Hello! I’m Zoom/Cobb (18+, any pronouns) but you can call me any name you decide to come up with! I’m a brand new motorsports fan and made this blog where I can put memes, reblogs, (maybe fanfic?), and other things related to motorsports. Currently a fan of Formula E with occasional NASCAR/WRC/F1 on the side.
Main blog: @samatedeansbroccoli
I am not consistent with who I root for except for Zhou Guanyu. There is no team or driver loyalty on this account unless it’s Zhou Guanyu.
—as per after Mexico City S11
—prior to Sonoma 2025
Bonus not on the tierlist:
P1 Faves: Simona de Silvestro, Kamui Kobayashi, Esteban Gutiérrez, Chloe Chambers, Elfyn Evans, Daniel Abt, Yuki Tsunoda, Lewis Hamilton, Sergio Pérez
On the Podium: Kimi Räikkönen, Thierry Neuville, Hannah McKillop, Reeta Hämäläinen, Rajah Caruth, Martijn Wydaeghe
In the Points: Doriane Pin, Abbi Pulling, Nick Heidfeld
Think your driver should be higher? Send me propaganda!
Ships I like most: Chestappen, SébLucas, Robin/Simona, Daniel/Lucas, Jevcardo (but I’m easy to convince with any ship)
Random thoughts tag: zoom zoom mfs
Favorite arts: hot damn op
Looking forward to making a few new friends on the track!
Hello and welcome to the F1 video games fest 2026!! A casual, no-pressure event all about combining video games and F1! Taking place on National Video Games Day, 12th September. All media welcome!
For any posted work, snippets, progress, don't forget to tag the blog, or use the tag #f1 video games fest 2026
About:
☆ What is the f1 video games fest?
A casual, fun event taking place on September 12th. To encourage and inspire all sorts of creatives to produce fanwork that combines both video games and F1!
☆ Who can participate?
Anyone!! This fest is open to all. Just remember: if you are creating something that is NSFW/intended for over-18 audiences, please use the correct tags (and if on Tumblr, make sure to use the NSFW tag)
☆ What media can I create?
Anything! All media is welcome and encouraged, go wild, have fun, and create whatever you would like!
☆ If you have any more questions, be sure to check out the FAQ post! This also covers all the rules for the fest!! And if you have a different question that hasn't been answered yet, please don't hesitate to send in an ask or message the blog!!
☆ RULES/FAQs
☆ If you would like to come hang/chat about the fest, or talk about other F1 RPF writing stuff, you can join the Discord!!
There are multiple engineers in the team, some work directly with and for Carlos, while others work for both drivers at the same time. Below I’ll mention the 3 we see most alongside Carlos during race weekends.
Gaëtan Jego: Senior Race Engineer
He’s Carlos’ main engineer and the one you hear on the radio, he works closely with Carlos at all times. Gaëtan is also the communication bridge between Carlos & the rest of the team during races. On top of communication, Gaëtan helps with feedback, strategy and improving set-ups, being the all-rounder of engineers.
Cristina Mañas: Performance Engineer
As a performance engineer, Cristina’s job relies heavily on analyzing the data and telemetry to optimize the car set-up during practice sessions, or find a better way to improve the performance by giving alternative suggestions during the race.
Stefano has a very specific role that helps in translating the data from the way the car cuts through the air into viable information to help with maximizing the car aerodynamics and set-up during all sessions.
Each engineer plays an important part in optimizing the car to get the best possible result while working with Carlos. This also includes the multiple engineers that work in the background, whether trackside or back at the factory.
MECHANICS AND TECHNICIANS:
Just like the engineers, we have many mechanics and technicians specialized in various disciplines. Each is as important as the other. Below I’ll mention some of the ones we see in Carlos’ Garage.
Ollie Middleton: Number 1 Mechanic
The main mechanic for garage 55, Ollie oversees the car and other mechanics. He works with the engineers and delivers the needed information to other mechanics and technicians on how to build and set the car up based on the race engineer’s feedback.
Thomas Scott: Number 2 Mechanic
Thomas is responsible for building and maintaining the front end of the car while reporting directly to the No.1 mechanic. His main focus is to ensure Carlos is comfortable in the car by adjusting his harness, cockpit and mirrors to Carlos’ liking.
Alex Rogers: Gearbox Technician
Alex is assigned by Mercedes to work with Williams by managing and maintaining the gearbox and other hardware.
Other mechanics and technicians:
Adam Whitaker: Number 2 Mechanic
Mark Dezille: Number 2 Mechanic
Jack Matthews: Car Assembly Technician
Dean Paolozzi: Car Assembly Technician
Cleo Collins: Car Build Technician
Fabrizio Romano: Car Build Technician
Paige Reeves: Senior PU Technician
Rob Louca: Systems Technician
Each one of them has an important role within the team & garage. I’d love to name all of them but unfortunately my knowledge ends here.
MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGERS:
The women we see alongside Carlos during interviews and in media pen. The PR gang!
Dominique Heyer-Wright
Rebecca Banks
Ella Wilton
——————
NOTE: This is all from what I have seen recently up till Australia. There’s a chance some things have changed, and some new people have joined. Some of them also join Alex’s side from time to time to fill in for other mechanics.
ayao komatsu saying after romain grosjean drove into mark webber at suzuka 2012, mark went to his room and started punching and kicking everything and romain was just on the floor crying 😭
Hi @ella-lloyd! I am your pinch hitter secret Santa! I got your request a few days ago, and was delighted to see you like the F1A girls too! I know this is exactly a month after Christmas, but I really hope you like your gift.
Thank you @motorsportsecretsanta2025 for hosting this event!
Ao3 Link
Rating: T
Words: 7K+
Tags: Some Animals Get Hurt In This, Character Exploration, Jousting, Tournament, Fantasy, Medieval AU, Inspired by ASOIAF, except the author has not read ASOIAF so this is pure vibes
They called her the First Woman.
It first derived from a joke, created by an unfortunate scribe who failed to copy the precise words said at the birth of the princess. But it stood for many things surrounding the Appearance of the Woman From Toleman’s Grave.
The Masters of the Citadel who keep the histories of Effaia have used The Appearance of the Woman From Toleman’s Grave as their touch stone for the past three hundred years. Births, deaths, battles, and other events are dated either as BWT (Before the Woman from Toleman) or AWT (After the Woman from Toleman).
True scholars know that no event could be accurately documented through this method, for the Appearance of the Woman From Toleman’s Grave took several days. Her travel from Renault Realm to the greater kingdoms could not be accounted for, and she remained silent about her journey when questioned.
But while those specific days were never specified, what had been carefully recorded was five specific days in the third month of the year. After her arrival, Queen Abbi announced she was looking for a suitor. No one knew what kind of suitor could fit a kingdom that was practically a myth, but perhaps that added into the intrigue and high participation. Queen Abbi’s announcement and what followed the announcement has become one of the most studied events by scholars. To this day, even the most skilled scholars are still baffled by the exact risks taken by Queen Abbi to step out of the forests which defined Renault Realm.
And it is the Arrival Tournament when scholars first placed the definition between BWT and AWT. For the presence of Queen Abbi disrupted the continent of Effaia. For hundreds of years, despite the variance in beliefs and religions across the other 7 kingdoms, all had come to understand that any who dared enter Renault Realm would never return. There was no kingdom to visit. There were no farms set upon the outskirts of the trees. Those who dared to enter the forest only lasted for a few days and would return with reports of darkness which shrouded the trees and coated the sky until no light could be found. Their sanity would never be the same after their visit. And those that lasted more than a few days never came back out.
Thus, Renault Realm became more appropriately nicknamed Toleman’s Grave.
The arrival of the queen from Renault Realm also marked another surprising factor. For Queen Abbi did not exit the forests alone. A handful of soldiers and consorts had followed her from the darkness, though the most peculiar fact had to be that she only brought men with her. It is still not clear what her motivations are for only bringing men with her.
Hence, she still remained as the First Woman.
The First Woman to appear from Renault Realm.
The First Woman to engage with company from all walks of life and any kingdom without judgement.
The First Woman to hold a suitor’s tournament without a kingdom to set the arena, but rather a makeshift one in the middle of a field outside Renault Realm.
And the First Woman to request that the suitor must be a woman.
All of these rumors, praises, and mockeries did find their way to Abbi’s ears, and she smiled every time she heard them. It was impossible not to: how could so many people, divided by wars and trivial arguments, come together to revel in the existence of a single woman from a kingdom? From her perspective, the answer was quite simple for she had lived every moment and recalled the majority of it quite dull. But to those looking in, it was a mystery to be solved.
A mystery which Abbi chose to toy with.
The scribes that recorded her words on the day of her announcement all wrote the same words, although spelling varied greatly. The most favored translation reads as follows:
“I, Queen Abbi, come from Renault Realm to seek a suitor. I ask that they must be strong, daring, and willing to fight or lay down their sword as I request. All those who claim to follow such traits, come forth and show me your strength through a series of games I have created.
“Should you come, the event will take place on the southern border of Renault Realm by next month the day after the full moon.
“My only two requirements are as follows: you must have horse skills, and you must be a woman.”
🏎️🏎️🏎️
They called her the Queen of the Silver Arrows.
But she was not born as a Queen.
She was born to a simple family in 21 BWT. Her father was a mercenary chosen by King Michael once upon a time. From the moment she was born, it had been a dream of hers to live amongst the clouds with golden light. She often imagined what it would be like to touch the sun. Was it as warm as it felt? Perhaps even warmer? What did a cloud feel like? Were they part of the sun’s dance across the sky or did they have their own choreography?
She was destined to be nothing more than the daughter of a mercenary had it not been for her mother. Her mother who, despite her dedication to her hard work, had quickly forgotten about the meal she had been preparing for the family to aid the king’s beast that had crashed from the sky. Doriane was just fourteen summers old, yet remembered the moment like yesterday. The earth shook below her feet when the beast fell upon the ground, and those less steady than her had fallen to the ground.
She had seen the sky giants fly above the Commonwealth of Mercedes multiple times, but had never been up close to one. Now, she was free to inspect it as it lay upon the ground. It was a long bodied creature, with a spiky head that was nearly as big as her, connected to a neck that seemed to stretch on forever. Its belly was so rounded that it looked like it would never get off the ground. Two giant muscular legs twitched, trying to find footing on the soft ground. A long tail dragged behind the body, its weight mainly used to keep the dragon upright due to how heavy its spiked head could be.
But all claims that no type of creature could ever fly would fall silent when all attention turned to the giant wings. Doriane had no clear indication how long the wings were, nor could she know what sorts of measurements could describe such defined instruments. Scaled around the bones, thin cartilage to make up the webbing between each of the three bony fingers. They were gorgeous, with silver scales that trailed along the back of each finger and down the spine.
And it was these silver scales that defined the name of Mercedes’ sky armada: The Silver Arrows. Protectors of the kingdom from the sky.
It was the first time she had seen King Lewis and Prince George up close. Her mother had taken to dragging the two out from under the Silver Arrow with the help of other neighbors, all ready to assist the king and prince in any way they could.
Doriane, however, went to check on the Silver Arrow.
The creature’s giant eye shifted to watch her every move. It huffed, trying to escape her touch, yet paused when Doriane spoke. “I am not here to hurt you. I want to help you,” she said.
The Silver Arrow said nothing. Didn’t even dare to move when Doriane finally rested her fingers against the spiked head. She pet the snout, hoping for a little trust.
Only then did a swell of emotion circle Doriane, like it was guiding her. Instinct told her to run, but her heart begged to get closer. She rounded the dragon to search its belly. What greeted her was a series of arrows that had buried themselves under the Silver Arrow's scales and nested into the flesh. Slowly, and very painstakingly, Doriane reached for the first one and tugged it free.
The Silver Arrow roared. Many who had forgotten it was there now rushed to put some distance between themselves and the Silver Arrow. Doriane put a hand onto the creature. "Rest," she said as she pulled another arrow free. "You must keep your strength."
"Doriane!!"
Doriane's head shot up just in time to see her mother running towards her. Her mother pulled her away and dragged her to standing.
"You do NOT touch the King's Silver Arrow," her mother warned, voice low and hissing into her ear with a warning tone that could not be refuted no matter how Doriane would complain.
Yet she still tried. "But he is hurt!" Doriane said, trying to fight her mother's grip. "Does he not deserve to be helped, too?"
"Not without the permission of the king or prince. Now come." And her mother pulled her away from the Silver Arrow.
They did not make it far, for just as they turned the corner around the Silver Arrow's head, Prince George was sitting up, looking a little better off than the king. His eyes remained glued upon them, a detail Doriane did not fail to notice as she and her mother began to tend to King Lewis.
"Young one," Prince George suddenly said. Doriane turned to glance back at him, and he beckoned her forth. "Come."
She left her mother's side and bowed before the prince. "My prince, I hope your wounds are being treated well."
"Very, but that is not what I wish to speak to you about. You were just speaking to Petronas, the king's Silver Arrow, were you not?"
Doriane nodded. "I was."
"And what did she say?"
"She told me where she hurt the most. I only meant to cure her. Forgive me, my prince, I meant no harm to her."
"So you understand her?"
"Yes, my prince."
An amused noise slipped past Prince George's lips. "Then please, continue healing her. I want to watch this."
Doriane didn't say anything else. She bowed quickly, making no promises to whether or not she could help the Silver Arrow, and then ran to its side. Her mother called her name and a command to return to King Lewis' side, but Prince George was quick to shut down any concerns. Doriane stood once more before the arrows and slowly began to fish them out of Petronas the Silver Arrow.
It was nearly dark by the time she was finished. King Lewis had been collected by the Knights of Mercedes and taken back to Castle Benz, but Prince George remained. A few knights also stayed with him for extra protection, though they too had become lax as time went by.
The final arrow slipped from Petronas' skin with ease, now no longer crowded by the surrounding arrows. Petronas grunted, then sighed heavily and shifted into a more comfortable position. Her giant eye still kept tabs on where Doriane stood, yet she no longer whined or cried from the pain.
"There you go," Doriane said. "Feel better?"
Warmth surged into Doriane's chest and the Silver Arrow slowly closed her eye.
"You're welcome."
Prince George moved from where he sat and hobbled over to Doriane, wooden cane tapping the ground. His leg had broken in the fall, and he had been gifted a wooden cane by a neighbor to assist him. "She looks healthier," he said. "You have done a fine job on her."
"Thank you, my prince."
Now came the emotion of hunger, if hunger could be tied to feelings. Immediately, Doriane craved the food her mother made, even if the feeling wasn't her own thoughts. More specifically, she could make out just the type of dinner she was thinking of.
"I hope Petronas gets a large meal to eat tonight. She seems hungry."
George shrugged. "She's actually asking me to invite you to supper as a thank you."
Doriane flushed. "I could never ask for that much."
"Petronas can. And, since you have a rather unique ability to understand her, perhaps I can offer you something in addition to an invitation to supper. But first, how much do you understand Petronas’ words?”
What a curious question. "I can understand the basic meaning," Doriane said, uncertain what Prince George was getting at. “But what I hear is just a feeling, not words. Intricacies are lost in her translation.”
Prince George remained impressed and looked over at the silver arrow. "Petronas trusts no one outside the sky armada, and even then only a few riders can touch her. To have her speak to you, and for you to understand, is a rare ability few are ever capable of achieving. Earning her friendship is even more sacred."
"But is it not a conditional alliance? She needed help. Those arrows are not Mercedes made."
"Nay, they are made by the Commonwealth of Ferrari. Petronas has been taught to lay down her life to save the king if necessary. She is trained to do so." Prince George picked up one of the bloody arrows and inspected it. "But, today, she recognized the king's life was not in danger, which means she could ask for your aid."
Doriane frowned. "What does this mean for me?"
"What this means is that I want you as part of the sky armada. You have a natural talent, and you can foster that talent with our battle advisor, Duchess Susie."
Doriane's heart pounded. She wanted to immediately jump at the offer, but a thought struck her mind first. "And my family?"
"They will be well taken care of within the walls of Castle Benz. We can provide their business more support in return for their loyalty."
That's all she needed to hear. Doriane bowed before Prince George, unable to stop smiling. Even Petronas was happy, the air now cycling with a joyous tone. "It would be an honor to serve and dine with you, my prince. Shall I come with you tonight?"
"No, I shall give you time to inform your mother and father. But come three days from now, I will send my knights to collect you, and I urge you to be prepared for that day to feast and settle."
"Thank you, my prince." And Doriane bowed again. "I shall serve you with all my heart."
🏎️🏎️🏎️
They called her Marta.
She didn’t prefer any other nicknames.
At least, not by those who weren’t close to her. Once a simple fisher woman in the Commonwealth of Ferrari’s small river town Prema, Marta desired no greater adventure. She found content in her work, and she didn’t dare to stray too far.
But all of that changed overnight when the rivers suddenly turned black with pollution. Marta never knew exactly what happened, but the little she had heard was that the river kingdom—the House of McLaren—had fallen to anarchy, and the chaos that came from their kingdom mutiny had poisoned the waters.
With no good fish to catch, and no customers that would trade for contaminated sludge fish, Marta had no choice but to become a trader between kingdoms. Hope wore thin and business was fickle, but she had made a living nonetheless.
Those days were long behind her. Now, she rode upon a horse dressed in the armor of the Iron Dames, a rogue group of knights. They had found her wandering freely a few years back, and invited her to join their ranks. At the time, Marta did not know what they stood for, but an allegiance with them seemed beneficial and more pleasurable than the lonely years she had wandered. And so she agreed to wear their colors.
The commotion near Renault Realm could be heard from across the valley. She had first wondered if it was an attack and followed the sounds. There, she was stopped by the outskirts south of Renault Realm, where once lay a road that lead to the east towards Oracle Dynasty, and another west which would take her to the Commonwealth of Mercedes. Rather than the road, there was a carnival. Caravans from the 8 kingdoms had gathered around in a circle, and venues that sold food, supplies, hide, and other goods had taken up a significant part of the carnival.
Carefully, Marta guided her horse Pirelli through the mess until she could find a place to station him. She tied him to a horse post and began her trek into the carnival, taking her helmet off to see better. Being a freelance knight meant that she could slip in and out of her armor as she pleased, and was not restricted to how much she had to keep on.
By luck, she found a recognizable face in the chaos. He saw her at the same time and waved in her direction, inviting her over to where he was watching some people use wooden swords against hay mannequins. "Has the road gotten any easier on your old bones, Sebastian?"
"You must watch your tongue, young one, for you will be my age one day," Sebastian Vettel said as he drank from a silver cup. His kind blue eyes landed upon hers, and his blonde curls danced against his cheeks as he turned into the wind to face her. "Have you come to compete in the Arrival Tournament?"
"I don't know. What is this tournament for? Why so far away from any kingdom?"
"You have not heard? This will most certainly be the greatest event the entire continent of Effaia has ever witnessed. Why, it's the arena to win the hand of the Queen from Toleman's Grave."
“Toleman’s Grave. But no one comes out of Toleman’s Grave.”
“The queen did. And some advisors.”
"Is the queen old enough to marry?"
"Yes, of course," Sebastian said. "She is but a few summers younger than you. But she has created this event just for her own marriage. And the test is that the suitors must all be women, or the queen will refuse to accept them."
"Very curious indeed."
Sebastian turned her way once more, and Marta immediately recognized that look in his eyes. She rolled her eyes, then shook her head. "I'm not joining."
"You would make for a great competitor,” he said in a sing-song tone.
"I don't even know how to joust properly."
"I can teach you."
"What else is there?"
"There's horse skills, which I know you're good at because I taught you how to ride a horse."
"And yet you still did not tell me what to do when a horse bucks you off while in full armor." Marta shot him a cheeky smile, remembering the time when she and Sebastian had been riding side by side and something had spooked Sebastian's horse, causing the man to be thrown off. The horse ran home while Marta had to drag Sebastian's sorry ass back to Ferrari for help.
Sebastian huffed, pretending to be annoyed. "There's also archery. I know you're good at archery."
"And how would you know that?"
"Because I also taught you."
And that was true. Even if the Iron Dames had helped her hone their skills, she learned all the basics from Sebastian.”
“You already entered me, didn’t you?”
“Had I known you would come now, I would have. But there is plenty of time. “The Arrival Tournament starts tomorrow, which means I can teach you how to joust properly today.”
Marta pretended to resist just for a moment. Yet curiosity got the better of her and she chose to follow Sebastian's lead, first to a scribe which wrote down Marta’s name next to dozens of other entrants, then to the outskirts of the carnival.They utilized wooden sticks to stand in as their lances and Marta's shield to help position her properly atop Pirelli. Sebastian also helped her desensitize Pirelli a little, specifically in learning how to run straight at a sharp object.
Marta one time asked during their training, “Would you ever fight as a knight again?”
Sebastian simply laughed. “No. I have served my time in Oracle Dynasty as a knight, and I do not miss much of it. It was good at the time. But after becoming king at Ferrari, and then losing the throne to King Leclerc, I much prefer trading between kingdoms to fighting in an army.
"After all, no one suspects a trader to be a prime source for overhearing the best gossip in each kingdom."
🏎️🏎️🏎️
In the past, scholars will first conclude upon reading witness accounts that Abbi was unaware of the impact that her appearance would hold over Effaia. But the textbooks could not have been further from the truth. Abbi herself had written in word that yes, the crowd was bigger than anticipated at the games. But she was well-educated in the deconstruction of a myth and understood the gravity of the moment.
It was her decision to feed upon this disarray and create the Arrival Tournament, and as such, she now witnessed one of the greatest uniting spectacles Effaia had experienced in centuries. From what she understood, all participants’ origins could be divided into twelve distinct sections. There were the 7 powerhouse kingdoms which ruled Effaia beyond Renault Realm: the Commonwealth of Ferrari, the House of McLaren, Oracle Dynasty, the Kingdom of Strulovich (which she only learned had changed from its former name, the House Upon Racing Point Mountain), the Kingdom of Sauber, the Commonwealth of Mercedes, and the House of Williams.
And then there were the two pseudo kingdoms. The ones without any formal association, nor a distinct kingdom. The biggest being Haas Autonomous Region. Haas Dynasty existed upon another continent, yet had sent 100,000 knights to conquer a portion of Effaia. They had won a large portion of the House of Williams’ land. There, they settled and had remained for the past ten years, waiting for the next opportunity to strike.
The second was AlphaTauri Providence. Once a proud kingdom known as Minardi, they had been conquered by Oracle Dynasty. Their refusal to play by Oracle Dynasty’s rules turned their providence into a battleground. Abbi did not know the exact details, but the little she did know consisted of names from the Toro Rosso Resistance Group. More specifically, the few contestants they had sent to win her hand.
Finally, there were those with anonymous affiliations, or perhaps none at all. These were simply people who came to impress her and promise protection despite their open knowledge they could give nothing beyond their sword. The famous rogue knight clan the Iron Dames were among these. They roamed the lands, free of all law. A ghostly clan which only appeared at a kingdom’s door when they had a wrong to correct. They were neither thieves nor saints, but vigilantes who often left places in a better condition than the past.
Then there were the few who called themselves the Knights of Cadillac. Abbi knew nothing about them, and neither did most kingdoms. To this day, no one is quite certain what the purpose of the Knight of Cadillac was.
The Scribes of the Arrival Tournament kept a query of every participant who entered that day. They tallied that the majority of those held some noble status, be it knights, duchesses, advisors, or princesses. Though most of their names have been lost to history, a couple would go on to be important characters in their own stories separate from Queen Abbi.
Of the thousands who had come to ask for the hand of Queen Abbi, only 87 of those had passed the horseman trails. Of those who passed the wooden sword trial, 40 remained. Of those that proved they could handle a bow and arrow, only 20 landed a shot that impressed the queen. And for those that had to pass a general visual inspection, in which Abbi measured each against her personal tastes, 16 were all that was left with the final stage being a jousting tournament.
Within her caravan, Abbi kept a diary. There, she would document the day's events, those that she was sad to see go, and those that she wished would be eliminated faster. By the third day, it was becoming more clear that she favored one potential candidate. By the fourth day of the Arrival Tournament, Abbi's attraction to one particular warrior remained unbridled in her secret tome.
“For among the competitors is a lady knight that neither stood out nor stood as tall as the others around her. Yet I remember her stature and her poise far better than the others. Though I did not state it upon her initial introduction, I had a feeling she would be one of the finalists.
“And how correct I was. Her battle skills are far more advanced than those around her. Should she win this entire competition, I will not be upset. I will gladly ask for her hand.”
“I do not know her affiliation to the flag she carries. She has been well trained and represents the Commonwealth of Mercedes with diligence unlike all other competitors around her. I have asked King George about his kingdom's candidates in hopes that I could learn more about this lady knight, but he has refused to tell me anything. He tells me "I will not create bias around my people, good or bad. Their skills must speak first, and only if one wins will I answer your questions."
"He is right. It is best to keep bias to a minimum and let skills speak rather than silver words. But I see the pride in his eyes every time she is on the battlefield, and I can conclude she is well loved even within the Commonwealth of Mercedes.
“I look forward to watching her progress.”
🏎️🏎️🏎️
The draw out of the hat was cruel. Those that knew how to read a sly character could see that the hat man intentionally rigged the matches. Those that didn't catch on immediately would soon learn at the jousting tournament. For the first pairing was the Al Qubaisi sisters of Oracle Dynasty.
Doriane saw the antics early on, and she was almost glad only one Al Qubaisi sister was a risk in the future. Having multiple representatives from Oracle Kingdom was daunting enough, with all their warriors well versed in fighting since many of them were first deployed right in AlphaTauri Providence as their first mission.
At the moment, she was cleaning one of the Silver Arrows, with Duchess Susie at her side. Why both King George and his best advisor had come with her, Doriane would not know. But their support was greatly appreciated, especially with King George often split between his various Mercedes representatives. Duchess Susie at least had more time for her, and continued to mentor her talents.
"You are much smaller than any other competitor here," Susie said, stating the obvious while the two scrubbed the scales of Susie's Silver Arrow, Hewlett. It was routine before any tournament to clean a Silver Arrow's scales. Doriane found it cathartic. "You must take advantage of their imbalance."
"But I still do not understand," Doriane admitted. "How can we benefit from Renault Realm when we cannot gain anything from them except protection?"
"Protection is the best thing to earn from them," Susie said. "Our strength has been dwindling ever since Ferrari has learned how to counter our Silver Arrows. With Renault Realm along our western border, it will help us concentrate our forces to the north."
And so the pressure continued to build around Doriane. She let it motivate her, even if it terrified her. Yet she wouldn't feel her first rush of adrenaline from the anticipation until she was mounted upon her steed SnapDragon in the jousting arena.
Ser Chloe Chambers was her opponent’s name, and she wore the red, white, and black colors of Haas Autonomous Region proudly. Her armor gleamed much brighter than Doriane's and her lance was far more sharp. Even her steed seemed far more frisky as she lined up on her side of the fence.
It was a bit reassuring to Doriane when she noticed those things. Although polishing armor to look appealing to onlookers was something everyone had done, this young girl had not been at the front of battle before. She had no scraps that signified she had to fight for her life. Her hold on her lance was textbook, easy to dismantle. Very easy to exploit as Doriane flicked the reins and charged towards Ser Chloe at the sound of the trumpet.
A glancing blow off the shield with one hand, and a jab at the chest with the other unbalanced the poor as his rider fell off. He reared, whinnying in fear, before bolting into the crowd.
Ser Chloe attempted to get up and recover her lance while Doriane swung SnapDragon around and readied her own lance to strike again. Ser Chloe was almost to her feet again. Then she collapsed to the ground, unable to move.
Doriane chose not to watch the two Renault knights drag Ser Chloe away. She simply bowed to Queen Abbi, then picked up SnapDragon's reins and headed to the side of the arena, where she exited and headed to where King George was sitting. "You did well," he said. "Go change, then come back here and we can discuss more."
With a nod, Doriane exited the stage and removed some of her armor. She traded her lance for her sword, then turned SnapDragon loose next to the other Mercedes horses and the two Silver Arrows. Hewlett snorted happily upon seeing the horse while Petronas glared, then laid her head back down when she realized it was just Doriane.
Returning to King George's side, Doriane took a stance next to him. He allowed her to set her helm upon the top of his makeshift throne. "You did well," he said.
"Thank you, Your Grace."
"You will make a fine leader for the Commonwealth of Mercedes one day."
Doriane frowned. "What are you saying? You are king for another decade, no?”
"I intend to be. But if a marriage between Renault Realm and Mercedes requires you to be the queen of Mercedes, well, I will gladly comply with that demand.”
Doriane frowned. “But I am hardly ready to become a ruler.”
“I was hardly ready when King Lewis turned the crown over to me. But I have chosen you as my successor for a reason. You represent what Mercedes is most proud of. That’s always a good thing to have as a leader. What say you, Ser Doriane?"
What did she say?
Well, it’s not quite like she has a choice. But after all the years that Mercedes had watched over her and her family, it only seemed fair to return the favor. The surge of pride that swelled in her chest at the thought of being queen of Mercedes was too overwhelming to deny.
And Doriane smiled. “I am honored by your offer, Your Grace.”
🏎️🏎️🏎️
Although she had lost a few fights, there were far more than she did win. Barely, of course, and hardly anything that could impress royalty. But the method didn’t quite matter if she had the results, and that she could be proud of.
At the moment, Marta had taken to sparring Sebastian. Their horses circled one another, resetting their stance before Sebastian charged. Marta was quick to deflect his hit, though she was unable to strike him with the lance. He would have won that battle if he wasn't being so gentle, and that was a bit infuriating.
Sebastian slowed his horse and trotted around her. “I think that is enough training for the event.”
Marta did not quite believe him, but she was learning to never question Sebastian Vettel, former King of Ferrari, former knight of Oracle Dynasty, greatest merchant friend on the planet, pain in the ass when he wanted to be.
Easing Pirelli into a stop, Marta sheathed her weapons and bowed. “Thank you,” she said to Sebastian. “I will put your teachings to use and make you proud.”
“Good,” Sebastian said playfully. “I expect you to at least get close to victory in one battle. Now go! Make haste before you are late!”
“Thank you, Sebastian. I will not forget this!” Marta grabbed together all her gear and made sure her actual lance was with her and the shield bearing the Iron Dames crest.
What happened next was something even the best fighters could have never predicted. The lack of experience played into her favor when mixed with the analytical eyes she had developed from years of simply surviving. Time slowed down. Every match felt like a puzzle that could be fit together just in time before hardware struck hardware. Again and again, Marta defeated her opponent, knocking them clean off their horse.
Now, as she stared at the tournament board, Marta realized there was only one opponent left to defeat. Ser Doriane of Mercedes. She knew of the knight. She had heard the name in passing, and how Ser Doriane now lead the Silver Arrows. But she had never had the pleasure of meeting the lady until today.
A tournament situation wasn’t quite the best way to make an acquaintance. But it would have to do.
Lining up Pirelli along the gates, Marta gave Ser Doriane a nod of respect before closing her helmet visor. She readied her lance and shield, and all went quiet around her. The roaring crowd disappeared into silence. The only thing that mattered now was the target before her and the sound of Pirelli’s hooves against the ground.
The horn sounded.
And the battle was on.
Ser Doriane knew how to leave no weakness to exploit, leaving Marta to take another approach. Rather than attack the rider, she chose to attack the steed. Her lance hit Doriane’s horse in the chest, stopping the steed in its tracks and throwing the creature to the ground. In retaliation, Doriane’s lance was perfectly positioned for Marta’s chest. It knocked the wind out of the rider, and knocked the rider off the horse. Both girls tumbled across the ground as the horses scrambled for safety.
It was Ser Doriane who got up first and drew her sword, discarding the lance. She charged, giving Marta only just enough time to grab the shield and protect herself from the first blow. Strike after strike, Doriane tried to break through the shield’s defenses and was slowly succeeding.
Marta kicked out Doriane’s leg, buying herself enough time to get up and find a sword of her own. Here was the ground she knew. She jabbed her sword forward, trying to catch it between armor plates. Her strike missed, and Doriane made sure the mistake was not forgiven by hitting Marta in the chest with her elbow.
Blow after blow, the two girls went at one another as screams and cheers erupted throughout the arena. If they were supposed to stop, no one came to separate them. Exhaustion burned in every part of their body, yet on they went, until their punches were hardly more than the mimicry of a baby’s first movements and their breathing had become so ragged they could hear one another.
And it was only then did Doriane thrust one foot forward and kick Marta in the chest. Now on the ground, Marta could feel her bruises. She could feel the tiredness burrowed in her bones. When she tried to get up, the weakness she had been denying finally overtook her body and she gave up.
At best she managed to roll over onto her back. Ser Doriane stood above her, sword raised and poised for the final blow. Marta closed her eyes. She quietly thanked everyone who had gotten her this far, trying to find solace in her last moments.
But nothing happened. Metal against sheath sounded across the arena, and Marta opened her eyes to see Doriane had turned her back to the competition. With a bow to the queen, Ser Doriane left the field while two Renault medics came to drag Marta out of the arena.
Marta didn’t remember much after that, but when she did wake up, she was in a tent. She no longer wore her armor, but just the underclothes. And to the side, sitting upon a chopped log, Sebastian shot her his famous playful grin. “Welcome back,” he said.
“Please tell me my life has ended with honor,” Marta said, trying to sit up.
“Unfortunately, I cannot. You are still quite alive.” Sebastian helped her up then gave her some water. “You did well today.”
Marta finished drinking. “Thank you.”
“With any luck, you will have impressed everyone today.”
“But not the one that I wanted to impress.”
“No, I suppose not.”
Marta shrugged. It wasn’t a huge loss. Settling down with a partner had always felt a little insignificant, though the idea of winning the queen’s hand had thrilled her. At most, this had simply been a test of her skills and proving to herself she could keep up with the kingdoms’ best.
“So what is the plan now?” Sebastian asked. “Going back to the Iron Dames?”
“I never left. I just paused my duties to fight in this tournament. But yes. And you?”
“Off to trading again. There’s word that the Kingdom of Strulovich has found a new berry with the most delicious fruit, and I must know if it’s true.”
“Save one for me the next time we see one another.”
“If we see one another. Effaia is a big place.”
Marta smiled. “You take the same routes again and again. It will not be difficult to find you if I need you.”
“That is true.”
Their conversation was interrupted when someone entered the tent. It was no doctor, but rather a tall man bearing the insignia of Renault Realm. He wore the armor of someone who was designated as a servant, or perhaps a body guard with the dagger he wore at his hip.
“Ser Marta García, my name is Oscar Piastri. I carry a message from Queen Abbi herself. She requests you come to her cavern immediately."
Marta glanced at Sebastian, who simply shrugged. “Of course,” Marta said, turning back to the messenger. “But what for?”
"I cannot say, for the Queen insists it is only for your ears.”
Sebastian nudged Marta’s shoulder. “Go,” he said. He helped her up, then took off his leather jacket and put it on her to make her look more respectable.
"Thank you again," Marta said. Only then did she follow after Oscar, her steps a little slow as her body ached. Oscar was accommodating to slow her pace as they crossed the tournament grounds.
When they arrived at the Queen’s caravan. Marta was surprised when she saw Ser Doriane already there. She walked up to where the two were, standing next to Ser Doriane and lowered herself into a bow. “Your Grace.”
"Rise," Queen Abbi said. Marta obeyed. "I have called you here to discuss the events of the tournament. What I saw today was two very skilled knights fighting with such vigor and passion I have never witnessed before. Your performance today had me quite transfixed, and I want to congratulate you both for your display of skill.
“Thank you, Your Grace,” Ser Doriane said.
"It was an honor.” Marta managed another half bow, ignoring the stinging in her ribs.
Queen Abbi looked across the two. "I have but one question for both of you. Why do you want my hand?”
Marta paused. She and Sebastian had discussed what would happen if she won, but the prospect was so far away they had chosen to just join for the love of the game and lacked the political importance.
As for Ser Doriane, she began to talk. “I have been informed by the King of Mercedes that I am to be Queen one day. Our marriage will offer a powerful partnership between our two kingdoms. We can provide you with resources from across Effaia with relative ease, and in return, we ask you to provide us with a friendly border. Should you need military assistance, I can deploy the sky armada of Silver Arrows to provide you with strength nearly invincible.”
Queen Abbi just nodded, clearly entertained. But now her gaze turned upon Marta. “And now, Ser Marta, why do you ask for my hand?”
Marta partially bowed again. "I never intended to make it this far, Your Grace. But as I've stated when we first met, I can protect you. I have neither the resources, nor the power that Ser Doriane has, but I can love you deeply, and I will take care of you. And I have lots of good jokes."
Ser Doriane glanced over, frowning slightly. "I can make good jokes too,” she muttered.
"Let me have my one selling point," Marta hissed.
Queen Abbi hummed in amusement. “Very well. Ser Doriane, you are rightfully the one to win my hand as promised by the tournament. That said, I am not afraid to cast you out should you prove to be a poor suitor.”
“I understand, Your Grace.”
"And Ser Marta. Although I appreciate a good joke, unfortunately I cannot marry upon a good laugh alone. I would like to make a counter offer. The Iron Dames are well known for their vast travels across Effaia. They know all there is to this land, both backwards and forwards. I ask that perhaps you would consider becoming an informant for me. Renault Realm is often cut off from the rest of the world, and it is not always easy to keep up with global politics. I shall offer you an allowance as well.”
Well that was a pretty sweet deal for second place. "It would be a pleasure of mine."
"Wonderful. I expect to hear my first report from you by the end of a fortnight.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Now. All of you. Leave me and Ser Doriane. I look forward to getting to know her better.”
Marta stepped away from the caravan and began back to the medical tent, where she would collect her armor and horse. She glanced back only once to see Queen Abbi beckoning Ser Doriane closer, their hands clasping together as they began what would likely be the first conversation of many.
Sebastian was still at the medical tent when she returned. “Well? What did she want?”
“She offered me a job,” Marta said before launching into the details of the meeting, Sebastian listening eagerly to every word.
Have you ever wanted to read a fic based on your favourite song? We’re happy to announce that the F1 Playlist Fic Exchange is going into the fourth year and is about to kick off!! <3
Just as in the past three years, every writer who participates will offer three songs to a fellow author for them to create a fic that will be based on one of these songs, and you will receive three songs from someone else in return to write them a fic inspired by their favourite music.
As always, there will be a playlist with everyone's song choices that we'll share once assignments are out for everyone who's curious about what songs are in the mix. Last year, we made a Discord server for every writer who participates but you can of course still join even if you don't plan on writing a fic for the exchange - to perhaps help the writers brainstorm, cheer them on, beta read, pinch hit if needed, or just hang out there together.
More information, the rules, and all the links you'll need under the cut:
How does it work?
This is a fic exchange, so everyone will write and receive a fic.
To write your gift for someone else (Offer): You submit a few pairings you're willing to write. You can of course indicate any content or rating(s) you wouldn't feel comfortable writing. You'll then receive someone else's request that matches with your own, and you pick one of their songs to base a fic on.
For your gift (Request): You submit the pairing(s) you'd like to read and three songs that you would love to receive a fic based on. You can indicate any characters and content you don't want, and you can also opt in or out of explicit content, specify the rating(s) you would be comfortable with receiving, anything that you feel would be important for your gift giver to know. You may request anything (themes/kinks/tropes) you want, but understand that your gifter is under no obligation to write them. Another author will be matched to you and will pick one of your songs to inspire a story they write for you!
Can I pick any song?
Sure! Any era or style of song is fine. With a few logical constraints - please make sure the gift giver can access the song easily (ideally it should be available on Spotify, YouTube, or another major service). At least two of the songs must have lyrics.
Some advice on choosing songs! Consider adding variation to your selections to give your gift giver the best chance to be inspired. For example, if you pick 3 break up songs, then you're giving your writer less to play with.
What if I'm not inspired by the songs I get?
'Inspired by' is a very loose term! You can take any element of the song to turn into a story. Don't feel pressured to literally write the plot or use the entire song. It could be a story inspired by the whole song or just by some of the lyrics or by the title or by the vibe of the song.
The mods are also around to answer any questions you might have and help brainstorm options/plots/vibes. You can find Ceci as @carpe-dracon on Tumblr, Ann as @hrhgeorgerussell on Tumblr, and Pauli as @golden-fairylights on Tumblr. Alternatively, you can message us under [email protected]. If you'd like to join our Discord server for the exchange, you can also @ us there or message us directly. And as always, chatting about your fic idea(s) with friends also helps! <3
How long does the fic have to be?
The minimum length is 1500 words.
What's the timeline?
Sign-ups will be open for about a week and a half from today, the 20th January until they close on the 31st January.
Once sign-ups are closed, you'll receive your assignment on the 1st February.
You will then have a month and a half to write your fic until the deadline, which will be on the 15th March this year. We'll check in with everyone a few days before the deadline. <3
What if I can't finish my story?
No fandom stuff is worth feeling stressed about. With an exchange, it's important that everyone who writes a fic also gets one in return! So if you can't complete something by the deadline, please let us know ASAP so we can organise a gift for that person.
How do I post my fic to the collection?
In your Ao3 Dashboard, go to the Assignments tab and follow the prompts.
Is it only fic or can I make art?
It is just fic for now!
Is it only F1 pairings (or also Formula 2, Formula E etc)?
To increase the chance of everyone getting a match, this exchange will only be Formula One pairings. The exception is if two people want to sign up and put the same F2/FE pairing, and be matched with each other. That's completely fine, just please let us know as soon as possible. <3
You can request and offer fics about any F1 pairing you would like, whether that is modern F1 or classic F1.
The more ships you request and offer the better we can match you.
Do I need an Ao3 account to participate?
Yes.
What if nobody offers to write my pairing?
If anyone is unmatched, we'll do our best to find them a match or, worst case situation, message them to discuss a different pairing.
The more pairings you put in, the more likely you are to get a match.
For example, you can put only classic F1 pairings, but it might be easier to match you if you put both modern and classic F1 pairings, just to make sure. Similarly, you're of course welcome to request as many rarepairs as you'd like, but depending on who else signs up and who offers what, it'd be great if you had a little bit of a range of options for us to match you as well as possible.
I have another question that you haven't answered.
Oh no! Hit us up on this Tumblr (@f1playlistficexchange) or message us directly on Tumblr under @carpe-dracon (Ceci) @hrhgeorgerussell (Ann) or @golden-fairylights (Pauli). You can alternatively write us an email ([email protected]) for any help. If you choose to join the Discord (or are already in it from last year, in which case, hi, welcome back!!) tag @moderator in our Discord server or message us directly on Discord.
If you have any questions or need help with brainstorming, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us or other members of the server. Please try to avoid reaching out to your giftee, for example on Discord, to keep the element of surprise. If you have a question for them, message a mod, and we'll be your messenger.
Links:
Here is the link to this year's 2026 Ao3 Collection where you can fill out your sign up form until the 31st January. (The link should take you to the profile page of the Ao3 Collection, and you will find the sign-up form via the Collection menu.)
(And if you're curious how last year's exchange worked and what fics were written for it, this is the 2025 Ao3 Collection with all the wonderful stories that were posted last March!!)
Here is our Discord server for the exchange.
Please let us know in case the links don't work for you, and we'll look into it.
I want you to know that I got so excited as soon as I saw your gift I went right ahead and did this. They’re so perfect!!! 🥺🥺🥺
And I may or may not have immediately thought of a random fanfiction idea upon seeing your moodboards. Super excited to write that up later today!! ❤️❤️
I get to be your giftee for the @motorsportsecretsanta2025! I made a little fanfiction for you. I hope you enjoy it ❤️
Title: I Didn’t Need My Heart Anyway… or Did I?
Words: 2.4K
Tags: Internalized Homophobia, but very light, Fluff, Love Confessions, Mitch is a nervous wreck, no beta we die like David Beckman’s contract
Summary: Mitch has feelings he doesn’t want to deal with, but now he can’t escape them.
Ao3 Link Here
Mitch is pretty secretive when it comes to his heart because it knows too much.
He's as free lipped as many other drivers along the grid, sometimes leading him into trouble, but it’s always surface level words or actions. It’s easy. The more obvious things said and done, the less people inquire about you. Even that photo of himself on the leash (he’s never going to live that down, and it will forever haunt him) barely shows anything that truly means something to him.
Perhaps it's why when he first realizes he's fallen in love with António, his heart nearly shuts down. Denying a truth he knows he's felt for so long, and yet only understands so recently. He tells himself it's impossible, that not only is he a regular driver who wants to fall in love with a woman, but that António would never see him that way. That the friendship they've worked on for years would fall apart like a paper boat, and Mitch would become lost at sea. Closing his heart off will prevent any mistakes that lead to regret.
It's not easy. António has always been in some sort of space in his life so long as he's been aware of the global racing scene. They knew each other by name long before they ever met, but they really got to know one another during the fourth season of Formula E, when they had a little more time to screw around and laugh at one another's jokes. That was the year Mitch doesn't feel as unsteady driving for the sport anymore, and António... well, he's been there since the first day. His confidence is as attractive as his body.
It's another year before Mitch has learned enough to understand what he's feeling isn't just a process good friends go through, but something far more intimate. And it hits him when António stands upon the podium, hands clasped around the championship trophy proudly. It takes every ounce of leftover strength in Mitch's body to keep his heart in his chest and his arms tucked to his sides. To stay in one spot and not rush up to the podium to kiss António.
It feels like his heart might collapse any second from sheer desire. And that's a feeling Mitch doesn't like. He tries to repair his heart so it won't fall apart when António inevitably rejects him (like he dares to even ask to start with). Instead, he finds a gaping hole within his heart and unfortunately the size of the man he loves.
He doesn't know if he'd ever be able to say how he feels. It's not like António is his first crush, nor is he the first time Mitch has had a crush on a man. But he is the first that practically tears Mitch into two pieces from how irresistible he acts without even knowing.
On that day, Mitch decides to shut off his heart from his head as much as he can.
And he plans to keep his mind quiet forever.
Until about last year, 2024, when António asks if Mitch would like to hang out between races and go golfing. And as they're in the middle of their game, a thought crosses Mitch's mind.
António might already know the secret.
Because they're too close to one another at every given possibility. António is always in his personal space, and who is Mitch to deny the closeness? Especially when it feeds into his fantasies that he hardly pays attention to on most days. Suddenly, all the colors of a romance make sense. And they're the prettiest pieces of sea glass Mitch had ever seen.
And maybe, just maybe, Mitch can take that sea glass and turn it into a window wih António at his side.
The recollection of memories he doesn’t really want to face yet strike him the worst come the first race of Formula E’s 12th season. At the moment, António sits next to him in the Jaguar garage meeting room, no words passing between the two drivers as they listen the rest of the team talk about strategy. It's been a whirlwind of events with António moving into the same team as Mitch. Franky, it's a surprise it happened at all, no matter how many times they're both reminded that Formula E feel like a lottery with how quickly the seats are rotated between drivers new and old.
For some teams, specifically Jaguar, having two teammates that get along well is practically the equivalent of a marriage contract, even if just for a year. They'll treat them like the power couple into the upcoming season, and there's usually nothing the drivers will do about it, not because they can't do something, but because no one wants to give up the "marriage benefits" that come with it, like extra free time to do "bonding time."
(Mitch and Nick Cassidy had mostly spend their bonding time avoiding one another, or hanging out with at least one other person to keep them from getting into arguments.)
It was a drastic change when António and Mitch did their first team mandated bonding time. António wanted to actually spend time together. He had asked to hang out with Mitch at an arcade in Monaco for part of the day, and Mitch agreed. And for a few hours it was like the world around them didn’t even matter. It was just them. And it was perfect.
(It was also the day António learned he should never take on Mitch in arcades.)
Mitch's eyes drift to António's face, and then to the soft lips that are guarded by a scratchy beard. He's used to fighting himself to avoid accidentally kissing at this point and today is no different despite the closeness.
But that’s a bit of a lie. Today is a little different. Because António glances over and Mitch had no problem realizing he’s been caught staring.
And Mitch has to look away before he falls into the trap of kissing António right there. He stares at his fingers, counting them again and again like he doesn't know he has ten. Perhaps if he counts them from right to left instead of left to right there will be a different number.
He stops when António leans in just a little to talk to him.
"Are you good, man?"
Mitch can only nod. He is. He's got a happy life. He may not be a champion yet, and he's certainly no world's favourite driver. But he's happy, and he's good.
Although he would be happier with António at his side.
António's eyes give away disbelief. That's not too surprising. As dumb as they can be when they're goofing around, António is no stranger to careful observation. "You're lying," he says, stating the obvious.
"Maybe."
"Should I be worried?"
Yes? No? What's the right answer here when he doesn't even know himself? Mitch shrugs to escape the scrutiny, even if it's only temporary.
If António has more questions, he doesn't say anything. It's how Mitch gets away without talking for the rest of the meeting, and how he runs before António could catch him after. He's made no fool of himself, but he feels like one anyway. His chest aches from how hard his heart hammers against his breastbone. He almost wants to plead for it to relax and for his feelings to stop rotating around António, but he has no idea who he would beg to.
He can't avoid António forever. The rest of the morning runs as a normal race weekend day, with the team making sure both drivers prepare and ready up for FP2, and then qualifying, and then the race. It will be a whirlwind of a weekend, and likely no time for themselves. And it all starts with autographs for their fans, which helps Mitch escape whatever self pity hamster wheel he caught himself in just for a little bit.
Even if António is sitting right next to him once again, practically intruding upon Mitch's personal space.
Mitch is tempted to wrap António up in a hug just to mess with the man, and especially the fans. It doesn't happen, but it's a funny thought that he decides to store for fantasies later.
It's after the signing that António chases him down, walking along side him. "Man, you're acting weird today," António says. "And yesterday, and the day before. You have been acting weird since I joined the team."
Oh. Well shit.
Mitch gives an apologetic smile. “Didn't mean to be. Sorry, mate."
"I thought you would be happy to be teammates with a good friend."
"I am. Really, I'm good with it."
"Then why do you keep acting weird?"
"Just got some personal stuff going on, Tónho. Didn't mean for it to come between us."
António just stares at him. "What, like being in love with me?"
Well, shit. So much for keeping it a secret. Still, Mitch challenges it anyway. “What makes you think that?"
"I did not think that, Robin did. He told me you had a crush on me for many years."
Okay, not that many years. Maybe two at most. Or three. Actually, Mitch doesn't know how long it's been. Longer than even he knew, because he had a whole season of just trying to accept the fact the desire to want to bite António wasn't because he hated the man, but because he needed António close.
"How would Robin know something like that?”
"I don’t know. He says something about you having googly eyes."
That gets Mitch to stop in his tracks. "Googly eyes?"
António nods, also stopping. "He said it is what everyone does when they see someone they like."
"You mean heart eyes?"
"… I think he meant heart eyes. Googly eyes did not make sense to me, too.”
What the hell, Robin.
Mitch continues walking and António joins him in stride. His heart is screaming at him to admit Robin is right. All efforts to keep it quiet are failing, and any logic Mitch thinks up is discarded as soon as it tries to override his need for António. He’s lucky his voice remains steady as he manages to speak, opting to let António dictate the conversation. “Right, if that's true then, what's your thoughts on my “googly eyes” for you?"
"About time."
Oh.
Wait, what?
That’s it?
Years of pent up emotions bubble to the surface and Mitch starts laughing. He can’t help it, even if it startles António. All that time he’s spent worried his heart might ruin his friendship, and all it took was one simple question to realize he’s just an idiot.
António just watches, confusion on his face until Mitch finally gets ahold of himself.
"How long have you felt that way?" Mitch asks.
"I dunno," António admits, his voice wavering away from the confident tone it once held into a more reserved and nervous one. "Before I joined Jaguar."
Mitch is tempted to shoot a sarcastic response to ease the sudden tension, but he finds himself staying quiet and instead wrapping an arm around António's shoulders. António leans against him ever so slightly, soon relaxing under his touch. They're still in the public eye, but only for a few more strides as they slip into the garage.
And it’s here, tucked away in the corner and free of cameras, that the unease reeking off both of them finally ebbs away. They stare at one another, Mitch trying to piece together António’s mind while António digs for a clue that could lead to Mitch’s heart.
"So do we kiss now or is that too soon?" António suddenly asks.
"Mate, I’ll admit, I don't know how this works. Never fallen in love with a close friend before." Mitch searches around for something that tells them what to do. Nothing comes to his hands or mind—save for calling up Robin apparently and asking for advice—so he gives up and decides to make the call himself. "Yeah, I'm down to take a crack at it if you are."
António nods, but he's not the one to make the first move. It's Mitch, and it stays as Mitch guiding António through the motions. Slowly, steadily, and both tentative and exploratory. António is a good kisser, that much Mitch expected, but to actually feel the sensation?
Well, nothing in Mitch's daydreams could have depicted what the real thing would feel like.
It's not a perfect kiss by textbook standards, but because it's António it is perfect. Especially as Mitch hands trace António's body, feeling every small shivers reacting to their lips. He hums when António’s fingers run through his hair, tugging as the wispy ends. António has always smelled good, but up close like this his scent is addicting and Mitch isn't sure he could ever get enough of it.
In that moment, Mitch knows two things. He would never let António go. And he could never go on another day without António at his side.
Assuming António agreed. Else, Mitch would be forced to move on.
But when they finally separate to breathe, António is gazing into Mitch's eyes with a newfound adoration and love that the possibility of moving on alone is immediately dismissed.
António gives Mitch's hair a little tug before bringing their foreheads together. Both drivers move their hands until António has his hands on Mitch's hips, and Mitch's arms lay across António's shoulders to hook behind the head.
"So," Mitch starts. "Was it worth it kissing now?"
António smiles, and simply says, “Depends on if you want to kiss me again or not."
"Right now?"
"Maybe.”
Mitch is so close to kissing António once more, but just as he moves, they hear someone calling their names, reminding them that their jobs come first until they decide to officially become a couple. Reluctantly, the two separate their bodies, hands trialing down one another's arms as though searching for a reason to not let go. Clinging on to the tiniest bit of touch until their fingers are no longer clasped together and forced to drift away from each other's touch. António shoots a playful wink towards Mitch’s direction, and leaves Mitch flustered and wondering where they might go from here now that a new opportunity is open.
Mitch is pretty secretive when it comes to his heart because it knows too much.
But for António, he's willing to wear his heart on his sleeve and let António see all the love he has to give.
i know i had a couple of hatless shane pix in the svg saturday post but i would just like to say for the record i will never take the coward's way out. look at this tall soft smiley dandelion puff of a man. the homosexual urge to rub my gay little hands all over that noggin
This is so upsetting honestly, and shuffling the whole schedule to STILL make these kids, who mind you are all incredibly upset, race 10 laps with a quick start is demented
