on a cam-recorder when he backflips from a cliff. he somehow tricks you onto the cliff with him occasionally.

late night on the beaches or watching the sunset is the best part. your sides bumping into one another as you walk barefoot along the shoreline feeling the warm sand between your toes and chill seawater slash up onto your ankles. he swings your sandals back and forth from the straps of your sandals since he offered to carry them for you knowing that you hated carrying them yourself. admiring the sunset ahead of you or the moon above you.

boat days.

the sun shone on them basking in it's warmth. a good way to celebrate a podium win for paul. you hit the sea together for a weekend to be still and peaceful in just nothingness. away from his fast life to just have a moment of tranquility together. it’s makes moments like this more special. your legs spread laying onto top of his as your back leans against the comfortable plush white cushions of the boat. his hands soothing rubbing up and down your legs. his pink swimming trunks clad against his thighs after taking a dip into the water. his initials on a chain around your neck.

supporting him during races. through thick and thin and high and lows.

you're always spotted in a secluded corner on the floor of the prema truck. you’re seated together his jacket draped over to you keeping the chill off of you. if qualifying doesn’t go well that day you would sit in comfortable silence whilst reassuring his negative thoughts and feelings through physical touch. your head resting against his shoulder, your slight grazes over his hand, the feeling of you fiddling with his fingers, or the traces on the lines of his palms. just a reminder that everything will be okay. a feathery kiss on the top of his head with a whisper of praise makes him believe that he can do better tomorrow and make all his nerves disappear into thin air.

quality time ( exercise ver. )

you wake up tangled limbs in the sheets of your shared king-sized hotel room bed. the waves crashing on shore was heard from the cracked open balcony doors. seagulls flying around in the early morning blue sky. you vaguely remember him mentioning earlier that morning that he was going for a run before pressing a gentle kiss on your temple before leaving.

some mornings or evenings you would attend runs with him and karl. even staying with him when he works out in the gym maybe getting a mile or two in on the treadmill. he enjoys quality time with you. so, even if you're just sitting crisscrossed on a yoga mat watching him he enjoys it.

he’d convince you that he needs a spotter. even if the weights are a bit too heavy for you and you could help him only very little if you needed too. he still enjoys having your company and letting you feel included. he lightens the load of his weights when you finally do agree on spotting him.

"nii lõbus ei tohiks trennis olla. ( exercise shouldn't be this fun )."

traveling to tallinn and races with him when you can.

traveling around northern italy on a vespa, him driving you around as your arms are wrapped around his torso. towards the end of the night you ride towards a fancy friendship dinner date.

you settled in flimsy chairs on the balcony of your shared hotel room trying out different pastas and slices of pizza from restaurants attempting to find the best one in the country that you’re visiting.

while visiting his home in tallinn he would ensure to bundle you up in thick coats for the cold estonian weather. crunched snow underneath your boots a trail of footsteps in the white left behind you as you take a walk in the snowy weather around midnight.

his siblings.

during, your friendship with paul you’ve become close with his siblings, anna and ralf. anna is like a sister to you. ralf gives you lots of advice and shows embarrassing childhood pictures of paul. which for the record you find oh-so adorable and he finds incredibly embarrassing. you’ve grown expectably close to them due to tagging along on family vacations occasionally since him and his family seem typically fond of your presence. him and his extended family tend to have dinners when his finally back home leading to you practically being apart of his family since you sit in with so many of his family dinners and get to know his close and distant relatives.

"meil peres juba uus ralliäss kasvamas ( we already have a new rally ace growing up in our family )."

teaching you phrases in estonian.

after expressing that you wanted to learn how to speak his native language to speak to his family in the most comfortable way for them and show gratitude towards his parents for raising him the way that they did. he taught you simple phrases, to begin with just enough to get you around his home country without being completely lost.

dino and ollie.

after getting introduced to dino and ollie during the first race you attended with paul you’ve become quick friends with them since it was so easy to speak with them. your often spotted joking around with dino and ollie. just chilling on the floor of the prema truck goofing off with them even walking around the track with them. especially, dancing around with dino to whatever song that plays from his playlist on rainy qualifying days. you was there with the prema team supporting ollie’s debut in formula one.

© JPNRIIKICORE, 2024

[verstappen-cult]

CHARLES LECLERC ★ MASTERLIST

╰► CONTENT:

[ BACK TO MAIN MASTERLIST ]

here you’ll find the links to all my charles works! excluding the ones in the f1 grid masterlist. you can find one-shots, blurbs, drabbles and series. masterlist constantly being updated.

01. BLURBS & DRABBLES

CHARLES AND CASUAL DOMINANCE

him always wearing an extra jacket to give to you. him guiding you through crowds with a hand on your back. him limiting your drinks when you're out and sees you getting a little tipsy. him reaching over and buckling the seatbelt for you.

PROMPT DRABBLES #1

"Can I-May I...kiss you?"

PROMPT DRABBLES #2

"let me-- *adjusts your hair while cupping your face*-- and we're good to go. shall we?”

SPECIAL CHOCOLATES

lando gives charles some special chocolates. it’s too bad that you ate them too.

ALLERGIC REACTION

charles freaking out while you try to remain calm.

LEO LECLERC

charles adopting a puppy. without telling you.

PRAISE KINK

praising charles after imola.

02. ONE-SHOTS

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF I WENT TO TOUCH YOU?

Or. . . 5 times you and Charles reach for the other and are oblivious about it + 1 time you aren’t.

03. MOODBOARDS

AN ITALIAN SUMMER WITH BOYFRIEND CHARLES

exploring different cities on a vespa. waking up by the sea with the sun coming through the window. fresh fruit…

ATTENDING A RACE AS CHARLES’ GIRLFRIEND

long talks about what going public means to your relationship. linking pinkies while walking into the paddock. being so proud of him you can’t stop smiling…

ROADTRIP WITH THE BOYS

listening to a bunch of different music because everyone has different taste. bickering, so much bickering. falling asleep on charles’ shoulder. hiking...

FINALLY REUNITED WITH CHARLES

whispering soft words in your ear both in english and in french because he missed you so much there are simply no words to describe the feeling…

04. SERIES

HOW YOU GET THE GIRL

in which charles leclerc has an embarrassing crush on alex's childhood best friend and everyone meddles. (smau)

WAVE OF YOU

Tired of traveling around the world for over two years, you think that is time to settle down somewhere and Australia is the best place to start. Working on a cafe near the beach and starting your mornings walking Daisy, your recently adopted Golden Retriever, sounds like paradise and wouldn’t trade it for anything. On the other hand, Charles Leclerc is spending summer in Australia with his friends, going to clubs at night and then surfing in the morning, just enjoying what the land down under has to offer when he meets a pretty girl and her dog at the beach. It’s no coincidence that Charles surfs in the same beach you’ve started to go, because two souls don’t find each other by simple accident.

© VERSTAPPEN-CULT ⎯ do not repost, translate, plagiarise or claim any of my works as your own.

[lukebeartoe]

A Tale of Five Tandems

The Body Language of Double Riding with your Buddy

This was bouncing around in my head when i went to the theaters and someone reminded me so here it comes. Bear with me.

Ride 1: The "Vespa" on the Island

For their first ride, Luca is anxious and hesitant! But Alberto is right, if he doesn't hold on to the front the makeshift Vespa will fall apart. Luca doesn't grab on until it begins to detach, keeping it whole and working correctly.

He keeps a tight grip onto Alberto for the rest of the ride, out of fear or duty, but also because grabbing worked. He was right to trust Alberto. And then, when they're falling towards the rock, he stops grabbing and re-detaches it, because they would not survive if he stayed attached. (Parallels what parallels?)

Ride 2: The Dream Vespa

Later that night, Luca is much more confident. The trust he put in Alberto paid off and he faced his fear. And he's starting to share Alberto's appreciation of adrenaline. When he falls asleep, he's behind Alberto on a "real" Vespa. Holding his waist gently, not desperately like earlier. Comfortable and secure.

Dream Alberto puts Luca in the drivers seat, perhaps representing Luca's growing confidence and desire for agency. Alberto encourages him to ramp up into the fish, but once there Alberto isn't holding him anymore. And when Luca goes even further and touches the moon, Alberto and the Vespa vanish.

(break added because long)

Ride 3: The Uphill and the Downhill

That worry (or maybe the whole dream) is forgotten for a time, and Alberto and Luca don't ride together on a two-wheeled vehicle until the day before the race. By this point much has changed. Tensions are rising and Alberto feels like Giulia is pushing them apart. While helping Luca strength train, he is literally separated from him by Giulia. At the top of the hill, things start to come to a head and Alberto interjects himself in front of Luca, for him to hold onto. Where he thinks he belongs. Luca's hands go out, but do not grasp him, not trusting him. Notably, Alberto has never ridden a bicycle.

On the way down the hill, Luca only touches Alberto once, to try to take control of the handlebars. Is he willing to fall of the bike away from Alberto? He may be fearing his safety but he does not trust Alberto with this, and again this is justified. They did get down the hill, but they did crash. Into the sea.

Ride 4: The Race

After Ercole stymies Alberto's attempt to rescue Luca from the rain, Luca rescues Alberto from Ercole. Things are completely different. Alberto rides behind and he barely stops touching Luca the entire ride. He trusts Luca's ability and is putting his life in his hands.

Alberto switches between Luca's waist or his shoulders, and once his face to avoid Ercole's harpoon, but he clings tight to Luca the entire time he is on the bike. No matter what jumps, rough terrain or murder threats are happening.

Ride 5: Victory Lap

As Portorosso celebrates the Underdogs' victory, they drive the newly-purchased Vespa to Giulia's house. Luca is now between Alberto and Giulia, everyone holding each other by the shoulder, nobody feeling estranged. The body language is much more relaxed, like in the dream, no doubt helped by the slow speed. Alberto is driving, but the Vespa was his dream to begin with. And his to sacrifice if he chooses.

So yeah, this was I'd guess 80% intentional, 20% me reading too much into things, haha!

[luuuucas]

My favourite parts of the China Grand Prix

1- The Alonso comeback in the last laps (padre)

2- Nico being an absolute simp

3- “I hope we’re not interrupting your Instagramming Nico”

4- Hamilton from 18 to 9 even tho the car was not working well

5- Ricciardo making it to the points at some point around the middle of the race

6- Nico comparing Carlos and Charles to him and Lewis CRAZY 🙉

7- Bottas after being picked up; he looks like a lady driving around Rome w a Vespa and her lover

8- Max thinking Charles was gonna finish p3

9- Zhou crying while seeing the crowd

10- Oscar finishing good even tho they fucked his car with the crash

11- The crash was also cinematic

12- ALONSO Mi padre loco lo amo

13- Hulkenberg p10

14- Alonso passing Ocon “you passed Ocon?” “What like is hard?”

15- Ferrari pulling all the alphabet and yet not making it to the podium.

16- Charles talking about Leo

17- Not to mention Lando. He did amazing keeping Checo behind 💪

[michealhehejackson]

I decided to look a little into how Luca and Alberto's relationship would work and their compatibility. I'm not super informed on zodiac signs and love language, but I decided to look into that because I thought it was a interesting and different way to look into their relationship lol 🤷‍♀️ Luca would be a Scorpio and Alberto would be a Libra (according to their birthdays) I didn't know this, but love language usually correlates with your sign?? So, scorpios usually express love through physical touch and quality time. Libra express themselves also with physical touch and gift giving. I saw this as very interesting because this does correlate with Luca and Albertos' characters!!

Luca is shown spending lots of quality time with Alberto and Giulia. He spends literally "4 hours" a day ?? 💀 (From what is shown in the movie) Hanging out with Alberto when they first meet, and then starting to spend lots of time hanging out and talking with Giuilia shown throughout the montages in the movie.

Another thing I found surprising is that Luca does express himself a lot through physical touch or is very physical, which I never realized because I perceive him as a very reserved and shy kid 🤔

Moving onto Alberto, he also would most likely or does express love for others through physical touch. Alberto, which again is surprising to me, is more subtle than Luca. He also is shown expressing with physical touch, but in just more quick punches or nudges when he's excited 💀 Besides this, he also shows more greater gestures like him hugging Luca and others like Massimo. I could also count that deleted scene of him hugging Luca when he was saved during the race.

Another love language that is usually associated with Libras is gift giving. This, again, surprisingly does correlate with Alberto ?! Examples are him selling the vespa to give Luca the gift and opportunity to go to school. Including, the drawing he made, giving it to him when he left. Another one is him trying to surprise Massimo by giving him a big catch of fish as an "apology" gift or a big present to impress him ☹️

To sum up, this does give a little idea of how their relationship would work when they do get together in the future and their friendship lol. This also shows more about their characters, and the way they bond with the people they care about ☹️ I got more of an idea, and can picture things like Alberto always making and buying little random things to bring home to Luca and Luca not minding spending hours on end around Alberto. <3

Again, I don't completely know how this stuff works 💀. I know zodiacs don't always correlate or can predict how a person is. Its very unreliable when trying to determine relationships, but I think it gives an idea. Love language is also something that is usually determined by the person themselves lol. Some more (very random) proof that they're meant to be together beacause I have read Scoprios and Libras usually go very well together despite being opposites!! 😧 At the end of the day, we don't really need astrology to prove this tho because of the sacrifices, friendship, and bond they have with eachother and with some of the creators of the movie also believing they are meant to be together 🫡

Never really looked into zodiacs or love language, but it's really interesting how these descriptions do fit them!

[raapija]

Just a regular day

Fernando Alonso/Lance Stroll

No warnings needed, just fluff <3

It's been a long day at the karting track and Lance goes to find Fernando to take him home.

This is part of the pookie au ->

Lance stretched back in his chair and yawned. He was finally done cataloging every piece of paper and recording everything on the computer database. He rubbed his eyes and looked at his watch.

"Half seven..." he mumbled to himself and relaxed for a moment longer. He looked out the office window and down towards the track. The sun was setting and painted the sky pink. It was so quiet compared to just a few hours before with about 20 karts speeding around the track and dozens of family members and friends cheering for them.

Lance could see some movement from the other side of the track where the garages and storage buildings were. He sat up to see better and could make out a familiar figure wheeling along one of the karts used in the race. Oh, Fernando was still working on something. The Canadian decided to wrap up his things and head down to see what he was doing. The whole building was empty, apart from a little old cleaning lady tidying up the offices. Lance said his good byes to her and made his way outside.

***

"Hey," Lance said as he stopped at the garage opening, looking at Fernando hunched over the kart he had been moving. "Whatcha doing?"

Fernando peered up and smiled as he saw Lance, his hands busy loosening some screws. As he looked back down, his face contorted in frustration as one of the screws wouldn't come out. "The engine was making a sound so I'm just checking it."

"It's almost seven, we should go home." Lance said and walked over to him, crouching down and watching Fernando tinker with the engine. The Spaniard's hands were covered in black oil and grease and Lance thought it made him look quite rugged. In a good way.

"Yeah, it's not gonna take long. You can go if you want to. I'll get a ride from someone." Fernando said and Lance huffed.

"I'm not leaving you here, you'll stay the whole night. Besides, it's only us and Juanita still here. And she can't strap you onto her Vespa." the Canadian said. Fernando chuckled and then pointed towards a toolbox off to the side.

"Well, help me then and we'll go." he said and Lance reached for the toolbox, handing Fernando whatever he needed. They worked together on the engine with Lance giving suggestions on the possible fix and Fernando trying them out. Finally, they found the right part that was causing the noise and Fernando ripped the whole thing off and changed in a new one. They fired up the kart and were satisfied to hear it run smoothly.

***

"Well!" Lance chirped with a clap as Fernando got up to clean his hands. It was almost eight now and he was feeling famished. They had only had a quick lunch break between practise and qualifying and that was almost 7 hours ago. "Can we go home now?"

"Yeah, sí." Fernando said as he wiped his hands clean with WD-40. Lance grimaced as he knew how rough Fernando's hands would get after that. The Spaniard rinsed his hands with water and then walked over to Lance, pulling him close by the waist. He looked up to Lance and gave him a warm smile. "How was your day?"

Lance smirked at him and loosely wrapped his arms around Fernando's shoulders. "Fine. Busy, but fine. I had a lot of fun actually."

"Yeah?" Fernando hummed. Lance could see how tired he was, eyes all droopy and his whole being a bit disheveled. "A lot of official, very important race director business?"

"Yeah, sure." Lance laughed. His job for today had been to keep a record of everything happening on track. Participants, timing, possible penalties, finishing positions... It was a lot but he was pretty good at handling ten different things at once. And he had a couple people help him that worked full-time at the museum, so it wasn't really all that bad.

"Hmm..." Fernando hummed again and got up on his tip toes to give Lance a good and long kiss. Content with the smooch, he slumped back down and rested his forehead on Lance's shoulder. "Take me home, por favor."

"Okay..." Lance said and held him for a bit longer. Fernando smelled like oil, petrol and sweat, not the best combination of flavours but Lance loved it. It reminded him of his own karting days in Canada.

"Come on, then." Lance said and they let go of each other. They gathered their belongings and closed up the garage. It was pretty dark outside with only a few lamps lighting up the track. They walked hand in hand, talking about what they were going to have for a late dinner. Lance loved these kinds of sweet moments with Fernando. Nothing but them and ordinary every day conversation. Like they weren't famous F1 drivers with a million eyes on them at every waking moment, but just a couple of regular boring people with regular boring lives. Oh, what he would give for it to be like this always and forever. But then again, driving an F1 car was pretty nice, too.

"Lancito, churri?" Fernando called for him gently and Lance broke out of his daydream. He had fallen a few steps behind and now had to catch up.

"Yeah, yeah, coming." the Canadian hurried over to the car, throwing his things on the backseat as Fernando held the door open. They then went to their own respective places; Lance on the wheel and Fernando riding shotgun. It didn't take long after pulling out the parking lot that the Spaniard already fell asleep. Lance listened to the radio on low volume, driving along an empty road and cherished the moment once more. Him and his husband going home, the home that they had bought together. Just regular people driving back to their regular home. It was perfect for him.

▹.࿙𝆤𝆤࿚'𝆤࿙𝆤𖹭𝆤࿚𝆤'࿙𝆤𝆤࿚.࿙𝆤𝆤࿚'𝆤࿙𝆤𖹭𝆤࿚𝆤'࿙𝆤𝆤࿚.▹

Thanks for reading <3 I've been thinking of writing something with the karting school for a while now and finally got inspired enough to do it. Hope y'all like it 🥰

[wigglesforonce]

more spreadsheeting ahead! bewarned f1 photos havebeen collected (2001 edition)

some brave ferrari gladiators, 2001 australian gp

some Very Cool sunglasses (on giancarlo fisichella), 2001 malaysian gp

kimi raikkonen bowling a (transparent?) bowling ball, 2001 malaysian gp

very aesthetic photo of the ferrari pit, 2001 brazillian gp

Keep your distance!, 2001 san marino gp

me watching the spa23 sprint race as an oscar piastri fan, 2001 san marino gp

jenson buttin (in Very Cool sunglasses) with his 'Bernie' Award, 2001 spanish gp

to quote the actual caption of this 'Rubens Barrichello... Well sort of', 2001 spanish gp

schumi crowd surfing, 2001 monaco gp

ralf schumacher being attacked on two sides, 2001 canadian gp

nick cage being BAR's team photograpger, 2001 canadian gp

i wonder what theyre hiding under the tarp, 2001 canadian gp

is the champagne a bit cold?, 2001 french gp

my 'f1 drivers on scooters' agenda continues, 2001 french gp

murry walker my beloved, 2001 british gp

michael schumacher returning to karting, 2001 Kertin Karting World Championship

Shaq (?!) cameo, 2001 german gp

michael schumacher and jean todt on a ferrari themed vespa, 2001 hungarian gp

thinking hard, 2001 belgian gp

a goodbye red carpet for Murray Walker, 2001 italian gp

a tiny fernando alonso walking back to the pits, 2001 italian gp

some very enthusiastic montoya fans, 2001 united states gp

mika hakkinen celebrating his retirement sabbatical, 2001 united gp

[importantbusinessdinosaur]

Happy new year with Evie

[mybelovednick]

Crimson and Clover, Honey (Chapter 2)

Main Page

Previously

Nick Sturniolo x Male!character

Summary: Nick Sturniolo is a Bookstore owner in a small town in Northern Italy. Vayu Arora is an elementary school teacher who is a frequent customer at Nick's Store. Both of them meet and they are suppose to fall in love like faith intended. But what happens when one of them is unable to let go of their past selves?

Nick x male!character Angst Fluff/comfort Hurt/comfort

TW: Too corny ig, smoking (don't do it kids. it is not cool)

******

2

“I have no news. I live quietly, I love you and I wait.”

This quote has always been a mystery to me. I wouldn’t remember where I first read it, or from whom I had heard it. But it stuck with me, forever. Yearning makes a person susceptible to the madness of love. If you yearn for something or someone, the line between love and obsession becomes blurry.

It was a lovely Friday evening. The breeze was just right as the clouds swiftly danced across the violet sky. The sun was about to set but the moon was already up. Tara invited us to her family restaurant to celebrate her grandpa’s seventy-second birthday.

Nate rode my red Vespa, with me on the back while holding onto his waist for dear life; because to him, my vehicle was a race car and the world was a Drag race. We reached Tara’s restaurant an hour late, regardless of the death race.

“You bitches were supposed to be here half an hour prior to the party and you reached in hour late. Explain, now” Tara was fuming.

“Yell at Vayu, if he had dressed up a little quicker we would be here so much earlier.”

“What? You were the one throwing a tantrum like fucking baby after seeing me wear the same coral shirt that you are wearing now! Of course I had to change into a boring black one.” I tried to defend myself.

“Not my fault I look better in coral.”

“Nathan I swear to God-“

“Okay fine, Jesus!” Tara yelled at us again. (We deserved it), “Let’s go inside and hurry up, Grandpa is waiting for you guys.”

“Awe I missed you Jeremy.” Nate cooed from behind as we entered the room and everyone cheered.

The restaurant was not a very fancy one. But it did feel like home. I’ve always loved Tara and her grandparents, Jeremy and Lizzy. Frank Sinatra was playing in the background because Jeremy loved Sinatra, “Play his songs in my funeral” he’d say every time.

Tara, Nathan and I were the only ones who were not above the age of fifty-five. We all wished Jeremy ‘Happy Birthday’ and Lizzy kissed him, to which all of us cheered like monkeys in a zoo. I loved watching people smile. I loved watching people enjoy their time. Tara was in charge of the food and overall party. I was on tea duty, i.e. ensuring that every single person had their tea cups filled up to the brim. It wasn’t a difficult task considering there were barely over twenty people in the party. Yes, tea in Italy is a bizarre concept but apparently Lizzy can’t stand the smell of coffee and ever since she visited Darjeeling with her husband, she has been addicted to this beverage.

Nathan? Well he was busy impressing Lizzy’s friends. Those sixty-year old ladies loved him for some reason. “Oh you look ravishing today, Demi. And you too! Rebecca, that hair is flawless, Jim is a lucky guy.”  Who am I kidding? Everyone loved Nate.

I was simply observing them, holding the warm tea kettle close to my chest; almost zoning out in the process.

Perhaps this is what love is after all; watching people you love fall in love with other people you love.

Being in love on the other hand, will always be strange, no matter how many times you’ve experienced it in your life. It is like falling in love with the moon. It looks beautiful from afar and even more tempting in theory. But no matter how many songs or poems you write about it, it will remain absurd in practicality to be in love with the moon. And you feel like the ocean, reflecting the image of your beloved moon in your turbulent waves just to get a glimpse of it. Even during the most intense storms in your life, you strive to keep your water as still as possible to catch your beloved in the reflection. It is the madness, and obsession that we humans love to bask in. This madness is love; and this love is strange.

“Yoohoo! Vayu! Tea boy, fill this up please.” Lizzy called for me raising her cup. I quickly nodded and rushed towards her. But as I was about to pour her up, she held me by my wrist and sat me down beside her. She was one strong woman for someone claiming to be suffering from arthritis.

“So, who’s the boy?” Lizzy asked in a sing-song tone.

“What? Tara told you?” I panicked.

“Oh dear, no. I just noticed that you seemed pretty distracted there and you have a glow to your face.” Lizzy said and I had to smile, how could I not? “See? You are so giggly and smiley like that. You should smile more often, you look even more handsome.” Lizzy winked.

“Well, I’d have to be a psychopath to be able to resist smiling when you say stuff like that.” I knew my face lit up like a Christmas tree at that point.

“Well, I mean it baby boy.” She held my hand carefully, “Now tell me about this man.”

I raised my eyebrow when she scooted herself closer to pay attention. She was determined to get me married to a nice man because…Honestly? I don’t know.

“Well he works at the bookstore. The one near the Marylyn street.”

“Oh I go there sometimes, I think. Is it the Libreria del Sentiero ?”

“Yes! That’s the one! Wait, do you know the guy who works there?”

“I think I have met that gentleman quite often. He comes here to get a cup of black coffee and abrownie. He is such a sweet man, and he sure does love my brownies.”

“No one could ever not like your brownies, Lizzy.” I smiled at her and she smiled back, “So, uhm… is he here often?”

I could feel her grin growing on her face. “Yes, Nick does come here on Wednesdays and Fridays.”

Nick.

Short for Nicolas, maybe. It does suit him. I remembered thinking that immediately.

Just then Lizzy’s eyes lit up. “Oh goodness, Look at that! He is standing right there, near his motorbike just along the parking. This is a sign! Vayu. Go now!” She was practically jumping in her seat while shoving my shoulders to push me out of the chair.

“But the party-“

“Fuck this party.”

Goddamn, this old lady was not playing.

She touched my cheek and kissed it quickly, “Look, V. You deserve to be happy, it is not a crime. Stop being so kind to the world and so harsh to yourself. Love doesn’t show up at your doorstep, you know? You need to chase it. Even if it doesn’t work out, you don’t get stuck in a world of what ifs. Nick is a good man. He is worth taking a chance.”

I hugged her and bid her goodbye. “Thank you.” I whispered mostly to myself. I made an excuse to get out of the party and pushed the door open.

He was standing a few meters away. I felt like I was in a romcom movie. Maybe it was because of the stars in the sky or the warm fairy lights right outside the restaurant window. Or it could be because I was willing to take a chance again.

Nick was wearing a bright red vest and a black leather jacket with black jeans. His shades were tucked on top of his messy blonde hair. And he had a pack of Marlboro in his hand. I walked towards him, still unsure of my footsteps.

God, he is beautiful.

“Need some help with the lighter?” I tried to be casual.

“Yeah, sure.”

He was so nonchalant that it was almost infuriating. He handed me his green lighter and I helped him light up his cigarette.

I watched him take a deep drag out of that cigarette. He closed his eyes and let out the smoke through his mouth and nose. He was leaning against his bike with his arms crossed. He watched the cigarette getting eaten up by the reddish-orange flame, firmly placed between his fingers.

Nick quickly bit into his own cigarette lightly with his lips and held the pack of Marlboro towards me while raising his eyebrows, gesturing if I needed one too.

“I am good, thank you.” I instantly replied.

He rolled his eyes.

Cocky bastard.

A few moments passed. It was really awkward too. I felt like pushing myself off a cliff. But I noticed a few things; he was just a few centimetres shorter than I was. However, nobody could deny that he was built. I actually felt like a twig beside him.

“Vayu, right?”

I thought I was going to combust with joy. “You remember me?”

“Of course I do. Who else would buy one of Shakespeare’s best classics with a fucking Porn magazine?”

If it were someone else, I would have knocked their teeth out (breaking my knuckles in the process.). But I saw a beautiful smile starting form in his face. He was really proud of what he said.

And I was glad I met him once again.

"You should smile more often." I blurted out. Nick looked at me with furrowed eyebrows. But soon his expressions relaxed a bit.

"Then make me." he said

*******

Next Chapter

A/N: I promise there will be more nick in the upcoming chapters

p.S. I love Lizzy

Tag: @ohmtoff @freshloveforthefit @miloisdone1 @nicksfavhoe @heyitsmemia @neo404 @matty-bear2 @thenickgirl @loud-sturniolos @maria4mari @solarsturniolo @darl1ngdr1sta @tkhzs @soursturniolo @certifiednatelover

[brian-in-finance]

J Vespa / Getty Images

The Stunning Transformation Of Caitríona Balfe

Few shows have had as big a cultural impact as "Outlander." Based on the novels by Diana Gabaldon, the show follows a World War II nurse who finds herself transported to 17th-century Scotland when she finds magical stones in the Highlands. The show was Caitríona Balfe's big break — previously, the Irish actor had worked as a model and appeared in only a few small productions. However, since playing "Outlander's" Claire, she has become one of TV's most recognizable faces. She has also landed roles in films like "Ford v Ferrari" alongside Matt Damon and Christian Bale and Kenneth Branagh's Oscar-winning "Belfast."

With "Outlander" nearing its series finale in 2023, Balfe is looking ahead to new projects such as the upcoming "The Amateur," as the era draws to a close. It's the perfect time to reflect on her career so far. So, without further ado, here is the stunning transformation of Caitríona Balfe.

Caitríona Balfe’s upbringing in Northern Ireland colored the rest of her life

J Vespa / Getty Images

Caitríona Balfe was born in 1979 in the rural village of Tydavnet (1) near the Northern Irish border. Her upbringing in Ireland has colored her entire life. "It's such a part of the fabric of your life when you live in those areas," she told Vanity Fair in 2022. "It's really not until you get older that you look back and you realize the craziness of it, or the strangeness of it."

And by the sounds of things, it was certainly an abnormal place to grow up. Growing up so close to the border, Balfe was used to being surrounded by British soldiers and once even found herself in the middle of a bomb scare. 

Her father was a garda, the national name for the Irish police force, and she was sometimes bullied for it. "Let's say being the daughter of a garda in 1980s borderland counties was not the easiest thing," she later told The Irish Times.

Caitríona Balfe was a voracious reader as a child

As a young girl, Caitríona Balfe filled most of her time with reading. In fact, when she was young, her father took away the family's TV, so instead, she looked to literature for stories and entertainment. As she told The Irish Times, she raced through the classics, including Emily Brontë, Aldous Huxley, George Orwell, and Robert Pirsig — she also was a fan of modern writers like Ian McEwan. 

When Balfe reached adulthood, her love of literature continued to be a big part of her life. "You always find her on set with a book," her co-star Maria Doyle Kennedy said. "She's a ferocious reader." And, in 2019, Balfe told Stylist, "I could just lock myself away and just read for a month, which would be so lovely."

She even started her own book club on Instagram where she posts videos about what she's reading for her fans. "First rule of book club.... We read ! Then we talk..!" she wrote in one of the first posts in 2020.

Caitríona Balfe grew up wanting to act

J Vespa / Getty Images

From a very young age, Caitríona Balfe knew exactly what she wanted to do with her life: acting. "It's in you, right?" she said to Backstage when asked about her first inspirations. "Like it's something you're either cursed with, you know, this need for attention and need to perform and all those things," she added, laughing.

Not only was she the fourth of seven children and therefore used to seeking out attention, she also had acting in her blood. After all, her father was something of an amateur actor himself, having appeared in a comedy troupe. "If my dad has some inclination towards it, there is probably something passed down," she mused to The Irish Times. Plus, she added, acting offered a much-needed form of escapism. "[T]here wasn't an awful lot of things to do," she said.

When she got older, Balfe pursued her passion for acting taking a course at the Dublin Institute of Technology.

Caitríona Balfe moved to Paris and began working as a model

Jesse Grant / Getty Images

Before Caitríona Balfe finished her course at drama school, she was scouted by a modeling agent. "I took what I thought was going to be a year out," she told Backstage, "and I never went back. Very, very bold of me."

Balfe dove into her unexpected modeling career, setting off for Paris. "I always just wanted to travel," she explained to Vanity Fair. "Growing up, we never did that — there were too many of us. We didn't have the money."

Even though Balfe had always dreamed of acting, modeling also appealed to her innate desire to perform. As she put it, "There was something about the theatricality of the runway shows — and the event of it — that I really loved." And she was pretty good at it. She appeared in shows for all of the big designers, including Chanel, Alexander McQueen, and Valentino, and even walked the runway as a Victoria's Secret Angel. And so, for a while at least, she committed herself to a career in the modeling industry.

Caitríona Balfe moved to New York City as her relationship with modeling soured

Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

Throughout her 20s, Caitríona Balfe's modeling career careened from success to success. She modeled all over the world but eventually found herself settled down in New York City. "That's been the longest of anywhere since I left Ireland," she told Backstage in 2020. After a decade of modeling, Balfe began to crave something new. "For the last couple of years [of modeling] I was miserable, really," she confessed to Vanity Fair. "It's not exactly the nicest industry or the healthiest industry."

So, discontented with modeling, she revisited her passion for acting, first taking a few classes and later landing a tiny role as one of the "clackers" in the 2006 film "The Devil Wears Prada." "I think they just came to modeling agencies and were like, 'We need a bunch of women who can walk in heels,'" she recalled of the lucky break during an appearance on "The Hollywood Reporter's Awards Chatter" podcast. "My agency knew I wanted to act and if people would come looking for stuff, they were sending me out to a few auditions." 

Caitríona Balfe moved to LA to start an acting career

Frederick M Brown / Getty Images

When Caitríona Balfe had finally had enough of modeling, she decided to take a leap of faith into the world of acting — so, she left New York behind and set off for Los Angeles. "LA is where I came and said, 'OK, this is what I wanna do with my life,'" she said to Backstage of her first impressions. She continued taking classes — one was even a $5 class. As she told The Irish Times, "These are the weird things I did when I was wanting to be an actor in LA when I first got here."

In fact, it sounds like Balfe's early years in L.A. were filled with bold, "weird" decisions. For one thing, she only knew one person in the city when she moved. Balfe knew that moving to LA was a bit crazy — but she committed to living in a "bubble of delusion." As she put it, "I guess ultimately I was like: 'I can make this work.'"

At first, following her dream of acting wasn't easy

MJ Kim / Getty Images

Life in L.A. was anything but easy for Caitríona Balfe when she first arrived. Initially, she faced rejection after rejection. "I started from scratch. I didn't have any managers, I didn't know any agents, I hadn't acted in almost a decade," she told Backstage of her initial struggles to land work.

But even though Balfe dealt with lots of rejection, she persevered. Luckily, modeling had given her a thick skin that served her well. "In an audition, if it didn't work out, it wasn't always because you didn't do a good job, or you weren't good," she explained to The Guardian. "It was other arbitrary things like your name's not big enough. Which can also be soul-destroying, but I don't know, it's different."

Balfe did land a few roles, but they were few and far between. In 2011, she had a small role in the film "Super 8." In 2012, she landed a guest role on "The Beauty Inside" and the show "H+." In 2013, there were several films: "Crush," "Now You See Me," and "Escape Plan." Slowly, she was building a stronger CV.

Caitríona Balfe landed her big break with Outlander in 2014

Laura Cavanaugh / Getty Images

Everything changed for Caitríona Balfe in 2014 when she landed the lead role on the much-hyped Starz show "Outlander." "It was a total crapshoot," Balfe later recalled of the audition for the show while speaking to The Guardian. "I had done a few jobs, nothing of note really. I was living in LA and I was really struggling, actually, it was about four or five months since I'd had a job." 

At the time, she didn't realize how big the book series was. "I wasn't even aware of the book series when I got the first audition," she said to Vogue. "Apparently, they had been searching for [Claire] for a very long time."

Balfe landed the role when she was about to head off on a holiday in India. Because her career was going slowly in LA, she decided to leap headfirst into a new life, filming in Scotland. "I didn't realize I'd still be there almost eight and a half years later," she later admitted to The Guardian. 

Caitríona Balfe shot to fame almost instantly afterward

Almost as soon as "Outlander" came out, Caitríona Balfe became one of TV's biggest names. Ronald D. Moore, who developed "Outlander," had warned Balfe about just how life-changing the role would be. "I walked her to the elevator, and just before the doors closed on her, I said, 'Your life is about to change forever,'" he said to Backstage, recalling the day she was cast. "And she gave me a grin that was both thrilled and slightly nervous. I never saw her hesitate after that."

The first episode premiered at Comic Con. "It was insane," she told Vogue. Soon enough, she began to notice her fame growing. As she told Backstage, she had only a few hundred followers on Twitter before playing Claire. "Within about a month or two, it was thousands of people — and my phone, I didn't know how to turn off the alerts, so it was just going all the time," she said. That's when she realized just how big she was becoming.

Caitríona Balfe became lifelong friends with her co-star Sam Heughan

Ethan Miller / Getty Images

Fame wasn't the only life-changing thing to come from her role in "Outlander" — Caitríona Balfe also gained a lifelong friend in Sam Heughan, her co-star. As Balfe explained to Parade, the pair made a conscious decision to become friends before filming even began. "We were just talking about it and we were like, 'Who knows what this is going to be?'" she recalled. The pair agreed to "have each other's backs." She added, "[W]e've done that from day one."

Since then, the pair have only become closer. In fact, during ATX TV's Women of "Outlander" panel, Balfe explained that she and Heughan have never even argued — although they have bickered. Heughan chimed in: "As our lives have gotten more complicated and busy, we may not see each other as much as we used to, but that core and that friendship and that base that we have has never changed." How adorable is that?

Caitríona Balfe landed a number of big roles in the 2010s

As Caitríona Balfe's fame grew in the wake of "Outlander," she landed more big roles in Hollywood — and worked with bigger and bigger stars. 

In 2016, she landed a role in Jodie Foster's all-star film "Money Monster" — her co-stars included George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Dominic West, and Giancarlo Esposito. Sadly, Balfe didn't get to work with them too much as most of her scenes were filmed in front of a green screen. Nevertheless, she was starstruck to be working with Roberts. "I couldn't stop staring at her during our first read-through," she told W Magazine. 

In 2019, she played Mollie Miles, the wife of Christian Bale's character, in "Ford v Ferrari." Matt Damon also starred in the film. "I walked into that film with the idea that I was gonna be very intimidated by both him and Matt [Damon]," she told Collider. But she was pleasantly surprised. "Immediately, when you meet both of them [and] the first thing that struck me about both of them is that they're just these great, humble family men. There was no ego or bravado. It was lovely."

Caitríona Balfe starred in Kenneth Branagh's Belfast in 2021

Caitríona Balfe landed a huge role in Kenneth Branagh's "Belfast" in 2021, playing Ma, the mother figure in Branagh's semi-autobiographical tale about the Troubles in Ireland. For Balfe, the role was particularly meaningful — after years of acting in Scotland, "Belfast" was much closer to home for the Irish actor. "As an Irish person, you read so many of these scripts about the Troubles, and they all have this romantic version of the violence," Balfe told Vanity Fair. "Belfast," she explained, was different.

In fact, Balfe even saw her own family in the script. "Even though this is very much Ken's story, there's a universality to it that allows you to see your own," she told The Scotsman. "I definitely thought of my own mother in playing Ma."

Clearly, Balfe was extremely proud of the film. It was a huge hit and quickly generated awards buzz. However, Balfe remained characteristically humble. "I'm just happy that it's turned out as beautifully as it has and that it's getting the recognition it deserves because it's shot so beautifully and the hard work and heart and soul that went into making it are second to none," she said.

Caitríona Balfe had her first child in 2021

Caitríona Balfe began dating music producer (2) Tony McGill in 2015 (3). The pair married in 2019, and in 2021, they had their first child. Naturally, having a child gave Balfe a new set of priorities. Even though rumors circulated that she'd be nominated for an Oscar for her role in "Belfast," she found her self preoccupied with her new son. "Luckily, I'm doing a lot of that [changing nappies], so I'm actually not thinking about the awards too much: It's more, 'Stop peeing on me!'" she joked to The Guardian.

However, having a child also brought out Balfe's protective side — especially when she found out that a small group of fans online were convinced that her child was actually the product of an imagined affair with her "Outlander" co-star Sam Heughan. "I don't want those crazies — because that's what they are — I just don't want them talking about [my son]," she told Vanity Fair. Apparently, that's why she and McGill have kept their son's name private.

Caitríona Balfe is preparing to say goodbye to Outlander

Mike Marsland / Getty Images

In 2023, Starz announced that "Outlander" would be coming to an end after its eighth season. After the WGA and SAG-AFTRA writer/actor strikes, filming for the final season was delayed. However, Balfe has already begun to mourn the end of the show that gave her her big break.

"Sam and I were doing a video for this season and I started to get emotional already," she told the Express. "It's going to be so weird. It's been such an amazing ride that it's nice to wrap it up while we all still love each other and we are all still feeling like we're making a good show."

Even though "Outlander" may be ending, we can't help but feel that Balfe's career is only just beginning. In fact, she's already set to appear in the film "Amateur" (4) in 2024 alongside Rami Malek, Rachel Brosnahan, and Laurence Fishburne. We can't wait to see what else she does next.

The List

Errors that caught Brian’s attention: (1) Dublin (2) artist/band manager (3) 2014 (4) First paragraph says “The Amateur,” as Malek has and IMDb did. Who knows? 🤷🏻‍♂️ The first promo art will tell us. 🍿

Remember…  I walked her to the elevator, and just before the doors closed on her, I said, “Your life is about to change forever.” — Ronald D Moore

Cut & Paste journalism 🤦🏻‍♂️

[fatehbaz]

Hey I thought you might appreciate a heads up that the yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina) has been spotted in Savannah, Georgia. 😞

Nice. Well, not nice news. But glad that you thought of me. Thank you.

(For other people who have yet to fully embrace and explore their innate love of hornets, this Vespa velutina hornet is originally from Southeast Asia. This creature is closely related to Vespa mandarinia, the creature derisively referred to in the US as "murder hornet" or "Asian giant hornet", originally from South/East Asia, which is now apparently established near in the Salish Sea region near Bellingham, Vancouver, and Nanaimo.)

Here's a look at where the giant hornets now live in North America, along with the distribution of some other large hornets which might be mistaken as Vespa manadrinia/velutina:

The map was originally published in 2022 in American Entomologist, displaying distribution range of (non-native) giant hornet; (non-native) European hornet; (native) southern yellowjacket; and (native) eastern cicada killer. The article also identifies a few few other species which might be mistaken for "murder hornets": great golden digger wasp, bald-faced hornet, German yellowjacket, red-legged cannibal fly, and pigeon horntail. (Available to read for free online; article title in the source/caption beneath the map.)

I've had many memorable encounters with large (native) bald-faced hornets in dense cedar-hemlock rainforest-y places. And coincidentally, the Pacific Northwest is also now apparently the North American home/homebase of Vespa mandarinia. So here are some other PNW wasps/hornets in comparison, from Oregon State University Extension Catalog (2022):

From 2020 research on potential dispersal of Vespa mandarinia over a couple of decades (not necessarily a good or realistic representation, not inevitable, kinda just "potential"):

Apparently Vespa mandarinia haven't yet been encountered outside of the general Vancouver area during targeted samples:

I know that you too are fond of wasps/hornets, and are aware of their popular demonization, the way that they're feared, etc. In July 2022, the Entomological Society of America put out an online resource thing that explains why they don't like the name "Asian giant hornet" for Vespa mandarinia and Vespa velutina, instead adopting "northern giant hornet" and "yellow-legged hornet" (which you called the creature, too!) because of the racialized/xenophobic implications. ("Northern Giant Hornet Common Name Toolkit" available at: entsoc.org/publications/common-names/northern-giant-hornet) They say: '"Murder hornet" unnecessarily invokes fear and violence, which impede accurate public understanding of the insect and its biology and behavior. While "Asian" on its own is a neutral descriptor, its association with a pest insect that inspires fear and is targeted for eradication may bolster anti-Asian sentiment in some people - at a time when hate crimes and discrimination against people of Asian descent in the United States are on the rise.'

Which, for me, brings to mind this recent book from Jeannie Shinozuka:

From the publisher's blurb: 'In the late nineteenth century, increasing traffic of transpacific plants, insects, and peoples raised fears of a “biological yellow peril” [...]. Over the next fifty years, these crossings transformed conceptions of race and migration, played a central role in the establishment of the US empire and its government agencies, and shaped the fields of horticulture, invasion biology, entomology, and plant pathology. [...] Shinozuka uncovers the emergence of biological nativism that fueled American imperialism and spurred anti-Asian racism that remains with us today. [...] She shows how the [...] panic about foreign species created a linguistic and conceptual arsenal for anti-immigration movements that flourished in the early twentieth century [...] that defined groups as bio-invasions to be regulated—or annihilated.'

A lot going on at that time with insects, empire, and xenophobia. In the 1890s, the British Empire was desperately searching for a way to halt malaria, and mosquitoes had just been discovered as vectors of malaria. And from Nobel prize podium lectures to popular media newspapers and academic journals, there was all kinds of talk about how "bacteria/viruses/insects are the greatest enemy of the Empire" and whatever. The US was also expanding in the Caribbean, Central America, Pacific islands towards East Asia, etc. Tropical plantations were proliferating, not just in Dutch Java or British India, but also in US administered Central America. And so insects were perceived not just as a threat to the human body of the British soldier or American administrator; insects were also a threat to profits, as insect pests threatened monoculture plantations and agriculture.

That same time period saw the US invasion of the Philippines and exports of products from the islands; the US annexation of Hawai'i, and elevating rivalry with Japan; the 1882 passage of the notorious Chinese Exclusion Act; US control of Cuba and Puerto Rico; expansion of US fruit corporations in Central America and US sugarcane plantations in Cuba/Hawai'i, where insect pests threatened plantation profits; the advent of "Yellow Peril" tropes and fear of invasion in science fiction literature; the detaining of half a million (mostly Chinese) people at the medical quarantine processing center that the US Public Health Service operated at Angel Island in San Francisco; and US insect extermination projects, mosquito control campaigns, and medical policing of local people in Cuba and the Panama Canal Zone (where US authorities detained local people for medical testing).

A lot to consider.

[random-thot-generator]

Dirty Little Secret + Pt. 5

JOHNNY 'SOAP' MACTAVISH x FEM READER

-

Summary: A trip to Brighton ends up with you stranded on the side of the road. But have no fear, Johnny's here!

Warnings/Tags: Profanity, bit of Fluff to keep you warm, Johnny saves the day, Reader's beginning to come around, No use of Y/N

(Notes: You know me. I can't stay away from the feels and warm fuzzies. This is just two old lovers finally getting to know one another.)

Word Count: 1.9K

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"Love, I need ya to go to Brighton for me t'morrow," Aunt Rue announced over dinner. "Eddie texted me earlier and said he found an original gear shift knob for the MG, but he won't be able to get away for at least another week. He offered to send it through the post, but I don't trust 'em not to lose it."

"What about the bakery?" you asked. You were scheduled to work in the morning.

"I already called Lou. She'll cover for ya."

You shrugged. "Sure, okay."

She smiled at you, patting your hand. "Yer a doll. Thanks, love."

The next morning, you rolled your scooter out of the work shed, doing a quick check before throwing your leg over the seat. It was a vintage, mint-green 1962 Vespa you received for your sixteenth birthday from your aunt, probably your most prized possession.

Donning your helmet, you started her up and set off for Brighton, a giddy grin on your face. The feeling you were experiencing was akin to playing hooky from school. It was a beautiful day for a ride, and it had been ages since you'd taken your scooter further than Kilroy, so you planned to make the most of it.

You made it to Eddie's custom shop in good time despite the traffic, retrieved the part, then took a brief lunch break at the Brighton Pier before heading back home. You were in no hurry to get back, enjoying the seaside scenery as you reveled in the pure exhilaration of traveling the open road. At least, you were enjoying it until a lorry almost turned you into a greasy smear on the asphalt.

You just barely managed to keep the Vespa upright, slewing off the road, the motor rattling to an abrupt halt as you flung a leg out to keep yourself from getting thrown arse over tea kettle. Heart pounding, you glared after the speeding truck through a cloud of dust, a string of curses flying out of your mouth as you stripped the helmet from your head.

"Ya mad bastard!" you shouted at the lorry, shoving the kickstand down with your foot. Climbing off the scooter, you staggered a bit as your shaking legs struggled to support you. "Bloody hell!" you gasped, grabbing onto the seat to keep your balance.

Adrenaline coursed through your veins, making you feel nauseous enough to bend at the waist and plant your shaking hands on your trembling knees. As you fought to keep down your fish and chips from lunch, you pulled in long, steady breaths to help slow your racing heart.

Once you felt calm enough to stand upright again, you blew out a long exhale, then turned to check over your scooter. "Fuck," you muttered, spotting the rear flat tire immediately.

You were still about twenty miles outside of Kilroy, and there was no way you'd be able to push the Vespa that far. You'd have to call for help. Taking out your phone with another muttered curse, you called Aunt Rue.

"Heavens, love!" she exclaimed, when you told her what had happened. "Thank goodness you're alright. Just sit tight. I'll send someone t'come get ya right away."

"Thanks, Aunt Rue." You put your phone away and slumped down beside the Vespa to wait.

Within five minutes, you received a text from Rue saying someone was on their way, though she didn't say who to expect. Not that it mattered to you. So long as they had a way to transport your scooter, that's all you cared about.

That's what you thought, anyway, until a familiar black truck pulled off the road, coming to a stop in front of you. Sighing out a resigned breath, you climbed to your feet and stepped forward to greet him.

"Bonnie!" Johnny called as soon as he got out of his truck, rushing up to you to take you by the shoulders. "Are ye a'right, sweetheart?" he asked, looking you over with an anxious expression.

"I'm fine," you assured him. "Just a bit shaken up."

His hands kneaded at your shoulders, worry etched into his face. "Christ, I damn near keeled over when yer aunt tol' me wha' happened." His hands tightened on your shoulders before he pulled you into his chest, arms wrapping around you in a vice-like hug. "Thank Christ yer a'right," he breathed out, resting his cheek against your head.

Your arms came up on instinct to encircle his waist, letting him hold you for a moment. You couldn't deny that being in Johnny's arms was a huge comfort, and after the frightening close call you'd just had, you allowed yourself to briefly indulge in his strength and reassurance.

The two of remained that way for several more moments, before you gathered the strength to pull away, feeling slightly embarrassed by your own behavior. Avoiding eye contact, you planted your hands on your hips and turned to look at your scooter instead. "Do, um... Do you have any straps to tie her down with?" you asked, sounding as sheepish as you felt.

Johnny nodded slowly, taking note of the change in your demeanor. "Aye. We'll get her loaded up and get ya home. C'mon, hen."

The two of you wrestled your scooter into the back of his truck, Johnny getting her strapped down, double-checking the straps to make sure she was secure. "She should be good t'go," he said, hopping out of the truck bed.

Once you were back on the road, you blew out a tired breath and slouched into the passenger seat, closing your eyes. The two of you rode in silence, the sound of the wind whipping through the cab of the truck and the warmth of the sun hitting your face soothing your frayed nerves.

"Tha's a nice scooter ye got," Johnny said, casting a glance your way. "How long ya been ridin'?"

A little smile graced your lips as you slit open your eyes. "Aunt Rue got her for me when I was sixteen. She was my first real taste of freedom."

"Aye, ken what ye mean. Me da got me an' me brother dirt bikes. Tore up the countryside on those bikes. Used 'em to herd the sheep, too," he said with a laugh.

"Sheep?" you repeated, giggling. "You were a sheep herder?" An image of Johnny holding a shepherd's crook popped into your head.

He chuckled self-consciously, nodding. "Aye. Grew up on a sheep farm. Still canna smell sheep shite without thinkin' o' home."

You snorted out a soft laugh, your curiosity getting the better of you. "So, how many siblings do you have?"

"There's five o' us, countin' meself; me three sisters an' me brother, James. Brianne's the auldest, then Emmie, me, James and Sorcha."

"Ooh, you're the middle child. God, your poor mum. Bet you drove her bonkers."

He huffed a laugh and nodded. "Aye. 'Twas always gettin' up t'some sort o' mischief with James when we were lads. Least, until one o' me sisters tol' on us. Brianne was the worst, way meaner than our mam, always scoldin' us an' boxin' our ears. She's married an' got her own brood t'deal with now. Guess me an' the others were good practice fer her."

You sniffed in amusement, easily imagining him as a cute, blue-eyed boy with messy, dark hair and a devilish grin, no doubt an absolute terror. "Must've been nice, having a big family. I always wanted a sister, but..." You shrugged, leaving the thought to hang in the air.

He slanted a glance your way before focusing back on the road again. "Yer aunt, she mentioned that she raised ya," he said, keeping his voice soft and low.

A slight crease formed between your brows. "Yeah. My da dumped me on her doorstep when I was eight. Said he'd be back to get me, but never showed. I think after mum took off, he just couldn't cope with a kid on his own. So, Aunt Rue took me in. Can't complain, though. She gave me a better life than I ever had with them. Don't think either of them really wanted kids."

Johnny was quiet for a moment, brows tipped together. "Ya ever thought 'bout havin' wee'uns o' yer own?"

You tilted your chin up in thought. "Didn't used to think so. Had this whole glamorous life planned out for myself; ya know— successful career woman living it up in London. After being on my own in Hereford, though..." You sighed, shook your head. "I thought I'd love living in the city, but honestly I was miserable there. I'm not a city girl; I learned that much about myself. It gave me a whole new appreciation for Kilroy, once I moved back. Guess I'll always just be a simple village lass, but I'm okay with it, now. Feel more like myself than I have in years."

He hummed, nodding. "Aye, I ken wha' ya mean. No' much fer the city, either. 'S like livin' in a bloody rat maze, everyone packed t'gether." He gave a shake of his head. 'S no' fer me. Dinnae like livin' in Hereford. 'S jus' a convenience, close t'the base."

You entered Kilroy soon after and directed him to your aunt's cottage on the outskirts of the village. You could see his eyes taking in the cottage and land as you helped him unload the Vespa. "This is a nice place, bonnie," he commented, eyes still scanning the property.

"Yeah. Aunt Rue loves it here; me, too. Belonged to my grandparents. Needs a lot of work, though, especially the cottage."

Johnny studied the stone structure, noting the missing and broken shingles on the roof, the dry rot around the eaves and windows. "Aye. Could use a bit o' TLC."

You sniffed. "It could use a lot of TLC, but the money to pay for it is the problem." You shrugged. "We'll get it done, eventually."

Johhny gave you a sidelong look. "So, ya plan on stayin', then? Permanently, here in Kilroy, I mean."

You thought about it and then nodded. "Yeah. I think I am. It's home, ya know?"

His bobbed his head slowly, considering your words, then he heaved out a breath and offered you a smile. "D"ya need a ride into the village?"

You shook your head. "Nah. Lou's covering my shift at the bakery today. Think I'll stay here, give the Vespa a going over, get that flat tire off." You shifted awkwardly on your feet. "I, uh... Thanks for the lift back and helping with my scooter. I can give you a few quid for petrol or—"

He waved off your offer with a scoff. "'Twere nothin', bonnie. Was glad t'do it. " He seemed a bit awkward himself before finally stepping forward to give you a quick hug and peck on the cheek. "'M glad yer a'right, bonnie."

With that, he stepped back a few steps, his cheeky smile appearing before giving you a wink. "I'll see ya later, sweetheart," he said, then climbed back into his truck, cranked the motor and steered it back onto the road. He thrust his big arm out the window to give you a final wave before disappearing down the narrow lane.

Your hand drifted up to your face, fingers brushing over the spot where he'd kissed you, a little smile pulling up the corners of your mouth. You found yourself looking forward to seeing him again.

"See ya later, Johnny."

-

part 4 part 6

[saytrrose]

racing au kinger lore? 👉👈

Hehhhhsh okay so!! My Racing au tries to follow as closely to canon as possible, and I don’t know too much canon lore to Kinger yet so I can’t really,.. decide Racing Kingers yet? I can provide you a silly fact though,,

Kinger and Queenie had matching karts! They both replicated parts of a castle- Kingers Wagon and Queenies Vespa ❤️