Beware👁️👁️

Every so often I recall the funniest blink-and-you-miss-it moment on Dressrosa, when Luffy picks up Zoro and Law and is about to jump off a plateau. Law is panicking but Zoro is calm and steady, his captain’s arm around his neck in a chokehold, ready to go wherever his captain chooses to take him. (CHAPTER 746) (Ep 682)

Remember how much Zoro hated being hauled around by Luffy pre-timeskip? Pepperidge farm This ZoLu shipper remembers! Zoro used to hit Luffy, yell at him, threaten to cut him for physically manhandling him (usually with a Gomu Gomu no Rocket). Look at this fool now! His damn face is horizontal and he’s just, like, “Cool.” This 180 was so out of character that I remember pausing in my reading out of surprise. Over time, I realized this is just part of a growing pattern of behavior:

Post-timeskip, Zoro got soft.

Okay, yeah, post-timeskip Zoro is more muscular, has a prominent facial scar, doesn’t smile or laugh as much anymore, and spouts these tough-guy one-liners. But when it comes to Luffy, Zoro got sooooo soft.

Pre-timeskip, Zoro scolded Luffy often for being impulsive, for rocketing people around, for blowing their cover, etc. He was mostly on the same wavelength as Luffy, but there were frequent moments of exasperation where he would threaten to cut Luffy (jokingly?) or yell at Luffy for being an idiot.

But post-timeskip? Those two years clearly did a number on our swordsman because compared to before, he is a complete pushover when it comes to his captain.

Luffy is quiet because he senses something is amiss? Zoro immediately notices and asks “What’s wrong” like a worried mother hen.

Luffy needs to get across a frozen lake? Zoro is already stretching.

Luffy is fighting in the coliseum despite being on an undercover mission? Zoro laments not being there fighting alongside him.

Luffy wants to cause a ruckus over Otama/red bean soup? Zoro draws his sword and is ready to tag-team this mess.

Luffy jumps Zoro and nearly suffocates him face-hugger style? Not only does Zoro not reprimand Luffy, he is over the moon smiling like a moron and offering up food.

A lot can be said about WHY Zoro is now so tolerant of Luffy’s antics, way more than before. But setting aside “why,” it’s clear that Zoro is officially Luffy’s number one enabler. He will indulge Luffy’s every whim. He will lay all their enemies at his captain’s feet. He will follow Luffy into disasters and celebrations alike. He will forgive AND defend all of Luffy’s wrongs.

This man is so whipped. This man is so soft for his captain. This man is a fucking marshmallow.

everyone please observe as to how lestapiastri are seated here. Max and Oscar both taking the much more dominant leg folded over the other, alpha cock-sure couch positions. While Charles on the other hand is in more of a submissively arched legs-crossed demurely, chussy facing the world pose.

Drive to Survive | S07E07

the chass has everybody in a trance today, both oscar and george didn’t even try to practice shame.. mind u they’re in a public setting

the evolution of the lestappen mobile

🎶 I can’t believe that it’s finally me and you, and you and me, just us, and your friend Steve. (And my desperate need to hold your waist.)

Du-du-du-du-du-du-du Steve. 🎶

interlinked edit for my beloved lestappies

I think today was a great example of why we like to call Max and Charles emotional support rivals.

Max going straight to Charles’ number 3 stand to yap while keeping his interview brief was such a delight to witness. But after he’d returned to his stand to hydrate, Charles at one point walked up to him to continue the conversation. Max is usually the yapper, he leads their debriefs, but this time the roles were clearly reversed. It was so interesting to see. Max loves to yap, but the minute he is down, Charles will make sure to keep the conversation going.

Even in the cooldown room - he made sure to include Max and keep the conversation flowing. The Max Verstappen podcast worked just as well as the Charles Leclerc podcast.

wdym the lestappen lore begins with charles (CHARLES!) being so mad at losing a karting race that he finishes second, then proceeds to drive 15 year old max verstappen into a puddle full of mud in val d’argenton.

you mean to say that teenaged charles was so resentful about losing that he did something so utterly unsportsmanlike (but pettily hilarious) to spite his rival…after the race was already finished.

that max, who was told he could never lose, who was taught to anticipate everything his competitors did - was blindsided by the frustration of a boy who wanted first place just as much as he did.

you’re telling me that they raced side by side as hungry, focused young people; wheel to wheel to the finish line with nothing but their skill, the karts their families gave them, and raw ambition. that this is a core memory for them and the stuff of legend for other racers in their peer group.

then you’re telling me that the both of them made the sacrifices. raced even harder. that other people noticed and named one mad max, the other il predestinato.

you tell me that they made it to the top level of f1 - a statistical improbability, literally two of thousands and thousands who tried - and are now two of the top drivers in the entire world.

and now, they sit in front of dozens of media, millions of fans, decibels of deafening noise — and they laugh and joke about this over a decade later.

so you can try to iron out the creases, PR train the champions, teach the athletes to guard their words. you can hone both men into carefully gleaming icons.

but in their heart of hearts, they are just this: two boys, determined to get to the finish line by passing each other first.

this is my roman empire actually.

THEY SAID WHAT???