It's time once again for my annual rec list! This is not in any way a comprehensive list of the best HRPF in 2025, but it is the HRPF I happened to have read of this year's offerings that I enjoyed the most and thought others might, too.Ā Organized by pairing for your convenience:
McDrai
Obligations by @helenish (McDrai, a/b/o, 21K) -- mm yes I'm starting obscure with a work by the multi-fandom legend and possibly best writer in hrpf right now, Helenish! Come for the biting, stay for the feels.
Ahead by a Century: PreludeĀ by @demotu (mcdrai, the first segment of a decade-long getting-together journey, 34K) -- I was SO excited to see demotu return to HRPF this year after a decade-long hiatus. This is the first segment of what's apparently gonna be a several hundred K near-canon getting together story that spans a decade of their lives and includes some VERY long drawn-out UST, so obviously I am extremely sat.
General DynamicsĀ by @demotu (mcdrai, BDSM AU with dom-for-hire Leon, 45K so far) -- gotta love a good BDSM AU, especially when it features Connor McDavid, deprived sub who thinks he isn't allowed to have what he wants. The dom-for-hire piece adds a really fun element to the dynamic that I haven't seen so far. It's a WIP, but invest now, it's worth it!
from the happy effort of a body by @notthequiettype (mcdrai, getting together, 12K) -- notthequiettype cannot miss. The one starts with the team looking at Leon's grindr profile and includes some variety of (imo) demisexual Connor and provides, as always, such real-feeling and complex characterizations and a rich sense of the friendship between the two of them. Plus some very hot smut.
halfway there by crispierchip (mcdrai, switch!Leon/dom!Connor, 50K) -- oh hell yes. Leon's a switch who's having trouble not subbing during the season so Connor offers to help him out and you can just guess where it goes from there. Super satisfying.
every lonely place by withfeathers @thelittlebirdthatkeptsomanywarm (mcdrai, getting together post trade, 70K) -- I feel like I don't have enough classic long getting-together stories in this list this year but here's an excellent one. Leon gets traded to Boston and it turns out a big part of why he's so bummed about it is that maybe what he wants from Connor isn't just friendship after all.
a hundred shades of gold by @notthequiettype and @winglavender (mcdrai, AU where Connor's older, 41K) -- the treat I've been waiting for ever since the first part came out last year! I'm not usually a huge age difference person, but this one handled it in a really lowkey and enjoyable way that felt true to their dynamic. So genuine-feeling and satisfying.Ā The chatfic element also really worked for me.
Willmack
blush by countthestars @moondoggiestyleĀ (willmack, panties, 10.5K) -- I maaaay already have been overly effusive on main about how much I love this fic, but it is a treasure. I can't reread it too often though or it makes me want to write willmack in panties (again) and I just don't have that kind of time. But I do want other people to write them in panties so you should all read it and get (hot and bothered and) inspired.
woke up like this by canary @bigdogenergyĀ (willmack, woke up as a girl, 18K) -- Speaking of willmack feminization, how about Mack with a surprise pussy? As with everything by canary, impeccably written, love the relationship dynamics.
i got time, i can give you some (willmack, developing relationship ish, 6K), and anywhere but home (willmack go to Sid's training camp, 13.6K) by donderwolk @bliksemflitsenblogĀ -- I'm pretty sure donderwolk is the preeminent willmack scholar of our times. If she doesn't have a PhD in them by the time they're done with their ELCs, it'll just be because universities haven't caught up with her level of expertise. It's an unparalleled delight to read stories infused with all that rich insight into their characters and the wonderful weirdness of their dynamics, in prose that never fails to make me hum with satisfaction. They're weird about each other; they're weird about themselves; they're weird about Sid; what more can you want?
Soldier Boy, Bleed by @ghostsinmachine (willmack, non-AU D/s, 38K) -- This fic might have the best Mack voice I've ever read. If (whennnn) I write a WYL installment for them it's going to be heavily indebted.
Always Comes First by toxotes @toxotesjc (willmack, 38K) -- I discovered toxotes this year and proceeded to read all of their work, gratefully. They're is super good at displaying hauntingly real internalized homophobia and toxic masculinity, so if you enjoy pressing that particular variety of angst button, you're gonna eat this and all their other works up with a spoon.
Every drop of rain singing I love you by @mcjesuswept (willmack, werewolves, 5K) -- mcjesuswept has written a ton of great stuff lately, and I chose this one because I can't resist me some werewolves, especially when they can't resist each other. Also there's piss kink. Which might not be my thing but is apparently also not NOT my thing.
the thing that gets attached to you by edmoil @stonemitts (willmack, internalized homophobia and jerking off, 10K) -- mmmm is there anything hotter than two guys who are trying not to be gay but jerking off together anyway? Delicious Will pov delicious internalized homophobia delicious smut.
Tom/Wyatt
Let Me Love You by sofrancesca @sofrancescasocleancleanĀ (Tom/Wyatt, D/s, 10K so far) -- Ohhhh my god you guys this feels like another installment of Where You Lead except that I didn't have to write it, which is a GIFT. SofrancescaĀ does such an amazing job of inverting the dynamic so that Tom is just as much of a pest as we know him to be in real life except that what he really needs is to be held down by Wyatt, our scrumptious dominant mouse who no one believes is a dom (except for Tom, who knows right away). If only Tom knew himself to be a sub. Can't even tell you how excited I am to get the rest of this one!
million-mile august by @teethkick (Tom/Wyatt, getting together, 17K) --Ā Absolutely loved the growing feelings and tension in this one (and the previous one in the series, which is more pre-slash-y but also great). I wrote down that it gave me "stomach flutters galore," so, you know, if you like those. š
bury me here in your laundry pile by ribena (Tom/Wyatt, wingfic, 11K) -- mm the angst and the yearning and the internalized shame combined with such unusual worldbuilding (Tom's part cat! Wyatt's part bird!). And so sweet at the end.
TKNP
Living Things by makeit_takeit @makeit-takeit (TKNP, getting together post retirement, 303K) -- Living! Things!! This is a series and it isn't finished yet, but the main storyline was just resolved, so this is the perfect time to read it. This is, imo, the definitive take on how Travis and Nolan could end up together in the future in a way that feels realistic.
A True PlaceĀ byĀ @sofrancescasocleancleanĀ (TKNP, historical whaling AU, 23K) -- the pininnnnng!! I'm probably biased because sofrancescaĀ wrote this for me and specifically put in things that she thought I'd like, but boy howdy did it work. The homoerotic tension of listening to someone jerk off in the bunk next to yours in the crowded belly of a sailing ship š
Tread Carefully by @patrebka (TKNP, foot fetish, 7.6K) -- yes okay but hear me out! It's foot fetish fic with FEELINGS. You definitely don't need to be into feet, as long as you're into hockey boys being into stuff they'd rather not be into (and aren't we all).
(honey you're starting something) deep inside of me by ellen_shame @ln-shameĀ (TKNP, TK is a nurse, 3K) -- Um. Nolan almost comes on a hospital table; that's all I'm gonna say.
Other
shotgun waiting to sound by @teethkick (Pierre-Luc Dubois/Ryan Leonard, non-AU BDSM, 13K) -- This one is a total rarepair and brings a different a rougher side of BDSM than you see in a lot of fics. Not something I write a lot of,Ā but very delicious to read. For when your rookie just needs, as the tag says, to be broken like a wild horse, ideally by a very large and very solid man.
New FeversĀ by @teethkickĀ (the Dewies struggle against comphet, 39K) -- oops all teethkick in this section! I had never read anything about these two, but almost 40K later I had so many feelings about these two and the internalized homophobia keeping them apart. Long pining epics full of denial, my beloved š„°
That's all I've got for this year. So fun to group them all together like a little hoard of treasures š I look forward to finding out about the many masterpieces I no doubt missed!
EDIT: PLEASE REBLOG THIS EVEN IF YOU DONT NEED IT IM DESPERATELY TRYING TO GET IT TO PPL WHO WANT IT š
NEXT TO NORMAL PROSHOT if you dont want to get a vpn with american servers or dont want to wait until cinema release or are worried pbs will take the it down once there is a cinema release heres the whole thing!!! i screen recording the whole thing in chunks and edited them together as seemlessly as possible so there shouldnt be any noticable interruptions. if i try to post this one more time on youtube they will hunt me down so spreading the file itself will have to suffice
corrupted godhood. reluctant false messiah. prophecy as a creeping all consuming malady. does the oracle see the future or make the future? the horror of trapping yourself inescapably on purpose. the chains of destiny dragging you towards the path you are fighting tooth and nail to free yourself from. there never having been a chance to begin with. no other choice to make. but making that choice regardless.
try as they might, and they will try, they will never successfully franchise-ify dune. there's twenty four books. there's six books. four of them are good. the four good ones are good because every plotline is attached to three separate subplots all intertwined in a delicate braid. if you remove any plotline the whole thing collapses. every character has a mirror and a counterpart and a narrative foil. dune family trees look like the back of a tapestry. the final line of the first book is about how being a concubine is good actually. dune adaptations are not supposed to be marvel movie posters filled with actors you recognise, every character should be played by some unknown little freak. the longer the series goes on the more it becomes about politics and economics. about 40% of each book is internal monologue. at its core it's space wizards versus bdsm warriors on cocaine planet and trying to deny that is rank cowardice.
So there is this thing that the two Villeneuve Dune movies do together that I cannot stop thinking about, where they will present something (often, a weapon) in a context the first time around where it looks a certain way (often, very sexy and cool). And then they will present it again in a way that doesn't exactly negate your reading of the original context but makes you recoil in horror from the new context.
Paul and Jessica using the Voice to escape from their Harkonnen captors? Very sexy and cool. Look at them working together, mother and son, a couple of space witch badasses.
Jessica using the Voice on Chani to force her to participate in reviving Paul after he drinks the Water of Life? Horrifying. Saying you will be part of this myth that has been created to serve political ends that have nothing to do with your liberation, and if you don't do it voluntarily to save the person you love then I will make you do it.
Chani and Paul working together to take down the ornithopter gunship using those little shoulder-fired rockets? Very sexy and cool, we love guerrilla warfare against an occupying army. (I'm not being facetious here, this sequence is extremely satisfying to watch.)
The much later image of Paul silhouetted against the blast from the missiles from his family's private nuclear arsenal blowing up the shield wall? Nightmarish.
The way the climactic battle to retake the palace at Arrakeen extends into the night so that it begins to look very very much like the initial Harkonnen attack on the same place? I'm sure this is intentional; the whole third act is about taking a giant sledgehammer to the idea that the Atreides are the better or more civilized imperialists.
Perhaps my favorite example of this is the Atreides signet ring. When Paul first puts it on in the first movie, it's a symbol of him accepting that Leto is dead. It's a melancholy moment, but it's also a sign of Paul accepting the responsibility of his birthright as the new Duke.
Early in the second movie, when he is trying to be equal to the Fremen, he takes the ring off. And you just know that when he decides to put it back on again, that will be the sign that everything's about to go to shit. And when it happens it's a very similar moment--it is Paul accepting his birthright, just a different kind. But the accompanying feeling is oh no.
thoughts (incoherent. disjointed. deranged): two mins into the movie and im already on the floor knocked out by a two punch irulan scene/voiceover alia appearance. so much more irulan than I dared to hope for! and she has cunty outfits! paulalia giving like crazy already by god they are skyping thru mother!!!!!! she is guiding him!!!!!! she loves him!!!!!!!! 15 second anya cameo best time I've ever had in my life thats her!!!!!!!! st.alia of the knife!!!! aliajessica motherdaughter duo of all time they are communing thru the other memory they are combining their joint slay to cement pauls godhood. they understand him they did this to him they made him they want to save him they love him!!!!! timtom chalamet reluctant messiah who carries they ever growing weight of the world on his unwilling shoulders. and YET. he did this. it was forced onto him. he made the choice he never had any. the resignation the surrender the embrace of the inevitable. messiah speech scene rotating in my mind spinning at the speed of light. the command the self assurance the crushing weight of it. the direction they went with chani added sooooooooo much by god best creative decision ever. the tension of loving a prophet u don't believe in!!! despising everything he stands for but loving the person underneath!!!!!! being instrumental into bringing him into being and hating it!!!!!!! delicious!!!!!!!!!!!!!! throne room confrontation three way look throwery between paulirulanchani I have like 8k words of thoughts on this alone! austin butler was fine! one note but hitting that one HARD. implied unclefuckery!!! win for the sickos community! the sheer scale!!!! some of the most images I've ever seen!! jessica out outfitting her coloniser fit from part one effortlessly. everything pauljessica. I could go on for days. in conclusion movie of all time. timtom performance of all time as character of all time. i feel insane
since it is going to be a long 3 months without our boys could you please recommend some fics that you liked? cause i really like your writings and how realistic they are and i wanted to get some of you suggestions for the break!
love you loads
Thank you, lovely anon, for your very kind message! š„ŗ I must admit I have fallen behind in reading fics. I am sure I am forgetting some excellent Lestappen fics/writers, but these are some of my all-time favourites!
Lestappen Fic Recs:
And in the end I will seek you out amongst the stars by mandzilkos (@geeeooorrrge) - rating: G, 22k words
Soulmate AU where you see in black and white until you meet your soulmate, and the world goes back to black and white after your soulmate dies.
This is ALWAYS the first Lestappen fic that comes to mind whenever anyone asks for a recommendation, and it is probably my all-time favourite. The fic that inspired me to write Lestappen, if I'm honest.
getting half of you just ain't enough by shybear_styles - rating: E, 20k words
The friends with benefits story that spans the 2019 season. The only thing better than amazing smut is amazing smut with feels. For sure a top 5 fic in the Lestappen fandom for me.
Also, this author is simply amazing in general and you should read all of her fics! I haven't given up hope that she will return one day and write more Lestappen. š¤§
you feel the mornin' feel by shybear_styles - rating: M, 3.3k words
Remember that time Sebastian Vettel asked Charles, "Is he [Max] pretty?" And we never got an answer because Charles descended into gay panic? Well, worry not! We get an answer in this fic.
Monaco Malaise by ProngsfootxJily (@cupidskissx) - rating: E, 8k words
Rivals with benefits, takes place after the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix. Yes, this one is delicious smut but also a character study. Both of them are written so well, and it leaves you begging for more.
Don't forget to check out the equally amazing sequel! (Don't worry, I have been relentlessly harassing her to write the sequel's sequel.)
algorithm by Anney (@badboy-george) - rating: M, 17k words
In a world where F1 uses simulation-based compatibility tests, five times Max doesn't find the right partner and the one time he does. Black Mirror ("San Junipero" and "Hang the DJ") vibes in the best way. Another one of my absolute favourite fics.
If you've read any Lestappen fics, you've probably read "Every Other Sunday." This one is simply a masterpiece by the immensely talented Anney; definitely check out her other fics!
panem et circenses by Anney - rating: E, 13.2k words
Wow - simply devastating, haunting, an ode to these two as drivers, set in a dystopian future AU. The world building is absolutely incredible, but at its heart is such a beautiful story of love and hope. This one doesn't get enough recognition. (TW: implied non-con, not between Lestappen.)
Unlearn by wantinghopingwriting (Tazza1993) (@lightsoutfullhearts) - NR, 45k words
This is another all-time favourite, a must-read. Fake/pretend relationship to lovers multi-chapter story that is ever so satisfying; both of them are so well characterized. Set in a parallel-ish 2022 season. I really cannot recommend this one enough.
the edge of what can be loved by Ledger_m (@the-last-jedis) - rating: T, 13k words
The third wheel fic from the perspective of Max and Charles' various "Steves." It's funny, heartwarming, and everyone on the grid is nosy as fuck.
Charles Leclerc vs Red Bull caps by Ledger_m - rating: T, 6.4k words
Charles is the hero we all need, as he goes on a mission to get rid of all of Max's stupid Red Bull caps.
This is REQUIRED reading! Kami is a genius. Go read all of her fics.
If You Don't Play, You'll Never Win by antimonyandthyme (@antimonyandthyme) - rating: T, 4.1k
Post 2021 Monaco Grand Prix. Max wants to take their relationship further; Charles... doesn't.
Oh my God, where do I begin to describe how much I love this fic. The language is beautiful, both of them are so well-written, and I feel punched in the gut over and over again in the best way. The ending (well, the whole thing) is so damn satisfying.
all's well that ends well (to end up with you) by stylestappen (@stylestappen) - rating: G, 3k words
Max has a meltdown in the cereal aisle (yes, the cereal aisle) at 3 am when he realizes he is in love with Charles despite the latter's questionable taste in cereal.
Dani has an absolutely wicked sense of humour! (Although I don't understand what she has against cocoa puffs š.) She also wrote a banger of a Lestappen soon-to-be teammates fic, so make sure to check out her profile.
Max Verstappen: Spotify Extraordinaire by frnndtorres - rating: G, 26k words
Max makes Spotify playlists for the grid. Fluffy, funny, care-free, liberal use of nicknames, with a healthy dose of feels between Max and Charles. A really fun read.
i love the way your green eyes mix with that malibu indigo by
altissimozucca (@altisssimozucca) - rating: G, 11k words
Max and Charles spend summer of 2020 together in Malibu and try not to fall in love. Spoiler alert: they fall in love.
I feel the urge to explain something: When I first started reading Lestappen, there were less than 250 fics in their entire tag (yeah I know, we are currently close to 3000 fics, which is insane). From 2019-2021, we truly lived off crumbs. So trust me when I say that we owe so much to altissimozucca, who wrote something like 40% of the fics in the Lestappen tag and nearly single-handedly kept us fed in those days. It's so hard to pick one of her fics to recommend, so make sure you check out her profile for more!
#803442 by altissimozucca - rating: M, 1k words
Max and Charles celebrate the end of the 2019 season in a hotel room. So soft, so fluffy, so satisfying.
Bruises by eefiplier - rating: E, 5.1k words
I think of this one as THE Lestappen smut fic. Oh my God, it's 5k words of amazing established relationship smut with all the feels. A classic. I can read this one over and over again.
outside the box by playclock (@endowataru) - rating: M, 6.1k words
Max falls in love with Charles' driving... oh and Charles himself too. They are ultra competitive idiots who are madly in love. There aren't enough established relationship fics out there, but this one is simply amazing.
And don't forget to check out this author's profile for additional Lestappen fics. I promise every single one is a banger!
i made it link by link by purpleglasseswrites (@f-ferrari-forever) - rating: M, 4.2k words
Charles and Max try to be kinky, but who are they kidding - they are far too vanilla for that stuff. š¤£ This one is so sweet, and don't forget to read the sequel!
One man's trash, another man's treasure by AzziNow (@track-terror-apologist) - rating: T, 4.2k words
Charles turns into a raccoon and terrorizes everyone except Max. (Well, he terrorizes Max too... slightly.)
Call it madness, call it loveā¦ by AzziNow - rating: M, 3.5k words
Ferrari auctions off Charles for charity. No angst, just fluff. Alpha!Max/Alpha!Charles.
So I confess that I never read A/B/O fics. There's nothing wrong with it - just not my cup of tea. But I really enjoyed this one. Al has such a chaotic sense of humour.
it all reminds me of you by grandprix (@grandprix-ao3) - rating: E, 3k words
Secret relationship Lestappen with flashbacks. Oh the yearning, the desire, the smut - incredibly satisfying.
I must put a plug-in for this author's other Lestappen fics as well. Never misses - make sure to check them out!
burning you into my mind by thightattoos - rating: E, 4.1k words
Porn with feels and possessiveness. You cannot ask for anything more. I must have read this one a dozen times.
an evil plan or two by witchee_writer - rating: T, 5.2k words
Max and Charles are roped into a plan to get Brocedes back together; they come to a few realizations along the way.
The only thing better than a Lestappen fic? A Lestappen AND Brocedes fic!
Fine Line by empireoffclouds - rating: NR, 7k words
One of the more light-hearted enemies to friends to lovers fics. I absolutely adore their dynamic here - it's snarky, warm, but also so them. The incomplete sequel is also a super fun read.
Into Darkness Of Thought by flamingosarepink - rating: T, 1k words
After the 2019 Japanese Grand Prix, Charles thinks Max isn't coming back to their shared space.
steal softly under castle walls by untouchableocean - rating: G, 521 words
Max gets home late from Milton Keynes and Charles has already fallen asleep. Short, tooth-rooting fluff of the best kind.
Zoomies by greeny1710 (@maxlambiase) - rating: E, 2.2k words
This one is just hilarious. A (mostly) naked Max walks into Charles' team Zoom call during the COVID lockdown.
...and many, many more that I'm sure I have forgotten! š You can also check out my AO3 bookmarks (the first few pages are pretty much all Lestappen fics).
Please remember to leave kudos and comments for these amazing writers. The talent in this fandom is absolutely incredible. They all deserve so much recognition. Happy reading!
Hello all. This list has about 70+ fics within it. Thatās just under 1,000,000 words solely dedicated to the Carbonara Leclerc-Verstappens. (yes i counted) Iāve tried to maintain my organization throughout, but if something looks a little janky or feels out of place, let me know. (Lord knows I never made this list thinking I would make it public but alas, here we are) The key is simple:
> (Title) +/= (Multichaptered/One-Shot)
(Summary)
!!! (Link)
ā¢ (Tags - please note these are just the tags I saw relevant to myself, double check the fics themselves for any other tags you might deem relevant!) *(Word count)
Now Iāve put a ā„ļø next to all of my personal favorites. Remember, this is a masterlist and a fic rec if thatās what youāre looking for. I will never read (or record) any fic that is not up to my personal golden standard; so everything you see below has been read and vetted by yours truly š I will also tag my favorite authors at the bottom of this post so you can go view their pages and send them some love :^) Note: All of these works are on Ao3. There is only one WIP in this list and it is stated with the fic. Now go crazy you animals ;))
(p.s. some of the fic descriptions are quite long, but with respect to the authors wishes I feel that it would be a dishonesty to chop them off though so youāll have to deal with it) Here we go!!!!!!!! (under the Read More)
> Home (Is Wherever Iām With You) + ā„ļø
Or: Charles leaves Ferrari, tries to win a championship, and learns some things about belonging. All the while, Max is there.
He wakes up all weird on Monday. Charles can feel it the moment he opens his eyes. Itās like an odd weight on his chest that evolves into something a lot more achy and sharp emanating down his torso as he starts crawling out of bed.
Or: Charles injures himself before the last race of the season. The only option is to power through it.
Itās the middle of the night, thereās a stray cat in Charlesā bedroom, and only one person he can think of to help him. The rest is just a misunderstanding.
> Silly Me (For Falling in Love With You) = ā„ļø
āWeāre not asking you to āwooā him,ā Christian says, looking pained at having to say the word āwooā, āWe just need others to think youāve wooed him.ā
āIām not following,ā Max says, frowning.
āA PR relationship,ā Poppy explains. āYou pretend to date, making the public think youāre all happy and in love. Then you reap the benefits of being in a relationship without actually having to put in the effort or work.ā
āAbsolutely not,ā Max says, crossing his arms over his chest. āThatās depressing, Iām not doing that.ā
Max hums. āWell, at least that means I wonāt bump into Charles Leclerc again.ā
āBummer, really,ā Daniel says, moving back to his own seat and drinking the little bit of coffee that was still in the cup. āCouldāve been the start of a great love story.ā
Lando snorts. āKids, it all started when I told your father, who had won two World Driver Championships at that point, that he sucked at driving.ā
Max sticks his middle finger up at them, and pulls his noise canceling headphones back over his ears. Only two hours left to go, he thinks, wistfully, and goes back to work.
The thing about having a racing helmet that constantly displays your emotions for the whole world to see, is that you kind of get used to it after a while. These days Charles almost forgets itās even a thing.
Charles is not an idiot. He knows thereās a part of him that has been at least a little bit in love with Max for as long as theyāve known each other. But heās always been able to shove it down. Burying it under rivalries and competitiveness until it was getting hard to differentiate between love and hate. And that had worked, for a really long time.
And then Max had to go and barge into his life and be really fucking cute with his baby.
ā¢ Kidfic, Fluff, Slight Angst, Max is great with kids, Falling in Love *19.2k
> Maximum Formula =
āWelcome back to another episode of Maximum Formula, Iām your host, Emilian, and this is the first episode for the F1 2022 season. There will be plenty to talk about, but first Iād like to introduce our first guest of the season: Charles Leclerc. Welcome to the show, Charles.ā
Or, Charles tries to become a world champion with Ferrari.
ā¢ Angst, Falling in Love, Podcast!Max, Identity Hiding *20.4k
> Violent Delights +
Max canāt smell any of his usual aggression beneath the unusual spatter of Omega, sweet yet violent, and it makes his head spin.
āMax,ā is all Charles says, voice breathless. He looks over his shoulder, quick, hasty, looks back. His eyes are wider, if possible. āWe haveā we have fucked up, I think.ā
ā¢ A/B/O, Alpha!Max, Alpha!Charles turns into Omega!Charles *15.5k
> Petrol =
Max scoffs. He steps closer, smile a little real. It lets Charles see the tiny freckle on his lip, dark and undying, always zoomed in on when his face is in HD. Chuckling, Max scratches at his stubble. āI didnāt know you liked Red Bull.ā
Automatically, Charles corrects, āI hate it.ā It says too much.
Pierre turns, and with him, the object of his distasteful frown. āWhy do you have a Red Bull cap in your apartment?ā
Charles tenses. He looks between Pierre and the cap, still held tepid between two fingers, dark blue and flat-brimmed and garishly branded with a sick sense of obvious. It feels wrong, just looking at it. Thereās a big red 1 emblazoned on the front.
These kinds of smiles on Max are reserved for other people. Like Daniel, like Lando, like those Dutch guys that come around sometimes and he likes to yell with.
Not Charles.
Itās probably the fourth time Max is acting noticeably strange around him that he notices the freckle on his lip.
ā¢ Magical Realism, Charles accidentally controls the weather, Fluff, Slight Angst *14.5k
> Panem et Circenses =
Panem et circenses, the Romans called it. Bread and circus to appease the people.
The bread is always in short supply these days, ever since the wheat fields burned down. So that just leaves-
āThe brave new world of Formula One,ā Croftyās voice comes out distorted from the circuit speakers. āTen teams. Twenty cars. An auspicious new technical programme that combines the top edge AI technology with the most skilled drivers to deliver the best spectacle ever seen.ā
-
In a dystopian near-future, Charles and Max drive for survival.
ā¢ Dystopian future, Sentient F1 cars, oppressive Regime, Hope, Angst, Falling in Love *13.2k
> Every Other Sunday + ā„ļø
The grainy pictures are pieced together like a crude comic strip, sketching a poorly thought-out narrative arc that somehow made it onto the front page of every sleazy newspaper.
EXPOSED!: The secret gay double-life of F1 driver Max Verstappen
-
Max navigates the aftermath of being outed in the press, and Charles is always there.
ā¢ Slight Angst, Fluff, Smut, Max has been outed, Charles does some soul searching, Motorhome club, F1 family antics *34.5k
> Soak Up the Sun =
āWhat do you think?ā Charles asks, leaning back into the seat as he turns the laptop so Max can see the options.
āI thinkāā Max starts, āāthat this can wait until after FP1.ā
Charlesās lips curl downwards, and Max wants to kiss the look off his face. āThereās still like an hour until it starts. Thereās no one even looking for me yet.ā
ā¢ Fluff, Non-Linear timeline, Getting together *6.8k
> Like a Prayer =
It was sinful to have such thoughts but then Charles had never been one to shy away from sinful desires. Stood at the alter the priest looked glowing, his strong cheekbones and jawline illuminated by a wash of colour. Charlesā gaze followed the beams of light back to the stained glass, he tried not to think too long about the image of Christ etched on to the window. This was a sacred place, but there could be nothing more deserving of veneration than the God who had so kindly sculpted the body of Father Verstappen.
They were the same in the end. Yes, Max was an alpha, and Charles was an omega, but that didnāt matter. If you took racing from either of them, there wouldnāt be anything left.
> Pens, fingers and most definitely cock ... a random list of things Max likes to put in his mouth =
Max has an oral fixation, Charles is happy to oblige. This is a story of their developing relationship as told through the things Max likes to put in his mouth!
Itās the strangest briefing Charles has ever been a part of. Ever. Which is saying something because this time last year he was sat wide eyed as the Fia tried to bring in mandatory checks for Fia approved underwear and intimate piercings. A few team principles had helpfully offered their services and it had ended in a rather heated debate over whether that fell under their job description.
It didnāt compare to this though.
As director of the GPDA itās been left to George to run through the basics of the brand new Fia approved sex doll. Charles was sure he had misheard but no, as it turns out, the Fia really have lost their minds.
> Long Live (The Walls We Crashed Through) + ā„ļø
āWhat are you doing?ā Charles asked, his voice cracking.
Max blinked at him once before he smirked and said, āWell... I was going to kiss you.ā
āWhy?ā
āBecause I want to.ā
āWhy?ā Charles repeated, feeling like his legs were going to give out.
āIs that not a good enough reason?ā Max asked.
OR: The childhood best friends to lovers fairy-tale-soulmates fic that nobody asked for. Charles has been in love with Max since he was seven years old.
ā¢ Fluff, Smut, Best friends to lovers, Slight Angst *76.8k
> Viva la Miami =
Max raced all over the world and was used to different climates. But there was something about Miamiās sticky, muggy, make-your-phone-screen-fog-up kind of scorching heat that made him feel fucking crazy.
It made him want to strip naked and jump in the bright blue water surrounding his hotel.
It made him want to fuck.
OR: Max and Charles hook up for the first time, and it's very different than what Max had pictured.
Max stared at Charlesā closed eyes and how they twitched in his sleep. Objectively, Max knew that Charles was probably the most beautiful man he had ever seen. But... this was Charles.
Charles Leclerc.
Big, cry-baby Charles.
Sauber #2 driver Charles.
When did he decide that Charles The Driver would become Charles The Boyfriend?
He wishes he could remember.
OR: The self-indulgent Amnesia AU that nobody asked for. This is my love story to Charles Leclerc, thank you for coming along. Warning: this fic may break you.
OR: the self-indulgent story of how Charles and Max fell in love over winter break 2022, in a classic Enemies to Friends With Benefits to Lovers fic that nobody asked for.
> And Thatās How I Foksmashed Dadās Championship Trophy =
All of that would have been forgivable if not for the Green-Eyed Monsterās complete disregard for the pre-contracted occupation rights of Maxās lap. Such rights had long been pre-determined and belonged to Sassy (and occasionally to Jimmy, she admitted begrudgingly). However, no amount of quiet hisses and vicious glares seemed to penetrate the creatureās thick skull, and he would greedily occupy Maxās thigh for more than 95% of any given afternoon. Sometimes with his head, sometimes with his feet, and a few times he even straddled his entire body over Max; the latter could not have been comfortable for Max, as the Green-Eyed Monster was enormously overweight compared to Sassy.
ā¢ Angst, POV!Pierre, Falling in Love, Jealousy/Pining *13.4k
> All of You, All of Me (Intertwined) =
Or, two future teammates get high, get on Mattia Binotto's wrong side through an inadvisable escapade involving fairy lights, get on a plane, and get a stuffed armadillo named Chax. In that order.
> we're fallin' like the stars, we're fallin' in love = ā„ļø
"So, do we need a signal for when things are going downhill and you need me to save you?" He asks, a glimmer in his eyes that seems so unfamiliar yet familiar that Max feels it like a sucker punch to the stomach.
"Just have the vodka waiting." Max laughs, flicking his gaze down to the gentle grip that Charles has his wrist in before he releases and Max turns around with pink cheeks and crosses the restaurant to join up with his date once again.
(Lando sets Max up on disastrous blind dates that end up with Max falling for the bartender who was the real set up all along.)
"I reckon-" George says in-between scenes, "- that Charles is Gatsby."
Lando tilts his head back to clock Max's reaction but it's nothing except confusion etched on his face as he scrunches his nose up trying to figure out what George means,
George holds his hand up and continues to explain, "Gatsby threw all these big parties in the hope that Daisy would go to one of them, right? Charles throws a party every other day and I think it's because he wants you to go." He says to Max
alternatively, Charles is Max's nightmare neighbour until he's something much more than that.
ā¢ Fluff, Angst, Non-Driver AU, Apartment neighbor AU *6.3k
> Weāre Making Gold Dust = (Series)
Theyāre carefully walking, skipping and hauling themselves across any gaps. The morning air feels crisp and fills Charlesā lungs until it hurts, but god, it hurts in the best way that itās ever hurt him before. He takes pictures, videos but tries to remember the feeling most of all.
It feels like home.
The best people, the best places, the height, the element of danger, itās everything that Charles hadnāt imagined his life to be five years ago but maybe itās right after all.
alternatively, a fascination discovered at fifteen leads to love, trust and healing whilst breaking the rules and climbing things that aren't supposed to be climbed.
> All the Lights (Couldnāt Put Out the Dark) = (Series - The Warming Verse)
āCharles,ā Max said, his tone soft again and breaking Charles of his thoughts. āPlease just ask me for whatever you want to ask me. You donāt have to keep explaining yourself.ā
Charles laughed again, his cheeks bright red.
āCould I... sit on your cock for a little bit?ā
OR: Charles is overwhelmed and wants Max to make it better.
āPlease note there may be more works in The Warming Verse, I may not be caught up***
> Fair Winds and Following Seas = ā„ļø
Max lets out an impatient sigh and looks at Lando as he washes the shot glass before putting it back. āWell who is it?ā
Lando rolls his eyes. āYouāre no fun.ā
āIām delightful, now come on,ā Max presses, trying not to show heās getting curious. āWho is this mystery person?ā
āCharles Leclerc!ā Lando says with a bright smile, heās almost jumping up and down with excitement. āHeās chartering the yacht for the week!ā
āCharles Leclerc?ā Max repeats, raising an eyebrow. āThe Charles Leclerc, F1 driver for Ferrari, is here?ā
Or
Max works on a super yacht during the summer to make some money to invest in his sim racing career and Charles happens to charter it for the week.
ā¢ Actor!Charles, Slight Angst, Character study, Fluff, Strangers to lovers *32.5k
> Lost In Your Current Like a Priceless Wine =
"What did you just say?" Max asks in a flat voice and Charles gives him a strained smile.
"I might have accidentally told my mom that I have a boyfriend and now she's demanding that I bring you home with me for the New Year. Actually, she said Christmas and New Year, but I told her that you were spending Christmas with your own family..."
When Max looks up he stares into pretty green eyes behind black rimmed glasses. His hand is still blindly feeling around to find the booksāhis brain laggingāas he stares at the guy from last night. He straightens up and Max follows, staring dumbly as he holds out the books for Max to take.
āThanks,ā Max says, feeling like an idiot as he takes the books, their fingers brushing for a split second. This was not how he wanted to meet again. āAgain, Iām so sorry.ā
The guy smiles and Max thinks he might just die a little when he notices he has dimples. Of course he has dimples.
Or
Max falls head over heels for the cute guy at a college party and he can't stop thinking about him (aka the lestappen college au nobody needs).
āIt doesnāt have to be a big deal or anything, right? It can be just about sex, nothing else.ā Charles steps forward, into Maxās space. Reaches out a hand, lets it run over Maxās cheek, leans a little closer. āJust sex,ā he whispers, in the ever diminishing space between them as Max leans into his touch.
āFuck,ā Max whispers, screwing his eyes shut, breathing deeply through his mouth. āI shouldnāt, I really shouldnāt-ā
Charles cuts him off by lurching forward and pressing a kiss to Maxās mouth, quick and fleeting, but then Max groans, grabs Charlesās waist, pulls him closer, kisses him hard. Charles melts into it immediately, overwhelmed by Maxās scent, by his hands on Charlesās waist, his mouth on Charlesās.
Itās like something clicks into place, when they kiss.
āJust sex,ā Charles whispers in his ear, and heās coming closer closer closer and Max is getting swallowed by the sun, Charlesās smell bright and enticing and all around him.
Max letās out a heartfelt, āFuck,ā as he feels himself tipping forward ever so slightly, his rut dumb brain taking over, ignoring the little voice in the back of his head that is still screaming at him that this is a terrible idea. āI shouldnāt, I really shouldnāt-ā He tries, but itās weak at best.
āI win!ā Charles announces when he has Max pinned to the ground by his wrists, a wild grin on his lips. His chest is heaving, thereās some dirt on his cheek and in his hair, and Max canāt help but grin up at him.
āNo you donāt,ā He argues, mirth in his eyes. āYou only win when you capture my sword!ā
In a memory box tucked away deep in their minds, Charles, Max and Chloe Leclerc-Verstappen, share their biggest memories and photographs. Adopting a pet named after the original Red Bull golden boy Sebastian Vettel would soon join that club.
ā¢ Kid!fic, Future family, Established Relationship, Fluff *1.4k
> This Love Asylum =
āAre we still having dinner with your mother?,ā Max asked, his arm still on Charlesās waist, Sebastianās low whistle now hard to miss. āI didnāt know you went to dinner with the Leclercs.ā
āHmm? Oh yeah, I do! My mum told Pascale I was only having takeout when Iām here. It worries her, you know? So when weāre here, Iām supposed to have dinner with Charlie and his mum at least once a weeāow! Hey!ā Charles had elbowed Max, causing the latter the pout while another pout was already on Charlesās face.
āI didnāt know Sophie and Pascale were friends either,ā Sebastian was having the time of his life and Max being oblivious about Charlesās whole situation was the icing on the proverbial cake.
Too late, Charles realises heās been standing rooted in his spot, and Max looks over his shoulder, a questioning look on his face, āIs everything alā,ā
āSuck my dick.ā Charles blurts out.
Maxās eyebrows shoot up. Charlesā cheeks are bright red. āWhat?ā
Max wanted to burn it into his memory, engrave bits and pieces of it into each of his senses. The way the blue sky reflected off of Charlesās massive sunglasses, the smell of the hot asphalt mixing with Charlesās cologne, the nearly hysterical sound of their laughter as their playlist finally shuffled to Mr. Brightside; everything felt so precious. So fleeting. Moments memorialized on the 101 northbound, flying out of their open windows and away from his greedy fingers.
Sitting on his roof, bathed in wintery silence, Max prayed to be rescued. To whom, he wasnāt sure. Maybe the force that branded his wrist, the universal power that decided who to tie him with forever. Perfectly. Something like fate.
Max prayed to fate, then.
āAm I interrupting something?ā The manās accent was French, his tone unusually assertive for a question of intrusion.
āItās not my roof,ā Max shrugged, hopping back onto the ledge.
ā¢ Road-trip, One bed trope, Enemies to Lovers, WIP *
> Partiality =
āOkay, this isā,ā Max stops himself. His eyebrows knit together and heās obviously frustrated with something. āI know this isnāt what you wanted,ā He says slowly, when he gathers his thoughts. āBut Iām not going to force you to treat me like yourā,ā Max makes a face. āYour alpha.ā
Charles coughs. āButā¦ You are.ā He points out.
āI can hear you thinking from here,ā Max says suddenly. His voice sounds husky, used, wrecked. It sends a shiver down Charlesā spine. He did that. āYouāre being very loud.ā
psa f1blr: it has come to my attention that far too many ppl on this hellsite don't know where to stream races illegally so i'll make it very simple. you can do it HERE or HERE :)
I have to listen to this podcast on solitary walks because I laugh so hard that people stare at me weird in public. I like the fact that they have funny opinions (even the ones I disagree with). being self aware about f1 as a funny sport gives major points. This pod was my gateway drug into f1 too so it has get points there (Intern Jeni you will always be famous). If you listen to any episode, listen to the formula 101, but imo the funniest episode ever recorded was the coverage of the Bahrain GP in 2022.
2. Two Girls One Formula
Also very funny! in a different way though which is cool. Love the deep dives and the manifest minute and the general good energy that I get from these two extremely funny women. Love this show!! Ash Vandelay was a very cool guest too.
3. Fan Behavior Pod
A recent addition to my repertoire, but very solid , funny f1 content with cool special guests, and cool segments. Pop culture crossover moment is a personal fave.
4. Late Braking Podcast
You might be noticing by now that I rank the podcasts that are funny higher. This is true and I donāt apologize. These guys are funny, and I tend to learn something about the cars/the drivers/the sport when I listen.
5. Missed Apex Pod
More informative, still good, great special guests. Feel like an f1 intellectual catching up on these eps.
6. The Race
The most technical by far, and I only follow about half. Still have some very interesting episodes and compelling discussions.
Honorable mention: P1 with Matt and Tommy (too new to rank but great so far!)
I have been on ao3 for approximately eight business years, and in that time, I have read some absolutely spectacular fanfic by some spectacular authors. I have compiled a selection of some my personal god-tier authors below (with links).
rageprufrock:
Favorite fic: Least of All Possible Mistakes 'verse (fem!Lestrade)
Notable fandoms: Sherlock, Stargate Atlantis, Merlin, Harry Potter, Inception
Why: I would read literally anything this author wrote. I have started and finished shows just to have the context to properly appreciate their fics. If you see this, rageprufrock, I love you. I cannot overstate how much I love everything this author has ever done. No one is doing it like them.
Fahye:
Favorite fic: Benevolent Sibling (BSG crack fic)
Notable fandoms: Battlestar Galactica, Naruto
Why: I literally love all the BSG fics this author writes! Also, this is one of the rare authors that can do comedic writing in a way that speaks to me. I have laughed out loud multiple times when reading their work. Their writing style is so funny, but so in character. I highly recommend all of their work.
antistar_e (kaikamahine)
Favorite fic: Maggie Fitzgerald and the Saltwater Drip (TASM Spider!Gwen AU)
Notable fandoms: Percy Jackson, The Social Network, His Dark Materials, Marvel (and many, many more)
Why: I have never been more invested in a fic than I was in Maggie Fitzgerald. This author's writing style is fantastic, and funny, and wonderful, and heartwarming. They write particularly amazing AUs. The plots in some of their fics are as good as, if not better, than the source material.:
if I could go back in time to experience any one live performance it would be the mountain goats set where they did the acoustics and let the audience sing āno childrenā
an incoherent summary of the stages of hyperfixation (for me)
1. ooh this thing exists and I am interested
2. how am I the only person who bears witness to the majesty that is this thing
3. I know more about this thing than any other living person alive and have consumed at least seven (7) academic articles and/or think pieces on the topic
4. this thing is the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning and the last thing before I go to sleep
5. i have run out of content to consume so I create my own
6. I have consumed all possible content and in my despair put on something to watch/read/listen to in the background while i do something else
