Pairing: Lando Norris x singer!reader Summary: When you catch your boyfriend cheating you get your sweet revenge and a handsome stranger who steps in to protect you. Warnings: being cheated on, angst, injury
Songs: Shania Twain - Man! I feel like a woman Garth Brooks - Friends in low places Carrie Underwood - Before he cheats Kenny Rogers & Sheena Easton - We’ve got tonight
Lando couldn’t believe he had let Daniel drag him out to the Texan bar. It was completely polar opposite to anything he was used to, but Danny fit right in with his Stetson hat and cowboy boots.
Lando winced into his glass as the latest woman to take the corner stage butchered a Shania Twain song but it didn’t seem to bother his drinking buddy as he left to join the rows of people line dancing. Lando was grateful when the song came to an end but it was short lived as he heard a familiar Australian accent on the mic talking the band into playing Friends in Low Places. Spinning around on his stool at the bar, the McLaren driver found his old teammate on the small stage grinning like a fool as the music started.
Lando watched the older driver and envied the confidence he had to sing terribly to a bar full of strangers. It didn’t matter if he couldn’t hold a note or match the key - Daniel had presence and was always entertaining. The song was almost over when a change of light caught Lando’s eye and he swivelled back to see the saloon doors swing shut behind you.
Lando nearly fell off his chair. The sight of your smile was dazzling and he swore the colours in the room were brighter because of it. He hardly remembered to breathe as you cast your eyes around the bar, searching for something he suddenly hoped he had. Disappointment landed heavy on his chest as your pretty eyes settled on the pool tables and he wondered which one of the handsome men was lucky enough to have you.
He started to turn away and wash the bitter taste of jealousy from his mouth with his drink when he saw the smile dim. It was like a cloud had come and blocked the sun, shadows curving your lips down until they pressed to a hard line and your eyes narrowed on a man. Lando swallowed at the change thinking you was even more beautiful, like lightning in a thunderstorm. Beautiful, dangerous, deadly.
Then you were gone, the tassels on your boots swaying quickly as you disappeared out the door as quickly as you came.
“Whatcha looking for?” Daniel asked as he dropped back into his seat. Lando hadn’t even noticed the song had ended while he watched the empty space in the doorway, another singer taking the stage.
“N-nothing,” he stammered quickly as he turned back to the bar and raised his glass to his dry lips.
“Whatever you say, mate,” Daniel chuckled as he clapped Lando on the back. “She was hot though, right?”
Lando coughed and sputtered on his drink as Daniel laughed knowingly. “Don’t you have a girlfriend?”
“Yeah, but I’m not blind. And since you’re single, you should get off your ass and lasso yourself a lady friend. You know what they say: save a horse, ride a cowgir-” Lando clamped a hand over Daniel’s mouth as his cheeks turned pink.
“You can’t say that, dude! You are totally going to get cancelled one day.”
Daniel shrugged and sent him a lopsided grin as he looked over Lando’s shoulder. “Looks like it’s your lucky day.”
—
White hot rage left your hands shaking as you dropped the baseball bat and walked away, the metal clanking loudly on the asphalt of the parking lot. You didn’t even notice the trickle of blood running down your fingertips from cutting your palm with Damon’s hunting knife when you slashed the tyres of his Ford Raptor. You couldn’t feel anything except the burning need for revenge.
All the joy you had felt on the drive to the bar had been forgotten. The phone call with the news seemed like a lifetime ago and you hated him all the more for ruining what should have been the best day of your life so far.
After years of hard work you were finally catching a break and had been signed to Big Loud and would soon be recording your own country music. You had been so excited you had left work early and driven across town to surprise Damon. What a surprise he would get.
You looked ahead at the bar you had left, still seeing the way he curled himself around her, the pretense of pretending to teach her how to play pool - the same trick he had used to get close to you the night you met. Rotten bastard. It made you question the last two years together and how many other women he pulled the same moves on. You were going to teach him a lesson, and maybe save her from the same fate.
You swaggered into the bar and felt eyes on you, but the only pair that didn’t turn were his. Damon was too enraptured by the woman dancing against him, a dainty cocktail spilling over her glass.
“Mind if I butt in next, Jimmy?” you asked the old man who loved to sing a bit of Kenny Rogers after a few drafts of beer.
“Not at all, pumpkin, been a while since you joined us.” The song was just finishing and Jimmy jutted his chin at Damon as he poured two shots of whiskey, offering one to you. “Say, ain’t that your old man?”
“Not any more.” You downed the shot and inhaled the burn before taking the stage and telling the band what to play.
—
Lando stepped off his stool as the song started and his feet carried him closer to the stage with Daniel right at his side, not that he noticed. You hadn’t even parted your lips but he knew, somehow he just knew, you would sound perfect. The song was one he recognised, maybe from a movie or just on the radio, but it hit differently when he saw your eyes boring holes into the couple still dancing together by the pool tables.
Right now, he's probably slow dancin' with a bleach-blonde tramp and she's probably gettin' frisky. Right now, he's probably buyin' her some fruity little drink 'cause she can't shoot whiskey. Right now, he's probably up behind her with a pool stick showin' her how to shoot a combo. And he don't know…
Lando couldn’t breathe as he watched the realisation dawn on the stranger who looked up from the blonde woman he had been grinding on. The man’s jaw went slack and he half shoved the woman from his lap as he straightened up, a small shake of his head when he met the eyes on the stage. He could almost hear the whispered ‘oh no’ fall from his lips and he felt a smug satisfaction on your behalf.
I dug my key into the side of his pretty little souped-up four-wheel drive. Carved my name into his leather seats. I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights. Slashed a hole in all four tires. Maybe next time, he'll think before he cheats.
Your smile was dark and you watched Damon blanch at the sight, only making you feel even better for what you had done.
I might've saved a little trouble for the next girl, 'cause the next time that he cheats, Oh, you know it won't be on me. No, not on me.
“No, no, baby, no,” Damon whined as he tugged the short strands of his hair and rushed out of the bar, leaving his date in a state of confusion until her brain caught up and her hands shot to cover her mouth in shock.
“Yeah, he played us both, honey,” you said as you shoved the mic back in the stand and crossed your arms as the doors burst open.
“You crazy bitch!” Damon tried to rush the stage only to find himself shoved back by a handsome stranger who was apparently a lot stronger than he looked. “Get the fuck out of my way!”
“Not gonna happen, mate,” he said with a chuckle, his British accent sweet on the ears. “I think you’ve done enough, don’t you?”
“She ruined my fucking truck! Do you know how much that cost?”
You scoffed and stepped up behind the stranger, feeling bolder as you saw his arms flex ready to protect you. “Too much, but I guess you had to overcompensate for something small,” you said as your eyes darted to his trousers and the taller companion barely contained his laugh.
“Oh, I like this one, Lando. She’s got fire.”
“Just give me my house key and leave, it’s over.” You held out your palm waiting until he fisted his keys from his pocket and cursed your name as he pulled it off the keyring.
“Where the fuck am I meant to live?”
You looked over at the woman and asked, “Do you want to take him home, honey?” She shook her head now that she knew he was a no good cheater and your smile widened as you turned back to Damon. “You’ll be nice and cozy in your pickup.”
He stepped forward but Lando’s friend joined him shoulder to shoulder and Damon quickly realised he was not going to win whatever went down. With his tail between his legs, he turned and grumbled his way out the door before the band started up and Jimmy kicked off with We’ve Got Tonight.
“I don’t know how to thank you,” you said as the two strangers finally deemed it safe to turn their backs on the door and face you. A pair of stormy blue eyes met yours and you blinked twice before you managed to look away, scanning a quick glance over the messy styled curls on his head to the slim black t-shirt that fitted perfectly. Your lips dried as you realised you were staring and he cleared his throat when he caught himself doing the same.
“Can I buy you a drink?”
You bit your lip at the offer and tipped your head to the side. “I think I should be the one buying you a drink, your friend too. It’s the least I can do.”
“Daniel,” the taller man said with a grin and held his hand out to shake.
“Y/N.”
“Enchanté.”
“Uh, bless you.”
Lando laughed and the sound brought a smile to your face. “I know how you can thank me,” he said as he nodded to Jimmy who was grabbing a second microphone and pointing it your way. “I’m fairly sure this song is a duet. Know it?”
You smirked as you stepped back and gave him a wink before taking the stage, his eyes never leaving yours and you sang just for him.
We've got tonight, Who needs tomorrow? Let's make it last, Let's find a way Turn out the light, Come take my hand now We've got tonight, babe, Why don't we stay?
His nod was almost imperceptible and you weren’t sure if you imagined it as you let the question hang in the air while the music faded out. In two long, self-certain steps, he closed the distance and offered his hand to help you down the steps and you grinned at the warmth of his palm as he laced your fingers with his.
Suddenly he froze and looked down, concern etching his features as he pulled his hand back and found it stained red. “Fuck, you’re hurt.”
You blinked at the cut on your palm, only noticing the ache after your attention was drawn to it. “Huh, guess that’s what I get for slashing his tyres,” you murmured with a weak laugh.
“He deserved more than that,” Lando growled as he led you to the bar and asked for a first aid kit. “But he definitely didn’t deserve you.”
“You don’t know me, I could be a terrible person.” You winced as he cleaned the cut before pressing a bandage to stem the bleeding.
“I’m a pretty good judge of character, Y/N.” He pinned the bandage into place before lifting your hand to his lips and kissing the top softly. “I knew it from your smile when you arrived, and everything after just proves you’re strong.”
Your chin dipped as you felt your face flush and you couldn’t remember the last time someone was so sweet. “You really know how to make a girl feel special. So how long are you in town for?”
His lips turned down slightly as he sighed and reluctantly admitted. “We fly back to London tomorrow.”
You felt the same disappointment but chased it away and squeezed his hand that still held yours, your eyes meeting with the same idea flitting past. “We’ve got tonight?”
His smile returned and grew until his eyes wrinkled with how wide it was, brightening up his whole face and sparking yours to match. “Yeah, we’ve got tonight.”
the fact that i'm no longer the same age as the protagonists of novels and films i once connected to is so heartbreaking. there was a time when I looked forward to turning their age. i did. and i also outgrew them. i continue to age, but they don't; never will. the immortality of fiction is beautiful, but cruel.
“I’d let you if you asked.”
Jason Todd always had a habit of being in your space. It's something you didn't mind, but it is something you kept note of. He leans towards you, head angled down to catch every sound that comes through your throat, observing every twitch of your muscles with a sharp, intent gaze.
But even if he always seems to linger in your shadow, even if his eyes darkened with the desire for something more, he was careful. He never touched you before you touched him, and he always caught himself, when his fingers instinctively reached for you.
Something as simple as a hug, a brush over the back of your hand, a tousle of your hair, he denied himself over and over again. It was almost frustrating to see him denying himself something you never held back from him.
He melts into every hug you give, relishes when you thread your fingers together, nearly drops to his knees every time you kiss his cheek.
But then he'll falter, when you pull away, like he's snapping back to reality. He'll remind you that he's not good. In not so many words, he tells you he's poison. That he'll end up ruining you. Breaking you.
You think he's silly for it, because Jason Todd is nothing but good. But you indulge him, brushing the stray strands of hair falling into his face back, "I'd let you, if you asked."
He blinks at you, eagerly leaning into your touch, with dumbfounded eyes, "You would?"
You smile at him, devouring the way his eyes flutter when you do, "I would. If you want to ruin me, all you have to do is ask."
He frowns a little, his hand raising to rest on top of yours, keeping your palm pressed to his cheek, "I don't want to ruin you."
"Then ask for something else," you encourage, voice soft and fond.
"Can I kiss you?"
It makes you laugh, maybe he's not so scared of you after all. The hope doesn't leave his eyes when you do, and you're more than happy to answer him, "Yeah. You can kiss me, Jason."
He's quick to take advantage of your agreement, and it turns out, Jason's kisses are just as sweet as he is.
ok, because i just saw a terrible take, i feel compelled to say that there is no "fic market" to "oversaturate" in fandom. good gravy.
Pairing: Charles Leclerc x fem!devil!reader Summary: When a young driver wants to make a deal with the devil to get his greatest desire you find yourself forgetting what side of Heaven and Hell you are on. Warnings: supernatural themes, mention of deaths (Jules, Hervé & Hubert), angst, fluff WC: 5k
F1 Masterlist || Bonus Scene
16th October 2013 The kid had no business standing at the crossroads. What could a boy need so desperately that he was willing to part with his soul for it? But it wasn’t your place to question, merely to answer.
The boy murmured to himself as he knelt on the gravel and started to dig with a pink trowel he had borrowed from his mothers gardening tools. The quiet mutterings brought you amusement as you thought of the surprise he would get when his doubt was proven wrong and you appeared.
He carefully followed the instructions inked on the page that had been torn from a very old book. He reached up to his dark hair with a small pocket knife and cut away a small patch before laying it in the hole he had made. Turning the knife on himself, he whined as he pricked the tip of his finger and squeezed it until three thick blood drops fell onto the strands of his hair.
You would usually laugh at the poor attempt of the incantation to call upon you but instead you sighed as you grew tired of the theatrics.
“What do you want, kid?”
A small shriek filled the night as he fell back on his ass. “But…but…you…but…”
“Shit, you’re not even old enough to talk properly,” you said as you knelt down to his height. “Go home.”
His mouth snapped closed before scrambling to his feet and wiping the dust that covered his jeans. “Sorry, you gave me a fright. I was expecting…” he looked around and frowned, “never mind. Do you need help?”
“No, do you?”
He looked genuinely concerned as he searched the dark road and you tipped your head to the side before you remembered that to a human you looked like a 21 year old. It didn’t matter that you had roamed the world for a thousand years, your physical form remained the same.
“I guess not,” he sighed as his shoulders slumped and he kicked his vans at the loose stones as he whispered, “it didn’t work anyway.”
“It was your pronunciation, Latin is a tough language. I’ll let you in on a secret, you can say the incantation in any language and it will work.” You leaned in closer and chuckled darkly. “The devil just enjoys torturing people.”
“But…but…”
“Great, we’re back to that, are we?” You rolled your eyes and opened your palm, a ball of fire erupting into the night and the scent of sulphur lingering after the flame burned out. “What did you expect when you called me?”
“You…you’re the…dev…”
“Devil,” you offered as his face paled and he stumbled backwards. “Say it with me. De-vil.”
“You’re the devil? But you look like an angel.”
“More or less, there’s actually a lot of us.” You clapped him on the back and grinned when he jumped. “So what can I do for you, kid?”
“I heard you could grant wishes.”
“I’m not a genie, I’m a dealer,” you said with a shake of your head. “You tell me your dream and I make it happen, for a price.”
He chewed on his lip, his conscience trying to warn him it was a bad idea. “What price?”
You flicked your hand out and the piece of paper on the ground flew into your fingers. “You know the price. How old are you anyway, kid?”
“I’m sixteen, today actually.”
“Congratulations!” You frowned as it didn’t sound quite right and he did the same. “Wait, it’s happy birthday, isn’t it? We don’t exactly have them since we are fallen, not born.”
“That's really sad.”
“Hell help me, you are an emotional one.” You pinched the bridge of your nose as you felt the waves of empathy rolling off the teenager. “Listen, I’m all up for taking souls, it’s my job and I’m pretty good at it, but you seem like a nice guy so I’ll help you out pro bono as long as you don’t cry.”
“Really?” His excitement was almost as infectious as his smile as he grinned at your offer and you could tell that with a few more years of growth and maturity he would be as handsome as those goody-good angels.
“Really. So what’s your dream? And don’t go all ‘Disneyland’ and that shit, make it big.”
“I want to be a Formula One World Champion.”
“Fuck, okay, I said big not gigantic,” you said as you cracked your neck and then your knuckles before rolling your shoulders. “That will take some time to pull off, but we got this, kid.”
“Charles, my name is Charles Leclerc,” he said as he held his hand out. “Do devils have names?”
“Of course we have names, but names have power and I don’t know you well enough to share mine with you.” You shook his hand and he jumped a little at the heat difference since the hellfire made you run hotter than humans. That same heat flickered up your spine as you felt another calling at a crossroad half a world away and so you stepped away. “I’ll check in once a year to see your progress.”
“Wait, that’s it?”
You laughed darkly as thick smoke began to gather at your feet where the earth was opening to your home realm. The teen yelped as a lick of flame encircled his wrist but the scar that appeared just as quickly healed so no one would know he had been marked by the devil. “Goodbye, Charles.”
16th October 2014 “I wasn’t sure you would actually come, I thought you were a figment of my imagination.”
You stepped out of the shadows and looked around the modest home that should have been full of his friends celebrating his 17th birthday. The air was thick with grief and it made your back ache from the weight of it bearing down on you as you watched the teenager stand with his back to you at a bookcase.
“Maybe I am,” you murmured as you walked over to him and saw his eyes fixated on a photo.
Placing the photo back carefully on the shelf he turned and you saw the difference a year had made. “I want to make a deal. My soul, take it.”
“Woah, slow down, Birthday Boy, you don’t know what you are offering.”
“I don’t care, I just need him to be alright.” Tears were swimming in his eyes as he grabbed your hand and squeezed tightly. “Fix Jules, please.”
Unable to resist, you reached out and touched the tear that ran down his cheek. Pain obliterated your chest, crushing your insides as waves of memories flooded your senses until you knew Jules just as well as he did.
For the first time since your fall a thousand years ago, you were envious of the angel you had been. You wanted to be the cause of his hope, but that wasn’t something you could give and you tugged your hand from his hold before they could blister his skin. “I’m sorry, I can’t.”
“Bullshit! You are a dealer, you said so yourself.”
“That’s not how it works, Charles, I’m a devil. Don’t you see? The deals I make are selfish, the things people want for themselves. You want a miracle,” you sighed and felt the familiar ache where your wings once were, “I can’t do those anymore.”
“You got me into Formula Renault.”
“You got yourself there, kid,” you said as you stepped away. “I just whispered a few suggestions to people I knew would listen.”
It was a little more threatening involved but you weren’t going to let him know that. You hadn’t needed to do anything other than get someone to give him a chance since he had the talent to win all on his own.
“There has to be something you can do,” he pleaded, his green eyes swimming with tears.
You sighed as you stepped away, rubbing your temple as if you could actually get a migraine like a human could. “I can’t make any promises, but…let me see what I can do.”
You faded from the room before you could see the hope that filled his face and followed the memory of his visit to Jules, finding yourself in the shadows of a hospital room. The room was empty except for the young man laying on the bed, wires and tubes keeping his breathing steady. You were struck by the pain you felt and knew it wasn’t real but the lingering effects of sharing Charles’ memory of him, but that knowledge still didn’t ease the ache.
“Azrael, come down here.”
It only took a second for the angel to appear and she didn’t look pleased at being called away from her duties.
“You’re not an archangel anymore, you can’t just snap your fingers at me.”
“Obviously I can since you showed,” you pointed out. “I need a favour.”
“You don’t do favours,” she said as she narrowed her eyes.
“I do now. I need you to leave him alone.”
Azrael looked at the comatose man before reaching forward and touching his forehead and shaking her head. “He’s one of ours, he has to come with me soon.”
“You have no sense of time, whatsoever. Soon could be 50 years from now.” You crossed your arms and stared the death angel down. “I’ll deny three souls in exchange for his life.”
“You’d turn down three deals for Jules? Who is he to you?”
“No one, but he means everything to someone else. Do we have a deal?”
“Deal, he has until I next come back down, no more.”
You nodded in agreement hoping her sporadic trips to earth erred on a lengthier time away this round. Unfurling her wings, you felt a pang of jealousy arise as you watched her fade away only to hear the strong beats of her wings carry her higher.
You aparated back to Charles and found him slumped in a leather reading chair, an album of photos open on his lap. Droplets splattered on plastic sleeves, only to smear into streaks as he wiped them away at your arrival.
“I bought him some time,” you said softly as you fell into the seat opposite him. “I can’t say how long because I don’t know but for now he will live.”
Charles dropped the book as he fell to his knees and clutched your hand tightly, the gesture making you uncomfortable. “Thank you,” he choked as his tears hit your knee through the rip in your skinny jeans and turned to steam. He didn’t seem to be affected by the heat radiating off you, he didn’t seem to feel it at all as he closed his eyes and rested his head on your joined hands. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet, kid,” you said ruefully, pulling your hand back from the touch. “Healing was never my gift. He will have to do that on his own.”
“He will, I know he will,” Charles said with certainty as he rose to his feet. “He’s the strongest man that I know.”
You stood up with a nod and realised this year he was the same height as you, seeing eye to eye after his latest growth spurt.
“I hope you are right,” you said, feeling the floor start to give way beneath you as you willed yourself home. “Until next year, Birthday Boy.”
Charles’ nose wrinkled at the smell of sulphur filling the room and he stepped back at the sight of the black plume swirling around your boots. “You don’t have to wait a year, you can visit anytime.”
“Have you forgotten who I am?” you laughed as the smoke climbed higher.
“Just because you’re the devil, it doesn’t make you bad,” he said with a shy shrug. “You’ve been nothing but kind to me.”
He was right in the fact you had been kind, something no one else would say about you. You couldn’t explain why you were different with him, why you couldn’t treat him like any other advantageous young man wanting to get ahead. There would surely be hell to pay if word ever got out about it.
The smoke reached your throat and pulled you down. “Maybe I made a mistake.”
16th October 2015 Charles would never know it but you had visited him throughout the year. You had kept to the shadows, watching from afar as he graduated to Formula 3 and came one step closer to reaching his dream. You were there by his side when he received the phone call that had devastated him, you had felt Azrael’s presence on the mortal plane and immediately went to him. You didn’t reveal yourself, not when the gut wrenching sound he made had you hate having fallen. You could offer him nothing so you remained hidden, torturing yourself with the knowledge of what could have been.
It was a little before midnight when you arrived at the busy nightclub. You should have just apparated into a bathroom stall but instead you had to produce a fake ID so the bouncer would let you in.
“Guess I can’t call you kid anymore,” you said as you found Charles in the VIP area and took a seat beside him. “Happy Birthday.”
“Who’s this angel, Charles?” his friend asked with a confident grin.
You tipped your head back with a laugh before you recovered enough to say, “You’re barking up the wrong tree there, but you call me D.”
Charles nearly choked on his drink at the snort he gave. “What are you doing here, D? I don’t remember inviting you.”
You leaned closer to see his cheeks flushed pink with the alcohol he was now legally allowed to imbibe in and whispered, “There’s only one place I need an invitation, and despite the name on the door outside - this isn’t Heaven.”
With a huff of annoyance he stood up and made his way out of the VIP area to the packed dance floor. Knowing everyone was completely inebriated you didn’t bother to follow him, instead you suddenly appeared in front of him.
“Leave me alone,” Charles growled as he turned his back, but everywhere he went you were in front of him.
Finally he gave up escaping and you shoved a hand on your hip as you asked, “What’s your problem?”
“My problem? You lied to me, that’s what!” The drink in his hand spilled over the rim of the glass with the angry shaking overtaking his body. “Jules died…and you weren’t even there. You never visited me and…I needed you. I needed to know why!”
You took the glass from him and tipped the liquid back, relishing the burn of the alcohol down your throat as he stared daggers at you. “I don’t have to explain myself to you, mortal.”
“Well, we never made a deal, so there’s no need for you to be here, devil.”
The words hurt more than you cared to admit and the glass shattered in your hand, ichor flowing from the wounds before they could heal as quickly as they came. Charles' eyes widened at the dark liquid coating your palm and he almost looked worried for you but you weren’t looking at him. Your eyes were fixed on your heels, the shoes uncomfortable compared to the boots you normally wore but you had wanted to fit in. For him.
“You’re right,” you muttered as you freed your hair from the constricting hair tie and kicked the shoes off. There was nothing to be done about the tight red dress until you were home, but you would be there soon enough. “Goodbye, Charles.”
16th October 2016 Try as you might, you couldn’t stay away. Unbeknownst to Charles, you regularly checked in to see what his latest accomplishments were. As it was, he was leading the Formula 3 Championship and was a sure graduate to Formula 2. He raced like he had the devil breathing down his neck, pushing the boundaries to the brink of disaster.
Maybe he knew you hadn’t abandoned him, or maybe he just didn’t care. You knew you definitely shouldn’t have cared but still you watched him grow into a man and mature as his career evolved.
16th October 2017 You had nearly started another war the day Azrael came for Charles’ father. For three days you stood ready to fight the angel of death for Charles’ biggest supporter while he visited the hospital to say his goodbyes. He had lied to his father, telling Hervé that he had signed to a Formula 1 team for the next year and you promised to make it happen - with or without a soul to bargain.
It wasn’t a difficult task to achieve, a small incident with Pascal Wehrlein making a seat available in Sauber. All Charles had to do was keep his head in the game and go fast like he always did.
When you watched him celebrate his birthday his eyes had glanced around the room and you wondered if it was you he was looking for. It was only when those green eyes landed on a family photo you pushed the silly thought away, he was just missing his father.
16th October 2018 “How long have you been there?” Charles asked the empty room.
How he sensed your presence, you didn’t know, but since you no longer needed to hide it you let the shadows fall away. Turning away from where he had been styling his hair in the mirror, he leaned against the dresser and crossed his arms over his broad chest.
His room hadn’t changed all that much, Ferrari posters still covered the majority of the walls but they were also joined by some models posing on hoods of cars. The twin bed had been upgraded to a double and was covered in a red and yellow bedspread that clashed with your trademark black outfit as you lay across it.
“How often do you do that?”
“Do what?” you asked innocently as you stared at his ceiling and not his narrowed eyes.
He waved a hand over your leisurely state. “This.”
You got off the bed and stalked across the room to the Formula 1 racer and found you had to look up at him even with the heels on your boots. “Don’t mortals leave home by now? I thought the 21st birthday was some big right of passage.”
You reached for the tub of hair product and sniffed at the vanilla scent before it was swiped from your hand. It smelled edible and there was another scent that was just as good but you weren’t sure what it was or where it was coming from until you leaned closer to him and inhaled.
“I just bought an apartment but it’s not ready for me to move into for a few more weeks. Will you stop that?”
“What is that smell?” Your head was swimming as if you were high but that wasn’t possible. “My head…”
You could barely stand upright as you felt drunk all of a sudden and Charles caught you as you stumbled back. “Sit down,” he said softly as he guided you to the edge of his bed. “Why did you come back?”
Your head lolled onto his shoulder and the room spun as the truth tumbled from your lips. “I never left you,” you admitted, your words slurring as the intoxicating smell left you dazed. “Not when Jules died…or your father, never…”
Charles frowned as your eyes closed and you fell back on his bed. He had spent so long blaming you, being angry at you, believing you had abandoned him when he needed you most but as you murmured in your strange state he realised he had it all wrong.
“D?” he called out as he shook your shoulder. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
You tried to open your eyes but they were too heavy and you curled into a ball as your stomach churned. “Because I shouldn’t care. You’re just a human.”
“But you do care,” he surmised as he grabbed the blanket and draped it over your shivering body.
“Devils don’t care.” You could hardly talk through your chattering teeth, the blanket doing nothing to warm the ice that had seeped into your being.
Charles curled himself up against your back and tightened his arms around the blanket as he tried to warm you. Nothing seemed to work until his voice spoke softly in your ear, “Then maybe you’re not like the others.”
The silence grew and he thought you had passed out when you muttered, “I had nowhere else to go.”
“What do you mean?”
“There was a war…couldn’t choose a side…threw me out.” A yawn silenced your words and you snuggled into his arms, your nose finding that delicious scent strongest on his neck where you nuzzled deeper.
“My cologne,” Charles whispered and you realised you had asked aloud what it was. “You’re like a cat high on catnip.”
“Haven’t been high since I had wings.” You giggled, a sound so unlike you, but it turned to a sad sigh. “I miss my wings.”
Charles brushed your hair back from your face but you didn’t have the strength to open your eyes. “What colour were they?”
“There isn’t a colour to describe them. But you can see it at dawn…look to the east…the last star in the morning sky.”
“The Morningstar?” Charles looked down to see your lips parted with a soft snore and reached into his pocket for his phone. There was no way he was going to leave you in the state you were in, not even for his own birthday party.
16th October 2019 You had thought Azrael had forgotten the deal you made but she made sure to remind you of it when she crossed paths with you at the Belgium GP. Charles’ head had snapped your way the moment he heard the crash and you shook your head sadly. The only reassurance you could give him was that the young driver’s soul was at peace.
Before leaving with her precious cargo, Azrael had given you two months to keep your end of the bargain and you didn’t want to test her patience. The crossroads had been quiet and it took nearly the whole time to find three souls worthy of denying a deal, most people who offered their souls for their greatest desires deserved the eternal damnation in return.
As soon as your task was fulfilled you returned to Charles, to the only place you felt at home. After waking in his arms a year ago you had struggled with the duties expected of you, finding more and more excuses for the downturn in deals. After waking in his arms, you wanted to be more than what you were. You wanted to believe you could be more, like he believed in you.
“D,” Pierre greeted as he joined you at the bar. “Still looking as lovely as ever.”
“Still the charmer.”
His attempt to shift closer to your side was blocked by the heat radiating from you and he pulled back with a frown, brushing the oddity off in his tipsy state. “Where have you been?”
“Here, there, everywhere,” you answered absentmindedly as you felt Charles’ presence before you spotted him. “I travel for work.”
“Let me guess - modelling?”
“Dealing.”
“No way!” His eyebrow shot up and he leaned in to whisper, “Drugs?”
“Not quite,” you said with a laugh. “Something far more lucrative.”
Charles’ hand came to rest on the small of your back and his lips brushed your cheek. “Sorry I’m late, ma diablesse. What are you drinking?”
“I could do with a-” your voice trailed off as a fissure ran through the air and you turned to see what had just walked in the door. “Hold that thought.”
“What’s wrong?” Charles asked but you were already weaving your way through the crowd.
Waves of power rolled off the beast but no one would see the tusks spearing out of its face or the black soulless eyes, they would merely see a mountain of a man and a vibe that warned them to move aside.
“This is a bit out of your territory, Fowler. What are you doing topside?”
The demon looked over your shoulder and smirked. “Heard some interesting rumours.”
“And what rumours were those?”
“That some darling angel was caught up with a mortal, helping out for free. You know the rules. No soul, no deal.” Fowler’s hand snapped out and caught your throat, his claws threatening to tear it out. “Don’t forget who took you in when your family threw you out.”
“Fuck you, I’ve more than paid my debt,” you spat as you grabbed his wrist and seared his skin with the lick of your flames. “Don’t come and threaten me.”
“I don’t have to threaten you,” he chuckled as he cradled his hand to his chest and looked past you to where Charles was pushing his way to your side. “Mortals are so weak, a little accident is all it takes.”
There was no way you could let Fowler return to Hell with the information he had, your weakness, so you did the only thing you could to protect Charles. You rushed the demon as the ground opened, disappearing into the pit with him before Charles could follow. You called all of your power and funnelled it into your fire, pouring it down the demon's throat until he was smothered by the flames and a smoking husk that turned to ash as you crashed to the ground.
“Morningstar, what is the meaning of this?”
You bowed to Beelzebub before kicking away the ash that had settled on your boot and painted a dark smile onto your face. “He interrupted a deal, I couldn’t let that grievance go unpunished. Or did you want me to forgive him?” You challenged him with an arch of your brow until he huffed a sigh and waved the question away with the whip of his tail.
“So where is the contract for the soul?”
“Did you miss the part where I said he interrupted the deal?”
“I’m not sure if I liked you less as an angel or not,” he uttered from his throne of skulls.
“I have that effect.” You started to leave the way you came but a chain snared around your ankle and locked into place before you could escape.
“Not so fast.” You were thrown onto your ass as he yanked the chain and dragged you to the foot of his throne. “I find myself short of an enforcer,” he said as he looked pointedly at the pile of ash you had created.
“So find another,” you growled as you tried to melt the chain but it merely absorbed the heat you poured onto it, “there’s no shortage of brainless fools ready to serve you.”
“But look how that ended,” he laughed. “How about a deal? Ten years as my enforcer for your freedom.”
Freedom. Ten years was nothing, just a blip to an immortal, but you weren’t thinking of yourself. You were thinking what ten years would be for Charles. Would he have a wife and kids? Would he have won his world championship? Would he remember you?
“Two,” you countered.
“Five.”
“Deal, but on one condition.” You stopped fighting the chain and rose to your knees. “I want a soul.”
16th October 2024 You were beyond exhausted when you stumbled into the bedroom, using the last of your strength to find your way back to him. The last five years had been brutal and it was a miracle that you had survived to complete your end of the deal, much to Beelzebub’s chagrin. The bastard had thrown every impossible task your way but you had something he could never understand, hope. And it kept you fighting to the bitter end.
You crashed onto the bed as your legs gave out and he leapt up at the intrusion, the bedside lamp lighting up and illuminating his silhouette as he stared at you wide eyed. “Ma diablesse? You came back…”
“Always, Birthday Boy.” You reached for him, needing to feel him with your own two hands after missing him for five years. It was his face that had kept you alive and you cupped his jaw to pull him closer only to freeze at what you felt. “Charles?”
“What? What is it?” he asked with panic as he placed his hands over yours, holding them tight to his cheeks.
“You have a beard,” you whispered, turning his face to the side to see the styled hair on his jaw. “When did that happen?”
Charles laughed and pulled you into his arms, burying his face in your neck as he crushed you against his chest. “I can’t believe you’re really here.”
“I would have been back sooner but I made a deal with the devil.” You reached into your pocket and pulled out an unassuming medallion. “A soul, my soul.”
Charles frowned in confusion as he trailed a finger over the symbols of an ancient language long forgotten. “What do you mean?”
“No more devil deals, if you’ll have me, I would be human.”
Shock rippled through his features. “You would give up immortality for me?”
“Hell is an eternity without you,” you said before you pressed your forehead to his, sharing his breath of life. “And if I never make it back to Heaven at least I will have had a moment of it here with you.”
Bonus scene here.
word count: 1.7k
summary: couple tiktoks I've seen on douyin with the batboys
𓅫. running off mid-proposal to buy a ring - Bruce Wayne
"So, will you please marry me?" Opening the ring box, Bruce looks up at you. You blink owlishly at Bruce, pursing your lips as you hold your hand up. Bruce tilts his head at you in confusion as you rush off, and your friends and his kids all pause to process what the hell just happened. "Father, I believe this is a no." Damian stares at your retreating figure. "No, I think they'd at least give B the courtesy of a rejection." Steph mumbles. "This... dumbass!" Your friend curses, clicking on her phone violently as she dials again, your phone sending her to voicemail. "Let's just go back." "No." Bruce frowns. "Just a little longer." It eats him alive. Bruce isn't even sure if you'll run back or come back, but he has an inkling of a suspicion that you wouldn't just leave him like that. You've never just run away from him like that— not even when he showed up in front of you half-dead as Batman. You didn't just run away like that. You never have. "Really, Bruce, I think—" "I'm back!" You yell from the distance, Tiffany bag in tow as you run to Bruce, fumbling to get the box out, smiling at him stupidly as you show him the ring. "Will you marry me?" Bruce laughs, a sound coming from his chest as you grin at him, smile lopsided. "Only if you marry me." "Deal." You grin, and Bruce presses his lips to yours. Yes. Always.
𓅫. are you ready, mr. styles? - Dick Grayson
The flood of tiktok notifications comes one morning way before Dick gets out of bed— still sprawled out on your shared bed, and you squint at your phone screen, sleep still all over your face. "... I'm sleeping on the highway tonight?" You click open the notification, blinking as you notice Dick's username, scrolling to the second photo as you listen to the audio. ...Dick made a tiktok about you again. Right. ..oh. You smile as you notice the photo, a familiar one, a photo that Dick had insisted on taking while the two of you were out for dinner a couple of days ago. You click through the audio and confirm your thoughts. Dick posted you to a couple audio again. The news gives you butterflies as you lean down to press a kiss to Dick's temple, yelping as he yanks you down instead, pulling you on top of him as he smiles. "G' morning, gorgeous." "'morning." You smile. "I saw your tiktok." "Did you?" "Yeah." You hum. "Were you planning on telling me?" "No." He mumbles, pressing your head to his heart as you listen to it beat. "Love you." "Love you too."
𓅫. shopping in his arms - Jason Todd
"Which one?" "Mm..." You purse your lips, grimacing. "I want the regular." Jason adjusts you in his arms, mumbling for you to tighten your arms. You listen, craning your neck to try and look behind you at the product. You don't know what prompted him to ask you to do this, but you aren't complaining. You like it (even if your arms don't) "I figured." He hums, reaching for the carton as your arms tighten around his neck. "I'm not going to drop you, you know?" "Shopping like this is really inconvenient." You grumble. "Let me down?" "Mm... no." He grins. "We're only here for this, no?" "We could've just gotten this from the regular market..." "You love this." You can't deny that. "Can we get batburgers later?" "Of course."
𓅫. handcrafting a hairpin for you - Cass Cain
"I have a gift for you." Cass squeezes you gently as she holds the gift bag to the side. "I hope you like it." "I'll like anything you give me." You smile. "What is it?" "I'm taking woodworking, right?" "Yeah?" You take the bag from her, leading her to the couch. "You can open it." You blink at the Chinese written on the wood, tilting your head. "I'm pulling out google translate for this." You fish for your phone. "It's from the song." She mumbles. "my affection is genuine, my love is real, the moon represents my heart." "CASSSS!!!" You sob, throwing your arms around her as you press your cheek to hers. "I love you. I'm love you. I'm in love with you." "I love you too." She smiles. "Open it." You open the box, a sob breaking past your lips as you stare at the hairpin, picking it up as you notice the phoenix and lotus flowers. Your lips pull downward as you stare at Cass, tears forming in your eyes. "Awwh, I love you too, baby," She presses your head to her chest. "Do you like it?" "I love it. I hope they bury me with this." You mumble in tears. Cass laughs.
𓅫. Cause all of the small things that you do - Tim Drake
"...what are these?" Tim looks up from his laptop, noticing the giant bundles in your arm. "Okay, so there's this trend going around Tiktok right now to this song where couples will show off matching blankets, and I got a set for us!" You grin. "Also because you need a new blanket to swap out when your old one smells nasty." "Are you saying I smell?" "I'm not saying you don't." You smile innocently. "Go shower." "I need to finish—" "You're no fashion king while looking like a rat. You're like that one audio. How does it go? claimed he wasn't the rat king but one night you followed him into the sewers and he sat on a makeshift throne and a bunch of rats surrounded him and he definitely said "I am the rat king."" You pause. "The ex-boyfriends audio." "When I finish this case." "You solved your last one two minutes ago when I walked in. Go shower while I unwrap our blankets." You wave him off. "Boo." Tim gets up, stretching his arms as the old blanket falls off his shoulders, and he presses a kiss to the crinkle of your eye, humming. "Can I see the blanket before I shower?" You pull one out, showing him one side, and then the other. "I love it. Thank you, pretty bird."
𓅫. paper rings - Steph Brown
"Steph, pretty girl!!" You land on the couch next to her, cuddling up to her as you show her the new photos you put into a capcut template. "Wait this is—" She shows you her phone screen, and you laugh. It's the same template, your face plastered on it instead. "You wanna marry me with paper rings?" You poke her cheek, grinning. "Says the one who does." She rolls her eyes playfully. "Yeah, I do." You stick your tongue out. "I'll marry you with grass rings if I have to." "Okay, that's not necessary. Worst comes to worst, we rob Bruce." You feign a gasp. "You're evil." "You love me." "I do." You sigh blissfully, kicking your legs. "I'd marry you with ring pops too." "Oh, that's such a steal." She mumbles. "Let's get ring pops for our wedding rings." "Hell yes."
𓅫. hauling a can of water to Duke after sports day - Duke Thomas
"Did you know Duke was so handsome?" one of the girls in class gush. "I'm going to give him water after the event. Surely he'll be sweaty and stuff." "What makes you think he's going to take your water over mine?" Her friend shoves her playfully, grabbing a bottle of her own, running off as your mouth hands open. You blink at the text message Duke sent you beforehand, and then at the emptied shelves in the store on campus. ... they're out of bottles. shit. Your eyes wander to the ground as you spot sealed water cans. That'll do, you suppose. Duke finishes the game relatively quickly. You've grown used to his speed, so when all the girls flock around him to hand him a bottle of water, you settle with calling for Duke instead, waving your hand as you point at the can on the bench next to you. He bursts into laughter as he jogs over to you. "Did they take all of them?" He lifts it effortlessly, cracking the can open as he starts drinking. "You don't know how awful it was." You grimace. "Curse your good genetics." "Honored." He smiles. "So?" "Good game." You grumble, looking to the side, cheeks flushed. "Thank you."
𓅫. the olive theory - Damian Wayne
"I was telling her about it, so she was—" You pick out the olive from your pizza, placing it on Damian's plate. "— talking about how her friend had somehow hooked up with her boyfriend. So now they're trying to break up." Damian nods slowly as you continue. "Now the girl who hooked up with my friend's boyfriend is crying to me about how I need to tell her to calm down. I mean, what was she expecting? Gothamites are insane." You mumble, picking out another olive. "What is your friend planning?" "Arson, but you didn't hear that from me." "Sounds relatively tame. Is she native?" "Not quite. She moved here when she turned ten." You mumble, picking another out, grimacing. "How many olives did they put on this?" "Two more." He hums, reaching over to pick them out for you, popping them into his mouth. "That's why. Todd used to joke about how native gothamites just use their connections to ruin someone's life." "If it were me... I'd just send Tim over." "Not Todd?" "I think, arguably, Tim has committed more war crimes than Jason." You finally bite into your pizza. "If you do the math." Damian pauses to think. "Yes. That checks out." "Thank you, by the way." You mumble. "Maybe next time I'll just make it so that half of the pizza doesn't have olives." "I do not mind, habibi." He looks at you, eyes gentle. "Now, tell me. Did the boyfriend get kicked?" "Oh, he definitely did—"
Can you please please write smt about doing body shots off either Charles or lando. I keep staring at their necks in pics and I’m imaging just licking salt off it. I feel like lando would be soooo cocky about it and just let you lick it off his neck and make you grab the lime from his lips and then he ready to do it back to you
A/N: Lando is so perfect for this, Lando would be so cocky while Charles a blushing mess so we picked Lando in this house
You needed to be careful. The party was starting to get out of hand, but Lando had gotten P2 and Carlos P1 so the party was ragging. Everyone was getting tipsy and drunk while others were sober because of the slights they would be catching in a few hours.
Unable to remember who screamed it but all you knew is that everyone was doing body shots and the person who cracked the first was the next victim. And that's how you ended up standing in front of a smirking Lando. His hair was messed up and lips swollen.
No telling who he's been kissing or doing body shots off od, but you hated this. Standing in front of everyone has Daniel and Carlos explained the concept of what was going on. If either of you kissed, then you cracked, and someone will have to do a body shot off you.
Lando was following your every movement as Daniel placed you in front of Lando. The music was pounding and people everywhere but when Lando spoke in his low husky voice, something that happened when he's worked up and tipsy. "Are you okay?" Lando asks, pulling you in which has you leaning onto his chest for support. "Yeah, I've done this before." You whisper back, clearing your throat. The hands on your waist tighten and Lando's bright eyes darken but he says nothing as he smiles.
"So, who made you crack?" You asks, trying to forget your own nerves. "Don't worry about it," "Carlos did," Daniel teases craning Lando's neck to the side you swallow hard.
It's hard not to stare at Lando with his large hands, perfect smile, and neck he was just, perfectly imperfect. "Really? Can't believe I missed that." Lando giggles, from your words and the salt being stuck to his neck. "Alright! LET'S GO!" Daniel yells loudly which has everyone turning but still, it was a rather large party not even half the people were paying attention.
From the corner of your eye you see the other drivers laughing and watching you two closely. "Here goes nothing." Taking the bottle from Carlos's hand you take a swing, ignoring the burn in your throat as you lean in to lick the salt.
Slowly you move your tongue, a shudder passing through Lando's body, causing some wolf whistles as Lando's hands move from your waist to your ass squeezing it. Pulling back you look for the lime, looking at Lando he smiles and you groan seeing it in his mouth. "Cheater," You whisper, fingers tangle in curls as you yank him forward sending the drivers crazy as you kiss him deeply.
Groaning into the kiss Lando loses the lime as you curl your tongue sending him crazy you pull away with the lime in your mouth. Everyone laughing and cheering when you pull back with it in your mouth. "I think I win, yes?" You ask Daniel who is clapping and nodding. "Hell yeah!" Turning you see Lando standing there dazed. "Maybe next time, baby boy." Patting his cheek, unsure where that courage came from.
Walking away you move your hips from side to side, uncaring that everyone is going crazy as you slip into the crowd. If he wanted you, he'd come to you.
okkk max!!!!!!!!!
so the reader is a just a normal person no job that comes with fame, i think they are a artist and own their own gallery in monaco, she grew up with max and they have been best friends for ever basically max biggest soft spot and he’s the most affectionate with her, he thinks she will never return his feelings so never says anything because their friendship is more important. i’m inspired by maxs birthday today but maybe after they have a party with max’s friends and family they are still on the boat alone and reader made max his favorite cake and she sings him happy birthday just them as she has since they were friends and she ask what he wished for, he says this and kisses her :) and obviously she kisses back and he tells her what he feels and is pleasantly surprised when she’s always loved him to and was waiting for him
:)
So excited to write my first Max piece! Slowly but surely I am becoming a Max girly...and Toast is helping me along with that! 🤪 I hope you like this, love - I sure do!
TW: not proofread
Summary: After growing up together, it's only a matter of time before feelings come out...right?
Childhood Crush | Max Verstappen | MV1
A small bell chimes as you sit in your studio, a paintbrush in hand. Taking one more glace at your canvas, you set down your brush and palette. Quickly, you try to clean yourself up; swiping away your baby hairs, checking your clothes in the full length mirror that laid against the wall – hoping your weren’t covered in paint. Walking out to the gallery side, you notice a taller guy browsing the art on the walls. “Hello! Let me know if you want any information on anything, I’ll be here.”
The guy turns, a familiar accent coming from his lips. “I’m here about a party?” He smirks at you. Max – your longtime friend, basically from the time you were learning nursery rhymes. “How you are, Y/N? I haven’t seen you in a while, you never come out.” His legs stride towards you, stopping just before you and giving you a hug.
Throwing your hands up in a shrug, you respond, “I’ve been in the studio preparing a new collection. You know how it goes…”
His hand comes up to your face, brushing away at your cheek. “Bit of paint there.” Seeming to need something a little more helpful to remove the paint, he licks his thumb – returning it to your face.
“Blegh!” You blurt, shrinking away from his soggy thumb.
His face turns to a fake frown, “Oh hush. It’s gone now.” Wrapping his arm around your shoulder, he pulls you back into your studio – sitting you both on the sofa. “You’re welcome, schat.”
Schat – something Max would say that would make your heart twist like someone wringing out a wet towel. You grew up with both of your guys’ parents calling you that term of endearment, but it always felt different when it came from Max. The little voice in your head always told you how wrong it was to feel this way for him, but your heart begged you for more. More time with him. More sweet nothings. More…everything. You had spent hours upon hours growing up, and even now, wondering what it would be like to be his schat.
Shaking the daydream from your head, you fill the silence. “So…you said something about a party.”
He grabs your hand excitedly, a wide smile spreading across his face. “Well, you know my birthday is coming up,” You nod your head. Of course you knew – you don’t just forget your lifelong best friend/crush’s birthday. “I’m having a party on the boat. Friends, family, you. I think we’ll make a day out of it. You’ll come?” His eyes are saying that he’s hoping to sway you.
You already knew you would say yes to going, but you had to make it harder than that for him. As you usually would, like old times. “I don’t know, Max. A whole day?” You shake your head. “I’ve got to finish this collection, I launch in two weeks.” All lies, the piece you were working on before Max arrived was the final piece you needed to finish, and you were practically done. He gives you puppy dog eyes, knowing it would work on you. Pretending to give in, you sigh. “I think I can make it work…just for you Maxy.”
* * *
You loved Monaco. You loved the sun, the people, the buildings. It all what led you to set up your gallery here, instead of back in the Netherlands where you were raised. Another thing you happened to love was the water. Luckily for you, you had a best friend who had a boat, and occasionally, you were invited on said boat.
The day had been full of fun. Your family had come down to attend as well, catching up with you both when time allowed. When not in the water, you were sunbathing with your mother and sister, laid out on the white cushions that sat atop every seat on his boat. As the sun went down, everyone sat around a table inside – a cake being brought to Max with a practical choir signing happy birthday to him as he blew out the candles. The day had finally wound down, the boat docking to let everyone go – you however had one birthday surprise you saved for just the two of you.
You sat on a lounge chair that was arranged with another in the boat’s lounge space, checking the paper bag you had hid all day – making sure your surprise was still there and in good shape. Hearing a sigh, your head pops up to see Max walking into the lounge. “Maxy! I have something for you…”
He rubs his hands together, his face looking as excited as it could – clearly drained from the day’s activities. “Is it an exclusive piece from your new collection? I’ve already got a wall in mind to hang it on…”
A frown finds its way onto your face. “Sadly, no. But I hope this makes up for it?” You reach into the paper bag, pulling out a single cupcake and a pack of birthday candles. Taking the cupcake out of the box, you stick a single candle on top. “Shit. I didn’t bring a lighter…do you have one here?” Max nods, getting up to dig through a couple of drawers – eventually coming up with one and handing it to you. He sits back down on the lounge chair across the coffee table from you, a soft smile on his face. You quickly light the candle, setting the lighter next to the cupcake on the table. Clearing your throat, you begin to sing a song you both made up – many, many years ago.
Today is the day,
It’s Maxy’s birthday.
We scream and we shake,
Because we want cake.
Ending your singing, you continue with the tradition. “Now let’s watch this…On three, Maxy will make his wish!” You giggle to yourself, Max’s smile wide as can be before he blows out the candle atop his cupcake. You clap for him, pulling the candle out of the cupcake so he can begin to eat it. “What was your wish?”
Swiping a bit of the frosting from the top of the cupcake, Max eats it off his finger. “Umm…this.” He stands from his chair, leaning across the table and grabs your chin pulling you to meet his lips. The sweet taste of vanilla entrancing you, pulling you out of your seat more – you wrap your arms around his neck. The kiss deepens as you surrender yourself, puzzle pieces snapping together.
After a minute he pulls back, shock on his face. “Wait, you’re okay with this?” Nodding, you kiss him once more before he pulls away again. “I didn’t just ruin our friendship…did I?” You shake your head, which triggers a smile on his face. “Y/N…this is -”
You put a finger to his lips, shushing him. “Max, shut up…I’ve been waiting for this moment to happen.” You laugh as you once again find his lips, the two of you moving together perfectly, as if it were meant to be. "I love you, Max."
With a chuckle, he speaks through your lips. "I love you too, mijn schat."
🤩 Taglist: @merchelsea
(Let me know if you'd like to be added to the taglist!)
#Tbr
click here if you want to revisit only certain arcs in the story
my whole life in a moment
Your boyfriend presented you with a challenge to "walk a mile in his shoes"…imagining what life would be like if you weren't in a relationship with him
charades
After a particularly horrible day on set, Chris extends an invitation for you to join the cast in a game of charades to unwind.
one look and they'll know
You go to work on the set of Thor Ragnarok one day and you're greeted with the sight of one Tom Hiddleston on his knees and your coworkers whispering about how he perfected his posture.
when the feeling sinks in
Ragnarok wrapped up filming and now you're back in your apartment, waking up a little too alone and feeling a little too lonely. You thought that you were the only one until you heard a knock on your door.
the warmest bed i've ever known
Tom has convinced you to go back to London with him for a few weeks, and a photo of you two out and about together has opinions firing left and right.
empty baskets
Tom makes a concerning discovery on laundry day
remote consults behind enemy lines
You casually reveal that you consulted on costume design for another supersuit, leading to an unexpected reaction from your boyfriend
a sizing mishap
You hand Player #6 his uniform but it's the wrong size… part of the Soccer Aid Collection
a tale of ice baths and hot sauce
An effort is made to find out who your mystery boyfriend is during the Elementals challenge when some members of the staff see some marks on your neck that weren't there before… part of the Soccer Aid Collection
save my room for last
One of the duties you're assigned for Soccer Aid Training Week is to run wakeup calls for a handful of players. Today you and your fellow staff members draw names for who you have to wake up. part of the Soccer Aid Collection
after hours visits
An unwelcome visitor knocks at the door of Tom's hotel room while you two were trying to enjoy your evening together part of the Soccer Aid Collection
everybody's watching him…but he's looking at you
Old scars start hurting once again in the wake of your brazen and disrespectful visitor from the night before, and Tom's there to comfort you…on and off the field part of the Soccer Aid Collection
to turn me on [coming soon]
with his name on it [coming soon]
come on, england
When the video director for Tom's promo seems uncomfortable with articulating the vision that was instructed of him, you step in to help things along part of the Soccer Aid Collection
a proper fit
You return to the Soccer Aid training grounds to prep for this year's game and promotional events, having to spend a day away from your husband. part of the Soccer Aid Collection
this magnetic force of a man
A watch party livestream on TikTok catches sight of you and Tom in the VIP tent of the final night of the Eras Tour in London
consult an expert
You decide to lean in to the notion of you having 'domme vibes' and look into how to embrace that newfound side of you.
braced for impact
Some haunting memories pop up out of the blue one otherwise peaceful afternoon while you were situated on your favorite seat…your boyfriend's lap.
much ado about nothing drabble set 1
some slice of life snapshots of Tom & Y/N's life during the rehearsals phase of the play
the evangeline chronicles
Summary: After a jet ski accident on holiday Lando learns just how much y/n means to him and how impossible it feels to have to leave her for a race.
Very freckled reader!
I was going to make this a car accident story, but that felt a little too cliche and I know Lando has been out on jet skis before so we're running with that.
Having Max and his friends all out on a yacht in Monaco is a pretty great way to spend his day. Especially when he gets to have his girlfriend there in a bikini. Or it was great until he notices one of his friends checking her out then he called on her and quietly asked if she might put something else on. Though he excused it as her not wanting to get too cold.
"Are you sure you don't want someone with you?" Lando asks as he clips the buckle of her life vest on.
"I've been on a jet ski before, Lan. I think I can handle it." Y/n smiles brightly before she kisses him. "I'll be fine."
"Ok, if you insist. But I want some photos of us on there together before the end of the day." Lando laughs then watching her climb on.
"I promise. So long as you're getting some with your future husband too." Y/n grins gesturing to Max who puts his middle finger up to her earning a kiss to be blown in his direction. "Love you too Max, even if you're constantly trying to steal my boyfriend. I respect he was yours first."
Max and y/n have that classic best friend and girlfriend friendship that forms resembling that more of siblings who can't get along.
Lando moves back to sit on the sun bed with Max looking at something while y/n and a couple of her friends ride around on the jet skis.
Things take a bad turn within a matter of seconds.
There's some yelling, a thud and splash before it's followed by screams. At least that's how things happened from Lando's perspective on the deck of the yacht.
She hit the bow of the yacht when the jet ski steering locked. They dragged her out the water and called for an ambulance to meet them at the dock while doing everything as instructed. But inevitably it all lead to the same thing.
Hospital with hours of scans, tests and trying to stitch up the head wound which hadn't let up bleeding much at all due. Although they tried to slow it.
"She'll wake up, it's just sedatives keeping her asleep now." The doctor explains while Lando pulls a seat to the side of her bed. "But there's no reason to suggest the head injury would be anything more than a concussion and maybe a bit of memory lapse."
"Thank you for everything. Really." Lando states with a rough voice that gives away how much emotion he's trying to withhold. The doctor leaves and Lando shifts a little in his seat as Max looks at his friend who has been a shell of a person. "You don't have to stay mate, it's late. You should get some rest."
"What about you? You leave for a flight tomorrow." Max mumbles earning a glare that just about threatens to end their friendship there and then. "Alright, I'll see you later."
Then Lando is left alone with y/n.
He just looks at her, the harsh fluorescent lighting of the room.
His eyes scan across her face looking at the cinnamon dusting of freckled covering her slightly sun burnt skin. Without thinking about it, he finds himself trying to count the freckles to pass the time, pausing when he has to figure out if it's two freckles merged together or just one bigger freckle. Then his mind drifts to thinking about how the cooler weather in the winter makes since of them fade. Although they've only been together 7 months, having started dating in winter when her freckles were much less.
In the winter she has 168 freckles across her nose and cheeks.
The idea of only having spent part of one winter and part of one summer with her nearly makes him break into a cold sweat.
Suddenly before he knows it, nearly two hours have passed and he is knocked from his dreaded thoughts when y/n pulls her hand from his grip and raises it to the bandaged stitches on her head.
"What the hell?" Y/n croaks as then shooting up to sit making Lando stand and try to make her focus on him.
"It's ok, it's ok. You...you hit your head when the steering locked on the jet ski. You got stitches. You just need to lie down." Lando explains quickly making her swallow thickly. "You've been out for a couple hours."
"It hurts. My head, it hurts." Y/n mumbles lying back down with Lando's guidance.
"I'll get a nurse. See if they can give you anything."
After getting her something to help with the pain, Lando sighs rubbing his hands together nervously.
"You have to go. I'll be out of here by the time the race weekend is over." Y/n states reading his mind even with a head injury. "I'm not going to hold it against you, Lando."
"I'd hold it against me." Lando murmurs before sighing softly. "You know you had 168 freckles on your face when we met and now you've got like...way over 300. I couldn't even count them all."
Y/n can't stop her smile then opening her arms which means him lean over and hug her.
"You still have to go, Lando..."
"I know."
-
Lando hates being in the paddock without y/n. All he wants is to get her there but the doctor said travelling in a plane wouldn't be the best for her. So instead, he's just texting her every 5 minutes to make sure she's ok.
Though he left Max with her so he feels somewhat reassured that she's being cared for. The two might fight like siblings but Max will take care of her like a brother too and if Lando asks for him to do it then you can be sure he'll keep her safe.
"Lando..." Jon sighs seeing Lando return to his drivers room after the qualifying debrief and just begin to fall apart. "She's ok. I checked on her every 5 minutes like you've been doing and I called to make sure she was watching."
Lando nods before rubbing his hand over his face then trying to hide it as his emotions overwhelm him. He's never cried over a girl like this before and he's not enjoying it.
"Alright, y/n can you talk to him?" Jon sighs after getting her on FaceTime.
"Baby? What's going on? Why are you so upset?" Y/n frowns through the screen.
"Baby, I wish you were here. It's horrible being here without you." Lando states hating the sound of his voice. "I need you here."
"It's less than 48 hours before you see me again and you'll be working or sleeping for most of that." Y/n smiles lightly but Lando still looks completely unsatisfied with that. "It'll fly by and you can stay on FaceTime with me until you're asleep if you want."
"You'd stay on FaceTime with me all that time?"
"Of course I would. I miss you too...even if I can't memorise how many freckles you have because you don't have any." Y/n teases while Lando rolls his eyes a little at her.
So they do spend the rest of the night on FaceTime. Max making continuous and and frequent appearances on y/n's side. He does earn himself a warning to not be hugging or getting too cosy with y/n, much to both Max and y/n's honesty.
"How you going to say that when she won't shut up about you?" Max laughs then wincing when she clearly elbows him out of shot. "Ah, vicious."
"Ok, bedtime. Come on." Y/n yawns unknowing that while still on FaceTime her boyfriend is texting Max telling him to check on her every so often which earns a thumbs up through the screen that y/n thankfully doesn't notice. "Can I give Max a hug goodnight?"
"Fine. If you must." Lando hums while she laughs a little and leans down hugging Max before she stands up blowing him a kiss and heading up to her room. "We're staying on the phone right?"
"Yes."
Unsurprisingly they both fall asleep pretty quickly and when Max checks on them after heaving silence for 15 minutes. He ends the call and pauses since y/n is a weirdly silent sleeper, he also carefully checks her pulse. Then sighing in relief when he feels the gently thudding.
-
Lando didn't make the podium but he tended to all the post-race demands before taking off faster than the cars when the lights go out.
He didn't tell y/n that he'd be coming back so quickly. So when he walks into his apartment to find y/n's tear stained cheeks as she sleeps against Max who is away and playing on the games consoles. Lando's only hoping Max didn't ignore his girlfriend crying because of the game.
"Max, what the hell?" Lando hisses gesturing to the sleeping body beside Max.
Max only looks down looking confused for a moment before he laughs a little and nods.
"She missed you and told me she just needed to cry it out." Max explains making Lando's inside churn with emotion, his own eyes getting a little shinier.
"Ok, baby. Let's get you away from the man who will let you cry while he plays...are you playing Spider-man?"
"It's a good game." Max argues quietly while Lando gently pulls y/n up as Max grimaces. "She was crying pretty hard at one point but when she went quiet I checked for a pulse to make sure she was alive."
"Right, thanks." Lando hums sarcastically before he manages to finally pull her up into his arms, slightly stirring with a mumble of incoherent words. "Night man, I'll see you in the morning. And really thank you for staying with her and keeping me in the loop."
"It's not problem, you know I do love her like family by this point and I didn't enjoy seeing her hurt any more than you did. But see you tomorrow, mate." Max nods as Lando disappear feeling the approval and validation of Max worrying for y/n being the final nail in the coffin.
Lando loves this girl and he will for the rest of his life.
Lando falls asleep, pulling her tight against himself but not without a quick shower, just to really clean off travelling so soon after a race.
Morning comes and goes with neither of them shifting. Too at peace in each other's hold to move, despite y/n not actually being conscious of the fact it's Lando who is half-suffocating her with hold tight his hold has been on her all night.
Lando does wake up first and he takes the time to count the stitches on her head. 9.
9 stitches.
Y/n suddenly shifts, moving and groaning as she almost seems to try and escape his hold before she groans, then after a sharp inhale she suddenly leans forward closing in on his t-shirt before inhaling like she can only breathe air filtered through the fabric.
"You're home." She whispers making him laugh a little.
"You got that from smelling me?"
"You always smell the best. So yeah." Y/n grins still keeping her eyes closed as she nuzzles down into him. "Max smells nothing like you."
"Are you saying he stinks? Because I'll tell him and never let him live it down."
"No. He just doesn't smell like you and you are my favourite person in the world." Y/n shrugs innocently then wincing a little when Lando brushes her hair back and his fingers run over her stitches.
"I'm sorry, does it still hurt?"
"No. I just...hate knowing I'll have a scar there from it." Y/n mumbles finally looking up at Lando and connecting their gaze. "I'll get over it, so long as I have you to wake up to. It sucked missing the race."
"It sucked not having you there for the race. I couldn't get back here fast enough." Lando smiles then kissing her. "and for the record, stitches and scar or not I love you and I want you with me all the time. I'd squeeze you in the car with me for races if I could...and if it was safe."
Y/n pouts a little, tears lining her eyes before she sighs softly and kisses her with a grin.
"I love you, baby." Landowhipsers really wanting to emphasise the fact he loves this girl more than he know a person could love another person.
He'd give her everything, every penny he owns and every belonging he has if she asked him for it. But he knows she wouldn't because she just loves him without everything else.
"I love you too, baby." Y/n sighs then reaching over to the clock to check the time. "Is Max still here?"
"Yes. Somewhere."
"It's 3 in the afternoon, we've just left him out there."
"He's capable of taking care of himself...more of the time."
Y/n hums deciding that she's happy for Max to be left if it means she can stay tucked up in here as long as possible with Lando to make up for lost time over the weekend.
Stan having no idea who you are after his mind is wiped but you're gorgeous. You kneel in front of him, hand on his arm, trying not to break down as you introduce yourself.
It doesn't work and you can't help but pull him in for a hug, Stan awkwardly patting your back. You needed the comfort, he was yours and you needed him.
Ford eventually tries to pull you away and you shake your head, clinging harder, pathetically telling him no.
"Hey, she can stay as long as she wants." Stan tightened his hold as he frowned at Ford. He may have no clue about the group staring at him but if someone as beautiful as you needed a hug from him he would oblige.
"No, he's right." You spoke in his ear before pulling back, swatting at your wet cheeks.
Stan's eyes roamed your face. It was sad and in pain but he knew he had never seen anyone as glorious as you. The curve of your cheek, the line of your nose, your plump lips. Your eyes had turned a hue of pink, because of your sobs, that made them shine.
He felt like a kid. He didn't know what to say or do but he wanted needed to get on your good side.
What had you said your name was again?