warnings: swearing

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I closed my locker with a soft clang, spinning the dial out of habit even though it never locked properly. The hallway buzzed with the usual pre-game chaos — guys tossing lacrosse sticks between classes, cheerleaders passing out flyers, someone blasting Eye of the Tiger from their phone like it was revolutionary.

“Hey, you coming to the game?” Scott asked, suddenly appearing beside me like a golden retriever with better hair.

I gave him a look. “Of course. I wouldn’t miss watching you trip over your own feet for the third week in a row.”

“I didn’t trip,” he protested. “That was a strategic fall.”

“Into Jackson?”

Stiles popped up on my other side, full smirk in place. “It’s how he asserts dominance.”

I snorted, shouldering my bag and starting down the hall with the two of them trailing behind me like lost ducklings.

“I’ll be there,” I added. “Wouldn’t miss it. Plus, I could use a distraction.”

Scott glanced sideways at Stiles, but Stiles didn’t miss a beat.

“Ohhhhhh right,” he said, voice laced with faux innocence. “You mean a distraction from your lifelong, earth-shattering crush on Derek Hale?”

I stopped in my tracks. “Excuse me?”

“Oh come on,” Stiles grinned. “You definitely had a thing. Back when he was tall and broody and mysterious and you were—what, twelve? thirteen?”

“Thirteen and very much mourning his sister,” I shot back, leveling him with a glare. “Which, by the way, kind of kills the vibe.”

“Sure, sure,” Stiles said, nodding sagely. “Nothing says romantic tension like mutual grief.”

“Shut up,” I muttered, but the corner of my mouth twitched.

Scott, being Scott, looked vaguely uncomfortable. “You okay though? With him back?”

I hesitated.

Truth was, I didn’t know. Seeing Derek again had knocked the wind out of me. It was like digging up something you thought you’d buried for good — only to find it wasn’t dead at all.

“I’m fine,” I lied. “It’s not like he matters.”

Stiles raised an eyebrow. “You drove out to a haunted murder house two days ago to tell him that.”

I turned to him slowly. “You tailed me?”

“Of course I did! You think I was gonna let you go full haunted-ex-girlfriend-in-the-woods alone?”

Scott looked between us. “Wait—you went to the Hale house?”

“I said I’m fine,” I repeated, this time with more edge. “And I am not his girlfriend. He was almost eighteen back then, that’s creepy…and very much illegal.”

The bell rang before either of them could answer. A small blessing.

As we started walking again, Stiles bumped my shoulder with his.

“Just saying. If you did still have a thing for the brooding -what did you call him?- ahh Dracula, I’d support you. Quietly. From a distance. With snacks.”

“Appreciated,” I said dryly.

Scott just smiled. “We’ll see you at the game?”

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

Even if everything inside me still felt like it was standing in those ashes, six years too late.

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The bleachers buzzed with the low roar of students and parents. The sun had dipped just enough to cast a golden glow over the field, the kind of light that made everything feel like a memory in the making.

I sat halfway up the bleachers, a coffee clutched between my hands — half warm, mostly unnecessary, but comforting. The game had just started, and Stiles had already missed the ball twice. Scott was pacing himself, clearly holding back. I tried not to focus too hard on the shadows at the edge of the trees behind the goal.

Don’t look for him.

“Mind if I sit?” Melissa McCall asked, already climbing up beside me.

“Please,” I smiled, shifting to give her space. “You’re saving me from listening to the kid behind me narrate the entire game like it’s the Super Bowl.”

Melissa laughed softly, brushing her dark hair behind one ear. “He’s probably someone's proud little brother. Be kind.”

I smiled, then looked back at the field. We watched in silence for a few plays.

“You okay?” she asked, voice low, just for me.

I didn’t answer right away. “You ever have a ghost walk back into your life like they never left?”

Melissa’s eyes softened. “I’ve had a few.”

“Derek’s back.”

She nodded slowly. “I heard.”

“I don’t know what to do with that.” I shifted the coffee cup between my hands. “He was... he was everything that tied me to Cora. And when she died, and he left, it felt like he took what little I had left with him.”

“And now?”

“I feel like I’m thirteen again. Angry. Confused. And maybe a little stupid, because there’s still this part of me that wants answers he probably doesn’t even have.”

Melissa leaned in a little. “You’re not stupid. Grief doesn’t follow logic. It loops and twists and revisits itself when you least expect it.”

I nodded, swallowing hard.

She nudged me with a gentle elbow. “And in the meantime, don’t forget you’ve got your own life. Your own goals. When’s your next nursing school interview?”

“Monday.” I managed a small smile. “UC Davis.”

“You’re gonna crush it,” she said confidently. “And no matter how much chaos hits this town, the world still needs healers.”

I looked back at the field, but something out of place snagged the edge of my vision. My eyes flicked to the woods beyond the bleachers — dark, dense, familiar.

A figure stood there, half in shadow.

I knew that posture before I even fully saw his face.

Derek.

He wasn’t watching the game. He was watching me.

I blinked and he was gone. Vanished into the trees like he’d never been there.

Melissa followed my gaze. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” I said, too quickly. “Just thought I saw...”

A crack of pads-on-pads and a thud echoed across the field. I turned just in time to see Isaac Lahey hit the grass hard — not the dramatic kind of fall lacrosse players bounce back from. This was wrong.

“Shit,” Melissa muttered, already moving. “That’s not good.”

I was on my feet before I realized it, my coffee abandoned, racing down the steps after her.

The world blurred into movement and shouting as people surged forward, coaches yelling, students standing, Stiles halfway across the field already, and my heart in my throat.

And just like that, I wasn’t thinking about Derek anymore.

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“Okay you two need to tell me what the hell is going on,” my voice was drenched in concern.

Stiles looked over at Scott who was pacing in front of the blue jeep still parked in the school’s parking lot.

I tugged at my own hair in frustration and let out a small grunt: “Isaac broke his leg, Scott. Because you rammed right into him. You know, he’s your teammate, right?” I took a quick breath and gave them a chance to interrupt, preferably with a very good explanation but neither of them said a word. 

“You have been acting weird for over a week now and I have no fucking clue what’s going on. First you,” I raised my right hand and point directly at Scott who had stopped pacing and now stood next to Stiles “miraculously develop some super speed and strength and become a damn super athlete or whatever. Then,” I now looked over at Stiles, my eyes fixated on his “I find your room scattered with books about ancient folk lore, werewolves and other shit. But I thought, hm whatever they’re doing, surely one of them is going to let me in on their little adventure…boy was I wrong.” 

I turned around and took another breath, deeper this time. Trying to calm my nerves and keep my voice from breaking. I spun back around, my gaze now again narrowed in on my brother whose face was drained from all of its color. 

“Derek fucking Hale shows up after six years. SIX YEARS. And no one will tell me what is going on. I cannot do this anymore, okay?” I shut my eyes, trying to push back the tears that were forming in them. I then felt a hand on my shoulder, pulling me into a hug.

“I cannot do this anymore.” I whispered into my brother’s chest. Stiles was clenching me to his body and stroking my hair, trying to calm me down. And it did help, but the frustration remained. So I opened my eyes again and tried to blink away the tears.

“It’s like it was when mom died. And then with Cora. No one would tell me anything…Stiles I need to know what’s going on so that I can help you, damn it.” I punched my fist against his shoulder, not hard enough to hurt him but enough to get him to let me go and take a step back. 

“She is right, Stiles. A friend of ours got injured tonight because I am not in control, and we do need help to figure this all out. I have to tell her.” My gaze went over to Scott and met his. His eyes were lined with worry and empathy.

“Okay, show her then.”

A long silence followed.

I looked between them — Scott, solemn and still, Stiles, gnawing at his bottom lip. I wasn’t sure which of them I expected to break the tension, but it was Scott who finally moved.

“Come on,” he said softly, and began walking toward the edge of the parking lot where the woods crept up like a dark tide.

I hesitated for a second, but then my legs carried me forward, past the echo of the game, past the normal world.

Stiles caught up to me and brushed his knuckles against mine like he used to when we were kids and I had nightmares. I didn’t pull away.

We walked into the trees until the school lights faded behind us.

Scott stopped in a small clearing. The moonlight filtered in above, cutting silver shadows across his face.

He turned around. “You can’t tell anyone. Ever.”

“I’m not a child,” I said, more bitterly than I meant to. “Just show me.”

Scott took a breath, then stepped back, his body already tensing.

And then I saw it.

The ripple beneath his skin.

The glow in his eyes.

The claws that extended like knives, curling into the air.

He didn’t growl or posture or turn into something monstrous. He just looked at me — eyes golden, glowing, inhuman — and waited.

I stumbled back, hand flying to my mouth.

“What the—” My voice broke. “Scott.”

“I know,” he said.

I turned to Stiles, who looked like he might puke. “How long have you known?”

“Since the night it happened,” he whispered. “We were in the woods. Scott got bit. By a wolf. But not a wolf-wolf. A werewolf.”

I stared at Scott again. “That’s why Derek’s back, isn’t it? Because of you.”

Scott’s eyes returned to normal. He gave a slow nod. “Laura Hale’s body was found a week ago. She was ripped apart. Derek came back to figure out who did it. And... to help me.”

“So he’s not the one who bit you?” I asked, slowly starting to piece it all together.

“No. But he knows who did.”

I folded my arms tightly, trying to ground myself in the feeling of my own body. “You should’ve told me.”

“We didn’t know how.”

“You didn’t trust me.”

“That’s not it,” Stiles said quickly. “I swear, Lee. It’s just... it was dangerous. And insane. And we didn’t want you in it.”

“I’m already in it.” My voice was low. “I saw Derek in the woods. I know that look on his face. He’s scared.”

Scott and Stiles exchanged a glance.

“And now I know why,” I added.

I took a breath, heart still pounding. “So, what do we do?”

Scott looked at me, surprised. “You’re not... running?”

I rolled my eyes. “Please. We’re Stilinskis. We don’t run. We punch problems in the face and then make sarcastic commentary until they go away.”

Stiles cracked a smile.

Scott finally relaxed, even if it was only for a second.

And I realized then — I was terrified. But more than that, I was in. Whatever this was, I wasn’t letting them face it alone.

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warnings: swearing, mentions of a fire/people burning

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The faint hum of the dishwasher fills the otherwise quiet house. It’s well past midnight. 

The front door creaks open and Stiles steps into our living room. His gaze finds me on the couch. I had thrown a blanket over my bare legs, still wearing the dress from the party. My heels were tossed aside next to the coffee table. 

“I’m home, and miraculously, apparently not grounded. I kind of expected Dad to be waiting for me,” he whispered. “I told him you were the designated driver and taking Scott home. You’re welcome” I now looked at him directly.

“My hero,” he sighs whilst plopping down on the other end of the couch and kicking off his shoes. I closed my eyes for a second, trying to gather my thoughts as neither of us said anything. 

I hadn’t been able to steady my heartbeat since seeing Derek Hale in the woods. Tears had started to fill my eyes as long suppressed memories came flooding back. The immense loss and pain I had felt six years ago too much to bear. 

But I had taken a deep breath, put on a big smile and found my way back to Lydia. It was her night after all.  “So... how’s your friend Derek?” I asked casually, sipping on a cup of tea I had made about half an hour ago. It was cold.

“My what now?” Stiles chocked. “Don’t play dumb. It’s way too late for that. I saw Scott leave with him. You were talking. Whispering. Conspiring.”

“Okay, first of all—conspiring? What are we, spies? Supervillains?”

“I mean, you are suspiciously pale.” I said.

“That’s just my skin tone! Genetic misfortune! And the same as yours by the way. Look—Scott’s just dealing with some... stuff. Weird stuff. Guy stuff.” He was now fumbling with his hands. It’s unusual to see Stiles this nervous but then again, he normally didn’t keep any secrets from me. 

“Guy stuff?” I straightened out my back and leaned over the table, putting down the now empty cup with a loud thud. 

“Yup. Totally normal hormonal teen male things. Like... puberty and... deep brooding.” He was trying to give me a nonchalant look. “Right. And Derek Hale is his... puberty coach?” I sat back against the cushions again.

Stiles blew out a small huff of air and said: “...I need better excuses.”  “Yeah. You really do.” I knew he could hear the underlying hurt in my voice. And I also knew that he was desperately trying to come up with a better excuse.

He ran a hand through his hair, clearly uncomfortable and I kept watching him closely. “Stiles... if something is going on, you can tell me. You should tell me.” “I know,” he said quietly.

Another beat of silence followed.

A light was turned on in the hallway and a second later our father appeared next to the door. He was still wearing his uniform, dark circles under his eyes making it quite obvious that he hadn’t been getting a lot of sleep these past few days. The discovery of the mutilated body of Laura Hale was not exactly a small mystery to solve for the Sherriff of the Beacon Hills police.

“Let me guess. Stiles dragged you into one of his late-night conspiracy theories again?” He gave us a small smile.

“He was just trying to convince me Derek Hale is Scott’s life coach.” I said sweetly.

“Well, that explains everything,” he said whilst rubbing his eyes and trying to stop a yawn from escaping. He gave us both a look that said go to bed and disappeared back toward the kitchen without another word. “I wasn’t lying, you know. Not exactly,” Stiles said quietly.

“You just weren’t telling me the truth,” I countered, not being able to hide the pain in my voice entirely. 

Stiles sighs as I started to unwrap my legs from the blanket and grabbed my phone from the coffee table.

“You’re going to tell me what you’re thinking?” 

“Nope.” I answered quickly whilst making my way over to the hallway.

I heard him say: “Okay, I deserved that.” before shutting the door to the living room behind me.

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Soft light filtered in through the curtains, casting a dull gray across the floor. I was already dressed—jeans, boots, a hoodie zipped to my collarbone. My long brown hair was tied back, neat and simple.

I moved quietly, careful not to let the floorboards creak as I grabbed my phone and keys, slipping them into my pockets without a sound.

As I passed my floor length mirror I stopped and looked at a framed picture hanging next to it. A picture that had been there for years—me and Cora, arms looped around each other, summer sun in our hair. She had that ridiculous pink streak that year, and I had braces. We looked like idiots. Happy idiots.

I reached out and touched the edge of the frame.

She died screaming. And he just left.

No funeral. No goodbye. Derek Hale had vanished like smoke, and I’d spent six years pretending that it didn’t gut me.

And now he was back.

I shook the thoughts off and turned toward the door. The others in the house were still asleep. Stiles was probably snoring, limbs tangled in his blankets. Dad wouldn’t be far behind, maybe passed out in the chair, still in uniform. I paused at the front door and listened. Nothing but the quiet hum of the fridge. Then I slipped outside.

The morning air was sharp, damp. Dew clung to the grass and the wind carried that chill that made it feel earlier than it was. I kept my head down as I walked to the Jeep, climbed in, and started the engine.

No radio. No music. Just silence and the crunch of gravel beneath the tires as I pulled away from the curb.

The deeper into the woods I drove, the darker it felt. The forest here was older, thicker—like the trees remembered what happened.

I hadn’t been back since the fire. Since Cora.

The roads were more memory than map. Twists and turns I hadn’t thought about in years came back to me like they’d never left. My stomach tightened the closer I got.

I told myself I wouldn’t do this.

That Derek wasn’t worth it.

But seeing him—really seeing him, alive, standing in the woods like a ghost made flesh—had cracked something open in me. Something I’d spent years keeping buried.

Memories I wasn’t ready to relive surged back anyway: the smell of smoke, the unbearable heat, the way Cora had screamed his name. Begging him to come back. Begging him not to leave.

But he did.

And now, six years later, he was suddenly here again. Whispering to my brother. Watching from the trees. Like no time had passed at all.

I gripped the wheel tighter. My jaw ached from how hard I was clenching it.

I didn’t know what I wanted from him. Answers, maybe. Or just to look him in the eye and remember what it felt like to care.

I pulled off the dirt road and onto the familiar gravel, stopping at the edge of the clearing. The house stood blackened and collapsed in on itself. Stone and ash. Time hadn’t healed a damn thing.

I cut the engine and stepped out.

The air was thick, still. Birds chirped in the distance, but around the house it was eerily quiet. I walked forward, my boots sinking into the damp ground, the weight of memory pressing on my chest.

It looked just like it had in my nightmares—ruined walls, half-fallen beams, the skeleton of what used to be a home. Vines climbed up where windows used to be. The smell of burnt wood still lingered faintly, clinging to the charred frame.

And there—fresh footprints in the dirt. Big. Recent.

He’d been here. Maybe still was.

Of course he came back. This place wasn’t just ruins to him—it was a graveyard.

I stepped onto what was left of the porch. The wood groaned beneath me.

You don’t get to just show up like nothing happened, Derek.

You left. You disappeared. And now you’re back and talking to my brother like none of us ever mattered.

I stood at the edge of the doorway, staring into the hollow space where the front room used to be. My chest ached. My throat tightened.

Then I took a breath. And I stepped inside.

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The floor creaked beneath my boots as I stepped deeper into the skeleton of the house. Ash and damp earth clung to the air, and the faint scent of something animal—wolf, maybe—lingered just beneath the rot of time.

“Derek?” I called out, my voice cutting through the silence.

No answer.

Just wind slinking through broken beams and the distant rustle of trees.

I moved past what used to be the living room. I remembered the furniture—how the couch had sat crooked because one leg was shorter than the others, how Cora had always complained about it. I remembered the warmth, the laughter. The life that once existed here.

“Derek, I know you’re here,” I said louder. “I saw the footprints. You’re not exactly subtle.”

Still nothing.

I stopped in the center of the ruined space, where the ceiling had caved in. Bits of glass and debris crunched beneath my feet.

“Are you really gonna keep hiding from me?” I shouted now, my voice shaking. “After six years?”

A sound behind me. Barely a whisper. I turned.

And there he was.

Derek Hale. Standing in the shadows between two scorched beams, arms crossed, face half-shrouded in darkness. Taller than I remembered. Harder. Sharper around the edges.

Not a ghost. Not a memory.

Real.

Alive.

I stared at him. For a second, I couldn’t breathe.

“You’ve got some nerve coming back here,” I said, every word thick with the anger I’d buried for too long.

“I didn’t come back for you,” he said, voice low, rough like gravel. Like it had forgotten how to be gentle.

That stung more than I wanted to admit. I took a step forward.

“No,” I spat, “you never come back for anyone, do you? Not even when your sister was burning alive inside this house.”

His jaw twitched, but he said nothing.

“And I waited. I waited, Derek. I waited for answers. For you to come back and say anything that made it make sense.”

Still silence.

“You didn’t even come back when the Sheriff found Laura’s body,” I said, biting down on the lump in my throat. “He had to ID her by the tattoo on her ankle. Did you know that? Did you know my dad had to see what was left of her?”

His gaze broke from mine.

“And now here you are. Like it’s just another day in Beacon Hills.”

“I came back because of Laura,” he said. Quiet. Heavy. “I came back because someone murdered her and left her in pieces. I came back to find out who did it.”

I blinked, caught off guard by the way his voice cracked—just barely—but it was there.

“And what? You were gonna just... sneak around? Talk to Scott McCall in the woods? Pretend you weren’t part of any of this?”

“I didn’t think I owed you anything,” he said sharply.

My heart dropped.

“Really?” I asked. “You didn’t think you owed me anything? After what happened to Cora? After I watched her burn and all you did was throw me over your shoulder and carry me home like a little kid?”

His eyes flicked to me again, and this time, there was something raw there. Guilt. Pain. Something he didn’t have words for.

“I was a mess,” he said, voice low. “I didn’t know what to say to anyone. Especially not you.”

“So you chose to leave.” I shook my head. “Coward.”

He flinched, and I hated that I still cared enough to feel bad about it.

“Cora was my best friend,” I said, my voice quieter now. “She was my family. And you didn’t even try to get her out of there.”

He stepped forward once. Just a foot. Barely more than a breath.

“I did what I had to do,” he said. “You wouldn’t understand.”

I laughed—short and humorless. “God, you’re still such a coward.”

His expression hardened. “You think this was easy for me?”

“No,” I snapped. “I think it broke you. I know it did. But you let it break everyone else too. Me. Stiles. My dad. And now you’re back and sniffing around like nothing happened.”

Silence. The house around us creaked like it remembered everything too.

Finally, he looked away. “I didn’t come here to hurt you.”

“But you did,” I whispered. “You already did.”

I turned before he could say anything else, storming toward the open frame of the door. My heart was hammering, and the tears I had been holding back finally blurred my vision.

And then I heard him.

Soft. Almost too soft to catch.

“I’m sorry.”

I stood there for a second, his apology hanging in the air between us like smoke—barely there, and already fading.

But I didn’t turn around.

I couldn’t.

Because if I looked back, I wasn’t sure what I’d see. The boy I used to know? The ghost of someone I’d mourned? Or just a stranger wearing his face.

So I stepped outside.

The morning light had shifted, casting long golden beams across the forest floor, but it felt cold. Harsher somehow.

Behind me, the Hale house remained—cracked and broken, just like the people it left behind.

I walked to my car without looking back, got in, and closed the door. My hands trembled against the steering wheel.

And only once I was halfway down the road did I let myself cry.

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chapter III: https://www.tumblr.com/isabellabrodar/780905700205461504/in-broad-daylight-teen-wolf-chapter-iii?source=share

warnings: underaged drinking, swearing

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„You already know what you‘ll be wearing on Friday, right? Because I won’t have time to stop by your house before the party.” 

I shut my locker with enough force to make the metal rattle and looked around the busy hallway until my eyes landed on two boys standing not too far away from us.

“Do you think Stiles and Scott have been acting weird lately?” I asked my friend next to me, turning my attention back to her. Lydia was already holding her books for the next class in her arms, looking at me with not a single care in her eyes.

“When do they not?” Her voice was sweet as always. Her bright red lips spread into a slightly sarcastic smile.

“No I mean more than usually. There's something they're not telling me.” I tightened my grip on my own books

“Leah, listen to me. We have more important things on our list of priorities than your little brother and his puppy friend doing stupid stuff.” We started to walk towards the nearest staircase, passing a group of lacross players, including Lydia’s boyfriend Jackson who gave us a small nod. 

“This party will be the social event of the year. It always is.” She held her head high as we climbed up the first flight of stairs, probably already picturing everyone celebrating her with enough booze to fill an entire swimming pool. But she was right. Her birthday party would be the social event of the year. Just as it has been for the last four years. Everyone wanted to come to Lydia Martins party and everyone who had the honor to have been invited would be there. 

“I know, I know.” Including me. “Don’t worry, I’ll be there to help you set up. And I do already have an outfit planned.” I turned to her again after we arrived on the second floor.

“Perfect.”, she said without giving me another look before making her way to the labs.

“See you after chemistry.” I said, knowing she wouldn’t really be able to hear me anymore. 

I took a deep breath while trying to find my way through the crowd and towards the councilor’s office. Whilst Lydia’s priority at the moment might have been throwing an outrageously loud and ostentatious party, mine was finally picking a nursing school to go to after I finish high school. And since my senior year just started I couldn’t put it off anymore. 

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Music was blasting through the old speakers of Stiles’ blue jeep. The windows were rolled down and a soft summer breeze grazed my cheek as we made our way to Lydia’s house.

The end of the week had arrived faster than I anticipated. With a new schedule filled with all honors classes and being the newly appointed co-captain of the volleyball team, the first few days of school had went by in the blink of an eye. 

“Congratulations on making the lacross team this year Scott. I can’t wait to see you play first line.” I turned around towards the backseat to give my best friend a huge smile. 

“I never thought I would actually say those words, since you usually don’t really reek of athleticism. But you know, I guess everyone has their secrets, right?” My smile only widened as I let my gaze sweep over to my brother on the driver’s seat. 

“But it’s not like there is anything else going on or is there Stiles?” I tilted my head as I asked sweetly.

“Pfft, what? Me? Secrets? Never. I’m an open book. A very boring, completely non-suspicious, book. Like... a phone book. Except even less interesting.” As he started rambling, Stiles tried to keep his eyes focused on the road seeming to have found a sudden interest in every house we passed.

“Stop being so weird. And don’t pull any crap at the party. I am surprised Lydia even invited the both of you.” Scott gasped like he was actually hurt by my remark.

“And it’s not like I don’t love you two or that I am not happy that you’re there, but please don’t embarrass me in front of all of my friends.” I pulled out a small mirror from my bag and checked my hair one last time before we pulled into the driveway.

I tilted the mirror to the left and could see Scott grinning on the backseat: “Come on, Leah. You know we’d never do anything to jeopardize your social status. Right, Stiles?”

“Absolutely not. I plan to stand very still in a corner and radiate normalcy.” Stiles deadpanned.

“I already regret this.” A sigh escaped my lips as I let the mirror fall back into my purse.

“But hey…thanks. For being excited about the team and all.” Scott sounded sincere as we all unbuckled from our seats and I turned around to face him once more. “It means a lot.” There was something else lacing his words. It seemed like this was more a burden than a blessing. But I decided not to question him anymore. I would get to the bottom of whatever they were hiding after surviving this evening.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

The bass from the speakers was so loud I could feel it in my chest. Lydia had outdone herself again—glowing string lights lined the pool, and half the senior class had already arrived before the sun had even fully set. I navigated through a crowd of sweaty teenagers holding red plastic cups, catching glimpses of people dancing, laughing, and definitely breaking every school code of conduct imaginable.

“Drink?” Lydia appeared next to me with the effortless grace of someone who thrived in chaos.

“I’m good. I want to be able to remember tonight when you inevitably need someone to piece together what happened,” I said, accepting a water bottle instead.

She smiled slyly. “That’s why we’re friends.”

I returned the smile and turned back towards the crowd.

The full moon was beaming down on us, illuminating the dancing and obviously drunk people scattered all throughout the garden. 

“Although I must say, I wish I did have the time to come check on you before the party. You could’ve worn something more…special.” Lydia said with a slightly judging tone. I looked down and gave myself a quick look over. I had chosen to wear a quite simple black dress that almost reached my knees and thrown on a light blue cardigan before leaving the house. 

“I am even wearing heels, Lydia. I don’t know what you mean.” Her gaze went to the black stappy heels on my feet.

“I am going to let it slide today. But only because I look even more fabulous.” She flicked her strawberry blonde hair over her shoulder and took another sip of the drink in her hand. I tried to hide the smile forming on my lips. She really did look fabulous. And I know that my brother had noticed it to. Stiles has had a crush on Lydia for years now. I knew that he was one of the only people who actually saw her for what she really is. She tried her best to hide behind her confidence and popularity but we knew the genius, kind and funny person underneath that façade. 

A flash of movement near the back patio caught my eye—Stiles and Scott. They were huddled together, talking low and fast. Scott glanced over his shoulder.

At me.

He looked away immediately.

“Excuse me,” I muttered, leaving Lydia mid-sip and weaving through the crowd toward the boys. I made my way over the neatly trimmed grass. 

“Hey!” I called out when I got close enough. But Scott had already turned around. He was leaving, heading towards the back gate. And there was someone waiting for him.

I turned to Stiles slowly. “Who is that? Tall, dark, broody Dracula back there?” But before I even finished my question, realization hit me. 

“That’s Derek, right? Derek Hale.” I said, swallowing the small lump forming in my throat.

Scott had disappeared now, concealed by the dark woods surrounding Lydia’s backyard. 

My brother tried to get away from me, but I grabbed his shoulder tightly before he could take another step.

“What does Scott have to do with Derek Hale?” I asked sternly. But I didn’t get an answer.

“Stiles.”

He pressed his lips into a tight smile and pointed at me with finger guns. “Gotta go. Time to stare at a wall and reevaluate my life choices.”

And just like that, he disappeared too.

I stood there in the middle of the yard, surrounded by music and laughter, but completely frozen.

Something was definitely going on.

And I was going to figure out what.

“Leah!” Lydia called from across the yard, waving her drink in the air like a torch. “If you disappear on me, I swear I’ll put Jackson on DJ duty.” I raised a hand in silent promise and turned back toward the gate. Whatever this was… It wasn’t going to stay hidden much longer.

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chapter II: https://www.tumblr.com/isabellabrodar/780904048720330752/in-broad-daylight-teen-wolf-chapter-ii?source=share

Okay so this is a story I am currently trying to write. I'll try not to spoil too much but there is going to be some romance between the new character "Leah" and Derek. But there is also going to be another love interest.

would anyone be interested in a derek hale fan fic that introduces a new character (stiles older sister)??? set in the first two seasons

What about Lando fooling around with his toddler at the paddock?

thank u! xx

favorite fan | lando norris

pairing: lando norris x reader

warnings: none

word count: ~1,2k

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all your worries about bringing your daughter to a grand prix for the first time vanished once you saw the excitement in lando’s eyes as he spotted the two of you walking into the mclaren building.

“what are you two doing here?” your boyfriend asked when he finally reached you. aelin’s arms immediately went up in his direction and she let out the most adorable giggle when lando picked her up and sat her in his arms.

“well your daughter really wanted to meet lewis hamilton, so i thought, why not bring her here.” you answered sarcastically while pointing at her outfit. she was wearing a toddlers mclaren tshirt and an orange skirt, paired with a cap on her head that had the teams logo and the number four on it.

“you look absolutely adorable, my love.” lando said to aelin who had started wiggle in his arms, trying to see what was happening around her.

“we’re gonna stay for qualifying, but i don’t know if we’re going to make it to the race tomorrow.”

“that’s alright, darling. thank you so much for coming.” you boyfriend gave you a peck on the lips while placing one of his hands on the small of your back.

“let’s go, i have so much to show her.” his excitement really started to show as you made your way outside and he started to tell you about how well the last practice went.

the paddock was filling up quickly. media teams trying to get some footage before the qualifying seasions and a couple of famous people using their vip access to stroll past the team buildings. the amount of people and cameras would’ve normally made you nervous, your instincts to bring your daughter home kicking in. but she had a huge smile on her face, matching her dad’s who was proudly explaining everything.

“okay so this is were the good drivers work, my love.” lando stated as we walked out of the orange building

“but these lads over there are very, very slow. you will only ever see them in your mirrors.” he was now pointing at max who was talking to checo and charles, all three of them too engaged in their conversation to hear lando’s comment.

“daniel is going to join us in a minute and then we can go to the garage.” you couldn’t help but smile at your little family when lando turned around to face you, making sure you heard him. aelin was holding onto him tightly while trying to look at everyone and everything that was surrounding her.

you also tried to take everything in, realizing that it had been a very long time since you joined your boyfriend for a race weekend. lando was pointing at drivers and staff again while whispering in aelin’s ear, who in return seemed to be absolutely hypnotized by the scenery around her.

“y/n is that you? oh my it feels like i haven’t seen you in ages!” just as you turned towards daniel, he was already pulling you into a very big hug, pressing your face against his chest.

“mate, your suffocating her.” lando exclaimed from next to you.

“good to see you too, danny.” you smiled up at the tall driver. you had grown close quickly after he joined the team in the past year.

“weren’t you just at our house last week?” a laugh escaped you as you recalled him falling asleep next to aelin on the couch after having had a tad too much wine at dinner.

“maybe, still good to see you back here. and you too of course.” his attention now turned to your daughter who was holding onto her dad tightly.

“dan, hand me your sunglasses for a second?” a mischievous smile was forming on lando’s face.

“lando, you’re already wearing a pair.” you pointed out but daniel didn’t hesitate, already laughing because he knew what his teammate had planned. you couldn’t help but giggle when lando placed them on your daughter’s face. he had already turned her tiny mclaren cap around, so now she was matching her dad perfectly. the pair of them looked adorable together, the glasses almost hiding all of her face but you could still see her big smile underneath.

as you made your way towards the garage you noticed several people turning their attention towards lando. you saw them whisper, some people even took pictures of him holding his daughter. and while you knew that this was just another side of being somewhat famous, it made you very uncomfortable to have your daughter out in the open like that. it seemed like your boyfriend could sense how you tensed up next to him. so when he took your hand in his and gave it a little squeeze, he also leaned down to give you a quick kiss on the cheek.

“it’s okay, my love. her face is almost fully covered by the glasses.”

“i know, i know” you whispered back, whilst again admiring how great of a dad lando really was. you had never really doubted it anyways, but finding out you were pregnant came really unexpected. and with the both of you being so young and still in the midst of working on your careers it was quite the shock. but you two are handling it very well and every time you look at lando and your little girl, you realize that you wouldn’t have it any other way.

the garage was already filled with mechanics and a couple of engineers that were getting both mclaren cars ready for qualifying.

“okay, normally people don’t get to do this, but since you’re my favorite fan, let’s get you inside.”

“lan, do you really think that’s a good idea?” you laughed when you saw that aelin was already reaching for the orange race car, trying to get closer to it.

“she’ll be in her own sooner or later anyway.” your boyfriend explained while placing your daughter onto the seat. she wasn’t even tall enough to look over the steering wheel but that didn’t seem to bother her. aelin started to press all of the buttons in front of her while smiling from ear to ear and letting out a couple of giggles.

“see, she loves it.” lando said as he put his arm around your waist, pulling you up against his side. he had his phone out in the other hand, filming his daughter while she was exploring the inside of his race car.

“you know what we should do, darling?”

“what?” you asked whilst keeping your eyes on your little girl.

“have another one.” lando said to you.

“i think you better finally propose first, mate.” daniel half-shouted from where he was standing with someone from the media team.

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please just imagine lando doing his model walk around the paddock someday, but with his kid in his arms. adorable

sneak peek

pairing: max verstappen x reader

warning: none

chapter: ?/?

word count: 540

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,,I thought you are in love with her” you slured, taking a small sip of water right after finishing the sentence.

You didn’t look up to see his face but you felt him tense next to you. Your slouching figure was touching his side and his leg, your body hanging on the couch so low that your head was at the height of his chest.

,,I do love her. But it’s not close to..” Max stopped talking and took a deep breath. ,,You are drunk, I should bring you back to the hotel. We have a big day tomorrow.”

,,Would you stay with me tonight? Please?” The question came out of your mouth before you could consider the consequences. Before you could really think about who you were talking to and before you could make sure you weren’t doing something irresponsible just because of the slight tingle him being near gave you.

He started shiftig, siting up straighter and then you were being pulled up a bit as well. Your head was now next to his shoulder and as he put his arm around you, you let yourself lean on him. Your head started to spin a bit.

,,I will stay with you tonight” his voice barely a whisper, but you heard it and instantly relaxed at his promise.

You would think about the consequences tomorrow. When your head was in the right condition again, not this twirling and pounding mess.

It felt like you had layed there forever. Letting his warmth lull you into sleep slowly. The clouds in your head parted and made way for the calming heaviness of dozing off. All of the sudden Max’s arms shifted around you and he picked you up, grabbing you under your arms and pressing your side against him, making sure to hold you tightly.

You didn’t fully wake up even then, the combination of the intoxicating drinks, the mental stress of the past couple of days and the need for sleep was too overwhelming. It all made the drive back to the hotel feel like it lasted mere seconds.

When Max placed you on a bed that felt like it was made out of clouds, you shortly wondered if he would just leave. After taking of your laced heels and struggling to open the sipper on your back, he hesitated to pull the beaded dress over your head. Instead, he just pulled the fluffy blanket over your still body and stepped away. You don’t know how many moments passed in which you didn’t hear him move at all until he himself tossed his shoes onto the floor. When the blanket lifted once more you unconsciously started to smile and turned to the side, your face grazing his chest. Max placed his arm around your shoulders again, his thumb started to trace the shape of your ear.

,,You don’t deserve any of this” his voice was filled with sadness but you didn’t have it in you to respond. The safety and comfort his presence meant to you in that moment was all it took for your body and mind to finally let go and allow the darkness to fully consume you.

——————————————

so here is the promised sneak peek to the multi chapter story i am working on. Obviously there’s not a lot of context, but you‘ll see…

if you have requests for

max verstappen

charles leclerc

lando norris

carlos sainz

daniel ricciardo

pairing: charles leclerc x reader

word count: 1.6k

you're really stressed out about your upcoming exam but your boyfriend is there to help you

you had been studying for your next med school exam for over eight hours now. the occasional look outside and seeing the nice summer weather didn’t make you feel any better about spending almost every day behind your computer. but you couldn’t allow yourself a break, this exam was the last one before you would start your clinical rotation so it was very important to get a good grade.

charles always supported you when it came to your education. you met the monegasque on your graduation trip almost three years ago in some night club here in monaco. maybe it was because of the alcohol in your system or maybe it was because of the fact that you would leave for your home country the next day anyways, but you had just went over to him and his group of friends and used the cheapest pick up line that was swirling through your mind. he laughed and after having a couple of drinks and partying all night, you decided to keep in touch. after dating for about a year he asked you to move in with him. his travels for work and you studying full time making it almost impossible to see each other. you had protested at first, knowing that you couldn’t pay any of the rent, but he convinced you that it was fine, so after some discussions you caved and moved to monaco.

he was currently at the ferrari headquarters, participating in meetings and training sessions to prep for the upcoming season. so you had used all your free time studying until midnight, getting up early in the morning to go to the gym and then starting to revise your books again. to be honest it was tiring, but you had the goal of becoming a physician and you would work your ass of for that.

you placed your empty coffee cup down on the table and started typing again, trying to finish one of the reports you also had to work on. music was blasting from your headphones, so you didn’t hear the door open and close or charles walking up to you. he bent down and hugged your body from behind, placing small kisses along your jaw and up to your cheek.

you couldn’t hide your surprise when you turned around to face him, he shouldn’t have been home for another two days.

“i thought i told you to actually go outside for once, mon amour.” his tone was teasing but the underlying truth in his words was evident.

“charles, i didn’t know you would come home today, i would’ve gotten dinner ready.” you grabbed his face with both of your hands and couldn’t help but smile while giving him a quick peck on the lips.

“no need, I got us a table at your favorite restaurant. i want to take you out tonight.” he gave you another kiss on the forehead, turned around and made his way to the bedroom.

you let out a small sigh, not wanting to disappoint him. charles made it a point to make up for the time that you two couldn’t spend together. he would either get you gifts, small and meaningful ones that you adored or he would take you out on the most romantic and exciting dates.

“i am sorry babe but i really have to stay in tonight. the exam is in two days.” you followed him to your bedroom and sat down on the big comfy bed, assuming that he had went into the connected bathroom.

“why don’t you ask carlos or max to join you?” you knew it was a stupid question, but you asked anyways, trying to make yourself feel less bad for cancelling on your boyfriend. charles stepped out of the bathroom wearing only his trousers since he was about to take a shower. he came over to you and positioned himself with each of his legs outside of yours, trapping you on the bed.

“i want to go out with you, mon cheri, not them.” his words came out as a whisper while he bent down and placed his lips on yours. he hadn’t been gone for that long but being able to taste him again made your core start to tighten a bit. you wrapped your arms around his neck, fully leaning into the kiss and deepening it. your heartbeat sped up and after a couple of minutes you pulled back smiling at him. something about the way that his green eyes were scanning your features made you realize how lucky you were to have him. his reassuring smile triggered something in you and suddenly you were overwhelmed.

the feeling of not deserving the man in front of you, the fear of failing your exam and never finishing school, the feeling of not being good enough. it all came clashing down and you couldn’t help but cry. as the first tears started to roll down, the look on his face changed from happy to concerned in mere seconds and he knelt down in front of you, taking your hands into his.

“what is it, y/n? What’s wrong?” the pain in his voice made you cry even more. the sobbing made your whole body tremble and you couldn’t stop. charles got up and sat down next to you, pulling your head against his chest and rubbing his hand up and down your back. after staying like that for a while you finally pulled it back together, letting charles’ touch calm you down. when you looked up and saw the worry in his eyes you noticed that you still hadn’t explained that sudden outburst.

“you shouldn’t stress yourself that much, mon amour.” he was still holding you around your waist and his thumb was drawing small circles on your skin, calming you even more.

“good thing you didn’t wear a shirt, it would’ve been ruined.” you let out a small laugh, trying to change the atmosphere.

“what was that about, Y/N.” his voice was demanding and you knew there was no way to change the subject. so you tried your best to explain what had caused your tears. it wasn’t the first time that you told him about how undeserving you felt from time to time and he also knew that you were really ambitious when it came to your studies.

“listen, please.” i had finished my rant and almost started crying again when Charles placed his hand under my chin and made me face him.

“you know i love you, mon amour. you know i would give anything to have you live with me. i don’t care that i am the one paying. i mean you’re becoming a doctor, for god’s sake. you should be able to focus on that first and foremost. but i still need you. i need to see my girlfriend laugh and have the time of her live. i need to see you do what you love and this, at the moment, is not it.” his eyes hadn’t left yours for even one moment.

“so i will take a shower and go grab some food, while you finish that report. but as soon as i get home, you’re done. we can have dinner and watch a movie or you can take a bath and then we’ll just go to bed, oui?” he gave you a small kiss on the forehead and waited for your answer patiently, but you were at a loss of words. so you just grabbed his face and placed your lips on his. all the love that you felt for the monegasque driver made your heart beat faster as he grabbed your waist and pulled you even closer, deepening the kiss.

and so you did just what he had asked of you. you went back to your laptop whilst charles got in the shower and started to get dressed afterwards. when he left you were already almost done with your report and by the time he had gotten home with your food you had pressed submit.

you had dinner on the couch, listening to charles talk about all the small changes that he would have to make the next season in order to finally get that championship title. you couldn’t help but get excited for him, loving the way he talks about his passion while never forgetting to ask you about yours. after finishing the food you asked charles if he would be ok with just going to bed and he didn’t complain one bit.

“i am really glad you liked the cheesy pick up line i had for you at the club.” your head was resting on charles’ chest, your leg draped over his body while he was playing with your hair and holding you close.

“it was the stupidest thing i had ever heard. but as soon as i saw the pretty smile on your face and heard you laugh, it was hopeless. there was no way i could resist you.” a small giggle escaped him when he thought back to that night, just as glad as you were that it had played out the way it did.

“i love you, charles.” you planted a small kiss on the inside of his palm and scooted even closer, snuggling into his side as much as you could.

pairing: max verstappen x reader!Daniel Ricciardo’s sister

word count: 6088

y/n is daniel ricciardo’s little sister, who occasionally joins him on race weekends. but what happens when she is clearly interested in his dutch teammate and just can’t stay away anymore?

warnings: underaged drinking, swearing, light smut

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Daniel had left the hotel about three hours ago to meet some of the team at a club nearby. During that time I had finally picked up my books again and started to revise the most important stuff for the exam I had coming up. I usually enjoyed traveling with my brother and the red bull team but sometimes it was quite hard to manage everything.

So I used the time I had to order myself some food and study, although my motivation didn’t keep me going for too long. After a couple of hours I decided to go to the hotel bar. I ordered a drink, gladly taking it without being asked for my ID and went outside on the big balcony overlooking the beach. I sat down on a couch next to a small group of people that were having a quite vigorous conversation about the upcoming race on Sunday.

I was scrolling through social media when my phone started ringing and the screen showed an incoming facetime call from Daniel.

„Max, what the fuck are you doing? “ I gripped the phone tightly, turning my back to the group of people standing next to me, shocked to see the Dutch driver and not Daniel.

“You wanna come over? I really want to see you.” He was practically shouting the last sentence, trying to drown out the music that was playing at the club. I could see in his eyes that he wasn’t fully able to focus, probably due to countless beers and some shots with the team.

“Why did you take my brother’s phone to call me? “ I lowered my voice, still scared that people would notice me and listen to the conversation, even though there was no one here that should even know who I am.

“Oh yeah ehm he told me to…No honestly Y/N I don’t know but I want to see you, please come here.” The slurring was now more than obvious and I couldn’t help but take a closer look at his face and smile. His hair was all messed up, his cheeks slightly reddened and it was evident that he struggling with not shaking the phone too much.

“Max, where is Daniel?” He didn’t have the time to answer my question before his face disappeared from the frame and I saw my brother’s confused look on my screen.

“Y/N?” He also had a slight slur in his voice.

I had gotten up from my spot on one of the benches and leaned against the rails, the cool evening air whirling my hair in my face and making me shiver slightly. It really hadn’t been the best idea to go outside this late.

“Max called me asking if I could come pick y’all up, I was just about to head out. He mentioned you having a little too much fun at the bar.” I finished with a quick giggle, hoping I sounded convincing enough to my drunk brother.

“I am great Y/N, but no actually, he’s right. Probably for the best if you could pick us up. Just be here in a couple of minutes, thanks.” And with that the video call ended.

I hadn’t thought about going back to my hotel room to get a jacket, so I just rushed to Daniel’s car as fast as I could and turned on the heating. The drive to the club wasn’t very far but the streets were packed, so it took me about 15 minutes to get there. I texted Daniel that I would be waiting outside for them but after he didn’t respond or come outside for another 15 minutes, I decided to go inside and get them.

The club was packed with sweaty bodies enjoying themselves on the dance floor and more than enough people drowning their liquor like it could’ve been water. I pushed through the crowds and made my way to the bar, where I expected both of the Red Bull drivers to be.

“Ahh Y/N you made it. Here have a beer.” I looked at the young engineer, I think his name was Paul and smiled but shook my head at the same time.

“Not now Paul, she’s here to drive us home.” Daniel joined us with Max only a couple of steps behind him. I didn’t listen to the conversation that my brother started with the engineer but went over to the Dutchman, who somehow sobered up a little bit since our video call.

“I see you can stand straight again.” I said to him in a mocking tone, nudging him with my shoulder which only reached his chest.

He looked down at me and smiled while taking a sip of the beer in his hand.

“Glad you’re here.” His left hand was now at my lower back, pushing me slightly forward and right next to my brother and Paul. My heartbeat immediately sped up and I knew that he would enjoying making me nervous in front of Daniel.

“I think it’s time to go, mate.” Max’s thick accent drew my gaze back to his face and I was amazed by how good someone could look after hours of partying. His white button up shirt clung to his frame nicely and his ruffled hair reminded me of what he looks like when he takes of his helmet after racing.

“Y/N you okay?” I shook my head quickly to pull myself together and straightened my back. Daniel had already gotten his and Max’s jackets from the wardrobe so it was time to head out.

“Yeah, just a bit tired, that’s all.” I was relieved when Daniel started walking through the crowd and towards the door without noticing Max’s hand still lingering on my lower back, his drunk courage making him hover right over my ass.

The air outside was still freezing, so max offered me his jacket even though the walk to the car wouldn’t be too long.

“Hey Verstappen, you better not get too close to my sister there, ay.” Daniel’s tone was playful but both of us knew that he meant what he said, so after placing his jacket over my shoulders Max took a step away from me and we made our way to the car.

The ride back to the hotel was pretty uneventful. I listened to the two guys talking about some of the DJs that had played that evening and occasionally looked in the rearview mirror to check on the drunk Dutch in the back.

After parking the car in the garage we went inside quickly. Max was the first one to leave the elevator and I could see him stubble a little bit as he made his way on to the third floor. Daniel and I didn’t talk while we continued on until we reached the fifth floor, both of us lost in our own thoughts. When the doors finally opened and we reached our separate rooms right next to each other, I noticed the warm jacket around me.

“I’ll just bring Max his jacket real quick, don’t know if I am going to see him tomorrow.” Daniel just mindlessly nodded, opened his door and went inside is room. I took another deep breath, not in the least ready to talk to Max again that night. But I went to the staircase and made my way downstairs, hoping that my mind would clear up a little bit before it was time to knock on his door.

I did so quietly, not wanting for other people to come outside their rooms and see me. When Max opened the door I instantly regretted not giving his jacket to Daniel and asking him to take it to his teammate the next day.

“Y/N what are you doing here?” A small smile appeared on his face but it was probably due to the confusion. His shirt was unbuttoned and unfortunately he didn’t wear anything underneath. I tried to not stare for too long until I was finally able to get a real sentence out.

“I still have your jacket. I thought you might want it back.” It was hard to steady my voice while my thoughts went into directions that they shouldn’t have.

“Well, it does look better on you, but thanks.” He finally took it out of my hand which I had been stretched out in front of me for what felt like an eternity. I saw his gaze wander from my face to my shoulders and lower. I hadn’t thought about it earlier but now the choice of wearing black leggings and a normal long sleeve shirt made me feel quite insecure. I braced myself with my arms in front of my stomach and stood up more straight, trying to make my legs look longer and less chubby.

“You know I think you’re absolutely beautiful, right?” His words hit me like a punch to the chest, in a good way I guess. I couldn’t breathe for a second, trying to process whether he really just said that. But apparently he did because when I looked up at him again he still had that small smile on his face.

“I really should go Max, I’ll see you tomorrow at that PR event.” I pressed my lips into a thin line, signaling him goodbye and started to turn around when he grabbed my arm und pulled me up against him in one quick motion. I had completely given up on breathing normally, my eyes widened and I didn’t dare say a word. The content smile had left his face and he was now staring down at me with a look that showed that he was thinking intensely about what he was going to do next. My arms were still crossed in front of my body but now pressed against his naked chest and I could feel his hands gripping my hips lightly. Nothing around me mattered anymore and I couldn’t sense anything besides his touch and his chest rising with each deep breath.

My eyes darted from his lips to his blue eyes as he started to close the gap between our faces. His lips were only an inch away from mine and it took all the self-control I had in me to resist kissing him in that moment.

“Please don’t tell your brother I did this, ok?” I didn’t even have enough time to wonder what he meant by that and why he would mention Daniel now, when he pressed his lips against mine and pulled me even closer at the waist. My hands found their way into his hair and I was convinced that nothing had ever felt as good as kissing him. Max’s lips were caressing mine and the kiss was far from sloppy or hungry which was surprising given his drunken state. Once we found our rhythm I relaxed into his hold, leaning my body against his. He took a step back, pulling me with him towards his room when I broke away from the kiss. My eyes were still closed for a second and I had my forehead against his when I told him that I would be leaving. I didn’t wait for an answer when I turned around and made my way back to the staircase.

There was no denying that I had always found Max extremely attractive and with him being one of Daniel’s best friends we had spent a lot of time together. But there was so much connected to this. First of all my brother, who would never let me date anyone in the first place, especially not someone five years older than me. Then there was the press who would love to know about any tiny little detail of Max’s relationships. And of course the fans who gladly shred apart any girl that gets too close to their favorite driver if she doesn’t meet their expectation. I just wasn’t ready to deal with all of that pressure.

I knew I needed to talk to him about all of that someday, but not now. So I laid in my bed and tried to collect my thoughts whilst pushing away the lingering feeling of his lips against mine.

_

I was always nervous on press day, hoping that none of the reporters would notice me and ask questions about my brother. It’s not that I wouldn’t want to talk about him, it was just that I wasn’t the most comfortable in front of cameras. Anyways, I got ready and put on a pair of straight legged jeans and one of my red bull t shirts.

“You look like shit Y/N.” Daniel greeted me as I entered the cafè where we had agreed to meet for breakfast.

“Thanks, you too.” I said and sat down in the seat in front of him.

“I didn’t get much sleep last night, I was up studying.” I added as a waiter came by and poured some hot coffee in our mugs. I immediately took a sip while looking up at my brother who was on his phone.

“Max, is going to join us in a minute.” My brother’s words caused me to choke on my drink and I let out a cough. I mumbled a quiet sorry and continued drowning the liquid in the hopes it would wake me up enough to get a clear head again.

When my brother’s teammate arrived at our table he uttered a quick good morning and sat down next to Daniel.

“Looks like you didn’t get much sleep either, ay?” Max’s head shot up as he looked at Daniel who thought he had just made an innocent joke. But I started to panic and I could see the same in the look on Max’s face.

Nothing happened after that. We each ate our breakfast and Daniel navigated Max and me through some light conversations, which apparently neither of us was really keen on having. After about an hour we all left to go to the paddocks and meet with the media team. I wasn’t allowed in the meeting itself so I waited outside and watched all of the different news channels set up their cameras. Something that didn’t usually happen was a lot of reporters and staff pointing at me when I started to walk around the paddocks. So to avoid the attention, I pulled out one of my books for school and found some spot in the shade to study a little bit but the later it got, the harder it was to concentrate. More and more people started to fill the area and I noticed that in a couple of minutes the first press conference would begin, so I made my way down to the red bull building, just in time to see all of the team including Daniel and Max stepping outside. Both of them had a stern look on their face and seemingly made it a point to ignore me, so I just followed the whole crew silently and positioned myself somewhere next to them once they took their stances in front of the cameras. I was close enough to hear what was going on but definitely out of the camera range, so I snapped some pictures of my brother to send to our mom and waited for the interview to begin.

“Ricciardo and Verstappen, proven to work great together in these past races. Why do you think that this match made by red bull is so successful?” The reporter asked after handing two microphones to the drivers. They had heard this question a couple times over the past few weeks so it was easy for Daniel to answer.

“Well, I mean Max is obviously a lot younger than me and I think that that dynamic is very beneficial to the team and our interactions on the track.” His voice was not as carefree as usually and his eyes not once darted to his teammate or anyone else besides the camera. Something was definitely off.

“So Max I am sure that you are quite happy about how things are right now. What about you Daniel, any words on your sister’s new relationship?” My eyes widened and I noticed a lot of people looking in my direction again, but I couldn’t pay too much attention to them as I saw the picture they showed on one of the big TVs. It showed Max and me last night, not just hugging in front of his hotel room but kissing.

I felt my stomach twist and turn and took a look at my brother who was still staring straight ahead, not acknowledging the picture next to him. My gaze wandered over to Max who finally looked over at me too, with a pleading look on his face. I could feel my chest become heavier with each breath and I noticed tears forming in my eyes. This was the total opposite of what I wanted to happen and they must know that.

“I am not going to comment on that.” Daniel said and it was the last thing I heard before I left the area, trying to walk through the crowd was calmly as possible.

“Y/N Ricciardo! Give us some insight on your relationship with Max.”

“Y/N, here. What does Christian Horner say about everything?”

“Was the Ricciardo name not enough for you?”

I tried not to run into anyone whilst I focused on blocking out all of the questions that came from reporters and journalists that I passed on my way to the red bull building. To my luck, they weren’t allowed inside so I shut the door and made my way to one of the conference rooms, where I sat down on one of the chairs and finally let all of the tears flow. They turned into heavy sobs quickly and I tried to contain myself when someone knocked on the door. Whoever it was didn’t wait for an answer before opening it and stepping inside.

I ran my palms over my eyes, wiping away the tears and looked up at Max, who was standing in front of me. The young driver came closer and eventually knelt I front of me, taking my hands in his.

“I’ll talk to Daniel and explain that it was my fault and that nothing else happened. I have already told my media team to not answer anything concerning you so the press should be bored and leave you alone altogether in a couple of weeks.” His eyes never left mine and I could sense that it was hard for him to keep it together as well.

“I’ll talk to Daniel, it’s fine. I don’t even know why I am crying, I just didn’t want this to happen.” He nodded in agreement and gave me a quick peck on the forehead before getting up an immediately leaving the room. Still completely overwhelmed I tried to pull myself together and left a couple of minutes later. I found my brother waiting by his car.

“Get in, we’re going back to the hotel.” That was all he said before opening the passenger door and making his way around the car to get into the driver’s seat. He didn’t talk or look at me after that, until we arrived at our hotel rooms. He led me into his, obviously not wanting anymore pictures taken in the hallway.

“I know what you’re going to say so please just hear me out. It was nothing Daniel, he was drunk and I…I don’t know what I was thinking. It was stupid and we’ve talked about it, nothing more is going to happen.” I was standing near the door, arms crossed in front of me, hoping I sounded rational enough for him to understand. Daniel was pacing through the room, gripping at his own hair in frustration and letting out a sigh.

“Yes, of course nothing more is going to happen, what the fuck. I just don’t believe he could be such a dumbass and not check for cameras.” The rant only stopped for a second so my brother could gather his thoughts and look at me.

“I will tell him to keep his hands off of you and you better stay the fuck away from him.” The sudden outburst of anger confused me so I took a step towards him and raised my voice to match his.

“And why do you think that you can make that decision for me huh?”

“Because I am your brother and you’re under my watch. I don’t want to see the two of you together again.” With those last words he turned his back to me again and I took it as a sign to leave. I slammed the door on my way out.

-

That weekend was four weeks ago. Since then I had traveled home once and fortunately Daniel hat already talked to our parents so I didn’t have to explain the whole thing anymore. We were currently in Monaco. Max had made P3 last race in Spain so there was a lot of pressure on Daniel to perform well today. I hadn’t talked to him much over the past weeks but he didn’t seem angry anymore. Max and I didn’t talk either. I did kind of miss him but it was better this way.

The engineers and drivers had just finished their last meeting before the race and I started to get nervous. Daniel stepped out of the conference room and walked over to his car, where I had waited for him.

“You know, I might not be as charismatic as my older brother but I got all the intelligence of the family and my prediction is that you will win today.” A big smile was plastered on my face as I hugged Daniel and attempted to motivate him. He returned the smile and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before putting on his helmet.

“If I do win, we will party tonight.”

And that promise he had to keep because he did indeed make P1 in Monaco. The media talks afterwards went by quickly and we made our way to the hotel to get something to eat and then meet the crew and other drivers at a local club. Usually he didn’t allow me to come, since I wasn’t legally old enough to drink, but he was in a good mood and I was glad that he wanted me to be part of the celebrations.

I took a quick shower, dried off my hair and curled them in order to look presentable in case any paparazzi were waiting in front of the club. I put on a pair of jeans and low cut black top, hoping that that was fancy enough for the place that we were going to. After putting on some make up, I left my hotel room and knocked at Daniel’s door, letting him know that I was ready to go. The smile on his face was still there when he opened the door and led me to the parking garage.

The streets of Monaco were packed with people and it seemed like everyone wanted to party that night. The line in front of the club would’ve meant a waiting time of at least 2 hours for us, if it wasn’t for the owner being a friend of some guy my brother worked with. Sometimes this life style had its perks. We went inside and I was immediately hit by bright flickering lights and blasting music.

“Daniel, good to see you. Congrats again, man.” Charles greeted us once we passed the dancing crowd and made our way over to the booths. I had seen the young driver before but we never really got acquainted. He told us to sit down with him and one of his colleagues and we decided to order a bottle of liquor. Well, the guys decided, I ordered a glass of wine for myself, not wanting to get too drunk too fast. My plan didn’t work out that well. After two glasses of wine, some shots and some colorful cocktail that definitely contained tequila, I was drunk. I jumped up and pulled the two drivers next to me to the dance floor. My brother and I started to dance our hearts out within the first second, shaking our bodies to the beat with not a care in the world. Charles was more timid but seemed to enjoy himself as well. My heartbeat sped up and I started to feel ecstatic, until my gaze roamed through the crowd and I made eye contact with the Dutch driver that I was trying to forget. I continued dancing and some little part inside of me hoped that he was still watching me.

After some time my brother declared that it was time for another drink so he took Charles with him to the bar. I stumbled back to our table and as I sat down I noticed how drunk I really was. My head was spinning like crazy but I grabbed my half empty glass anyways and poured the liquid in my mouth. Another hand took the glass away from me and placed it back on the table. I lifted my head up slowly, trying not to get too dizzy. Max’s blue eyes were fixed on me and I noticed a little stubble growing on his chin. I couldn’t help myself but touch his face, the alcohol in my system making it impossible to resist him.

“I missed you, you know. Great race last week.” A small hiccup interrupted my sentences and Max started to smile.

“I think it’s time for you to get home.” His voice was calm and it was evident that he hadn’t been drinking. I pulled my hand back from his face and started giggling when I saw my brother approaching.

“Verstappen, what do you want?” He didn’t sound angry, but it was clear that my brother wasn’t too happy at seeing us together.

“I just found her like this and I think it’s best if I get her home. I promise I won’t do anything. I was just about to leave anyways.” His Dutch accent was as enchanting as always and I couldn’t suppress another giggle. I didn’t know what more Max had said to convince my brother to let him take me home. I was concentrating on not falling asleep until I felt two warm hands pulling me up. One of his arms went around my waist, giving me the support I definitely needed in order to walk out of the club. I waved a lazy goodbye to where I thought Daniel must stand and tried to walk as straight as possible which probably wasn’t straight at all. Once we stepped outside and the cold air hit me, my head began spinning again.

“Hey, stand here for a second. I’m gonna get the car.” It felt like he really was gone for just a second. Max opened the car door on the passenger side and helped me sit down. After putting on my seatbelt for me, he closed the door and got in as well on the other side. I kept my eyes closed, knowing that seeing the outside move would only make me sick.

“Thanks, Max.” I mumbled, barely being able to form that sentence. I felt him brush a strand of hair behind my ear and a smile started to form on my face.

I can’t say how long it took us to get to the hotel, but once we were in the elevator I felt a little better.

“Do you have your key card?” His voice was still calm but he seemed stressed, I didn’t know why. I started searching my pockets for the little white card. The elevator doors opened and we got out but I still hadn’t found the card.

“I think…I think I lost it when I went to the bathroom or something.” My slurring must’ve made it almost impossible to understand what I was saying but I heard Max mumble a couple of cuss words before he took my hand and we went to the elevator again. About a minute later I was standing in his hotel room. Well, barely standing so he guided me to the bed and disappeared in the bathroom. I didn’t dare lay down just yet, my head was still spinning way too fast for that.

“Here, drink this and I’ll get you something to wear.” I took the glass from his hand and drowned the water in one go, instantly feeling its sobering effects.

“My brother is going to be pissed.” I put about ten accents on the last words and laughed. Max was bent over his suit case, going through his clothes.

“No he won’t. I’ll just let you sleep here and then we’ll get you a new key card in the morning.” He walked over towards me and handed me a big red bull t shirt and some shorts. I got up on my own and started to pull down my pants.

“Ey Y/N what the fuck are you doing?” I looked up at him but he had already turned his back to me, apparently not wanting to watch me get dressed.

“I usually would never get undressed in front of anyone, but you said I was beautiful. And I am drunk, hupps.” The words had way too much truth in them. I continued changing and went to the bathroom once I was done. One look in the mirror was confirmation enough that I was really blackout drunk and that his t shirt was way too big on me.

When I went back into the room Max was sitting on one of the armchairs, so I just pulled the blanket up from his bed and laid down. I immediately closed my eyes, enjoying the comfort of the mattress and the warmth flowing through my body.

“Can you come here?” My voice was quiet and I tried to hide the level of alcohol in my system even though it was way too late for that.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” I looked up at him. When had he gotten changed? I didn’t know and I couldn’t concentrate long enough to care.

“Please.”

I had to hide my childish smile when he started to make his way over to the bed. Max put his phone on the night stand and sat down next to me, his back straight against the headboard. I sat up to, not entirely sure why.

“Why did you kiss me?” I suddenly felt pretty sober again. He turned his head towards me and I could look into his blue eyes again.

“I like you Y/N. That’s why. But I shouldn’t have.” His last words hurt but I knew he was right. My hand wandered to his face again, I just couldn’t help it. I traced his cheek with my thumb and went over the stubble again that was growing above his lip. I don’t know for how long I did that but it wasn’t enough. I wanted him.

“What are you doing?” His words came out like a whisper as I turned my whole body towards him and sat on his lap. My hand was still on his cheek and the other one went to his hair.

“Y/N you’re drunk.” His voice sounded stern but I could see his eyes darting to my lips.

Once my lips were on his, I knew that it would be incredibly hard to stay away from him the next day. His hands gripped my hips and he pulled me closer against him. I deepened the kiss and let his tongue into my mouth, enjoying the taste of him. I started rocking my hips back and forth, knowing exactly what this might cause. He started to moan lightly and I could feel his grip tighten as his crotch hardened. The feeling of being on top of him was electrifying. The knot in my stomach tightened and I could feel a tingle in my core. His hands roamed over my body, hungrily trying to touch every inch of it. I pulled my head back and smiled at him. As he opened his eyes I grabbed the t shirt I was wearing and pulled it over my head, well aware that I wasn’t wearing anything underneath. His eyes widened in arousal and I couldn’t help but let out a giggle. He kissed me again, his lips touching mine not gently but like he was starving for them. His mouth traveled to my jaw, placing sloppy kisses under my ear, traveling even further as he started to leave a trail of kisses along my collarbone. One of his hands was placed around my breast, his thumb caressing the already hardened nipple. I threw my head back and let out a moan. His mouth went further down and he started to lick over my nipple while using the other hand for the other one. The rocking of my hips sped up und I couldn’t hold back anymore.

“Max…I…I need you.” Every word was followed by a deep breath and a soft moan. I grabbed his face and pulled his lips on top of mine again. The kiss slowed down a bit until Max pulled back completely while cupping my face with his hands.

“You don’t know how much I would love to hear you scream my name like that, but you are still drunk. I couldn’t forgive myself if I used you like that.” He placed another kiss on my lips and handed me the large t shirt I had been wearing before.

I got off of his lap, got dressed again and laid back down on the bed.

“I’ll get another glass of water for you, schatje.” That was the last thing I heard before falling asleep.

-

My head was pounding like crazy. I didn’t open my eyes for another couple of minutes to avoid the brightness making everything even worse. I pulled the blanket closer to my body as the hand around my waist also tightened. I could feel Max’s chest against my back and relaxed into the warmth of my body. I knew this was wrong, but I wanted to enjoy it just for a little while longer.

“I think we might be thinking the same thing.” His voice was way deeper than usually and his accent coated his words. I turned around, our faces now facing each other, his arm still draped over my middle.

“Thank you for stopping us last night.” I was right, opening my eyes definitely made the headache worse.

“It was the hardest thing I ever had to do.” His face was still buried in the pillow but I still took a good look at him, especially appreciating the bed hair. After a couple more minutes like this, I got up to go to the bathroom and when I got back, Max was already on the phone talking to someone, so I just started to get dressed again. I could feel his gaze on me the whole time and while I did feel self-conscious I also enjoyed his attention and my mind immediately wandered back to last night.

“Imma head to the reception and get a new key card. I don’t think Daniel is up yet.” I kept my voice low so only Max could hear it. He gave me a quick nod, I grabbed my phone and left his room, hoping that no journalists were waiting outside his door this time.

The way to the reception and back was uneventful I didn’t meet anyone knew so I just made my way back, grabbed some advil from my suitcase and went back to bed in my room. I don’t know how much time had passed until I was woken by a loud knock on my door.

“Y/N it’s time for breakfast. Our cab to the airport leaves in an hour.” I groaned and sat up in bed, definitely not ready to get up.

“Let’s go. We need to talk.” Daniel’s voice sounded serious and my mind started to wander. He couldn’t have witness anything last night and maybe I could convince him that I had never lost my key card in the first place but had slept in my room. Either way, I had to get dressed and see what he wanted.

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enemy to lover vibes

max verstappen x reader imagine

“you need to calm down, holy shit. i get that this is important and i 100% believe that it was his fault also, but you need to stop.” the whole crew had cleared out of the room, leaving you two alone.

“he knew i could overtake him, that fucking coward.” max was still in his racing suit, pacing around his dressing room and cursing the person who just took him out of the italian grand prix.

“you need to pull yourself together. be the bigger man and show the people that you won’t be bested by tactics like that.” it could cost him the championship though and i knew that.

“okay, let’s go. i want to get this over with.” he didn’t wait to see whether I followed him but just went through the door, outside to where the press already waited, cameras rolling and reporters hungry for answers.

“max verstappen with us now, good to see you again. please tell us about today. obviously it didn’t end as you might have wanted.” the blonde journalist handed a microphone over to max and waited patiently for him to answer the question.

“well no. we were on the way to get into a better position but that didn’t happen and of course zero points is not something that we wanted as a team.” he looked clearly aggravated and his look towards me on his left meant that he was already done with media today.

“i won’t bother you much longer, max. but when you mention the team, did they have any opinions about you almost driving on top of hamilton today?”

she knew exactly what she was doing with that question, her hungry look focused on my face, as I grabbed max’s arm, hoping he wouldn’t bomb this.

“i mean they weren’t happy that it cost them points but if you’re that stupid on the racetrack, you shouldn’t be surprised to be caught by or under a car.” he finished the sentence and gave the microphone back to the media team, instantly turning around and leaving. i hurried behind him, trying to keep my mouth shut as best as i could, but as soon as the cameras were far enough away i couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“in what world was that pulled together? what the fuck max? i know you don’t care that much about what they think, but it is important for the team’s image. you cannot drop something like that, shit.” he was facing me, his expression hardened, his eyes looking directly into mine. i was staring at him in desperation, trying to understand how he could be so reckless.

“they will now think you did it on purpose. no one will want to think that it could’ve been lewis’ fault as well.” my voice was still filled with anger, matching the dutch temper in front of me.

“you’ll figure something out, you always do.” a sarcastic smile was now plastered on his face as he padded my shoulder and turned around.

i wanted to yell at him again, tell him how angry he makes me. but i just followed him to the paddock, grabbing my laptop, starting to think of a way to make this right.

we left italy the next day, flying straight to england in ordern to thoroughly prep for the race at silverstone. i stayed at the same hotel as the other drivers and crew members and joined them on their first trip to the paddock for training and tactic talks. i walked into the conference room silently, taking my seat next to max, who was already having a rather cheerful conversation with horner.

“great job with the media yesterday, y/n. really saved his ass with those tweets.” christian smiled at me as he got up and walked out of the room after waving goodbye.

“yeah, really saved my ass.” max replied in a tone almost dripping of sarcasm. i ignored him, knowing that responding would only start another fight that i didn’t want to have. the rest of the crew found their way in and after about an hour it was time to practice and plan out some content and interviews for the week.

sunday came faster than expected and everyone was already in the garage, prepping the car and talking to max one last time before he would start the race. it was important to win today, but it was lewis’ home race so we knew it would be difficult.

i watched max as he pulled the helmet over his head, his look already focused on the car and his mind dead set on the track. everyone went silent as he got into the car, starting the engine and leaving the garage. i took a seat in front of the monitors, headphones in my ear so i could hear the radio.

the race started of alright, with hamilton on pole and max right behind him, we knew that it would become interesting soon. and then came the moment where everyone held their breath, all of the noise was drowned out and the only thing i could hear was my own puls. he was about to overtake the mercedes, it was a clear thing, but lewis didn’t take the usual route, he went more on the outside of the corner, pushing the red bull driver out of the track and hitting him in the process. the car went straight into the wall, over 100mph suddenly seeming like slow motion.

“max are you there? max are you ok?” i could here the concern in the engineers voice over the radio. he was followed by silence and i still couldn’t breath, i couldn’t stop imagining the worst until we finally got a response.

“fuck.” He groaned, obviously in pain. “yeah i am ok, fuck.” I didn’t see the dutch driver get out of the car, i was already running out of the back of the garage, making my way to the exit were the medical staff would be.

he appeared about 5 minutes later, accompanied by two medics talking to him. his eyes found mine and i couldn’t help but yell.

“max what the fuck was that? i thought, i thought that was it. you went in the wall so fast I didn’t even see…are you really not hurt? did they check properly?” but i didn’t get to finish my rant, his arms came around me, his thick race suit almost suffocating me, but i didn’t care. i buried my face in his neck, taking a deep breath for the first time since hamilton’s car had touched his.

max’ arms were still around me, holding my shoulders and pressing me into him when i heard more of the staff come outside. i don’t know why but I really didn’t want to push him away. i took a step back, taking a look at his face again, a stern expression showing that he was also still in shock.

“max lets get you to the hospital just to check for a concussion and then we’ll talk later” horners instructions were clear, so i turned around after one last look to check if he was whole and left to grab my stuff at the paddock. with max gone, it was now my turn to talk to the press and i had never been this nervous to do just that.

“how is he? we only heard the radio so please tell us what happened.” the reporter had handed me a microphone before hand and was now waiting for an answer.

“max is being brought to the hospital. they are sure that he’s fine but want to check anyways, you never know with a concussion or maybe the ribs.” it took me a second to form the first sentence.

“and can we also talk about this moment right here?” the monitor next to me turned on and what i saw left me speechless. it was the scene after the crash, were max walked of the track and landed in my arms. it was hard to miss the fact that it looked like a very intimate moment and it was flustering to see the way that he held me from another perspective. i couldn’t ignore the tingling that I felt in my chest as i breathed in and collected my thoughts.

“well, i mean it was a serious crash and when you spend that much time with the crew obviously you are very invested. and even if you’re not friends, a moment like that can still shock you, i guess the fans behind the tv would agree.” i finished with a small, nervous chuckle and ended the interview, not wanting to say more stupid things.

i didn’t dare visit him at the hospital and i also didn’t attend the meetings the next day, explaining that i had too much work to do which I could do better on my own. what i really needed to do was to get it together. the reaction i had to his crash was not normal. and yes, i always found him incredibly hot when he stepped out of his car and ran around in the unzipped race suit. but he also aggravated me so much that i just couldn’t think of him as more than my colleague.

the week went by surprisingly uneventful. there were no more comments about our hug and max handled the media day quite well, which kept our interaction to a minimum.

max was still in the lead for the drivers championship, but with starting only on p3 the prospects for the saudi arabia gran prix weren’t as good as the team needed them to be. the red bull driver had still managed to overtake both bottas and hamilton, making him take the lead in the race. but of course that would be to easy. max received a penalty and being forced to give back his position to hamilton he tried to let him through, stopping only a little bit until the mercedes driver behind him touched the red bull car. it was actually a bit funny to listen to max verstappen rage over the radio, the occasional dutch swear word flying around, but when he couldn’t gain back his position at the front, i knew the press conference afterwards wouldn’t be fun.

i was waiting in his dressing room, looking at the first articles about the race today, when he stormed in and slammed the door shut behind him.

“please tell me you’re extremely happy about p2 and the press conference later is going to he awesome” he didn’t even look at me or pretend to think about an answer when he started to kick the wall.

“i am not going to tell you to calm down but i’ll leave now. gonna talk to some reporters, tell them not to ask dumb questions.” my voice was quiet as i hopped off the massage table and went for the door.

“i’ll be outside in a moment.”

i had just finished explaining to the sky sports reporter that he would arrive shortly when i felt max’ hand on my lower back. he walked around me, grabbed one of the microphones and started answering the questions. he didn’t cuss once, stating that hamilton driving into his car could’ve happened to anyone and then politely mentioned that he has to get going. i was utterly confused, only able to stare after him when he left the media pit.

i went back to the hotel soon after that, wanting to post some of the behind the scenes shots fron the day and message one of the online magazines. a couple hours later i got a text from daniel. we hadn’t really been in contact much the past couple of months, him being busy with the races and me being busy with damage control during the championship fight. but when he asked me whether i wanted to join them for drinks at a bar later, i was more than happy to say yes. i got ready right after, throwing on one if my new dresses, a green silk one with little lace cutouts under the chest. it wasn’t too much, paired with sneakers and a black coat over it, the outfit actually looked quite nice. once i payed the uber driver and set foot in the bar i was surprised to see daniel sitting in a booth with both lando and max. i took of my coat as i approached them.

“y/n awesome to see you! i am glad that you could make it.” the aussie accent felt as warm as the hug daniel gave me. he sat back down and i waved at lando, who then pointed to the seat in front of him, the empty spot right next to max.

“sit down, lets order another round of shots.” the young brit started to wave at a waitress and daniel started to look at the menu to decide what he’s going to get.

“fancy seeing you here mr. verstappen. didn’t expect that.” i placed my coat on the bench to my right and turned to my left to look at max who looked surprisingly happy.

“why not celebrate a great race like today.” his voice also sounded quite happy, but the way that he pressed his lips into a small line when he pretended to grin, made me see his anger.

we ordered a couple of shots and I drowned two glasses of wine. i could already feel the alcohol making my head spin a little and I had to really concentrate on my words. i had just started to talk to lando about the race today when another round of shots was brought to the table. max was currently looking at the bar, talking to daniel about some movie that they had seen.

“i mean i am quite happy with p10, at least daniel here had a little more success.” lando ended the sentence with a small laugh and i couldn’t help but smile.

“yeah well and at least you didn’t have to break check someone.” the whisper came out louder than intended so i quickly grabbed the shot glass and drowned the liquor. suddenly i felt a hand on my left thigh. i didn’t need to look in order to know who’s it was. i was stunned, my head spinning even faster than before, the heat from his hand spreading into my stomach, making me inhale deeply. i took another sip of the wine in front of me do drown out the warmth i felt in my core when max squeezed my leg and started to run small circles around my skin with his thumb.

him and daniel were still talking about that movie but lando had left the table to get more drinks. i couldn’t focus anymore, the small movement on my leg, barely above my knee was driving me insane and i hated it.

“excuse me guys, i need to call my mum, i forgot to tell her that we’re staying in england until tuesday.” i could’ve slapped myself for an excuse as stupid as that, but i needed to get away in order to breath properly again.so i left and went towards the bathrooms, not going in, just standing in the hallway, staring at my phone and thinking about what the hell was going on. after what felt like only a couple of seconds he was standing in front of me, his facial expression not signaling anything.

“i am sorry, i shouldn’t have done that.” his voice was quiet, his dutch accent thick due to the alcohol in his system.

“ i…i just don’t know what to say. What the actual fuck is going on with you?” i put my phone in my pocket and crossed my arms in front of my chest, still standing against the wall and trying to steady myself.

“i hate the way you make me feel. i hate that you always try to control me and what i say.” he was now standing closer in front of me, my arms still crossed but his chest now against them too.

“well i hate the way you talk shit all the time and make my job harder. how hard is it to control yourself huh?” it wasn’t easy to get all these words out, my breathing became quicker and quicker. i couldn’t stop staring at him, his eyes, his nose, down at his lips. my focus stayed there as he grabbed my arms and whispered in my ear.

“i was fucking angry after the race. But when i saw you in the dressing room i could only think about what it felt like to have you in my arms. and i don’t know what the fuck that is because you irritate me like crazy, especially with your little remarks. but i want you.”

it felt like a knot inside me became untied, the buzzing that had before mainly happened in my head was now focused in my core.

when he pulled back his head from my ear and looked me in the eyes again, i couldn’t help myself. i grabbed his shoulders with both my hands and pulled him into me, placing my lips onto his. his hands immediately found my hips, pulling me even closer to his body.

i had completely lost control, the feeling of his lips moving against mine and his tongue moving caused a small moan to escape my lips. i could feel him smile, so i kissed him harder, one of my hands now in his dirty blonde hair.

his hands found their way to my butt and with one swift motion he hoisted me up, having me wrap my legs around his body.

“i…we…we need to go somewhere else.” the panting made the words nearly unintelligible but he knew what i meant. his lips found mine again, kissing with a hunger that apparently neither of us could explain. the feeling of his arms around me was as intoxicating as the alcohol before and everything else was drowned out. he started to move us away from the wall, probably about to go into on of the bathrooms when i heard that aussie accent again.

“eyo max did you want another…” he didn’t finish his question. i pulled my head back as max placed me on the ground. i straightened my dress and walked right passed daniel, leaving the guys behind and keeping my head low as i walked over to the table. it was hard to concentrate and not run into anybody, both the shock and the liquor messing with my brain. but i found my coat, mumbling a quick goodbye to lando who looked utterly confused and left the bar.

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definitely not 100% happy with this, but i feel like if i made it longer and explained more (focus on the characters themselves) it would make more sense

if it’s to let all of our creative thoughts out then why is it so hard to think of an actual plot?

if it’s to process emotions then why would we create a character so different from ourselves?

word count: 1277

warnings: none

jj maybank x reader

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I had watched the fire go out until the cold started to creep in and I forced myself to lay down between Sarah and Kie, the sand even colder on my body.

We had been stranded for almost a week now but still weren`t able to build some kind of hut or tent, anything to keep out the clawing hands of the cold nights breeze.

I tried to listen to the waves that were still beating onto the island, but the sound didn`t calm me tonight. It almost drove me mad. I got up again, trying not to get any sand on the others and wake them up, successfully it seemed. The two girls were still sleeping with a peaceful look on their faces. You could even go as far and call this their dream life.

There was a big rock right at the shore which we usually laid our clothes out on in order to dry them. But it was empty now so I sat down, feet dangling and barely touching the water as some of the left over heat from the stone crept up my body.

This was the dream life, the dream life of a Pogue. Surfing all day, sitting by the campfire at night, no one around but the five people you`re closest to. But why did it feel so wrong to me then? After everything we have been through, John B almost being convicted of murder, Sarah almost dying, Pope almost dying, escaping Rafe on the Costal Venture, this should´ve been a relief.

„I would ask you if you can`t sleep but that seems too obvious.“

I broke my stare away from the ocean and looked up to the blonde boy now standing next to me.

„You know that sneaking up on people when they`re contemplating life isn`t polite, right?“ I tried to force a smile on my lips but I knew that he could see how tired I was. He always saw.

„What`s wrong?“ His voice was quiet and it reminded me of all the conversations we had after we thought John B and Sarah had died. We would stay up all night and sit next to each other on the beach or just the porch of the cottage, almost like right now.

„This is our life right?“

„Seems like it. Y/N, what`s going on?“ He sat down right next to me, our legs were touching and he was looking at me as I turned my head back towards the crashing waves.

„I just want to go to school, JJ. I want to leave every morning at the same time, meet you guys in the afternoon, go home to have dinner with my family and do it all over again the next day.“ My hands had started to shake a little and my breath became shallow.

„That sounds kinda boring if I am being honest.“ His blue eyes wandered from my face to my hands and he added: „You can still have that life back. We just need some time to figure it out.“

And there it was. The moment something broke in me and I knew that no one would be able to fix it.

„I can`t do this anymore, J. I am not like Kie who doesn`t need her family because she has you guys. I am not like Pope who just manages to push his college plans a little further into the future. And I am not like you, JJ. I can`t be that optimistic all the time and try to come up with another risky and definitely stupid plan. I just want to feel at home again.“

Tears were now running down my face and my best friend didn`t hesitate to pull my body into his. The crying turned into sobbing, which I tried to keep quiet to not wake the others. No need for everyone to see me break down. My head was pressed into JJ`s chest and I felt it move as he started talking slowly.

„We are your family. I am your family, Y/N. If you want it or not I am there for you and I promise, I will get you back to your normal life, ok? I would do anything for you.“ His words made me look up at him.

„You know it hurts me to see you like this. I mean, I don`t really understand your feelings…This is heaven for me, but…“ He stopped talking when he saw the hint of a smile on my face.

„Thank you, J. Even I don`t understand my feelings.“ I paused a second to think. „I am happy when I am with you. All of you, I mean. But I just haven`t felt safe and at home in a long time.“

JJ`s arms were still around me when I noticed that I felt warm for the first time since leaving the Costal Venture. The sound of the waves was merely noticeable anymore. My breathing was hitching up again when JJ looked me in the eyes. His hands had moved from my shoulders to my cheeks and he gently wiped away some of my tears.

„Can I kiss you?“ I could hear the hesitation in his words.

I broke the eye contact and looked at my hands, which were shaking even worse now. Have I expected him to aks that, to feel this way about me? Definitely not. Have I wanted him to? Since we met in third grade and he punched a kid in the face for stealing my bracelet.

„I don`t think that`s a good idea, J. The others wouldn`t approve, especially with all of us trapped on an island.“

„I don`t give a shit about what the others think and I know neither do you.“ He let his hands fall into his lap. I couldn`t read the look on his face but I knew that I hurt him. And he knew that I was just making up an excuse.

„Sorry, I just think we shouldn`t, J.“

All of our friends knew that there was something more between me and JJ. I was the only person who was allowed to clean the cuts on his cheek after JJ went home to his father and when we were all grieving John B`s death, we usually turned to each other. We didn`t always talk. Sometimes he would just hold me when we went to sleep and I would tell him that everything was alright once he would wake up from the same nightmare every night.

„Can we go to sleep, please?“ I had gotten up quickly, holding myself now in an attempt to get back some of the warmth he had given me.

JJ understood that I wasn`t just asking to go back to our camp, I was asking for him to hold me again. And even though he was hurt after I rejected the idea of us as a couple, JJ got up as well, took my hand and we started walking back to our friends, who were sprawled out next to the small, burnt pile of wood.

When I lay down on the ground like before, I didn`t feel each sand corn and I didn`t hear the beating waves on the shore. I just felt JJ`s body behind me, his chest pressed against my back and one arm thrown over my stomach.

I wispered a small „Thank you“ and closed my eyes. The last thing I felt before finally falling asleep was a kiss on my bare shoulder. It was just a quick peck but I knew that he loved me just as much as I loved him. I wasn`t ready to reveal that to him, though.