𝐵𝓇𝒾𝒹𝑔𝑒𝓇𝓉𝑜𝓃

Bucky Barnes Soulmate au

Masterlist

demonsandmischief.tumblr.com

Something Special

Marvel - Bucky Barnes Imagine Bucky Barnes x Female Reader, Soulmate AU 1.6k Words You can meet your soulmate in your dreams but you can't

baroquebucky.tumblr.com

touch

soulmate au where when you touch your soulmate you see glimpses of your future with them; the winter soldier touches you and realizes there’

mypalbuck.tumblr.com

mypalbuck

LOVE AT FIRST TASTE— B. BARNES summary: an alternate universe where soulmates can taste whatever their soulmate tastes. (Soulbound/soulmate)

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i built a house for a love to grow

~60k words Bucky Barnes x Teacher!Reader (Soulmate AU) originally posted on ao3 Summary: When you're sixteen years old, you get a soul mark

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Something Special

Marvel - Bucky Barnes Imagine Bucky Barnes x Female Reader, Soulmate AU 1.6k Words You can meet your soulmate in your dreams but you can't

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touch series masterlist

a soulmate au where when you touch your soulmate you see glimpses of your future with them; the winter soldier touches you and realizes ther

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The Avengers | The Lucky And The Strong [#1: Words that hurt] | Bucky Barnes x reader

A/N: Yep, totally another series. :) Hope you enjoy! ♥ Pairing(s): James Buchanan 'Bucky' Barnes x fem!reader; kinda adopted dad!Tony Stark

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『𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐥𝐟 𝐀𝐔』

summary : bucky keeps having the same dream, the same woman with the same wolf. What happens when he actually finds her? part 1 ∣∣ bucky kee

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mypalbuck

LOVE AT FIRST TASTE— B. BARNES summary: an alternate universe where soulmates can taste whatever their soulmate tastes. (Soulbound/soulmate)

I’m back… pt.2

social media au

part 1 here

•

astonmartinf1 another successful weekend for our team! P1 for Alonso and P2 for Y/L/N 💪🏻

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username1 the amount of points they’re getting this season I’m shook

username2 the best decision was to get these two driving together

yourusername let’s partyyyyy

-> fernandoalo_oficial please yes

-> georgerussel63 am I invited?

-> yourusername of course! You’re part of our podium lol p3 great drive tho 😌

-> landonorris is p4 invited?

-> carlossainz55 meet you at the club 🥳

•

f1gossip a follower just sent us these photos of some of the f1 drivers partying and having fun at a club after the Aston Martin podium today! It is rumored that McLaren driver Lando Norris was also present and that there was a heated argument between him and Y/N. Waiting for more details 👀

•

yourusername me and my besties 👯‍♀️

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georgerussel63 I’m hungover

-> yourusername you need to keep up mate 💅

carlossainz55 party animals

username1 are Y/N and George looking at Lando and gossiping???

liked by yourusername

-> username2 they for sure were 🙂‍↔️

username3 I wanna know all the details about the argument 😒

fernandoalo_oficial finally someone that can keep the party alive 😴

•

real life

The club was alive with energy, the sound of music and chatter filling the space. The podium celebration was still fresh in your mind, the high of the race, the rush of adrenaline coursing through your veins. After a long, hard-fought race, you had finally made it to the top three, standing on the podium with a huge smile on your face. You had earned it. You had worked so hard for it. Fernando Alonso had finished alongside you, and both of you were now celebrating the victory with close friends and teammates.

As you stood surrounded by Fernando, Carlos Sainz, and George Russell, the four of you were laughing, sharing stories of the race, and enjoying the excitement of the moment. Fernando had his arm draped around your shoulders, a proud smile on his face, his voice full of excitement as he spoke animatedly about the race. Carlos was teasing you both about how you were going to beat him next time, and George was raising a glass to your hard-earned success. Everything felt perfect — until he walked in.

Lando Norris.

The moment your eyes met his, your stomach twisted into a knot. There he was, striding confidently into the club, a slight smile on his face, as if nothing had ever happened. He was still the same Lando you remembered: the boy you once loved, the boy who had shattered your heart.

You immediately tensed, your grip on your drink tightening. Fernando noticed the shift in your demeanor, his brow furrowing in confusion before he glanced over his shoulder to see what you were looking at. His expression immediately hardened, and Carlos and George followed his gaze.

Lando, oblivious to the sudden shift in the atmosphere, walked up to the bar with a casual air, nodding at a few people in the crowd. It wasn’t until he caught sight of you that his smile faltered, though it didn’t disappear entirely.

“Didn’t expect to see you here,” Lando said, his voice light, as though nothing had ever happened between you two.

You couldn’t help but scoff, your anger rising quickly. Fernando, sensing the tension, took a step back, giving you space, though he kept his eyes on Lando with a wary look. Carlos and George, too, gave the two of you some room, but they didn’t hide their discomfort.

Lando leaned against the bar casually, his eyes flicking over to Fernando. “Looks like it’s been a good day for both of you,” he said, motioning to the celebration around you. “Podium, huh? Congrats.”

You could feel the heat of frustration welling up inside of you, all the old feelings coming back to the surface. How dare he waltz in here like everything was fine, like he hadn’t betrayed you? Like he hadn’t destroyed everything you once believed in.

“Don’t act like you care,” you said coldly, your voice sharp as a knife. “You have a funny way of congratulating someone, Lando.”

Lando blinked, clearly surprised by your hostility. His smile faltered, and he glanced at Fernando and the others, as if searching for something to make this moment less awkward. But you weren’t giving him that luxury.

“Are you serious?” Lando’s voice hardened, his earlier casualness replaced with something darker. “I come in here to show some support, and you act like I just killed your puppy? It’s been years.”

You could feel the anger building up inside you, the emotions from all those years ago surging to the surface. “You don’t get to act like nothing happened,” you shot back, voice tight with fury. “You don’t get to pretend we’re fine. You cheated on me. You humiliated me in front of everyone. And when I got hurt, when I was out for a year, you didn’t even care. You didn’t even apologize.”

Lando’s eyes widened at the intensity of your words, but he quickly recovered, a defensive look crossing his face. “That was a long time ago. You think I don’t regret it? You think I don’t feel like an asshole for how things ended?”

“Oh, so now you regret it?” You laughed bitterly, the sound cutting through the noise of the club. “You should have thought about that before you—”

“Before I what?!” Lando snapped, stepping closer to you now, his voice low and fierce. “Before I made a mistake? You think I don’t know how badly I messed up? But you’ve been holding this over my head for years, and it’s not even about that anymore, is it? It’s about holding onto your grudge.”

You didn’t back down. “I’m not holding a grudge. I’m holding onto the truth. You left me broken, and for what? Because you couldn’t stay faithful? Because you wanted to feel good about yourself while I was dealing with the aftermath of your mistakes?”

Fernando stepped in, placing a hand on Lando’s shoulder, his expression stern, but calm. “This isn’t the place for this,” he said quietly, his voice laced with authority. “We’re here to celebrate a win, not dredge up old wounds.”

Lando looked at Fernando, clearly irritated by his intervention, but he didn’t argue. His eyes moved back to you, and there was a flicker of regret in them. But you didn’t care about the flicker. You cared about the damage he had done.

“You should leave,” you said, your voice colder now. “This is a celebration, not a pity party for you.”

Lando’s jaw tightened. For a moment, it seemed like he was going to lash out again, but instead, he took a deep breath. His eyes briefly met yours — there was a faint trace of apology, but it was clouded by his own pride.

“You’re still angry,” he said quietly, as if finally understanding. “I get it. But I’m not going anywhere.”

“You should,” you shot back, your eyes blazing. “Go anywhere but here.”

The tension between you two hung in the air, thick and suffocating. Fernando gave Lando one final look, his expression hardening before he stepped away from the group, signaling the others to follow him.

Carlos leaned in toward you and whispered, “Are you okay?”

You nodded, though the emotion was raw in your chest, and it would take a lot more than a few words to heal that wound. But for now, you were surrounded by the people who truly mattered — the ones who had been there for you when Lando had abandoned you.

The music played on, and for a moment, the weight of the past started to lift as you turned your attention back to your celebration. But Lando’s presence, even from across the room, lingered.

•

yourusername they want what u had

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oscarpiastri give me my hoodie back

-> yourusername next time don’t leave it unattended 🤡

fernandoalo_oficial my sunglasses 😒

-> yourusername they look better on me anyway 🥵

username1 the caption SHES ON FIRE

username2 lando really lost a hottie

liked by yourusername

•

part 3 coming soon

tags: @angstynasty @elieanana

f1 masterlist ✨

— here are all my f1 related works, thanks for reading!

platonic (all drivers)

annoying little brothers

bitch, I’m a mother!

mother (no, literally)

charles leclerc

baby leclerc series

baby leclerc: teen edition

princess of monaco series

kiss with a fist

i love my wife

if he wanted to

i’ve got my eye on you

safety first

good for her

monaco does that to you

love hurts

go sports

ti amo

breakup with your boyfriend

off to the races

friends don’t kiss friends

mick schumacher

senna!reader series

who would’ve thought?

god is a woman

lewis hamilton

take care of you

george russell

and i love her

prince george?

dad approved

max verstappen

would’ve been

nothings going to hurt you baby

daniel ricciardo

still into you

it’s ricciardo actually

enchantè

you are in love

lando norris

you’re stuck with me

passenger princess

part time royal

royal baby

no rizz

crafting table

my favorite nepo baby

guanyu zhou

is your gf single?

carlos sainz jr.

black swan

pierre gasly

uncle duties

sebastian vettel

proud husband

me and my husband

cherry flavoured

fever dream

mark webber

boys on the radio

james vowles

happy anniversary

Can you make a Lando x reader based on the song Cindy Lou who by Sabrina Carpenter with a happy ending where she gets with another driver and Lando suddenly want her back

Hey there I actually have a series called I’m Pretty When I Cry and I have a Cindy Lou Who chapter planned for George - here

So if you’re okay with a GR ending lmk or if you wanna change the song 💕

…

Also on a completely unrelated note let me know if you guys want to be added to a general taglist for all the fics!

And part 1 of the Begin Again Series will come out today ✌🏻

ੈ✩‧cherry blossom in Suzuka (smau) ੈ✩‧

pairing : charles leclerc x hamilton! fem reader

summary : an official statement wins it !

This is part 4

Part 1 here Part 2 here Part 3 here

tw : hate, cheating, rude comments

a/n : This is a series and it finally comes to an END ! anyways enjoy ! also feel free to drop in a request or a question ! ALSO would be great if you could drop what you would want for my next series !

·:｡･ﾟﾟ･ ✩ ･ﾟ ･ﾟ·:｡･ﾟﾟ･ ･ﾟ·:｡･ﾟﾟ･ ✩ ･ﾟ ･ﾟ·:｡･ﾟﾟ･･ﾟ·:｡･ﾟﾟ･ ✩ ･ﾟ ･ﾟ·:｡･ﾟﾟ

liked by user1, user2, user3 and 768,467 others

f1wags It was none other than our Tifosi Charles Leclerc and Y/N Hamilton!!

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user1 and I oops-

user2 BRO WHAT !?

user3 what in the plot twist

user4 Hell no, charles was the one cheating !?

user5 we hated on y/n for nothing ?

user6 men are the problem to everything

user7 oh ma gawd

user8 bombastic side eye

user9 hell no, what about Alexandra?

user10 they played Alexandra 😭

liked by user1, user4 and 67,367 others

leosmom so you are telling me they are dating in these pics !??!

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user1 this is so messed up

user2 fr tho-

user3 CHARLES FUCKING LECLERC HOW DARE YOU CHEAT ON ALEXANDRA

user4 ew. Cheating men

user5 I knew it was Charles

user6 ew. men

user7 if Alexandra got cheated, what about potatoes like us -?

user8 MY Parents 😭😭

user9 I am a product of divorced parents

liked by charlesleclerc, otherhamilton, and 647,836 others

alexandramalenart the paparazzi have certainly picked up the best photos ✨ @ f1wags would request if you could post the same photos without me being cropped !! I knew about Charles and Y/N, and me and Charles have split respectfully. I respect him and all my love for Y/N!! But before we could announce the split, it was obvious that the whole internet was against my girl, Y/N. It was my idea for Charles to post the tweet and let the drama subside before announcing our split and their relationship. This is just to make things clear, there was no adultery involved and it was a amiable split!! All my love to Charles and Y/N 🩵

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charlesleclerc thank you alex 🩵

liked by alexandramalenart

otherhamailton brb, gonna cry 😭

alexandramalenart love you bubs 🫶🏻

lewishamilton thank you for supporting them Alexandra !

liked by alexandramalenart

lilihye 🫶🏻

liked by alexandramalenart

franscica.gnomes 🫶🏻🤍

liked by alexandramalenart

landonoriss finally it's out 🙌🏻

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comments have been restricted on this post

liked by otherhamilton, landornoriss, lewishamilton and 1,267,736 others

charlesleclerc the queen, ladies and gentlemen 🙌🏻🤍🫶🏻

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landonoriss so which Hamilton do you prefer ?

charlesleclerc so which way of dying you prefer ?

maxverstappen1 congratulations!!

liked by charlesleclerc

lewishamilton you know who am I crashing into if my sister complains of a fight

charlesleclerc EVERY GRAND PRIX I WILL HAVE A DNF !?

lewishmailton what do you mean -

lewishamilton Charles Leclerc, why the fuck are you fighting with my sister before every fucking gp ?

charleclerc @ otherhamilton

landonoriss @ otherhamilton

daniel.jpg @ otherhamilton

otherhamilton calm down lew, Charles loves to joke

charlesleclerc I don't -

george.russell mate-

otherhamilton Lewis, Suzuka GP 🫶🏻

lewishamulton done princess 🫶🏻

george.russell it's Lewis Hamilton using emojis, you certainly aren't even starting the race Charles

scuderiaferrari can I now pls get a picture with @ otherhamilton ? - admin Noah

charlesleclerc no.

otherhamilton yes 💌

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liked by charlesleclerc, landonoriss and 2,784,367 others

otherhamilton love this pookie 🫶🏻 p.s. lew, pls get this idiot in Suzuka 🫶🏻

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lewishamilton anything for you princess

charlesleclerc you want to see your boyfriend dying ?

otherhamilton yes.

lilihye AHAHAHAHAHAHA BEST COUPLE

otherhamilton NO, YOU AND ALEX

alexalbon thank you @ otherhamilton

alexandramalenart love 🫶🏻🩵

otherhamilton thank you so much alex 💌

oscarpiastri parents 🙌🏻

landonoriss step-dad 🙌🏻

charlesleclerc wha-

otherhamilton he is my son leclerc, any problem ?

charlesleclerc no ma'am 🫡

otherhamilton good

landonoriss 😁

daniel.jpg 🩵

liked by otherhamilton

maxverstappen congratulations 👏🏻

liked by otherhamilton

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liked by otherhamilton, lewishamilton and 1,457,837 others

scuderiaferrari 3rd slide is our reaction when we get another 1-2 in Suzuka !!

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user1 not the official admin making fun of Charles

lewishamilton you did not just expose my son Roscoe like that.

mercedesamgf1 we would never

scuderiaferrari apologies @ lewishamilton and STAY AWAY @ mercedesamgf1

user2 not the admins fighting over some Hamilton or the other -

user3 glad to know all the drama has cleared up !!

otherhamilton 🤞🏻🫶🏻

liked by scuderiaferrari

user4 lots of love for Ferrari and Y/N !!

charlesleclerc you did me dirty -

scuderiaferrari pov- you just found out your contract with Ferrari is not ending

user5 ADMIN 😭

user6 ADMIN 😭

user7 ADMIN 😭

user8 ADMIN 😭

user9 he is getting fired yall

tag list : @tremendousstarlighttragedy @hiireadstuff @mayalove014 @5sospenguinqueen @ritaaaaaaa

@fastfactory @mxdi0 @cixrosie @grovelingmen @valntynebaby

@emily-b @marvelfangirl04 @xshazxx @smoothoperator-forever700

@dark1paradise @dannyriccsupremacy @nichmeddar @revrse @velentine

@leclercsluvs @vintagefucksstuff @vizzzashley @alisporchee @a-beaverhausen

@greantii @formulaal @ilivbullyingjeongin @chimchimjiminie16

@avada-kedavra-bitch-187

1st Part of Digital Portfolio:

Biological Self

A place for me to share my daily rants about life and everything that surrounds it. I still keep secrets but here is the outlet for little things that irritate me at most.

look me in the eye | pt.1

pairing: max verstappen x rbr!engineer!reader

summary: the rb21 seems unfixable but that might not be the only reason max verstappen wants you around.

a/n: kind of angsty? think this will be two parts. 2k-ish words!

── ⟢ ・⸝⸝

The paddock is full of wind and empty promises. Bahrain's desert nights hold no warmth for those who find themselves at war with machines. Under the harsh lights of the Red Bull garage, your hands are stained with grease, burnt rubber and fuel having become your signature scent. The RB21 sits before you so still, like a child being yelled at. It's internals are exposed, betraying the effort you have poured into it. Another night. Another battle against the unworkable.

You wipe your forehead and the action leaves a dark trail.

"It's not you," Max's voice is acute in comparison to the exhausted engineers around you. "It's the car."

You sigh and rub your hand across your face again, leaving a another streak of oil on your cheek. "I've been through every possible variation of the floor. I've checked the suspension settings, even the cooling package. Nothing sticks. It’s like-"

"-like trying to control a wild animal?" he offers, a small smirk at the corner of his lips.

You huff. It could be a laugh, on some other day, but right now there is no humor in the situation. "More like taming a hurricane with duct tape."

Max leans against the workbench. His arms are crossed over his chest. Even under the brutal garage lights, even with this stupid car that no one but him can drive with some semblance of control, he's certain. "Well, you're still making it work."

That earns a scoff from you. "You make it work, Max. I just throw everything at the wall and hope something sticks."

His gaze sharpens, and it seems to pierce right through you. You, not just an engineer, but as a person who's given up everything to this job, to this team, to him.

"That's not true," he says quietly. "You don't just try. You build. You fix. You see what no one else does. And I-" He catches himself here, unsure how appropriate it'll sound. "I trust you."

The words, from him of all people, settle in your chest like an anchor. Trust is not given freely in Formula One; it is earned, lap by agonizing lap, through victories and through failures. You are not his race engineer. You're just another member of his team. There, hardly noticeable.

You doubt anyone outside RBR, outside the engineering teams, knows your name. Max Verstappen does, though, and that counts for something.

── ⟢ ・⸝⸝

Australia is supposed to be a fresh start.

A new track, a chance to see if anything has changed. But as you watch Lando Norris cross the line in first place, with Max trailing behind in P2, your stomach sinks. The celebrations begin almost immediately. Confetti, cheers, McLaren mechanics embracing as if they had won the championship itself. You want to slap someone. In it feels like they have. They have proof that their car is faster, that their work is paying off in a way yours isn't.

Still, you push it down. Max fought for this podium, and you owe it to him to be happy.

When he walks into the garage, you're already there, waiting with the rest of the team. He’s drenched in sweat, his fireproofs clinging to his skin. He should be tired, but the familiar sharp focus is in his eyes, even now. He's always noticing things.

You force a smile and clasp his shoulder.

"P2, Max. You dragged that car through hell for it."

He exhales, running a hand through his hair. "It wasn't easy." Max gives you a small smile. The way it doesn't fully turn up at the ends of his mouth betrays how tired he really is, despite playing it off. "You gave me something to fight with."

You nod. Your smile doesn't reach your eyes either. The noise of celebration around you turning to static. He sees it. Of course he does.

Max opens his mouth to say something else, but he's getting pulled away again for some interviews.

Later, when the festivities have died down, he finds you outside the garage. Away from the crowd. You sit on a stack of worn-out Pirelli tire blankets, staring at the ground. The sound of approaching footsteps doesn't startle you.

"What are you doing out here? No alcohol?" he asks. He always speaks sharply, concisely, reassured. Not anymore-Max is asking you now as he would a frightened animal. Don't run, it's as if he's saying, please stay.

You let out a breath. The weight of the race, the season, all of it pressing against your ribs. And then, before you can stop yourself-

"You're right," you murmur. "The McLaren is faster. We lack the pace."

The answer doesn't come right away. He's standing there, watching you with what might be regret. Because those are his words from mere hours ago, right after the race. A loose admission in the media pen, thrown out without a second thought. Max was happy with his race, not elated but he did things and the car was in the way and he forgot momentarily about all the work. He likes to be truthful with his words but he's slipped up.

And now, you're here, breaking yourself apart over them.

Max crouches down in front of you. His elbows rest on his knees. "That doesn't mean you failed."

You shake your head. "Feels like it."

He doesn't know what to tell you. Sorry? I'm sorry I said that. I was mad at the car. It wasn't about you.

For a moment, neither of you speaks. Then, hesitantly, he reaches out and rests a hand against your forearm.

"You don't give up," he says. "I don't. We adapt. We adapt."

── ⟢ ・⸝⸝

Shanghai is a lesson in patience.

The RB21 struggles on the mediums and the first stint is agony. You were worried about the lack of pace, the way the tires degrade faster than they should be. "We set out to do our pace, which was a fair bit slower than the cars around us," he later tells the reports, frustration just beneath the surface. "I'm trying not to destroy the tires."

Your stomach knots as you watch the sector times, the data painting a bleak picture. But when the switch to hards comes, something shifts.

There, the grip. There, a chance.

Lap by lap, the car becomes drivable. Not perfect, not dominant, but workable. And Max, as always, wrings everything out of it.

It's not a podium but after the disqualifications, it becomes P4. A bittersweet relief.

You find him outside your hotel room. The soft, golden glow of the hallway lights casts shadows across his features, sharp angles of exhaustion softened by something else.

"You know," you say as you close the door behind you. "For a man who just got handed an almost-podium, you're not looking very victorious."

His mouth twitches. "Doesn't feel like one, does it? I didn't earn it."

You tilt your head, considering. "Maybe not. Still, you can't count yourself out. Drinks?" You drum your fingers against the already-open minibar.

Max turns his head to look at you. "You always say things like that."

"I actually don't encourage you to drink that much," you defend.

"No. I mean, like you actually believe in all this." He gestures vaguely around as if the world of Formula One is something that can be captured in a single movement. "In the fight. Things turning around."

You shrug and take out a bottle. "Sure I do."

He studies you for longer than necessary, then shakes his head with a soft chuckle. "Crazy talk."

You feign offense and hold the drink close to your chest. "I am an engineer, Max. I deal in hard data and numbers. You're the intuitive one."

"Right." He eyes you, ever the skeptic. "Yet here you are, like a motivational quote board."

You grin. "Maybe I'm just trying to keep you from spiraling."

Max exhales through his nose, amused. "And here I thought I was keeping you from losing hope."

"Guess we're just stuck with each other then."

“Could be worse." His voice is lower now, the teasing edge giving way to something quieter.

The banter fades and here's a chance for you to do something. To let it sink in, to grasp the awful rawness of the moment. You don't know how.

"'least it's not Russell," you tell him. He flinches. It's small but doesn't slip your sight and you feel bad for making fun when he's trying to have a serious discussion. "Sorry. Feelings, hard. You know," you continue, "I think you actually had fun today."

His lips press together as if he's about to deny it. Instead, he relents. "Maybe a little."

"A miracle," you murmur.

"Don’t tell anyone."

You smirk. "Your secret's safe with me. Maybe we should hold off on the alcohol. Tipsy me isn't as trustworthy."

"I don't know about that." Max pretends to think. "Why don't we find out?"

── ⟢ ・⸝⸝

When the sun wakes you up, Max has already managed to stumble back to his own room. Not entirely true. You just know he's no longer piss-drunk in yours.

Truth be told, you aren't as reluctant to spend time with him as you once were. His arrogant nature has softened with time. He's funny sometimes. But that isn't the only reason.

Red Bull was a hot mess the end of 2024. It is still one. You aren't out of options. You are friends with a friend who is friends with a head at McLaren and the offer sounds pretty good right now.

It's just a question of Max or Lando or Oscar. Or maybe there isn't a question at all.

── ⟢ ・⸝⸝

Suzuka's next on your bucket list.

Red Bull's struggles have been the focal point of every media outlet, every discussion framed around whether the once-dominant team can claw its way back to the top.

You're in the motorhome, scrolling through your laptop, catching up on the latest coverage. A celsius-sorry, RB, but they just taste better- is by your side, half-finished. Then you see it. An interview, Max's face filling the screen, his expression as sharp and serious as ever. The reporter has just finished asking a question, pushing for insight into the difficulties he's been facing.

"It’s not easy," Max admits with his arms crossed. His Red Bull cap is pulled low over his eyes. "The car is… not where we want it to be. It's difficult to drive, unpredictable in certain corners, and sometimes it feels like I'm fighting it more than driving it."

You frown slightly, fingers tightening around the device. You've heard this before. You know all about his frustration, his honesty. It's a good trait that helps you know what to work on, but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt.

Then his tone shifts.

"But," he continues, "we're making progress. My engineer...she's putting everything into this car, finding solutions where it seems like there are none. Every race, every session, we're understanding it better. I have hope for the next races. Still very tough, but I trust her-sorry, them. We'll get there."

Oh, what a slip-up. Your breath catches. Max's face is slightly flushed. He definitely knows what he said.

You do too. Trust. He said it so simply.

You replay the clip, once, twice, and with every repeat, something warm coils in your stomach. The world hears his frustration, but you hear something else: recognition, appreciation. He sees what you do, what you give.

The corners of your lips curl into a smirk as you set the laptop down.

"Well," you say to yourself. "That was certainly something."

── ⟢ ・⸝⸝

You don't know why you bring it up now, in the middle of the hospitality lounge, of all places. Maybe it's the exhaustion, maybe it's the way Max looked at you after the interview aired-like you were the only thing holding this team together. Like you were holding him together.

So you say it.

"I think I'm leaving next year."

Max, halfway through sipping his water, freezes. His fingers tighten around the bottle, knuckles turning white.

"No."

It’s not a question. Not even a reaction. Just a flat-out refusal.

You exhale, bracing yourself. "Max-"

"No," he repeats, louder this time. He sets the bottle down with a sharp thud, standing up so fast his chair scrapes against the floor. "You’re not leaving."

You stare at him, startled by the sheer force behind his words. "It's not up to you."

His jaw clenches, chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. He looks like he's physically holding himself back, like if he doesn't control it, he might actually go berserk. At any other time you would be aware of the other engineers in the room, pretending not to notice whatever's going on, but he's taking up all of your attention right now. Subtlety is pushed to the back of your mind. "You can't leave," he says, voice rough. "Not after everything."

You swallow and your voice is still not steady. "Max, you know how bad this year has been. The car is-"

"I know how bad it is," he snaps. He steps closer. "I know better than anyone, because I'm the one driving it. But you-" Max exhales sharply, raking a hand through his hair. "You're the only one who makes it better."

Your heart stutters.

He’s staring at you now, eyes burning. You can't read what's behind them. "Every time I think this car is undriveable, you fix it. Every time I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle, you find a way to make it work." Max shakes his head, almost laughing. But it's humorless, frustrated. "And now you're telling me you want to leave? What am I supposed to do with that?"

You take a shaky breath. "Max, I-"

"You can't," he says again, and this time, his voice cracks. "Not you."

Max Verstappen has never been what people call a sentimental man. Right now, he looks as if tears are no longer foreign to him.

You should tell him it's just a thought, that nothing is decided yet. But the way he's looking at you-desperate, almost pleading-makes it impossible to lie.

So you say nothing. You give him that.

And Max? Max steps even closer, until there's barely any space between you. His gaze flickers down-to your lips, to the unsteady rise and fall of your chest-before meeting your eyes again.

"Stay," he murmurs. "Please."

And God help you, you don't know if you can say no.

── ⟢ ・⸝⸝

a/n: going back to my true roots as a narrative writer don't let this flop please xx