orangepeelers

[orangepeelers]

Hades

[orangepeelers]

thunderstorm beneath my skin

i’m actually very proud of this :)) first time writing angst and hurt/comfort but overall i think it turned out pretty good!

also happy birthday j <3

***

Remus felt like he had been peeled open and scooped out.

The news of his mother’s death fell around him like pouring rain, soaking him to his skin, cold seeping into his bones. He read the owl again and again, as if the words would rearrange themselves and assure him that it was just something he’d made up, that he’d take the train home in two weeks for summer break and his mother would be there, holding her arms open to embrace her son. But they stared back at him from their parchment home, blinking as he traced their ink paths for the thousandth time.

James cleared his throat. “You alright, mate?”

Tearing his eyes from the parchment, Remus blinked. The boom of the Great Hall resumed around him, rain evaporating and leaving only mud. But it lingered on his skin, its cool whisper clinging to his robes, frosting his limbs, trapping him with its news.

James and Peter peered at him from across the table, concern widening their eyes. From next to him, Sirius placed a hand on his, reaching a hand up to tuck Remus’ hair behind his ears. He stared into their faces, eyes so familiar from years of tracing their patterns, yet so foreign in the moment. White noise roared in his brain, drowning out anything else.

His mother was dead.

He blinked at them and cleared his throat. “I- Yeah. Yeah, yeah, just uh, just something dad said about the dog. It’s nothing.” The lie clung to his throat, viscous words inching their way out in his small voice.

James frowned. “Whatever it is, you can tell us. You look pale.”

Remus shook his head again. “No, no it’s nothing.”

Sirius carded his fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. “Are you sure? You can-”

“I’m sure!” Remus snapped, a little louder than necessary. He cleared his throat again, as if the truth would inch its way up and explode out of his mouth, knocking away the frail defenses Remus was setting. “I’m fine. I promise.” He gave them all a wan smile, trying to convince them of his facade.

James slowly went back to his food, clearly not convinced. “Okay, Moons.”

Peter opened his mouth, then thought better of what he was going to say and went back to picking at his beef roast. Tears pressed fingers at the back of Remus’ eyes, clawing their way around his throat. He pressed the heel of his palm to the space between his eyebrows. He would not cry. He had two more weeks here. Two weeks where he would pretend everything was fine. Two weeks of pranks and OWLs and a Hogsmeade trip. 

He could make it.

Few words were exchanged for the rest of dinner. Remus’ outburst had cast a thick curtain around their section of the dining table, making all the noise of students feel far away. Maybe Remus was the only one who could hear it as thunder shook within his skull, all of the memories of his mother soaked and electrified by lightning.

He would make it.

He had to.

As they trudged up to the common room, Sirius laced his fingers through Remus’ and squeezed. Remus offered a dingy gray smile, paled with grief. Sirius looked into his face and squeezed again, asking a question.

What’s wrong?

“Tired. Studying for owls, y’know.” Sirius nodded pensively and they stepped through the portrait hole.

“I think I’ll turn in early tonight.” Please don’t ask me why please don’t ask me why please don’t-

“Get some rest, Moons. You look like you could use it.” James placed a hand on his shoulder, genuine concern lining his irises.

Remus just nodded, not trusting his voice. Sirius pulled him gently, but he knew that if he collapsed into his arms the truth would come rolling out, loosened by his warm chest and shoulders. So instead he pulled his arm out of his grip and tried for another grin. “Really tired. Sorry.”

The brief look of hurt that flickered across Sirius’ face crushed him further, but he schooled it into a warm look of sympathy. “S’alright baby. Goodnight.”

Remus felt the weight of their stares as he made his way up to their dormitory. He knew his lies weren’t fooling them, but he couldn’t tell them the truth.

Telling the truth would cement her death into the ground. Each word would be a shovel of dirt above her grave, burying her forever. He couldn’t bear the gravity his words would bring thundering down.

***

Remus had gone one week without telling his friends the truth.

It kept him awake at night, his mother’s face smiling in his dreams before melting into grave dirt, his friends’ concerned frowns, rushing around and around like he was on a merry go round, spinning away helplessly. 

He saw the way they looked at him at mealtimes and in the common room, like they were seeing someone who was terminally ill but couldn’t quite place it. He noticed how Sirius deflated more and more each time he avoided his warm embraces and soft kisses. Remus knew that if he gave into their familiarity, paper body crumpled in Sirius’ arms, he wouldn’t be able to put himself back together. Even now, he saw how he flaked away each day, brilliant paint chipping and leaving dull green-gray. 

They were in the common room now, the only ones doing last minute studying for OWLs. James groaned at his parchment and books, hands flecked with ink as he chewed on the back of his quill. Peter peered at his copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, face utterly perplexed. Next to him, Sirius was ignoring his books and studying Remus, face pensive.

Remus gave up on reading the same paragraph for the hundredth time, letters treading on the muck in his brain but failing to leave any impression. He made half-hearted eye contact with Sirius, eyes tired from his lack of sleep.

Sirius smiled brightly, snapped out of his reverie. “Hey, Re.”

“Hey.” Remus tried for a smile, but his face fell limp from attempting the same expression that had evaded him for a week.

Sirius made the same face he always did when he knew something was wrong. Remus had memorized it by now, just like he’d memorized the dip in his voice when he asked what was wrong, or the clouds in his gray eyes when they peered at him with concern.

“How are you?”

Remus cleared his throat, lie ready to spring out of his mouth. “Fine.”

“Really, Re. I know something’s wrong.”

“I told you. I’m fine. How goes the potions work?”

The perpetual frown on Sirius’ face deepened. “Remus. Please tell me. Maybe I can-”

“I said I was fucking fine!” He snapped, chips of paint tumbling to the ground around him. “Why won’t you believe me? Why won’t you?” He gestured at their corner, Peter and James now watching closely. “I see the way you all look at me. I’m not made of china. Maybe I’d be fine if you just left me the fuck alone.” Tears burned just beneath the surface of his skin, hot and insistent. A lump formed in his throat, like all the lying he was doing had caused an allergic reaction and now he would asphyxiate to death.

Sirius wore a wounded expression, words piercing his skin. James reached a hand out. “C’mon, Moons. We just want to know what’s bothering you. Let us help you.”

Remus looked down at his hand, and back up at his face, features swimming with sympathy. The tears pushing at his eyes were winning their fight. “I- I just- I have to go.”

Before he could run to his dorm, he felt a hand on his shoulder, pulling him to look back at its owner. Remus felt like a wounded bird, flitting around on broken wings, flailing uselessly. 

“Remus, baby. Please. Please look at me.” Sirius’ raw timbre took all the fight out of Remus. He turned to look at him, really look at him, for the first time in what felt like centuries.  From within their stormy depths, his gray eyes offered a lifeline. Something inexpressible by words, something to both drown in and be saved by. An outstretched hand offered to pull him from the edge of the cliff at which he stood, smothered in nothing, and into the arms of his sun and moon. 

In that moment, Remus felt like the world’s most fragile object, exterior shattering to powder, falling around their feet, leaving only a raw wound. His tears came rushing out, floodgates finally crushed by their pressure.

The outstretched hand yanked him in and held him close, its strength and warmth the only thing keeping the thin walls around Remus standing. He collapsed into Sirius’ arms, loud sobs racking his body as tears streamed down his face and soaked his robes. Sirius rubbed his back and whispered.

“Oh baby, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, c’mere, c’mon I’ve got you…”

Being in Sirius’ arms felt like he was drinking water for the first time ever. He still smelled like sandalwood and warm nights spent by the common room fire, his arms still encircled him like they were the safest shelter from storm.

He whimpered into his chest. “My- my mum, she’s-” the words stuck to his throat, resisting leaving their home from the past week. “She’s gone- she’s dead.”

Peter and James made quiet noises of surprise. Sirius held him closer, as if he could ward off all bad things by keeping them as close as possible.

“Oh, Moons. Why didn’t you tell us? You’ve been living this whole week like that?”

Remus choked through his sobs. “I was- I was afraid that if I told you guys it would be real. I wouldn’t be able to- ignore it anymore.”

“It’s okay, love. Look, we’re here now-- we’ll always be here for you. Always, baby.” Sirius said the words into his hair as his hands rubbed circles over his back. “You don’t have to be alone. You are never alone.”

Remus took a shuddering breath, all of their words clinging to his skin, keeping him warm. Sirius could piece him together, hands caring as he placed each fragment into place, holding them so they stayed. With each shuddering breath, he shook a little less, melting into warm arms. 

“We will always remember her, Remus.” James promised. 

Peter offered a soft smile. “She’ll live in our memories.”

Sirius whispered quietly, just for him. “You will always have her in here.” He tapped his head. “I will always be here to help you pull yourself back up, even if you feel like you can’t. It’s so, so hard. I know it is. But we will share some of the load.”

And in that moment, Remus knew it hurt now, it would always hurt, but each day, the press on his chest would lessen. The constant storm roaring between his ears would subdue, watering flowers and nourishing greenery. 

He could do it.

[orangepeelers]

same ñjfkld || based on this 💕

[orangepeelers]

drew punkguchi to celebrate a milestone in IG! i’m holding a punk yams dtiys there as well ^_^ i’m on ig @ punkguchi

[orangepeelers]

Struggles of a bisexual

[orangepeelers]

i think asahi is extremely ticklish but like only in four or five spots

any and all ticklishness that could have gone to the rest of his body congregated there and everyone thinks he’s ticklish everywhere bc of the way he reacts but he’s honestly just afraid of people finding out where’s he ticklish (as if it’s hard to find asahi pls) akdnanx

[orangepeelers]

percy jackson will be like “i know a spot” then gently guide ur hand to his achilles heel

[orangepeelers]

Sirius Black

[orangepeelers]

Stolen moments, soft and dim 🌙✨

ref.

[orangepeelers]

nico and hazel are constantly arguing about who gets to sit up front with percy 

[orangepeelers]

send reqs!! :D

Drabble Challenge: 1-150

Rules: Followers send a number to your ask and you write a drabble using that sentence/prompt in your piece. Try to keep up! Expect a TON of requests!

“The skirt is supposed to be this short.”

“How long have you been standing there?”

“I may be an idiot, but I’m not stupid.”

“Who gave you that black eye?”

“You haven’t even touched your food. What’s going on?”

“I just like proving you wrong.”

“Everyone keeps telling me you’re the bad guy.”

“Forget it. You fucking suck.”

“Quit it or I’ll bite.”

“If you use up all the hot water again, I swear to god! You’re on the couch for a month!!”

“If I die, I’m going to haunt your ass.”

“I’m pregnant.”

“Looks like we’re gonna be stuck here for a while.”

“Take. It. Off.”

“Well, you’re coming home with me whether you like it or not.”

“I’ll kick his ass if you want me to.”

“Stop it! It tickles!”

“It’s okay to cry…”

“And that’s how you ruin a life. Congratulations.”

“D..did you just make that noise?”

“He’s a bad kisser.”

“You can scream if you want.”

“I didn’t know we were keeping track.”

“We’re playing checkers. If you don’t like it, leave.”

“One of them’s missing.”

“Save some for me.”

“Oh, fuck off.”

“You’re still mad?”

“Come over here and make me.”

“You better watch yourself.”

“Eat your lunch and you wouldn’t be hungry.”

“Why did we have to have kids?”

“Call on Line 1”

“He creeped me out. I’m not gonna lie.”

“I’m done! You can fix it!”

“Can we just watch a movie and fall asleep on the couch?”

“Where did he go?”

“You leave whenever you feel like it.”

“I forgot I was a single parent.”

“Don’t apologize if you don’t mean it.”

“You’re going out dressed like that?”

“For the hundredth time, I’m not your babysitter.”  

“Frost the damn cupcakes.”

“Well that’s the second biggest news I’ve heard all day.”

“You look pretty hot in plaid.”  

“I thought you were dead!”

“I thought it was a one-night-stand…and now we’re married…”

“We’ve become the clingy couple that you used to complain about.”

“Quit touching me. Your feet are cold.”

“You know you want it, sweetheart.”

“I’m your husband. It’s my job.”  

“You just wanted them because the light up.”

“That wasn’t very subtle.”

“He thinks he’s a mind reader.”  

“It’s just you and me tonight. I was thinking we could have a little fun.”

“I don’t do hugs.”

“Don’t talk anymore.”

“I’m just a guy with a wife, two kids, and a Harley.”

“How do I even put up with you?”

“I said get rid of it.”

“They didn’t just find out. They already knew!”

“You’re not as quiet as you think you are.”

“Can you just man up and change his diaper?”

“Just don’t buy a goat. I don’t care what you do, just no goats.”

“I have a secret.”

“I won’t let you get hurt.”

“You’re strong, baby. You have to be.”

“He’s four years old!!”

“I’ve had enough! I want to be alone!”

“I can’t stand seeing you like this.”

“Me and the boys will handle it.”

“You’re competitive and so am I, and it’s going to lead to a fight.”

“Is there a reason you’re naked in my bed?”

“You’re a dork, just like your father.”

“Mind if I join you?”

“Daddy!”

“I lost our child.”

“That’s my shirt. So is that..wait?”

“My name isn’t Leslie…who’s Leslie?”

“There’s a surprise upstairs for you.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“I’m not your boss? Well then who is?”

“You can’t eat solids, only liquids until Thursday.”

“Come on, baby, up to bed.”

“They got you a present. Isn’t it sweet?”

“Am I scaring you?”

“Run! You said you’d work out with me!”

“After everything…I’d still choose you.”

“And when did you plan on telling me about this?”

“Trust me.”

“Scoot over a little bit, please.”

“You’re so clingy, I love it.”

“You didn’t just wake me up at 2am because you were ‘in the mood’.”

“Did they hurt you?”

“You’re cute when you’re all worried.”

“Stop being grumpy. It’s lame.”

“I don’t need a hero, I need a husband.”

“Don’t shut me out.”

“You got a cute butt.”

“I just got out of the shower, I can’t dance. What if my towel falls off?”

“Don’t be an asshole. Asshole.”

“Do you really think I could ever replace you?”

“Sharing is caring. Now give me your fries.”

“…or we can chill in our underwear.”

“You can’t make up for it by giving me a tic-tac.”

“Keep pedaling and don’t stop, okay?”

“You, me, popcorn, two liter Dr. Pepper, and a movie. You in?”

“Have you seen my contacts?”

“Life is a highway, and I’m always drunk. So I’m not driving.”

“Quit stalling. Where’s your father?”

“You can’t just hug me and think everything’s okay.”

“Is he coming home?”

“I prefer blondes.”

“No more dogs. How hard it it to understand?”

“I let you win.”

“I broke your nose, and I’m sorry for that. But what you’re doing isn’t fair.”

“Can I do your hair?”

“Your favorite superhero can’t be a villain.”

“I told you not to jump on the bed!”

“He’s pampering me, let him be.”

“Ready or not, here I come.”

“I’m worried about losing my job!”

“Oh, did I scare you, big boy?”

“Happy new year!”

“Quit moving, I’m trying to sleep. Wait…are you…what?!”

“You nap, I’ll stay awake.”

“It’s turbulence. It’s normal.”

“Don’t touch me. We’re fighting.”

“I’ll give you a massage.”

“You fell asleep in the tub?!”

“Are you doodling?”

“We’re not playing strip poker. I don’t care what I said when I was drunk.”

“Slushies aren’t just for kids, fuck society.”

“Are you scared…Then why won’t you look at the screen?”

“Enough with the pillow talk, I’m tired.”

“You had a nightmare, tell me what it was about so I can fix it.”

“We need groceries, not just junk food. You’re worse than the kids.”

“Is this our closet? Or your closet?”

“If I win, you do dishes for a week.”

“Fist bumps are cooler than high-fives…”

“Use your words.”

“Hold my hand so he gets jealous.”

“Ew, your hand is sweaty.”

“Get out of my face before I hit you.”

“I don’t care if your 4 or 40, you don’t hit people.”

“You only care about football, beer, and raking leaves.”

“Look! Fireflies!”

“Why do you only kiss me when I’m sleeping?”

“I just need ten minutes.”

*Make Your Own*

Happy Writing! Visit @prompt-bank for more prompts!

[orangepeelers]

it’s you

my boys go to the beach and are a little very slow on picking up hints

***

Remus awoke to a text from Sirius.

As he saw his name on the screen, excitement bloomed in his stomach and made his toes curl. He felt elated for a brief moment, before forcing himself to punch the feeling down into the recesses of his mind. He couldn’t feel that way about Sirius. He wouldn’t feel that way about Sirius. He’s just your friend, he reminded himself. 

His heart didn’t really get the memo.

Remus rubbed the sleep from his eyes and glanced over at Peter’s sleeping form. The four of them were staying at the Potters’ beach house, spending the hottest days of the summer eating ice cream on the boardwalk and swimming in the ocean. He hated that despite the fact that Sirius was in the room next door with James, a text from him could still have such an effect. 

He unlocked his phone to read the text, anxiety and excitement mingling in his chest. Hey Moons. I woke up a little early today. Proud of me?

Remus grinned and rolled his eyes. Sure I am Pads. Of the four of them, Remus was the only early riser, a fact which he never let them forget. He found Sirius’ gesture endearing, if a little strange. Waking up early was so out of character for him. 

His legs jiggled nervously as he awaited a response. He couldn’t help but wonder whether his waking up early was for a specific reason. Running through his head in an attempt to tamp down his overactive imagination was a constant stream of shutupshutupshutupshutupshut-

Wanna go for a run on the beach?

Remus’ fingers moved of their own accord. Sure. Breakfast at 3 Broomsticks after?

Of course!! See u in like 2 seconds. Love u Moons 

At the last three words, Remus’ heart did a little skip rope routine. He knew it was just Sirius being Sirius, but the words still found the nooks and crannies of his brain and filled him with warmth. They stoked the fire of false hope he had burning in his mind, like vodka on their weekly beach bonfires.

He got dressed quickly, overthinking between his choice of old t shirts before settling on one from some event his parents had organized. Taking care not to wake Peter, he crept to the door and stepped into the hall, easing it shut. Sirius was already in the living room, long hair tied up into a ponytail. Black strands framed his face, bouncing against his cheekbones as he turned to look at Remus.

He flashed the grin that Remus had pictured so many times while trying to fall asleep. “Moons! Ready for our run?”

Remus smiled back. “Shocked that you have this much energy this early.”

Sirius shrugged, still smiling. “I was just in a mood today. C’mon!”

The two walked out the door into the oppressive humidity of the east coast. The orderly streets full of pastel-colored beach houses were quiet in the early morning, the people inside still sleeping off the previous day of swimming and sunbathing. Sirius immediately stripped his shirt off, tucking it into his waistband.

“Fuck, it’s hot.”

Remus pretended to shake his head in disapproval, but his eyes were tracing the sloping lines of the other boy’s biceps, wondering how it would feel to wrap his hands around them. He swallowed the thought before also stripping his shirt. Sirius grinned cockily.

“And I thought you were judging me.”

Remus mock-bowed. “Why, never!” 

They started running, following the unpopulated streets to the beach. It wasn’t too far, and when they got there the sandy plains were mostly empty except for a few people walking. A bubble of laughter and conversation surrounded them, disrupting the early morning silence. They ran along the beach, listening to the waves lap against the shore as they sun came up. By the time they got to the Three Broomsticks, they were soaked in sweat and panting hard.

Sirius pushed his hair off of his forehead and mopped the sweat with his t shirt. “Hell, I’m never waking up early again.”

Remus laughed. “Hey, what about Belgian waffles?”

Sirius considered the waffles for a moment. “Hmm... You do make a very valid point. Maybe I’ll do it once more. As a treat for you, of course.”

They laughed before slipping their shirts on and going inside. The Three Broomsticks was Remus’ favorite restaurant on the boardwalk. The inside was quaint, with blue-checked tablecloths and pictures of patrons and vintage posters lining the walls. Natural light streamed in through the big windows facing the beach as a few other early customers ate and chatted. The brunch rush hadn’t started yet, so they were able to get a table close to the big windows.

Remus studied the boy sitting across from him. His eyes were gray and studious as he read the menu, with a hint of mischievous humor, like he might order blue eggs and burst into laughter before the waiter could say anything. Dark hair fell across his face before he pushed it back, still reading through the list of pancake varieties. 

Sirius glanced up before Remus could look away. “Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something in my teeth?”

Remus just smiled, hoping the flush of embarrassment would be written off as a result of their run. “Just wondering why you’re reading this more intently than anything else I’ve ever seen you look at.”

“Hey, I take my breakfast very seriously, Moons.” He pointed a finger at him, pretending to be stern. “And you should too. It’s an important part of the growing boy’s regimen.”

“Okay, okay.” Remus put his hands up in surrender. “But I know you’re just going to order what you always do.”

“I also like routine, Moons.” Sirius said, shaking his finger before returning to the menu.

A waiter walked over and introduced himself before taking their orders. 

Sirius pretended to think. “I think I’ll have... Chocolate chip Belgian waffles with strawberries and whipped cream.”

Remus shook his head at him. “I’ll have the same.” See, told you so, he mouthed. Sirius just rolled his eyes and smiled. 

The waiter took their menus and walked away. Sirius turned his full attention to Remus. “So, Rem. Lily tells me you have a little summer romance up your sleeve.”

Remus’ heart beat double-time. He’d confessed his crush to Lily, because he just had to tell somebody and he trusted her to keep her mouth shut. Technically, he supposed, she hadn’t told Sirius, but his legs bounced nervously like his deepest secret had been discovered.

Remus laughed awkwardly. “Well, I guess you could say that.”

Sirius cast an analytical look before sinking back into his chair. For a moment, Remus swore disappointment flickered across his face. Impossible, he reminded himself. Silence hung in the air thickly.

“Well, not quite a romance. More like useless pining.” He amended. He met Sirius’ gray eyes, and for once, they were unreadable as he studied him across the table. 

“Well, I think anyone would be lucky to have you.” Sirius said sincerely. “You should tell them. Who knows? They might feel the same, and you can have an actual summer romance.”

Remus smiled, a little sadly. “Yeah. Maybe.” He studied the tablecloth intently, a heavy layer of quiet laced with tension settling over them. They each pretended to be very interested in the cloth napkins.

Sirius cleared his throat, a little awkwardly, trying to break the tension. Thankfully, their waiter arrived with two plates stacked with thick waffles and glasses of fresh, bright orange juice. The arrival of food dispersed some of the binding silence and conversation flowed again as they dug into the hot, crispy-yet-soft waffles. 

They finished up their meal and paid the bill, setting out to walk back to the house. It was about nine, which was still relatively early in beach time. A few people were laying out towels and umbrellas on the beach. The sun was properly up, beating its hot rays down on the morning and dispersing the dew. Sea breeze carried the scent of salt as it ruffled their hair and scattered their laughter. 

As they got onto the more quiet streets, their conversation turned, once again, to talk of summer romances.

Why does he keep bringing this up? Remus thought. The last thing he needed was a reminder that the person he wanted most in the world was unattainable. The constant thought hung about his head like vines in a jungle, and he didn’t want to see those words personified as Sirius rambled on.

“I was really hoping this summer would finally be the one where I wasn’t afraid to speak my mind.” Sirius’ clear voice led Remus back to their conversation. 

A lump formed in Remus’ throat as he nodded. “Me too, honestly.”

They walked side-by-side, spilling out a little onto the lawns of the houses. Remus saw Sirius glance over, almost nervously, as he continued. “Yeah, I’ve sort of had this major crush on someone for a while. But I’ve never been able to tell them.”

Remus laughed, a little bitterly. How ironic that they were each in the same situation, yet Remus knew that Sirius could get anyone he wanted. He probably hadn’t told this mystery person because he wanted to see how long he could drag it out. Not that Sirius was cruel, but he couldn’t see any situation in which he simply couldn’t tell somebody he liked them. It just didn’t make sense. 

“Well, I think you should tell them.”

“Yeah?”

Remus swallowed thickly. What matters is that he’s happy, he reminded himself. All the useless pining in the world didn’t give him a right to impede Sirius’ happiness, or decide who he dated. “Well, if you’ve liked them for a while, then either they’ve figured it out or they’re too stupid to realize. Either way it would be a push in the right direction. And, you’re Sirius fucking Black.”

Sirius raised an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Remus pushed him lightly and smiled. “You know what it means, you egoistic dolt. Like you told me, anyone would be lucky to have you.”

Sirius smiled faintly, as if adding Remus’ words to a mental list. They continued walking until they were about a block from the Potters’. By now, Peter and James were probably being woken up by Mrs. Potter opening curtains and humming. Remus smiled to himself at the thought. He looked over at Sirius, who was deep in thought, brow furrowed. He wished he could see what the other boy was thinking.

All of a sudden, Sirius stopped. He grabbed Remus by the hand and pulled him so they were facing each other. Their chests were bare inches from each other, which Remus was hyper aware of as he looked down into his face. He was a few inches taller than Sirius, and being so close made that feel like a few feet. He could feel his soft breath as they looked into each other’s faces.

Sirius’ gaze was intense as he took a deep breath. He was still holding onto Remus’ hand and he gave it a subconscious squeeze, as if trying to gather confidence. They stood like that for several seconds until either of them remembered to talk.

“What-”

“Rem, I-”

They laughed a little breathlessly. Remus seriously thought that his heart would explode. All he wanted was to close the distance between them. But he restrained himself and settled for saying, “You first.”

Sirius hesitated a moment, before resolve hardened in his eyes. “It’s you.”

“What?”

“You’re the summer romance person. You’re the person I’ve liked for a while.”

Remus blinked. The words floated around his head before he was able to string them together. All he could do was stare back at Sirius, unable to believe what he was hearing. He felt like a fish gasping on a dry dock, unable to suck in air to form words. “I- um, I-”

Sirius stared back, expression alert as Remus floundered for words. Finally, he was able to peel the letters from his throat and force the sentence out. “It’s you too.”

They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, as the realization of their words settled around them like snow. Slowly, Sirius placed his hands on Remus shoulders, the around his neck, fingers tracing the muscles there gently. His hands shook Remus out of his stupor and he pulled Sirius closer, hands on his waist.

Then Sirius kissed him.

The kiss was everything a kiss should be. Deep in his stomach, Remus felt the same excitement from earlier in the morning return a hundredfold. Sirius’ mouth was soft and sweet from the waffles. They were so close, bodies pressed together despite the summer heat. He felt like a body of stars, constellations blooming on his skin wherever Sirius touched him. Adrenaline raced through his body as Sirius pulled back to look at him.

He smiled, softer than Remus had seen him before, a smile just for him. “I’d say this is my summer.”

Remus smiled back, hands intertwining behind his waist. “I’d say so too.”

[orangepeelers]

Trans Wizard Tournament Creator Sign Ups!

Here is everything you need to know for signing up to make content as gifts to the donors! Sign ups begin June 9th, 2020 and will end on June 20th, 2020 (exact time to be later determined). You can read the details here, or on the identical post on Dreamwidth, where you will also find the sign up form. You can ONLY sign up on Dreamwidth. Submissions on tumblr will not count. The form will let bidders know what characters (and potentially other fandoms) you feel comfortable writing, what types of works you like to create (fluff, angst, h/c, mature, gen, etc), what you absolutely will not write/draw/podfic/gif, and the length/size of work you are offering. At this point, it is just a vague outline of what sort of work you’ll end up creating. You need bidders to give you the specific prompt. But when offering, please keep in mind the following: First of all, as this is the Trans Wizard Tournament, your works must be centered around trans or non-binary characters and/or narrative. You don’t need to the focus to be about the fact that the character(s) is trans, and you are welcome to include other aspects of the LGBTQA+ spectrum, but when offering, keep in mind that you are offering to write these characters as trans, and make sure you note what aspects of that you are and are not comfortable writing, what might be traumatic, triggering, or difficult for you, and offer accordingly. Secondly, as this is a Harry Potter Fandom centric event, there are some restrictions on the subject of content, but I don’t want it to be too restrictive as to discourage people from participating. To that end, there are two major categories that are acceptable for submission. You work MUST CONTAIN either Harry Potter characters (both canon and AUs-settings are acceptable) OR the Harry Potter universe as a setting for characters of other fandoms explored in an AU. So feel free to offer other fandoms, but limit them to 2, in addition to the HP fandom, and include your character and pairing list for those, as well. In addition to traditional fandom content such as fic, art, vids, gifsets, etc, there is the option to offer labour. As outlined in the FAQ, this can be anything you are capable of offering, from beta and translation services, to offering to perform podfic, brit-picking, etc. While I know it is not the duty of our trans and nonbinary family to educate us, this could be a great opportunity for those cis-gender allies who’ve wanted to write trans characters, but have been hesitant out of fear of it coming across as inauthentic or offensive, to find someone willing to help provide trans specific beta work. If you want to contribute but are uncertain how, please consider this option. Again, just as with other work, note the length of works you’re willing to beta/translate/podfic and the manhours you’re willing to contribute.

Further details and sign up form are on Dreamwidth!

[orangepeelers]

pretty photographer

 read part 1 here!

the biggest idiots on the surface of the planet go on a date 

***

After Sirius had left, Remus sat down at his kitchen table and edited the pictures, waiting for Lily to get home. He could still barely process what had happened, with the unbuttoned shirts and tattoos and makeup... Safe to say, the editing was not going very quickly.

Lily finally got back at around 10, dragging an oversized canvas in with her bag of art supplies. Remus quickly slammed the laptop shut, where he had totally not been studying Sirius’ tattoos. 

“Where’ve you been?”

Lily laughed. “Geez, mum. Had to stay late at school to work on this stupid project.” She shot a look at the canvas that was taller than she was. “Stopped by at James’ on the way home. His roommate was there.” She waggled her eyebrows teasingly. 

Remus tried to sound casual. “Oh?”

“Yeah, sounds like the shoot went very well,” she said, walking to their small kitchen to brew a pot of tea. “Like maybe there will be a follow up meeting to, y’know, discuss how well it went.”

Remus got up from the table and swatted her arm. “Oh, shut up.”

“So what did you think of him?”

“Sirius?”

She rolled her eyes. “No, my great-uncle who you also met today. Yes, Sirius.”

He sighed. “Drop-dead gorgeous. Overwhelmingly confident. Tattoos and piercings and long hair... basically who I picture when I think of my soulmate. How could you not at least show me a picture beforehand?”

She smiled and shrugged. “Element of surprise. But you got his number, right?”

“More like he gave it to me while I was paralyzed with hot-guy syndrome. But yes.”

“And you’re going on a date with him?”

He sighed again. “Well, I don’t know... He’s way out of my league.”

Lily turned to face him. She studied his face thoughtfully for a moment, before slapping him across it.

Remus jumped about a mile. “Lily! What was that for?”

“You are seriously the biggest idiot I’ve ever met. You met your literal dream guy, he gave you his number, and you’re not going on a date with him?”

Remus thought for a moment while he rubbed his face. She was right, Sirius was his dream guy. And he had been flirting with him for the whole shoot... “Okay, fine. I’ll text him.”

She raised her eyebrows. “You better. You can’t go throw away James’ and my hard work just because you’re nervous.”

Remus couldn’t help but laugh. “Of course you and James are behind this.”

“Couples who plot together, stay together. Now go text him, before I drink all of this for myself.”

Remus poured himself a mug of tea before retiring to his room. He stared at the posters and photographs on his wall while he worked the nerve up to retrieve the slip of paper from his pocket. 

remus: hey is this sirius?

sirius <3: pretty boy! you finally texted

Remus blushed at ‘pretty boy’. The words made him feel all giddy inside, like someone had taken his stomach and turned it into a butterfly sanctuary. He grinned as he typed.

remus: well, i couldn’t stay away from a drop-dead gorgeous model like you, could i? 

sirius <3: my charms are pretty irresistible

remus: so i was thinking

remus: do you maybe wanna go out sometime?

remus: if not that’s totally fine

sirius <3: why wouldn’t i want to go out with someone as cute and thoughtful as u? 

sirius <3: not to mention a very talented photographer

Remus felt so happy he could scream. Cute and thoughtful? This guy was definitely not the garden-variety Tinder hookup

remus: i can’t take all the credit for the pictures. i do have the privilege of working with some of the most attractive people on the face of the earth

remus: so how about i pick u up saturday at 7? it’ll be a surprise

sirius <3: i love surprises

remus: saturday it is :)

A smile so wide he felt like it would crack his face in half spread across Remus’ face. He couldn’t believe he’d just gotten a date with someone so... Sirius. “Lily!” He called, “Saturday at 7!”

He could hear the grin in her voice as she called back. “See? Told you!”

That night, he went to bed grinning like a fool. The next few days were torturous as he counted down to Saturday. When the day finally arrived, the hours crawled by like old slugs. His heart wouldn’t stop going 100 beats per second. 

Remus mulled over what he should wear for what must’ve been at least 45 minutes. He finally settled on a thrifted green jumper and worn blue jeans, with his well-loved pair of brown converse. He quickly texted Sirius.

remus: btw i hope u like biking

sirius <3: i like anything as long as it’s with u ;)

He rolled his eyes but smiled like an idiot. Grabbing his red bag, he knocked softly on Lily’s door.

She opened it and nodded approvingly. “Here, let me take a picture so I can show it at your wedding.” Remus pretended to make a face at her but obliged, sticking up a peace sign. “Good luck with your dream boy!” She gave him an affectionate hand squeeze. “Not that you’ll need it.”

He laughed. “Thanks, Lil.” He squeezed her back before heading out the door and hopping on his bike. James didn’t live far, which was convenient for Lily, and he supposed, him as well. Before he knew it, he was knocking on their green door.

James opened the door and grinned his signature mischievous grin. “Oh Sirius, your prince is here to see you!”

“Bugger off!” Sirius quickly came to the door and gave James an unceremonious shove. He was dressed in black jeans and a Green Day t shirt, with a black denim jacket covered in patches, as well as yellow Docs. He snapped his fingers before Remus could open his mouth. “Damn! Hang on, I’ll be right back.” He rushed off quickly.

When he came back, he was holding sprigs of lavender tied with a green ribbon. Sirius smiled sincerely. “For you. Lily told me they were your favorite.”

Remus almost proposed to him right then and there. Before he could lose his nerve, he gave Sirius a quick peck on the cheek. “I love them. Thank you.”

The two stepped outside, Sirius dragging James’ bike. “Haven’t ridden one of these in years. My favorite mode of transportation is motorcycle.”

“Well, I hope you didn’t forget how to, because I have a spectacular night planned for us.”

First, Remus led them to his favorite secondhand bookshop. They locked their bikes outside and stepped in, reveling in the smell of old ink and paper. 

Sirius took Remus’ hand. “This place is amazing.”

Remus looked over at him and couldn’t help but smile. Sirius was scanning the shelves hungrily, drinking the shop in with his eyes. “I’m glad you like it.” He squeezed his hand. 

They wandered around the shelves, laughing at funny titles and pulling out the things that caught their eye. Sirius picked out an old book with photographs of couples in it for Remus “Because I’m dating a photographer!” and Remus picked out a book of plants, since he found out Sirius had been trying to start a garden. They paid for the books and left, Remus leading the way to their second destination.

They parked in front of a cheerful old Italian restaurant filled with warm light and people living. Remus instructed Sirius to wait outside. “I’ll only be a moment, promise!” He quickly walked in and came back out with three white boxes of Italian food. 

Sirius raised his eyebrows inquisitively, but Remus only smiled. “Let’s go to the last place.”

They arrived at Remus’ apartment building. Sirius grinned. “Oh, that’s the direction we’re going in?” Remus swatted him but laughed.

“Get your mind out of the gutter. Come on.” Remus unlocked the door and they climbed what felt like eons worth of stairs, talking and laughing the whole way up. Just before they got up the last flight, Remus made Sirius promise to close his eyes. He took his hand and they walked up together. 

“You can open them now,” Remus said softly. Sirius opened his eyes and scanned the area. They were on the roof, where they could see all of London sprawled out beneath them like jewels on velvet. Lights glimmered white and gold, illuminating the people and cars bustling about like small insects in a field. It was perfect.

“D’you like it?”

Sirius turned to face him. “I- I love it. This is incredible, Rem.”

Remus smiled at the nickname. “Here, help me set up.” He pulled the food and a blanket out of his bag, along with some matches and candles. They set the boxes down on the blanket and lit the candles. The air was cool enough for them to see the steam coming off of the fresh pasta and garlic bread. 

They dug in, and Remus was happier than he could remember in a long time. Sirius was an excellent conversationalist, not to mention the biggest flirt he’d ever met. They talked and talked until the last dregs of sauce had been wiped from the boxes, the last piece of garlic bread split in half. It was colder now, and Remus shivered against the wind. 

“Come here.” Sirius held his arms open and Remus sat between his legs, leaning his back against Sirius. His heart was beating so fast now, nestled against Sirius’ warm chest. He felt safe and his heart felt full. He wanted to freeze this moment and live in it forever. 

Sirius pulled Remus closer, rubbing his thumb against his shoulder. “Can we live here forever?”

Remus put his arms on either side of Sirius’ hips and turned around. “Yes, please.” They looked at each other for a very full moment before Remus closed the distance between their lips and kissed him. It was like no kiss he’d ever had before, sweet and full of warmth. Sirius’ lips moved gently against his, and he felt his cool lip ring against his warm mouth.  Remus placed his hands at the nape of Sirius’ neck, pulling them chest to chest and curving his legs around his lower back. Sirius’ hands roamed the soft regions of Remus’ jumper. They pulled apart for a moment, breathless. 

For once, Sirius was at a loss for words. “I- I’m... Um, I-”

Remus laughed and put their foreheads together. “Just shut up and kiss me.”

[orangepeelers]

Finished version of The Marauders Friendship Pic hihi

[orangepeelers]

stay professional

college au where remus is a photographer and sirius is a very flirty model inspired by this art!!

read part 2 here!

***

Remus glanced down at his watch. Shit. He was going to be late. He looked back at the long line behind him. He was next up, and plus, coffee. I mean, if I get some for the model, I’ll probably be fine, he reasoned. Which reminded him, he had no idea what this guy looked like. Lily had just grinned at him when she suggested James’ friend. He was probably one of those greasy guys who never emerged from their mothers’ basements. Or he looked like a frequent visitor of Epstein’s island. He shuddered.

When it was finally his turn, he ordered a hot coffee with cream and sugar, and iced tea for the model. He figured you could never go wrong with iced tea. The minutes stretched into an eternity as he checked his watch anxiously. The barista finally called his name and he rushed out of the coffee shop and down the street to his apartment. Outside, the most gorgeous human being he’d ever seen checked his cellphone. Arms covered in tattoos, his face full of piercings, his fingers full of rings. He was attractive in a how-the-fuck-is-this-possible way, with a sharp jawline and clear, gray eyes. Brushing his long, black hair out of his face, he looked up at Remus. This was James’ friend? Hell, Lily could’ve mentioned something so he’d have time to compose himself.

“Hey, are you James’ friend?”

He gave a low laugh. “’James’ friend’. Yeah, that’s me. Nice to meet you.”

“Sorry I’m late. I, uh, brought you an iced tea from down the street.” 

The model took the tea and nodded thanks. “Thanks.”

They stood there a moment, while Remus admired the way the light refracted in his eyes. He shook himself. “Christ. I’m supposed to open the door, aren’t I?” He laughed awkwardly, hoping the model hadn’t noticed him staring. Digging his keys out of his pocket, he let him in.

“Sorry, it’s a bit disastrous.”

The model looked around his apartment. “Homey. I like it.” Remus blushed in spite of himself. “Okay, so the set is in my bedroom. Out of the way of my roommate.” He quickly explained himself, turning his face so the other boy couldn’t see his face turning deep crimson.

“You live with Lily, right?”

“Yeah.”

He grinned. “Bit of a parallel, isn’t it? I live with James, you live with his girlfriend...” He trailed off, but Remus understood the implication. His eyes had a twinkle of... flirtation? Mischief? Both? Remus reminded himself that he was supposed to be professional. This was no time to be flirting with James’ mysterious, albeit insanely attractive, friend.

The model followed him down the short hall to Remus’ bedroom. He’d attempted to straighten it out, but the books still overflowed from the shelves in the corner, where his bed had been unceremoniously shoved to make room for the set. Photographs and movie posters covered the walls, as well as Lily’s art, which he had refused to let her throw out. 

Remus pointed at his bed. “You can sit there while I sort myself out. Sorry it’s messy, I had to rearrange everything for that.” He gave a small chuckle.

The model waltzed over, admiring the things covering his walls. “So, Lily’s friend. Do you have a name?” Remus paused, setting the lens of his camera down. 

“She didn’t tell you my name either, huh? Strange how she and James are dating and I don’t even know his roommates’ name.”

The model laughed again. “I’m Sirius.”

Sirius. Remus tested it out in his mind. He liked it. Sort of whimsy, just like him. “Remus.”

“Pretty name for a pretty boy. Nice to meet you, Remus.” Sirius stuck his hand out, eyes full of daring.

“Hey, you’re supposed to be the drop-dead gorgeous model.” Remus shook it and pretended make a disapproving face. The truth was, his heart was racing at the ethereal human being calling him pretty. “Do you mind if I put makeup on you?”

“Not at all. I’m a man who appreciates good eyeliner any day of the week.”

“Good.” Remus dug through his drawers until he found the makeup bag he kept for shoots. He sat on the bed opposite Sirius, close enough to smell the mango iced tea he’d brought him earlier. Sirius closed his eyes, allowing the other boy to brush his eyelids with pink and line his eyes. Remus could feel his heart beating so loud that he hoped Sirius was hard of hearing. After a few minutes, he stepped back to examine his work. 

“All done.”

Sirius’ eyes fluttered open. “Thanks.”

Remus was about to say No, thank you for letting me do that, but he refrained. “Now, go stand over there.” He waved his hand at the wall set up with a red sheet and plants. Sirius complied and hopped off the bed. He dragged the lighting that he’d borrowed from his professor in front of him and studied the way it struck his face, tweaking the lights until he had the desired earthy look. Remus could not lie, he was absolutely breathtaking like that. 

“How should I pose?”

Remus thought a moment. “However you want. Do what feels natural.”

Sirius had that twinkle in his eyes again. “Alright.” He sat down and spread his legs, bending one so it looked like someone lounging against a couch. Remus quietly sucked his breath in as Sirius unbuttoned the top several buttons of his shirt, slinging the open top over his shoulder. Beneath, even more tattoos splayed across his chest. Remus couldn’t help but wonder how it felt to run his hands across them, studying the lines with his fingers. Snap out of it. He scolded himself.

“Is this good?”

“Perfect.” So perfect, jesus. “Now I’m going to go for some wider shots before I move in for closeups.”

He adjusted the light and crouched down, holding the lens up to his eye. Sirius gave the best sultry-model look he’d ever seen into the camera. Remus took a few photos, and he couldn’t help but feel like those somber eyes were for him. Nonsense, he’s just modeling. Remus moved a little closer and zoomed in to get his face. If he didn’t do well on this assignment, he was going to officially lose it. Sirius’ olive complexion and gray eyes under that lighting... anybody would want to see that on a magazine cover. 

After a few new poses and adjustments, Remus felt satisfied with the pictures he’d gotten. He stood up and set his camera down. “I think that does it.”

Sirius relaxed from where he had been standing, not bothering to re button his shirt. “Not very chatty, are you?”

Remus was taken aback. He’d been so caught up in trying not to say all of the stupid things that went through his mind at 100 miles an hour that he’d forgotten to say anything at all. Shit. Now he’d blown his chance with somebody he barely could have gotten in the first place. “I’m just... I just get nervous in front of people I find attractive.” 

Sirius grinned cockily before Remus had a chance to regret what he said. “You find me attractive?”

Remus nodded, too surprised to do anything. 

“Well, Mr. Photographer, the feeling is mutual.” He walked up to the other boy and put his hand on the side of his face, studying it. Remus could barely move, frozen in time by those gleaming gray eyes. He was very aware that Sirius’ chest was still exposed, and they were barely standing four inches apart. Sirius dropped his hand and took a slip of paper from his pocket before pressing it to Remus’ palm. 

“Lily told me you were cute, so I came prepared.” He winked before turning and leaving his room. Remus stood there, stunned. His mind attempted in vain to sort what had just happened out, before he realized he should probably go out and thank him for modeling. He rushed out of the room and down the hall.

“Wait!”

Sirius looked up from the door handle. “Yes?”

“Thanks for that. For- for being my model, I mean.”

He smiled. “No need. I’d enjoy modeling a lot more if every photographer was as cute as you. You can thank me over dinner.” And with that, he turned the handle and left the apartment. 

[orangepeelers]

HOW TO DONATE TO BLM WHEN YOU HAVE NO MONEY

a black woman named zoe amira posted a video on youtube. this video is an hour long and filled with art and music from black creators. it has a ton of ads, and in result will rack up a ton of revenue. 100% of the ad revenue from the video will be dispersed between various blm organizations, including bail-out funds for protesters. it will be split between the following, dependent on necessity

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