#and the joy they give me is so incredible

[dorabellingham]

Vows in a rush

warning: none

characters: jude x fem!reader

summary: when after years of marriage you decide to renew your vows and he surprises you

may contain spelling and translation errors!

The afternoon was golden, tinged by the sunset that painted the sky with soft shades of pink, orange and blue. The place chosen by Jude for the renewal of the vows was a small garden hidden between hills, surrounded by ancient trees and wildflowers. It was a dream setting, intimate, just for you.

You had imagined that it would be a special moment, but nothing prepared you for what you saw when you approached the altar.

Jude was there, waiting for you, wearing an elegant dark suit that made him look even more handsome. But it wasn't just him. Next to him were Jayden and Oliver, your two boys, dressed in small suits identical to their father's. Jay, with his curls perfectly arranged, held a small pillow of wedding rings, while Oli, on his father's lap, looked around with curious eyes.

Your heart stopped for a moment.

The vision of them there, the three men of your life, waiting for you at the altar, was enough to make tears fill your eyes before even taking the first step.

-Oh, Jude...

You whispered to yourself, feeling your legs almost fail.

You held the bouquet harder and tried to take a deep breath, but the tears were already rolling freely down your face. You walked slowly through the improvised corridor, feeling his heart beating faster with each step.

When you finally reached the altar, Jude smiled at you, his eyes shining with emotion.

-You look so beautiful, darling.

He murmured, holding your hand.

You looked at him, then at the smiling boys, and sobbed softly.

-You took me completely by surprise, babe.

Jude laughed, wiping a tear from your face with his thumb.

-I thought it would be special if we did this together. You're not just my wife, Y/n. You are the mother of our children, the woman I want to live with every day of my life. I wish they were here to see this, to feel how strong and full of love this family is.

You bit your lip, trying to hold back your tears, but it was impossible.

The ceremony began in a simple way, only the two exchanging sincere vows, with the little boys as witnesses of the love that united them.

Jude held your hands gently and took a deep breath before starting.

-Babe, I chose you years ago, and I would choose you as many times as necessary. Since the day we said "yes" to each other, we went through incredible moments, through challenges, joys that I never imagined I could feel. You are my partner, my best friend, my home. With you, life is always worth it. Today, in front of our children, I want to promise once again that I will love you, protect you and make you happy for the rest of my life.

You sniffed, laughing in the midst of tears.

—Jude...

You tried to speak, but the voice failed from so much emotion.

He smiled, waiting patiently while you took a deep breath and tried to compose yourself.

-I've told you before, and I'll say it again... I would marry you a thousand times, Jude Bellingham. Not because I need to, but because you are the love of my life. From the moment we started this journey, I knew that it was with you that I wanted to grow old. You give me strength, make me laugh on the worst days, make me feel the most loved woman in the world. And, above all, you gave me the greatest gifts of my life: our children. So, today, before them, I promise to continue by your side, to continue loving you, to continue being yours, forever.

Tears ran freely down your face, and the man in your front couldn't hold back the emotion either.

Jay looked at the two, clearly confused with the crying, and pulled the bar of his father's suit.

-Daddy, mommy is crying.

Jude laughed and took his eldest son on his lap, while you held Oliver.

-It's because she's happy, Jay.

He explained, kissing his son's forehead.

Jayden looked at you with the most expressive brown eyes he had ever seen in your life and, in the purest innocence, opened his arms to you.

-I love you so much, mommy!

And that broke you completely.

You hugged the two boys and Jude at the same time, letting all the emotions overflow.

At that moment, in that small altar surrounded by flowers and love, you knew, more than ever, that there was no better place in the world to be.

[marauder-misprint]

I loved Nail polish & cologne, you are such an amazing writer! It's been so long since I read a decent version of Moony in a fic. You made me incredibly happy today 🫣

Sorry if it's rude to ask, any chance you could make a sequel?

Omg, I don't find it rude at all to ask for sequels/more parts to any of my writing! It's one of the highest compliments in my opinion! So, thank you 🥰

Also tagging everyone who asked for a part 2 in the replies/comments ❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎

Fresh parchment & perfume

Remus Lupin x reader

part one

2.3k words

cw: fluff, mutual pining, Y/N, angst if you squint

You want to murder Remus Lupin. 

Okay, not really. But you’re frustrated that he’s taken away one of your simple daily joys: staring at him during class. You’ve been caught staring at him multiple times now and you swear there have been times where he was looking at you first. This never happened before so why is it happening now? 

You come to a conclusion, but you don’t like it. It’s the only thing that makes sense though.

“Lily!” you yell as you enter your dorm and slam the door behind you. “What did you say?”

She looks at you like a deer caught in headlights. 

“About what? To who? When?” she asks, preparing her defense.

“About what I smelled in the Amortentia!”

“You never told me what you smelled,” she says, furrowing her brow. “I mean, I can assume, but you never actually told me. And who would I have told?”

“Oh, I don’t know, James, maybe?”

She laughs. “Potter?” Then she looked down at her hands. “I mean, yeah, we’ve talked a little bit and he doesn’t seem… as bad? But we don’t talk about you.” 

“Oh.” Your voice is small. “Never mind then.”

You collapse on your bed and Lily is sitting at the foot of it within seconds. 

“What gave you the idea that I’ve told Potter about your feelings for a certain quiet prefect?” she asks.

You lift your head to glare at her. You’re not in the mood. 

“He’s been looking at me…” you mumble, which causes Lily to fall into a fit of laughter. “Lily!”

“I-I… I’m sorry, but… that’s ridiculous and you know it,” she manages to say in between her laughs. “He’s been looking at you?”

“Yes,” you say firmly. “He’s never looked at me this much before”

You pause as you hide your face in your hands. 

“He must know and he’s trying to figure out how to tell me that he doesn’t feel the same way.”

“Or…”

“Or what?”

“Or he’s working up the courage to talk to you?” Lily offers.

“He can talk to me just fine. We’ve studied before. Played Summoner’s Court. Wizards’ chess. We talk.” 

“Okay, yes, you talk. But have you tried flirting with him?”

You bite the inside of your cheek. “No… But then why is he just staring at me and not talking to me?” 

“Why have you been staring at him and not flirting with him?” she shoots your question back at you. 

“I don’t need your logic right now,” you groan, rolling over to shove your face into your pillow. 

---

“Has she always stared at me this much?” Remus asks Sirius nervously as they lounge in their dorm. 

James was at quidditch practice and Peter had solo detention. 

“Can’t say I’ve paid much attention to her, Moony. Might be a better question for Prongs.”

“Why’s that?” 

“Because Y/N’s always with Evans? And he stares at her quite often. Come on, mate. Two plus two.” Sirius gives his friend a sympathetic look. “Have you talked to her at all since?”

Remus doesn’t answer, letting the silence answer for him. No, he hadn’t. The amount of times he’s caught you staring at him over the past two days is startling. Each time, you would turn red and look away almost immediately. He hasn’t been able to focus as much in classes, not when he knows you might be looking at him, not when Sirius thinks he might actually have a chance with you. 

“Have you… oh, I don’t know, considered talking to her?”

“Padfoot,” Remus says tiredly. 

“You can’t ask a girl out without words.”

“You would know.” It comes out more as a sigh. 

Remus doesn’t want to admit it, but yes, out of the Marauders, Sirius had the most experience with girls. But whether his “expertise” could actually be trusted was up in the air. He never stayed with a girl for too long and he wasn’t sure if it was his choice or a result of his actions. 

“Yes, I would know. And if she has been staring at you as much as you claim, even if just these past few days, ask. her. out.” 

“What if she’s just been zoning out? You know, when you stare but you’re not really looking?”

“She’s just been zoned out in your direction multiple times a day?”

“Yes.”

Remus knows it sounds ridiculous, and that’s only enforced when Sirius chuckles from the window where he’s smoking. Then he’s standing up and offering Remus one. 

“Stop being so dense,” he says. “And so hard on yourself. I know what that voice in your head is saying.”

Remus takes the cigarette and follows Sirius back to the window.

“And what is it saying?”

“That you’re not worthy of love or attraction, that you’re not attractive. So how could lovely Y/N actually like you when you’re, well, you.”

“Yeah. Thanks,” Remus says dryly before taking a drag. 

“Oi, not saying any of that’s true.”

Remus rolls his eyes. 

“Ask. her. out. And you’ll see that you’re wrong.”

The two boys sit on the window ledge for a while, each going through a few cigarettes. Silence fills the room. Sirius is more than content to just let his brain empty while Remus’s mind is running circles around itself.

Was he imagining the blush when he caught you staring? Were you staring because you liked him? Were you just staring into the distance and turning red because you realized you were staring at a person? How often did you stare at him? Was it because of that Potions lesson? What if you were staring near him and not actually at him? Was he being narcissistic to think you looked at him? He sat by Peter, James and Sirius in every class. It was very logical to think that you were staring at one of them. 

“Shit,” Remus mutters.

“What?” Sirius’ voice sounds far away despite being right next to him.

“She’s been staring at you.” 

Sirius laughs.

“No, Pads, think about it. You’ve been next to me every time I’ve caught her staring. It makes so much sense!”

“Moony. You’re delusional,” Sirius says. 

James enters the dorm. Sirius’ eyes light up.

“Prongs, help me out here!” Sirius calls as James throws his bag down on his bed.

“Yeah?” 

“Y/N. Has she been staring at me or Moony in class?” 

“I’m not getting in between you two if you’re fighting over a girl,” James says, laying down on the floor near the window.

“Not fighting over a girl,” Remus says, giving Sirius an annoyed look. “Padfoot just figures you’d know who she stares at, if she’s staring at all, since you, you know, stare at Lily.”

“I do not!” James exclaims as he sits up rapidly.

Sirius laughs, “She’s not in here and we know you do. Don’t lie.” He pauses for a moment to light a new cigarette. “For Moony’s sake, does Y/N stare at him during class?”

James slowly lays back down while giving Sirius a wary look.

“I swear, if I get hexed for answering…”

“Not going to hex you!” Sirius says.

“She stares at Moony. A lot. Think she pays more attention to him than lessons.”

“So she’s gone for you!” Sirius barks, clapping a hand on Remus’ knee and causing him to grimace. “Fucking told you!”

---

You make a serious effort to not look in Remus’ direction during classes. It kills you. It’s been your habit for years and you’re quitting cold turkey. You’re both grateful and mortified that Remus hasn’t called you out for it; he can’t call you out for it if he hasn’t talked to you. 

It doesn’t help that Lily has started gently nudging you every time Remus enters a room or sits remotely near you. She doesn’t have to say anything for you to know what she’s thinking. 

“You’re the first thing he looks at when he enters a room,” she whispers during Transfiguration. 

“Or he’s looking for the Marauders,” you retort just as quietly. 

“Yeah, right,” she says sarcastically. 

Professor McGonagall flashes a harsh look in your direction and the two of you fall silent. You’re thankful that she didn’t call you out, or worse, ask you to share what you were talking about with the class. That would have been mortifying. 

You’ve been successful in your mission to not stare at Remus so far, despite the insatiable urge to do so pulling at your eyes. You swear, the man is magnetic. It doesn’t help that Lily has suddenly become relentless in her nudging and subtle poking.

“What?” you hiss, looking down at your notes.

“He keeps looking this way.” 

You roll your eyes and turn your attention back to McGonagall. While Lily’s words stoked the flame of hope in your heart, you didn’t need to be losing house points for not paying attention. 

When class ended, Lily put her things away at record speed.

“Potter! Wait up!” she calls, leaving you behind.

You frown as you briefly watch her go. You usually walked to your next class together. You knew that she smelled something like James in the Amortentia and that had fueled her new friendship with him. And as much as you liked seeing your friend this happy, you didn’t like that it meant walking to your classes alone. 

Except when you exit the classroom, you aren't alone. Remus is right at your side. You walk in silence for a few paces. It’s not uncomfortable but it’s charged. Despite the other students in the corridor with you, you swear you can hear every step you take. It doesn’t help that you can feel your heart beating in your throat. 

“How’ve you been?” you ask. You keep your face straight, knowing that if you look at Remus, you’ll likely trip, fall and embarrass yourself.

“Oh… I’ve been relatively good.” He pauses momentarily. “James hasn’t shut up about what he smelled in the Amortentia.” 

You try not to laugh. “Lily’s not been too shy about it either. I think she’ll say yes sooner or later.” 

Remus gestures ahead of you to where the two are. “Seems like it.”

Silence falls between you again. You were used to being with Remus in the quiet; that’s how it usually was when you studied in the library together. Except that was different. When you studied, you had your books in front of you and you were both scribbling away, scrawling on  parchment until your inkwells ran out. 

“Did you really smell the library in the Amortentia?” you ask, breaching the silence. You’re not really sure what made you ask, but something inside of you needed to know.

“Erm, yeah. Yeah, I did,” he answers. He’s not looking at you in the same way you’re not looking at him, meaning you’re both trying to gauge the other’s expression in your peripheral vision. “What did you smell? You got pretty quiet after smelling the potion.”

“Oh, um, I smelled… nail polish, chocolate, parchment,” you listed off with a glaring omission. 

Remus let out a breath that he wasn’t aware he was holding. He didn’t want to admit that he was disappointed in your answer. He was hoping you had smelled something more obviously him. It didn’t register in his brain that he was the chocolate and parchment you smelled. 

“That all?” he asks hesitantly. 

“Was the library all you smelled?” you retorted defensively. 

You saw his features tense. 

“Was it?” you repeated, more gentle this time, like talking to a scared child. 

“It was the library. Everything that encompasses my usual visits,” he starts to say as he turns to look at you. “The books, fresh parchment, ink, your perfume.” 

You stop walking. Remus notices immediately, having been watching you and your expression. His heart is racing in his chest. He can’t tell if your reaction is good or bad, based on your wide eyes and sharp intake. You swallow, looking up at the taller, scarred boy next to you.

“My… perfume? You smelled me?” you ask. “You smelled me in the Amortentia?”

Remus flushes with embarrassment. He feels like he should’ve known better than to trust Sirius on this. He was a self-proclaimed ladies’ man afterall. 

Remus nods. He doesn’t know if he trusts his voice, but then he starts rambling.

“I thought… Sirius said you couldn’t look away from me so he said I had a chance, but obviously, if you don’t feel the same way… I don’t want this to change anything between us. I don’t want it to be awkward. I really value our friendship. I’m so sorry if I just ruined it, but I like you. I really do. I have for a while, but I’ll try to stop if it makes you uncomfort-”

“Remus,” you say firmly as you grab his arm. 

He stops talking immediately. His eyes search yours for an answer that he realizes he probably cut off. 

“What do you always carry with you and share with me in the library?” you ask, your voice just as firm.

“Chocolate?” His brows bunch in confusion.

“And what you always, always have a fresh roll of?”

“Parchment?”

“And… I may have smelled one more thing. In the Amortentia.” You took a breath. “Your cologne.”

“My cologne?” he echoes like how you had repeated him earlier. 

You wait for him to connect the dots, pressing your lips together. 

“So you smelled chocolate, parchment and my cologne?”

“Don’t forget nail polish.”

He chuckles. He takes your hand that’s on his arm and holds it in his own. 

“What you’re saying is that I do have a chance? That Sirius was right?” 

“Sirius was right,” you laugh. 

“In that case, would you like to come with me to Hogsmeade this weekend?”

“I would love to come to Hogsmeade with you, Remus,” you answered with a smile.

Maybe Sirius does know a thing or two about girls, Remus thinks as he walks with you to your next class. 

Tags: @oursweetmoony, @pinkdaiisies, @iloveremmy, @3sriracha, @auntjezzy

[callme-holly]

𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 [𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫]

a/n: thank you so much to @puckbunnystuff for the request. so sorry it took me so long to get back to you !!

Darry Curtis:

Darry won’t ever admit it, but he treats you like damn royalty. You’ve got him at your beck and call, and he will do almost everything for you. 

If you need to carry something, he’ll take it off your hands no matter how heavy it is and won't accept any arguments. He will always walk on the outside of the path, making sure you’re away from the road with his hand protectively on the small of your back. If you so much as mention being tired, he’ll force you to relax whilst he finishes whatever it was you were doing. 

Sodapop Curtis:

Soda spoils you and isn’t even ashamed to admit it. He showers you in compliments, telling you how pretty you are, how nice your outfit looks, and how perfect your hair is. He’s always   you little gifts, such as flowers or jewellery, refusing to let you pay him back and shrugging   your thanks like it’s no big deal.

If you need anything, he’s doing it for you before you can even finish asking him. If you’re cold, he’s giving you his jacket; if you’re tired, he’s letting you rest on his chest. 

Ponyboy Curtis:

Pony isn’t as flashy as the others, but he still cares about you deeply and treats you like a princess nonetheless. He’ll write you sweet little notes and slip them to you randomly and will feed you compliments like a second language.

He’ll randomly come and sit with you, playing with your hair to relax you or pulling you against him to make sure you’re resting and comfortable. Most of the time, he’ll offer to do things for you before you even realise they need doing.

Johnny Cade:

Johnny is so incredibly gentle with you and treats you with so much care that you might as well be royalty at this point. He notices the smallest things, such as when you’re uncomfortable, and will be at your side in seconds to fix it. 

He’ll always stop whatever he’s doing to help you. If you trip, he’s catching you before you can even register that you’ve stumbled. If you’re cold, he’ll wrap his jacket around you, ignoring the way the chill seeps into his own bones. If you’re happy, he’s happy.

Dallas Winston:

Dallas might not seem like the type, but when he likes someone enough, he will spoil them. It’s not rare that someone sticks around like you do, so he will spoil you rotten to show how much he cares for you, even if he never says it.

He’ll do everything he can to keep you happy, even if that means getting into trouble. He steals all sorts of things for you, going as far as stealing you nice clothes and jewelry. If anyone disrespects you, he’s handling it immediately, and while he acts tough, if you so much as pout at him, he will absolutely melt and give in to you. 

Steve Randle:

Steve loves treating you like a princess, like it actually brings him joy knowing he makes you happy. He’s always showing you off, bragging about how perfect you are to everyone, and it probably drives them insane, but he doesn’t care.

He’ll insist on driving you everywhere, and the passenger's seat is yours. No one else is allowed to sit there, even if you’re not in the car. If you mention that you want something, he’s rushing out the door to get it for you no matter what it is. 

Two-Bit Mathews:

Two is another one of the guys who spoils you rotten, and he doesn’t even care. He’ll playfully call you princess and bow to you whenever he feels like it, loving the way it makes you smile. 

He always lends you his jackets or shirts, even if his wardrobe isn’t particularly large; he just loves seeing you in them and knowing you’re warm. If you’re upset, he isn’t hesitating to find out what the issue is and will always try to cheer you up as best he can. 

[apenitentialprayer]

Okay, time to reveal I am one of those Catholics, I guess, because I feel that this post is begging for a response. Because even if you kind of get it, the second paragraph shows you don't get all (or even most) of it. And before I continue, I want to say that the question of whether or not the Christian community should be affirming for the LGBT community is an important one, because this issue has real and concrete ramifications on people, some of whom I love personally and deeply, all of whom I am supposed to love compassionately. But this is really about a deeper issue that you sort of but unsatisfactorily touch upon in your original post. Because the Catholic Church makes an insanely high-stakes truth claim: that She is the institution founded by Christ, in which His Mystical Body subsists, who is indefectible in her loyalty and inerrant in Her teaching. That does not mean, of course, that the Church's positions and stances cannot change. There have obviously been many times where the Church has clarified its position on something, which narrows the spectrum of stances that Catholics can take, even if it means excluding stances that were historically permissible; the Church can rearticulate its positions to make them more intelligible to new cultural contexts; the Church can even shift orientation in its policies to suit new social contexts so long as those policies don't violate the essential teaching; but what the Church is not supposed to be able to do is contradict itself on defined teaching. That's why, for example, I didn't think it was a big deal back in 2018 when the Church rejected the death penalty despite permitting it in the past; it expressed this teaching in such a way that it was clear that the death penalty still was not considered intrinsically evil, but the social conditions have changed enough that there are sufficient available alternatives that to make use of it is no longer justifiable. And, to put more of my chips on the table, that's why:

I would not be upset (I would even like it) if the Church was to soften its stance on no-fault divorce, provided it continued to be as equally stringent about the fact that marriage is indissoluble and that those who do divorce should not remarry.

I would not automatically leave if the Catholic Church were to start to ordain women, but I would need a really, really, really darn good explanation for it if I am going to stay.

I can foresee hypothetical situations in which a Catholic-Orthodox reunification could happen in a way that would require me to admit that I was backing the wrong Church.

I would have to leave if the Church ever declared that it was not sinful to have sex outside of marriage, as defined as one man and one woman in an indissoluble covenantal relationship.

And about the Church affirming homosexual relationships? I guess it depends on what you mean by affirming. I was happy to hear that the Italian Church no longer considers being openly gay an obstacle to entering the priesthood. I was incredibly delighted to hear that the Canadian bishops affirmed that love of whatever orientation finds its origin in God. I was also happy that the Nordic bishops said "in so far as [the aspirations of the gay rights movement] speak of the dignity of all human beings and of their longing to be seen, we share them." I loved Fiducia supplicans and the joy that I saw it brought to some members of the Catholic LGBT community. And when Cardinal Fernandez, the head inquisitor of the Catholic Church, suggested that part of pastoral responsibility for those living in regions where homosexuality is criminalized is "training [for] the defense of human dignity?" Elated. And in the realm of hypotheticals, I would even welcome a situation where the Church was to reintroduce adelphopoiesis as a liturgical pathway for gay couples. But if the Church were to declare that gay sex was not sinful, I would have to leave. Not because it would destroy all that is good and life giving and meaningful in Catholicism, but because it would mean that the Catholic Church is not what She claims to be. And whether that means I would be setting sail to investigate the viability of Orthodoxy's similarly high-stakes claim, or switching to a more humble branch of Christianity like Episcopalianism, I am unsure. But leaving would not be because I need gay people to suffer for my faith to survive (I would accept every action short of violating the Truth to eliminate that suffering), but because I had been wrong to have assumed the Catholic Church was the firm foundation set by Christ. Because if the Church were to completely reverse its stance on this issue, it would either have revealed itself to be defectible (if gay sex is sinful), or that its two millennia of unanimous teaching on this subject was errant (if it actually isn't). But, if the Church is what I think She is, this whole reply is a moot point, because She will not change her stance on this issue to the end of time.

lol I love when straight catholics are like if the church affirmed homosexuality i would leave bc she'd clearly be wrong and it'd undermine fundamental catholic doctrine cus like. I do somewhat get it. it'd certainly put a question mark over simplistic ideas of church authority. it does undermine credibility of the church and perhaps even of Christianity as a whole.

but also. the idea your faith is actively resting on not affirming gay people and would be destroyed if you discovered it was otherwise - that gay marriages would annihilate whatever else you found in Christianity that's good and life giving and meaningful - that feels a bit personal lol. and it's functionally saying 'I think lgbt peoples suffering is not just a sad fact of life but necessary for my own faith to exist; you need to be alienated from God so I can have my certainty Im doing the right thing'

[veritas-scribblings]

3. out of control | words: 2,325 | M for some mild sexual content | jegulus, platonic prongsfoot, some polyamory, implied bartylus, subtle "really read between the lines" rosestarkillerchaser | [early morning <- previous part | next part -> home]

(October, 1982)

James knows that something will go wrong the moment he sees them walking in. It begins when all the blood in his body immediately pools south the moment he lays eyes on Regulus. Regulus with his pale-yet-flushed cheeks. Regulus with his silky hair that falls into his eyes in loose curls. Regulus with his half-unbuttoned shirt, which should be illegal because James can see his chest. 

James wants to debauch him.

But he can’t. He can’t because Lily is across the room. He can’t because Sirius is here, and everything is already fragile and incredibly loaded. He can’t because…because…because everything. And he doesn’t know what to do. James has managed to keep everything so very, neatly separate and compartmentalised for so very, very long.

But now he feels like everything is about to explode.

It’s Dorcas’s birthday; the one time when their social circles overlap. Marlene, being Marlene, planned this elaborate event with promises of ‘much lubrication’. Because she’s filthy like that. And because Marlene is Marlene and really likes drama, and Dorcas obviously has her own friends, they’ve managed to convince Regulus to make an appearance.

Regulus, unfortunately, comes attached with Barty Crouch Junior and Evan Rosier. It was the only way they could get Regulus to agree to attend.

And James knows: everything is going to explode.

The music is loud; Marlene has amplified it with a Sonorus charm and James can barely hear himself think. Across the lounge, through the throng of bodies, Lily is behind the makeshift bar brewing cocktails. The ‘Lily Special’, Marlene calls it, tinged with magic that makes you sing or breathe bubbles. Mostly harmless stuff. But Barty has been fighting to get his ‘Barty Special’ behind the bar, which James knows isn’t the best idea. Mainly because of where the ‘Barty Special’ got him last time. 

“Lookin’ morose, Potter. All broody.” Marlene elbows him between the ribs. She drops herself down onto the couch beside him and passes him a drink: one of the Lily Specials. James’s agitation is giving Marlene far too much of a thrill, because Marlene is a little shit who gets joy out of other people’s discomfort. 

James cautiously sets the drink aside. Though he wants to down it to try and drown his worries, he knows he’s going to need a clear head to avoid future fuck-ups.

“What’s got your pants in a knot?” Marlene asks, conversationally. “Let me guess. Your ex-girlfriend is behind the bar brewing drinks, getting everyone lubricated, a strong, independent woman. Your best friend looks like he wants to murder someone. Maybe you. Maybe his brother. Your boyfriend, his brother, who you happen to be shagging also looks like he wants to murder someone. Maybe his brother. Maybe your ex-girlfriend. More likely you, because you, James Potter, have been avoiding him all night.”

Fuck it. Because she’s right. He has been avoiding Regulus, and Regulus has been furious about it, hitting him with icy-cold stares of death all night. And James? James is weak. James is a coward. James’s Gryffindor lionheart has wilted and died.

Sirius has never seen them together, and James is just not prepared for the fallout.

James downs the entire ‘Lily Special’ cocktail in one go, a smoking, pearlescent concoction. Swallows too much air. Hiccups a glistening, shimmering bubble. The bubble smells like lemon. The cocktail tastes like peach. It’s damned confusing.

Marlene is right. Sirius sits on a the bench by the bay windows with the darkest, angriest expression James has seen on him in a very long time. He’s watching someone across the room. From the looks of things, he’s been watching that someone for a while. Intensely. Hands gripping his cocktail glass, which surprisingly has yet to shatter under the pressure of his grip.

“Does it bother you, Potter, that they actually look like they’re about to fuck,” Marlene asks casually. She takes a sip of her drink, all innocent like, and smiles up at him sweetly.

“They who?” James asks. A bubble escapes his lips when he speaks.

Marlene elbows him again and nods across the room to the spot Sirius is staring at. She’s right again, he realises. They do look like they’re about to…fuck.

Barty has Regulus in his arms, holding him so closely they may as well one one. All tangled limbs. Leg between Regulus’s. They’re kissing. They’re moving together to the music. Grinding. Barty has his face buried in Regulus’s neck. Regulus has his head thrown back. He’s getting off on it, James knows, because James knows that look.

He has taken something. Most likely a ‘Barty Special’.

And of course Sirius wants to murder someone. James had been wrong; Sirius wants to murder Barty. There's darkness, there's anger. He’s most likely plotting just the murder might go down.

“Huh. So I was under the impression that Crouch is dating Rosier. And that you’re dating…baby Black…but that…” Marlene seems to note that James is not upset, he’s merely annoyed, because she shrugs and holds a hand up and says, “Hey, look, I’m not about to judge your sex life. Whatever kinky shit’s going on in your bedroom…or their bedroom…”

“Fuck,” James mutters. The song changes to ‘Back in Black’. He feels the beat pounding like a pulse in his chest; it gives him the internal boost he needs. “Shit. On a disaster scale of 1 to 10?”

“12,” Marlene says firmly. “I reckon, if you don’t want anyone losing an eye or an appendage, I’d intervene, like, ten minutes ago.”

James sighs and scans the room. Evan is leaning up against a wall by the door, shadowed, like he’s trying his damndest to avoid human contact and ensure his own ability to flee. James shoves his way over. “You go get your boyfriend,” he says, “and I’ll go get mine.”

Evan snickers and leans back against the wall, folds his arms over his chest. “Why? I’m enjoying the scene.”

“Look.” James grits his teeth, feels the heat of a memory flush in his cheeks, draining down his neck. He’s probably tinged red, and maybe he could pretend it’s the buzz of the alcohol, but he knows it’s not. And Evan knows it too. “I don’t need anyone…asking questions.”

“Embarrassed?” Evan drawls. “Hogwarts is a distant memory, and yet you’re still…such a Gryffindor. Besides, not the scene I’m enjoying. Not that it they’re not hot and all. How long do you think it’ll take before his head explodes?”

He means Sirius, who is still staring intently at Barty and James. Every once in a while, Sirius looks over at James like James will have a lot to answer for later. After Sirius is done freezing him out.

“I’m not emb—” James groans, frustrated. “I just mean, if you don’t want Sirius having a go at Barty…”

“Barty can handle himself. I’m pretty sure he’s taken Sirius on before.”

James rolls his eyes. He can handle this himself. When he stalks off, he sees out of the corner of his eyes Evan reluctantly following him.

Barty and Regulus are still wrapped around each other. Barty practically hisses when he see’s James. It is not unusual for the territorial heart that resides inside the little freak. It’s more than likely, James figures, that Regulus is upset with him and Barty is protective on his behalf.

Evan wraps his arms around Barty’s waist and pulls him backward, and James carefully works on untangling Regulus’s limbs. Regulus sighs and lays his head on James’s shoulder. 

“You’re a bitch,” Regulus says into his neck. They sound like Barty’s words.

He’s drunk, James knows. He’s also some level of high. Cheeks flushed, Regulus kisses James's neck and James has to cut off a moan when Regulus’s hand dips between them and he cups James’s crotch and he massages gently.

“Hey, hey, no. Not here. Sirius is watching,” James murmurs by Regulus’s ear, pushing his hand away. When Regulus makes a fussy sound and tries to leave, James traps him in the circle of his arms.

“You taste like fireworks,” Regulus says, nipping at his chin. He smells sweet, like coconuts and vanilla. His tongue, his lips work a pathway up James’s neck, causing James’s breath and heartbeat to quicken. He can feel it pulse between them.

“Love, what did you take?” James tries not to groan, but Regulus is so damned handsy, which is unusual for Regulus. And stress and arousal have been James’s companions all night. “Let’s go get you a drink…some water.”

James pulls Regulus over to the couch, where Marlene is still planted watching everything unfold with great interest. He tries to deposit Regulus onto the couch, but Regulus doesn’t let go and they go tumbling forwards together. 

When Evan arrives with Barty, planting himself between Regulus and Barty for good measure, James notices Sirius storming off across the room.

“Fuck,” he swears, “Evan, get him a—just make sure they don’t do anything stupid.” James races after Sirius, pushing his way through the crowd. 

Sirius is sitting on the door step outside smoking, a terrible habit he’s picked up recently. It’s dark outside and the autumn air is fresh with a slight bite to it. Sighing, James drops down next to Sirius and draws his knees to his chest.

Wordlessly, Sirius passes James the cigarette. James takes a drag, coughs up a lung, and passes it back. 

“It’s…” he hedges. “...he’s plastered. I think…Barty gave him something.”

“Barty Special,” Sirius comments. Takes another long drag from the cigarette. “He’s such a fucking arsehole.” He casts a sidelong glance at James and rolls his eyes. “I’m not mad at you, so you can stop looking like I’m going to rip your head of. I know what they’re like. Everyone knows what they're fucking like."

Letting out a long breath, James leans back, laying down on the ground, half in the house, half out of the house. He can hear the beat of the music in the distance, the chatter of voices merging into a single, shapeless blob. 

“I gave you my blessing, didn’t I?” Sirius says solemnly.

James blinks up at him. “Um…no? I think your words were, 'I don’t want anything to do with this'?” Sirius had frozen him out for a long time when James had admitted that he was quickly and hopelessly falling for Regulus. 

“Well, I maintain that. I am not in the least bit interested in details.”

“And I, too, am not in the least bit interested in giving you any details,” James agrees eagerly, sitting up.

“Good, I’m glad we’re on the same page.”

“Okay, so, what’s eating you, Pads?”

Sirius lays his head down on James’s shoulder and sighs a long, drawn out sigh. He tucks himself under James’s arm, snuggling close, staring up at the night sky, which is clear and speckled with stars. “Can’t see me, this time of the year,” he says.

He doesn’t want to talk about it, James knows. He’s bothered about Regulus—Regulus, who still won’t talk to him—and it has nothing to do with James, apparently. Maybe it doesn’t even have anything to do with Barty? It likely has to do with whatever occurred between the brother way back after their parents died. Something they won’t talk about.

James nudges Sirius and Sirius makes a fussy sound, so remarkably like Regulus that it leaves a weird, uncomfortable feeling in the pit of James’s stomach. “Well, what did you go with? Boils? Bat-bogey? Good ol’ fashioned quartering?”

“Death by a thousand lashes,” Sirius says darkly. “Slowly.”

James hums. He pulls Sirius down over to the lawn and they lay on the ground again. The sky is clearer like this; it gives Sirius comfort.

It gives Regulus comfort too. They’re similar like that, though they’ll never admit it.

“Barty isn’t half-bad,” James comments. “Sometimes I think you guys’d get along smashingly if…if you didn’t hate each other so much.”

“You’re nuts,” Sirius mutters. “That doesn’t make any sense. Too many blows to the head in quidditch practice, Prongsie. Gotta get you guys helmets.”

“He’s just…weirdly loyal.”

James doesn’t need to look at Sirius to know that Sirius is rolling his eyes. “Tried to literally murder me kinda loyal. Or you forgotten that so quickly?”

“Violent tendencies aside, he’s okay,” James says. He can’t explain it. Barty is insane. The kind of chaos where you’ll always see him coming, you just won’t know what he’s about to do. He’s territorial. He loves to bait people for the drama.

But James…sometimes he just doesn’t mind Barty. Sometimes he likes him. And maybe it’s…

James clears his throat and tries to shake the images away. It feels wrong thinking about it around Sirius. The way he can feel the heat in his blood rising and spreading and pooling. Feel the heat in the memory of those hands on his skin.

“I won’t say anything,” Sirius says quietly. He’s staring up at the sky, tracing the constellations, James knows. He won’t look at James because Sirius does not do feelings. He's practically allergic to them.

“He’s okay,” James says. “He’s good. Regulus is good. He…got the job at the apothecary. Still plays quidditch on the weekends. Oh, he’s trying to grow this rare herb at his house for these potions he’s brewing at the apothecary. And then his cat ate it, and we had to take it to the animal healer. It was this whole thing.”

James turns, looks at Sirius, who’s resting with his head on James’s arm. “I tell him about you,” he says gently. He talks to Regulus about Sirius, and Regulus doesn’t say anything. Much like Sirius, he is always quiet, but he always listens. 

Sirius hums and closes his eyes. He rolls into James’s arms. He smells like smoke, and he’s a little bit tipsy. Sirius won’t say anything, James knows. The way that Regulus won’t say anything. Because both brothers are too stubborn. Too proud.

And maybe that’s wherein the problem lies.

[clericofthebalance]

Kyle Adam’s you glorious bastard how dare you

How dare you bring grantaire to life in the most beautiful perfect heartbreaking touching devastating way. You terror of a man. How dare.

The joy and cunty swagger of your little flips, the way you touch all the Ami’s to show how desperately grantaire loves them. The way you portrayed how Enjolras is his sun and his heart. The gentle teasing and hugs and hair ruffles with gavroche, the love of a father doing his best. The way you show how gavroche is his world and his stars. The teasing everyone, especially javert about his obvious obsession and attraction to Jean.

I am still Devastated from the last battle. The way you just portray the grief of a parent losing their child. The frozen fear, the resignation, the pain. The catatonic way you clutch him to you, you shake him to wake him up because no no no he can’t be dead. The way you cling to Enj and he clings to you in that one moment of forgiveness and farewell. The cry as you climb the barricade, his desperation to be with his friends and his sun and his stars again.

You sir are a menace and an inspiration. You are grantaire and you will always be him in my heart from now on. Thank you, sir, for giving my favorite darling all the love he deserves. I love you so much.

If you see this and you want, please send me someway to send you a bottle of wine and a card. Thank you. I am shook.

Also Christian Mark Gibbs: you are amazing and incredible and you look like Apollo. I love you and you, sir, emotionally devastated me as well. Thank you!!!

[sillysturns]

⋆˚｡⋆୨✧୧˚ 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔 ˚୨✧୧⋆｡˚⋆

𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓂𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒹𝑜, 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓇𝑒𝓂𝒾𝓃𝒹 𝓂𝑒, 𝓌𝒽𝓎 ℐ 𝒻𝑒𝓁𝓁 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓎𝑜𝓊…

synopsis: just being in love with matt

Sometimes you think your heart will explode with how much you love Matt. There are moments when your love for him just hits you like a ton a bricks. You look into his big blue eyes and fall in love with him all over again.

There are those small, everyday things your boyfriend does that really make your heart smile. It could be the way he laughs at your jokes, or how he remembers your favorite snacks. You adore the way he surprises you with random texts just to check in, or how he always knows when you need a hug. It’s those tiny acts of kindness that show he cares and makes you feel special. They might seem insignificant, but they mean the world to you. Every little moment counts, whether it’s him making you coffee in the morning or sharing a silly meme that reminds him of you. These sweet, simple things are what make your relationship unique and full of love. It’s all about appreciating those little sparks of joy.

When you’re together, You love the way he always finds reasons to make you smile. Sometimes it's a quick joke, other times it’s a goofy dance in the kitchen while makes craft mac and cheese because he has no other cooking skills. Those spontaneous moments of love light up my heart. He has this incredible ability to turn an ordinary day into something special, simply by being his self. It’s in those moments of joy that you see how deeply he cares, making even the simplest moments unforgettable.

authors note: this is ass!!! im gonna try to be more consistent and write more but I need requests GIVE ME IDEAS

matt is so bf <3

divider credits to my queen: @bernardsbendystraws

love ya, from maya [happy]

[tcifob]

Angel City Opens 2025 Pre-Season Training Camp

Rico Cabrera, Sr. Feb 2, 2025

*[ACFC Forward Christen Press]

(On being able to play another year after returning from injury last season)……“I never thought I would be 36 years old and still playing. I wonder if it was because when I became a professional, there wasn’t a professional league like this. It sort of felt like a shooting star career and as long as you could be a US women’s national team player, it was worth it and otherwise not.”

“Even wanting to continue to play for me shows how far it has come in those 14 years. I’m really proud to be playing. We saw a mass exodus and so many retirements from my peers, which I think we self-proclaimed ourselves as the ‘golden generation’ 2015, 2019 World Cup Champions.

“To be going through such a long recovery and my very first injury of my career, I was balancing so many complex emotions. When I started the year in 2024, I had had my four surgeries and my goal was to play in a game, a single game, and I almost thought it would be a goodbye game. I almost thought that I had lost my mind for even trying because the reality of my circumstance was telling me I couldn’t.”

“How many surgeries does one get before they’re deemed insane, right? As last season progressed, the gift of my injury really allowed me to start seeing the world from inside my body and really being in tune with what my body wanted and needed. I got to experience the sport in an entirely different way.”

(On what drives her to keep playing)…“It is a blessing to be outside in the sun and a blessing to be able to smell the grass. To play on a team with so many women and balance teamwork, camaraderie, leadership, mentorship, and the exchange of energy when we play together. There’s nothing in the world that can bond a group of women together more than sports. It is a great privilege to be able to experience the joy of playing soccer with people I admire.”

(On how she embraces her role in teaching younger players)…“I want to make sure our young players that I do share a locker room with have all of the things they need to develop not only as humans, but also as soccer players. What we do have in our locker room that is special is a desire to help each other through mentorship and teamwork that is special and rare. A lot of that was created because of what it stands for to play for this club.”

“My favorite part of last season was getting to work with our young players. It is a crazy thing when you’re twice the age of one of your teammates, but getting to show them what worked for me and allowing them to make it better has been incredible.”

“We have so much young talent in our locker room, and each one of them has different strengths, some that I’m able to relate to more than others, but there is always something that we can give and receive.”

(On newly added Sporting Director, Mark Parsons)…“I know that he will have an eye on development. I know about the professionalism he brings to this environment and that we’ll be able to create an environment that’s individualized for a veteran player and for a young player as well.

[tkwrites]

I've been trying to clear out my camera roll these past few days. I've got a habit of screenshotting things to remind me to go back when I have time to actually read it. I came across a bunch of bts asks you answered, which I'm a sucker for!

If you have the time or want a break from whatever you are working on now, I'd love to know any initial thoughts or a directors cut/thoughts you'd like to share. For any of your works that you've not previously shared about, the list is probably quite long, so a lucky dip of sorts 🥰

I've had this in my inbox for a while now, but I wasn't sure what behind the scenes to give you.

As I was working on Hawaii today, I was looking through an old document so I could pull some ideas into the new plot and I remembered something about Five Days of Joy.

That entire family reunion fic bloomed from two scenes: Sarah and Quinn making out on the couch, and the first time he sees her in her black bikini. The black bikini scene was originally a flashback in the Hawaii snapshot.

It's wild to think that 1,000 words of what was supposed to be nothing more than a plot device spun out into a 16,000 word multi-day snapshot. I’d forgotten about that fact until I opened the old document to pull some detail into the new plot.

I've put both the original and the updated version of this scene below the cut. Warning for mild spoilers of the upcoming snapshot of the Hughes's in Hawaii before the Sarah and Kylee show up to surprise their guys.

The only time her cover was nearly blown, she had all her swimming suits laid out over her bed, deciding what to pack when Quinn called her over face-time.

“Are you going somewhere?” he asked, when she sat at her desk and propped the phone up so she could continue to curl her hair while they talked. 

Trying to keep her voice level, she told him a partial truth, “Eunice and I are going to the beach tomorrow. I was just deciding which suit to wear."

They were headed to the beach the next day, though Sarah usually didn’t pull out every swimsuit she owned for an outing like that. 

He immediately jumped on her story, "not the black one."

"Why not?" She asked, glancing over her shoulder. "I thought you liked that one."

"I do like that one, you look incredible in it." 

Incredible wasn't quite the best word - she could be on the cover of Sports Illustrated in that bikini.

The first time he'd seen her in it was at the family reunion earlier in the summer. She'd come out of the house, laughing and talking with his aunt, and he'd completely lost the thought he'd been sharing with Luke.

It then continued on the same as it does in The Family Reunion.

Here's how it goes in the new Hawaii Snapshot:

“Oh, damn,” she said as the scrunchie she’d been getting ready to wrap around the end of her curler flicked off her fingers, sailing into her closet. 

When she got up to retrieve it, he got a clear view of her room. His eyes were immediately drawn to the riot of color covering her bed. Her space was usually very tidy, but today, she had a bunch of swimsuits spread out over her patchwork quilt.

“Are you going somewhere?” 

Sarah stopped, mentally cursing herself for letting the hair tie get away from her. If it hadn’t, he wouldn’t have been able to see the suits she had spread out so she could decide what to pack. 

“Hu?” she asked, deciding to feign ignorance. cos

“You have swimming suits spread all over your bed?” 

Jack glanced at his mom with wide eyes upon hearing that. He was going to be so pissed if Sarah was about to blow the surprise.

Trying to keep her voice level, she told him a partial truth, “Eunice and I are going to the beach tomorrow. I was just deciding what suit to wear.” 

They were headed to the beach the next day, though Sarah usually didn’t pull out every swimsuit she owned for an outing like that. 

He jumped on her story immediately, "not the black one."

"Why not?" She asked, glancing over her shoulder at the offending garment, where it lay on her pillow, already in the yes pile. "I thought you liked that one."

"I do like that one, you look incredible in it." 

Incredible wasn't quite the best word - she could be on the cover of Sports Illustrated in that bikini.

"So I can only wear it around you?" she teased, bringing him back to reality. 

"Well, no," he flustered, caught in his imagined jealousy of some guy seeing her at the beach with her friend, thinking she was hot and single. 

She laughed. "I promise I'll wear it the next time we go to the beach together."

Hope you enjoyed this BTS, and that it's getting you excited for the upcoming Snapshot!

[scoriarose]

It makes me happy, divers make notifications of my girls baby photos and fond memories appear. And it's happy seeing those again. When it's just one, sometimes I wonder if someone has a super deep queue, or in diving this one post was especially meaningful or significant to them.

It's kind of like seeing a rerun of your favorite TV show, yeah I saw it before but I like seeing it again.

I'm also the sort that likes deep diving my own camera roll - 95% of it is my pets. I wonder what someone's camera roll says about them? Probably a lot, honestly.

ok i just got this thought out of nowhere but blog divers (people who scroll through a blog and reblog things that were posted YEARS AGO) are actually a super important part of the tumblr ecosystem

With people going inactive and deactivating, a lot of classic tumblr posts and also missed gems get lost because those connections get broken. Even on my own blog I forget about posts I made until I see someone in my activity reblog one of them- which then inspires me to reblog it myself because it was a good post and I want my new followers to see

do not feel bad about diving through someone's blog and reblogging shit from years ago, it keeps dashboards alive

(and if anyone has a problem with that, they can just block you or they can delete the root post ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, two things that have absolutely no effect on the grand scheme of our lives)

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

The indescribable tension between an overworked and underpaid smut writer, and his biggest fan hater.

(for @frummpets)

[mosstrades]

happy january 12, 2025. it's pacific rim day and designations is back up on ao3 and i feel like my heart is going supernova dude. im tearing up.

[princeparadiso]

they mean a lot to me

[vaguely-concerned]

from the vibes you get from him in the short stories I don't think emmrich would ever do this (he seems very sweet and personable, honestly), BUT it would be extremely funny if over the course of the game he met dorian and made subtle fun of him for being a mooaboo (mortalitasi weeaboo, to be clear).

dorian really went to nevarra on holiday with his family once as a teenager, saw the goths there doing their locked tomb flavoured fuckery with all the bells whistles and bones, and then made that his entire personality and professional expertise for years even after he returned to tevinter. he's a nerd. he's a second hand goth. he's gay. he broke the fabric of space and time as a side project in university. he has alcoholic tendencies apparently inherited from his mother and immaculate fashion game. he cheats at chess. he loves fereldan beer but would rather die than admit to it publicly. he's a magister now. he's allergic to stripweed. I'm in tears I just love him so much

[fromtheseventhhell]

Remember George's outline notes that had "joy of giving" and "mercy at the gate" for Arya? Mercy is crossed out and we obviously have that as her sample chapter, so what if Arya's next alias is "Joy"? Over-thinking the significance of that phrase and how it could apply to the rest of her Braavos arc🤔

[undefeatablesin]

Not Yharnam posting, but I need to tell everyone that Phantom in the Rain was fantastic and I have had my brain chemistry permanently rewired since watching it.