overtakes

!!!!

@overtakes    //    curious intro please 

[@overtakes]
            
            “You’re quite straightforward for someone you can’t literally see. And, by the way, I can speak languages other than my foul-mouthed British accent. What else do you want to know?” 

@stanleyparable 
            
            ❝ well ,  you  could  narrate  my  actions  in  a  better  language  than  english . ❞  ... which  is  strange ,  come  to  think  of  it .  english  is  certainly  not  his  most  fluent  language .  surely  a  hallucination  would  choose  to  speak  in  his  native  tongue ,  right ?
            
            ❝ if  this  is  some  sort  of  prank ,  there  will  be  consequences . ❞

“...I feel a bit offended. You know I'm merely a narrator. I have to portray to read your actions. It's stuck to my role.”

" . . thanks , but im really fine . "

@-allniight- 
            
            ❝ oh .  hm .  well —  if  you  ever  need  somewhere  to  stay … ❞ 

" i grew up outside . "

@PulseOverNoise- 
            
            the  words  could  have  been  plucked  straight  from  his  own  mind .  he  does  not  entirely  think  the  discomfort — the  wrongness — is  the  same  for  the  both  of  them ,  but  that  does  not  make  it  any  less  familiar .  the  itch  of  his  skin  not  fitting  quite  right ,  the ache  of  knowing  something  is  wrongwrongwrong .
            
            as  a  racer ,  niki  is  constantly  dialed  up ,  ready  to  drive  at  three  hundred  kilometers  an  hour .  stepping  out  of  the  rush  of  formula  one  and  readjusting  to  normal  life  can  be  difficult .  with  nothing  else  going  on ,  it  is  all  too  easy  to  wallow  in  the  awkward  space  between  where  his  body  is  and  where  it  should  be .
            
            ❝ it's  like  that  for  me  too ,  sometimes . ❞  carefully  vague .  this  is  not  about  him .  it  is  not  the  place  or  time  for  him  to  spew  his  carefully - tucked  away  insecurities .  ❝ like  i'm  waiting  for  something  to  happen  that  never  does .  it  isn't  fun . ❞
            
            understatement  of  the  year .
            
            he  brings  his  knees  up  to  his  chest ,  rocks  forward  and  back  for  a  moment .  talking  is  something  he  is  good  at ,  but  the  words  do  not  seem  to  want  to  come .
            
            ❝ sometimes  it  is  like  there  is  something  in  the  air ,  and  i  am  breathing  it  in ,  and  i  do  not  know  what  exactly  is  happening  but  i  know  that  something  is  wrong .  and  sometimes  it  is  just ... discomfort .  i  try  to  ignore  it  as  much  as  i  can . ❞

☆•° . *
            
            Jax didn’t answer right away.
            
            His gaze dropped somewhere between them, unfocused, like he was trying to track a thought that kept slipping just out of reach. The quiet stretched—not uncomfortable, exactly, but thin. Tense in a way that felt like it could snap if either of them moved too quickly.
            
            “…maybe,” he said finally, voice low, uncertain.
            
            His fingers started up again—tap, tap—against his arm before he caught himself, flexing his hand like he was trying to shake the habit loose. It didn’t quite work.
            
            “I don’t—” he exhaled, sharper this time, jaw tightening before he forced it to ease. “It’s not… one thing. It’s just—” a small, frustrated huff of air left him, almost a laugh but without any humor in it.
            
            His eyes flicked up, meeting theirs for a second longer than before. “You ever get that feeling like something’s… off?” he asked, quieter now. “Like everything’s where it’s supposed to be, nothing’s actually wrong, but—” his shoulders shifted, restless, “—it doesn’t feel right anyway?”
            
            A pause.
            
            Jax rubbed the back of his neck again, slower this time, like he was buying himself a second to decide how much to say. “…Been like that all night,” he admitted. “Can’t sleep. Can’t sit still. Feels like I’m waiting for something, but I don’t know what.”
            
            His gaze drifted back to them, hesitant but steady enough. “So… yeah. Talking might help.” A beat. Softer, almost reluctant: “…or at least distract me.”

@PulseOverNoise- 
            
            ❝ i  wasn't  going  to  make  it  a  thing . ❞ 
            
            his  lips  purse ,  as  though  he  is  biting  something  else  back .  for  all  that  he  is  good  at  conversation ,  good  at  people ,  he  has  never  been  good  at  navigating  tense ,  strained  moments  like  these .  he  settles  for  sitting  down  carefully ,  as  though  he  has  nowhere  else  to  be .  one  hand  tucks  a  loose  strand  of  hair  behind  his  ear .
            
            he  lets  the  silence  hang  for  a  moment ,  a  weight  in  the  air .  better  that  way ,  not  to  seem  as  though  he  is  forcing  the  conversation .  
            
            ❝ it's  late . ❞  stating  the  obvious .  ❝ i'm  supposed  to  be  sleeping ,  but ... ❞  a  shrug .  ❝ ach .  my  sleep  schedule  has  been  terrible .  if  anything ,  you  are  keeping  me  company . ❞
            
            not  entirely  a  lie .  he  has  a  break  between  races ,  time  away  from  the  circus  of  motorsports ,  but  he  still  finds  it  difficult  to  relax  enough  to  really  rest .
            
            ❝ ... would  talking  about  it  help ? ❞

“ um probably something you shouldn’t see … curiosity kills the cat, you know.”
            
            @overtakes 

@act_two 
            
            ❝ ... now  i'm  curious .  what  do  you  have  there ? ❞

“ good! let’s keep it that way! don’t worry about it … god.”
            
            @overtakes 

Valerie didn’t flinch at his irritation. If anything, the flare of his temper was a frequency she found almost... musical. She leaned back, the leather of her trench coat creaking like a warning, her eyes never leaving his as he tried to reassert the boundaries of his world—the podium, the top step, the safety of the public eye.
            
            “The top step,” she repeated, her voice a low, gravelly hum that seemed to vibrate in the air between them. “So much room for one person. It must be so quiet up there, sweetheart. No wonder you’re so desperate for a crash.”
            
            She let out a short, jagged breath—a laugh that sounded more like radio interference.
            
            “You talk about the wreckage like it’s a choice. Like you can just steer around me when the light turns green.” She stepped closer, invading that 'safe' public space, her presence smelling of ozone and expensive tobacco. “You didn't hesitate with the line the other night because you're bored of winning. You're addicted to the moment the brakes fail. That’s the only time you actually feel the engine, isn’t it?”
            
            As he turned to leave, tossing out his 'maybe' like a trophy he wasn't sure he wanted to keep, Valerie simply tilted her head. The static in her ears spiked—a sharp, screeching crescendo that only she could hear.
            
            “Go win your little race,” she called after him, her tone dripping with a dark, clinical pity. “Go stand on your top step and look down at all the people who think you're in control. But remember, racer...”
            
            She paused, the silver in her eyes flashing like a lightning strike.
            
            “I’m not the wreckage in your path. I’m the white noise in your headset. I’m already in the car with you. You’ll find me when you realize the adrenaline isn't enough to drown out the silence.”
            
            She didn't watch him walk away. She didn't need to. In her mind, the tape was already looping.
            
            
            (@overtakes  its Okayy <333 really don’t apologise)

@-cigarettes_slut- 
            
            they  are  in  public ,  he  reminds  himself .  she  would  be  a  fool  to  do ... well ,  anything .  he  is  safe ,  much  safer  than  he  is  in  his  car .  the  car  is  familiar ,  though ,  and  she ... is  not .  he  still  does  not  pull  away ,  but  it  is  a  near  thing .
            
            ❝ i've  found  that  the  top  step  has  enough  room  for  me . ❞  said  with  a  faint  undercurrent  of  smugness ,  the  self - centered  pride  inherent  to  being  a  formula  one  driver .  ❝ and  that's  what  matters . ❞
            
            because  that  is  all  he  needs :  the  thrill  of  the  win ,  the  rush  of  the  podium ,  the  knowledge  that  he  is  the  best . there  is  nothing  more  that  he  could  possibly  want .  there  is  nothing  more  that  this  strange ,  half - mad  woman  could  give  him .
            
            really .
            
            ❝ it  doesn't  matter  how  nice  the  wreckage  is ,  if  it  knocks  me  out  of  the  race . ❞  more  metaphorical  than  he  would  usually  bother  with .  ❝ are  you  going  to  make  the  adrenaline  worth  the  risk ? ❞
            
            as  though  that  matters  to  him .  the  line  he  had  done  the  other  night  certainly  had  not  been  worth  the  risk ,  and  yet  he  had  not  hesitated .  this  is  not  really  that  different ,  he  thinks .
            
            ❝ i'm  not  the  one  who  needs  to  prove  anything ! ❞  he  bites  down  on  the  sudden  flare  of  irritation .  ❝ i'll  come  find  you ,  then .  maybe .  if  i  feel  like  it .  for  now ,  if  you  don't  mind ,  i  have  a  race  to  win . ❞
            
            // oof sorry this took so long TvT

Valerie watched the way he bit his lip—a tell. A crack in the sponsor-perfect porcelain. She didn’t step back when he told her to watch herself; instead, she let her gaze linger on his chin, tilted up in that defiant, desperate display of confidence. She loved the smell of fear; it smelled better than any high-end perfume.
            
            A low, distorted hum of a laugh vibrated in her throat when he claimed he didn't wait for crashes.
            
            "The top step is crowded, Niki," she murmured, her voice dropping into that smooth, analog hiss that sounded like a secret being whispered over a dying radio. She moved closer—just enough to ensure he could hear the steady, rhythmic thud of the club's bass through her own frame.
            
            "Everyone wants the win. But the win is a flat line. It’s predictable. It’s boring." She reached out, her fingers ghosting over the air in front of his chest, tracing the invisible line of his quickening heartbeat. "You say you don't wait for crashes, but you’re staring at me like I’m the most beautiful wreckage you’ve ever seen. You’re addicted to the adrenaline of the 'almost,' aren't you?"
            
            She finally pulled away, but the look on her face was far from "nice." It was the look of a designer who had just found a flawed piece of silk and decided to tear it apart just to see how it felt.
            
            "I don’t want your focus for a race, darling. I want to be the reason you forget where the finish line is." She turned slightly, her black silk coat flared like a shadow. "If you're interested, then prove it. Walk away from the 'safe' win and come find me in the static. I’ll be waiting at the barrier... let’s see if you have the nerve to actually hit it."
            
            ( @overtakes — He says he's interested. But can he handle the impact when the carbon fiber actually snaps? )

" . . for now , yes . "

@-allniight- 
            
            not  at  all  cowed ,  arms  folding  neatly  across  his  chest . ❝ well ,  i'm  sorry .  is  that  better ? ❞

her head tilted a bit , expression going colder . " not slapping the shit out of someone when i think they're being sus is my kindness . take it or leave it . " her voice was flat , sharp eyes boring into him . 

( @overtakes ) / she  took a step forward towards him . making sure he understands she isn’t just some random girl  came her for an autograph./ 
            “ that sounded a bit arrogant. ego is usually one of the most common reasons of why people like you end on a floor bleeding out by people like me.” 
            
            /a smile was now on her lips though it wasn’t a friendly smile. It was everything besides that. It was a warning, don’t be so stupid to piss me off./
            “Anyway since you’re so sure  you’re going to win then you won’t mind a little beat.”
            
            /hiii! I am glad you liked it I honestly was worried you didn’t <//3
            and it’s not too long it’s perfect!!

@-cigarettes_slut- 
            
            he  almost  misses  her .  his  focus  is  on  the  car ,  on  the  racing ,  on  the  data ,  not  on  the  woman  ( familiar ,  he  wonders  if  he  has  seen  her  before )  lurking  in  the  garage .  she  is  beautiful ,  in  the  way  that  makes  something  angry  and  aching  curl  in  his  gut .
            
            but  even  as  he  almost  misses  her ,  she  is  watching  him .  he  feels  her  eyes  on  him  when  he  moves  through  the  garage ,  unhurried ,  as  though  he  could  not  possibly  imagine  what  it  would  like  to  be  in  a  rush .  as  though  speed  is  not  in  his  bones ,  in  his  blood .
            
            ❝ there's  always  something  else  to  catch .  something  more  to  win . ❞  the  faintest  edge  of  a  smirk .  ❝ racing  doesn't  tend  to  draw  people  who  are  easily  satisfied . ❞
            
            that  is  not  entirely  true .  he  thinks  he  could  be  satisfied  with  just  a  little  more ,  just  a  little  more ,  just  a  little  more .  he always  thinks  that ,  until  he  achieves  it  and  moves  the  goalposts  just  a  little  further .
            
            ❝ ach .  i'm  being  rude .  i'm  niki ,  although ... you  already  know  that ,  hm ? ❞  said  with  the  self - assuredness  of  someone  used  to  being  recognized .  ❝ i  can  handle  a  lot .  i  doubt  you'll  overwhelm  me . ❞
            
            // AAAH hello !!!! was giggling and kicking my feet when i saw this notif, sorry this ran a tiiiiny bit long i had a blast w it

@virgeofpanic 
            
            sometimes ,  he  has  to  remind  himself  that  what  he  considers  to  be  fun — cars ,  engines ,  racing — is  certainly  not  everyone  else's  idea  of  fun .  he  is  so  used  to  being  surrounded  by  motorsport  that  it  can  be  difficult  to  remember  that  it  is  not  universal .
            
            ❝ well ,  of  all  the  ways  to  ' get  you  out  of  your  room , '  i  personally  think  this  is  a  good  one . ❞  as  though  he  isn't  biased .  ❝ maybe  you'll  fall  in  love  with  it .  it's  exciting ,  at  least .  have  you  decided  who  you're  going  to  cheer  for  yet ? ❞

@overtakes 
            
            “ uhh..  yeah .  ” virgil nodded , in the simplest of terms , yeah .  but he wouldn’t get into the more complexities of the matter , what was more importanr was him socializing right ?  even if right now they felt like booking it straight back to their own room .  “ it’s not really my thing but might as well give it a try  ,  yeah ?  my..  idea of ‘fun’ to the average person sounds more depressing than it actually it .  ”
            
            / PLS , it’s okay < / 3  at least you didn’t crash into anything which is good .

@virgeofpanic 
            
            ❝ and  thomas  is  your  friend ? ❞  he  frowns .  it  is  not  exactly  his  business ;  he  does  not  quite  understand  why  he  is  so  curious .  ❝ ... never  mind  that .  the  races  are  always  better  in  person ,  when  you  can  hear  the  cars  and  see  everything  in  front  of  you .  or  so  i  imagine .  i  haven't  watched  a  formula  one  race  on  television  in ... years ,  now . ❞
            
            // not me forgetting to tag u in the last reply LMAO i was walking and typing at the same time and that's a recipe for disaster clearly. my b