#dorlene fluff

[not-rab]

Dorcas: I told Marlene that her ears turn red when she lies

Regulus: Do they?

Dorcas: No

Regulus: Then why did you tell her that?

Dorcas: Because i can do this!

Dorcas: Hey Marlene! Do you love me?

Marlene, with her hands covering her ears: No.

[loserboyfriendrjl]

“don’t go,” dorcas moaned, lazily wrapping her fingers around marlene’s wrist.

“i have to,” marlene groaned, peeling off her shirt from the floor and starting to button it up. “order business, you know how it is. i’ll be back by the evening, i hope.”

she hummed, letting go of marlene and stretching against the mattress, like a cat that caught the canary. “okay. take care of you, sunshine.”

“course i will, i always do.”

“yeah, right.”

marlene winked, biting her tongue. “i promise,” she said, leaning down to kiss dorcas on her forehead. “bye, love.”

dorcas watched marlene leave the room, blowing her a raspberry, then grabbed the daily prophet from the nightstand.

[miss-star-dust]

Okay, now I've finished Crimson Rivers, does people have fic recs that are full of fluff???

Because CR and the Christmas season as a marauders fan has really provided me with enough angst for a lifetime.

Fluffy fic recs???

Can be any marauders ship idc, I just need fluff overload to balance out the angst.

[whore-for-fluff]

marauders as texts between me and my girlfriend p3 <3

james to regulus because he’s dramatic

regulus (grey) to james (green) about sirius and remus (he has had enough)

peter (green) to james (grey) about remus and sirius smoking in their room

sirius thinking he’s funny

james to regulus but scared

marlene mckinnon, folks

sirius (green) to marlene (grey) about regulus

james to regulus, fighting for his life 

remus (grey) to sirius (green)

marlene to dorcas, with regrets

part one / part two

[triggerlil]

Microfic: until there was you

@sapphicmicrofics: Genuine

Marlene McKinnon/Dorcas Meadows | 128 words | also on AO3

Dorcas doesn’t think she’s ever been genuine in her life. That is, until she meets Marlene. Marlene, who dances with Pandora when there’s no music playing, smokes cigarettes behind the broom shed with Lily, and tries in earnest to study with Mary even though their grades are worlds apart.  The summer after graduation—her last chance before being forced into adulthood—Dorcas decides, fuck it. She finds Marlene in the Potter’s backyard, sunbathing with a book open in her lap. James's parents are abroad, he and Remus are at the shops, Lily and Pandora are somewhere, Sirius is passed out in the living room, and Mary’s already got a job. "Marlene." "Hiya, Dorcas. They kiss (finally) under the blistering sun, and Dorcas has never felt so comfortably herself.

[enbysiriusblack]

Bright crimson red lips, tilting upwards as she taunts, small dimples appearing with it. Her eyes, a chestnut brown, flickered with green and gold; a swirl of a forest that the golden snitch flies through every now and then. Freckles that grow with the sun, darkening in the summer's warmth. Piercings scattered from ears, to eyebrows, to nose. Gold rings and studs shining, claiming her in glory. Dyed blonde hair, too short to tie but flows and spins high in the wind. A smell of grass, and wood, lavender, and bleach trails after her. Her hands stacked with rings and old nail polish, always moving, strumming and tapping to a beat only she can hear. Muscles showing through any clothing, opposing her short stature. Band tees and leather, ripped tights, and baggy trousers, converse and trainers, jerseys and fishnet. Loud laughs that fill the room, and heavy footsteps, never a moment of silence. Everything is loud and vibrant with her. A never-slowing or stopping wave of noise and movement. She is loudness. She is music. She is joy. She is everything. Everything.

Dorcas swore, "I'm in love with Mckinnon."

"Yeah", Regulus shrugged, "We know."

[not-rab]

EXACTLY MY FIRST THOUGHT WHILE WATCHING THEM WAS ‘DORLENE’

why haven’t the heartstopper lesbians been used in dorlene edits tho

[doodlemcjazzhands]

A little dorlene couch cuddle for @uhhlifeig

[alpha-canis-major]

The Slytherin Skittles sitting by the black lake

Barty: So Evan, about that date on Friday?

Evan: Shagging in the morning instead of the evening barely counts as a date Crouch.

Barty: Yes it does! Dorcas, shagging in the morning counts as a date right?

Dorcas: If it's just shagging and nothing else afterwards, it's only a date if you didn't share a bed the night before.

Evan: Thank you, at least someone agrees.

Barty: Fine, we won't share a bed the night before.

Evan: Oh you're such a pretentious arsehole, Reggie are you hearing this?

Regulus: Huh?

Pandora: I think Regulus is a bit preoccupied with James Potter and his current lack of a shirt.

Pandora:*passing him some water* Here, you look thirsty.

[vampbloodbunny2]

Girls Remus

🤝

,, it's that time of the month"

[crescenthistory]

e.9 w/ regulus pls, i'm on my knees 😭

this is technically a steamy prompt, but gosh this grew real sugary sweet really fast lmao. hope you enjoy the drabble, love<3

Prompt: E.9 "Use your words, sweetheart"

Words: 1.3k

Warnings: implied smut (mdni), not proofread, loads of cursing, talks of sex, background dorlene and rosekiller, established relationship, slight implied d/s dynamic where reader is d, regulus is a Quidditch Player™ but also easy to fluster, marlene is not a quidditch player in this (blasphemy, i know), gn!reader

Note: i could make a part 2 with actual smut, but this is what came to me rn

Perhaps your favourite part of your boyfriend is how multifaceted he is.

Because when you first met him, in all his moody brooding, repressed emotions, dry sarcasm and school-orientation, you never could have imagined how fervent Regulus Black could get about quidditch. The same Regulus who rolled his eyes painfully hard at his brother and friends's jock habits, as he referred to them as, the same Regulus who polished his Head Boy pin multiple times a day. Somehow, it was the same Regulus you saw run into a slam-hug with Barty on the field once they landed, with wild eyes and tousled hair after catching the snitch that just barely secured Slytherin’s victory against Gryffindor.

“Bloody fucking yes!” You could hear the boys’ exclamations clutter against each other in the air as they hollered their celebrations. 

A wide grin was glued onto your lips as you cheered and clapped with the crowds surrounding you in the stands. Marlene’s voice was bursting your eardrums as she cheered specifically only for Dorcas while grumbling over Gryffindor’s defeat – a complicated day for the blonde.

On the field, Regulus turned from his friends to scour through the stands before his eyes found yours and somehow he smiled wider. Your heart soared every time you saw his carefully crafted mask slip to reveal true enjoyment. His smile grew cheeky as he blew you a kiss with a flourish you knew he would never let fly so publicly had it not been for the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

“Breaking from Slytherin’s passionate celebrations, Regulus Black is taking the opportunity to show his wonderful partner some love.” Pandora’s soft voice booms through the amplification spell as she wraps up her commentary for the game. You grow bashful in your cheering, especially when Marlene elbows you with her wolfish grin, but you don’t cease your clapping – and you don’t break eye contact with Regulus as he walks backwards towards the locker rooms, only tearing away when he has to.

The team are some of the last people to enter the Slytherin common room for the rager that always follows matches with Gryffindor. This time, it was put together by a few fifth years who seemed to consider them their personal heroes – you had overseen some of the decorations just to ensure there were no pictures of Evan with hearts drawn around them, lest Barty get murderous in his partying. 

They were a sight as they walked in with their wet hair from showering and still that crackling atmosphere of sheer joy and perhaps a twinge of earned arrogance.

Dorcas is the one who announces their entrance. “We won, bitches!”

The room erupts into cheers as Marlene runs to lift her girl up, twirling her around as they giggle through kisses. You would have smiled at them in admiration for longer, had your own attention not been reserved for a certain set of black curls.

Regulus is at the very back of the group, just behind Evan who had Barty all but draped over his shoulders, a small smile seemingly etched onto his lips. You were torn between petrifying his face so it could never move from that beautiful expression, and hiding it from the world with an array of kisses. You had a feeling he was partial towards the latter. 

“Nice of you to finally show up at your own party, love,” you say cheekily, as he greets you with a murmured amour before pulling you into his arms for a tight hug.

He smells like his soap and cologne, having cleaned himself up as attentively as he always did. Maybe someday you could convince him to sit in the sweat for a bit, reeling in the victory.

“The hero who caught the snitch.” Your voice is low and teasing, only really intended for Regulus as your arms around his neck.

Barty is never one to miss something though, head picking up from his huddle with a maniacal grin. “Hells yeah,” he yells, cutting through the lively chatter of the room. “Reggie, our hero!”

Everyone erupts into cheers, hoots and whistles – definitely not for the last time of the evening – as Regulus bashfully hides his face in your neck, still not broken away from your embrace. You giggle into his ear, clearly pleased with the teasing attention he receives, to which he pinches your side. When you yelp and swat at him, he comes out of his hiding with a smile that he finally presses to yours.

His kiss receives some more hollers, but they are nothing but murmurs to you as his soft lips mould to your own. You deepen the kiss, trying to get impossibly closer as your blood warms. You’re sure he can feel it emanate through your clothes pressed to his or your palms in his hair.

“Hi,” he whispers when you pull back, foreheads pressed against each other.

“Hi there, seeker. Ready to go celebrate your acts of valour?”

His eyes remain trained on your lips as you speak, which only makes your smile more teasing. He doesn’t answer you right away, holding you close by the small of your back as the party picks up around you. 

“Or did you have something else in mind, player?” You cock an eyebrow at him.

He realises you have read him like the books you bond over, and gives you a few rapid pecks to make up for it. “You know me too well,” he laughs.

“I think I know you the perfect amount.”

“Then you know the only one I want to celebrate with right now is you.” Regulus’s eyes are a beautiful mix of dark and soft as he stare at you, adrenaline seemingly ebbing out of him as he just melts into you and his prescribed lovesickness.

“Silly boy,” you whisper against his lips before giving him a slow, open-mouthed kiss where you tug his bottom lips between your own. “You already have me.”

“You know what I mean,” he all but whines back between kisses as you move to his upper lip. 

“Hm, maybe.” He recognises the glint in your eyes as you pull back to look at him. “Use your words, sweetheart.”

Almost all softness seep from his face as it takes on a hungry quality that his reserved for only when you use that tone.

“Minx,” is all he whispers before his hands slide to find yours, squeezing them as he begins to pull you through the crowd.

“Oi, Black!” Dorcas yells as she sees your figures sneak your way between people with apparent haste. “The fuck you think you’re goin’?” Just from her voice you know Dorcas has had a drink, as her accent has thickened. 

Before either of you can respond, Evan drags her down by the elbow to the sofa he’s sprawled across as he drawls, “They’re going to celebrate dearest Dorc.”

A spat ensues between the two at the use of her least favourite nickname. Regulus has the decency to grow slightly pinkish at that, but his hold on you remains close and you can all but feel his jitters through his touch.

Barty looks at you two upside down from where he lays balancing on top of the sofa. “You nasty fucking pigs,” he grins. “Enjoy yourselves heartily, but get your butts down here to have fun with us too when the adrenaline wears off.”

You snort as Regulus only grows more red. You give Barty a wink as you begin leading the way, dragging your boy dumbly behind you. “We will, Junior, don’t you worry.”

“Bye, Treasure!” Barty calls behind you as you run up the stairs towards the boys dormitory. Regulus’s hand is hot in yours and your stomach tingles in anticipation – but more importantly, your heart aches with pride and love for your hero seeker.

[loserboyfriendrjl]

“sometimes, i wonder what would have happened if we never met,” dorcas said, the grass blades long and wet against her skin.

“i wouldn’t have fallen for you, that is what would have happened,” marlene answered, like it was the simplest thing in the world. “do you think it would have been better that way?”

“not at all.” dorcas rolled over on her side, looking at marlene. “i just wonder if we would have been the same, had we never met each other. it could have been like that, in another universe; i mean, i lived with a muggle father. maybe, in other circumstances, he wouldn’t have let me come.” she said, glancing at her. “maybe. we’ll never know.”

“i wouldn’t think about it.” the other woman grinned, covering her face with her back of her arm. “aren’t you glad you fell in love with me?”

“i am absolutely delighted.” she smiled.

they were still laying in the grass, and dorcas would soon join marlene in eden, where they would be one and the same once more.

[accio-sriracha]

The Water Is Fine

A Jegulus Oneshot

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

"Come in, the water is fine!" James called to Regulus, his eyes holding a challenge.

Regulus watched him with amusement from the shade of a nearby tree. He didn't swim, this was a fact they all knew well. James, however, didn't seem to care, inviting him for the third time that evening to join them in the lake.

Regulus watched his brother's concerned expression as he swam over to James,

"Mate, you know he doesn't get in the water." He said, "What's the point in trying?"

James brushed him off, his eyes never leaving the boy resting beneath the tree,

"Sure he does." He said it loud enough for Regulus to hear, "He'll get in eventually."

"You're really going to do this right now?" Regulus called back.

He had to admit, he was a little impressed by James' persistence. James shrugged,

"It's as good a time as ever, isn't it?"

Regulus knew the words had double meaning for them, but pretended not to notice as he sighed and stood up, marking his place in his book.

The rest of their groups were there as well. Mary, Lily, Marlene, and Dorcas were having a chicken fight off to the left. Alice, Frank, and Pandora were diving to collect things on the lake's floor. Sirius, James, Peter, and Remus had previosuly been playing catch with a quaffle, before James turned his attention to Regulus instead.

Barty and Evan were... well, we probably should focus too much on them.

They all turned in suprise as Regulus stepped out of his shoes, resignation written on his face, and walked towards the water's edge.

"There he is!" James called grandly, holding his arms out, "The man of the hour! Come join us, the water's nice and warm!"

If they hadn't been shocked before, they definitley were now as Regulus actually stepped into lake.

"Will you shut up already?" Regulus hissed at him, "It's fucking cold, you liar!"

He continued to mutter under his breath as he made his way to James, "Always fucking pissing me off- Never have one good day with my books, can I-"

James waved him off, "Stop whining, you'll get used to it."

"Regulus what are you doing?" Sirius was openly staring at him in shock. Regulus didn't spare him a glance, too focused on where to place his feet,

"Coming over to kill your best friend, that's what I'm doing." He gasped when a place in the water was particularly freezing.

He didn't like the feeling of everyone's eyes on him, since they suddenly decided he was more exciting than whatever it was they were doing before.

He rolled his eyes. He was in the water, so what? Just because none of them had ever seen him step foot in the lake before doesn't mean it was that big of a deal.

"I thought you didn't swim-" Sirius started again, dumbstruck.

"He doesn't." James' smile was bright, the kind of all-consuming smile that made you forget the rest of the world existed.

As Regulus got to waist high waters the familiar trickles of fear started to kick in.

Sirius had a right to be surprised, nothing scared Regulus more than this feeling.

He was toeing the ridge he had been looking for, where safe standing water met the expansive depths underneath. A drop off so sudden he was surprised nobody had died in it yet.

But as he looked up, his heart slowed. He trusted James. James would make sure he was okay.

He watched as James nodded reassuringly, his breathtaking smile easing Regulus' nerves. Regulus nodded back, reminding himself again that James would keep him safe.

So, much to the panic of everyone else, he turned around, leaned back... and fell.

Right off of the ledge and into the drop off. Water splashed up around him. He sunk five- ten feet and falling fast.

Above the waves there were shouts, his friends pushing through the water to save him because, obviously, Regulus couldn't swim.

James, Sirius, Barty, and Mary were the stronger swimmers of the group, the latter three racing against the current to get to him.

But Regulus wasn't waiting for any of them.

In seconds there was a body pressed against his own. Warm hands against smooth skin, the zooming rush of water around them.

Yes, there he was.

James held him against his chest, using magic to propell them quickly through the water. Regulus could never get enough of this feeling, like he was flying.

As they burst up to the surface of the water again he could just barely make out the gasps from their friends.

They flew through the waves, Regulus' hands looked pale against James' tanned back from where he clutched James close.

And they were quite a sight to see, bright smiles and Regulus' shrieks of laughter, James weaved them this way and that, sometimes twirling them up into the air before dropping them back down.

It was a bit of water bending magic James had learned to keep Regulus safe when he was trying to teach him how to swim a few months ago, a deal they'd made in private to save Regulus the embarrassment.

Eventually, when Regulus' fears had proven too great, they'd given up on learning and starting using magic to push them across the waves instead. He and James had come here all the time since then, getting faster and faster at it, James continuing to try out new tricks.

James kept his hands wrapped tightly around Regulus' waist, his own laugh was wild and free.

Regulus leaned happily into James, he could feel James' heart thump rhythmically against his chest.

James rolled them over so Regulus was on his back when he stopped the spell. Regulus gripped James' shoulders tightly, as he always did when James swam them back to the safety of the shore.

This was where James had developed the habit of calling Regulus his starfish, because he held fast onto him when James was swimming; like a starfish to a rock.

Regulus remembered the first time he'd said it, when he'd lectured James for making fun of someone with such a large fear. It turned out to grow on Regulus, and now he could only find the name endearing.

"Show off." Regulus called over the sound of the water, leaning back so he could feel the breeze on his face.

James looked back at him, eyes shining, "Only for you." He smiled.

They made it back to a level Regulus could stand in and James carefully dropped him off, holding him steady until he was sure Regulus was okay.

Sirius stormed over to them, hitting James' arm repeatedly,

"Never. Scare. Me. Like. That. Again." He said, each word punctuated by a punch, "You could have hurt him! What if he'd drowned, Prongs? What then?"

James threw back his head in a laugh, moving to hide behind Regulus,

"I didn't do anything!" He protested. Dodging his next few attempts to attack.

Barty made it to them next, glaring at Regulus,

"I thought you were fucking dying you arsehole!" He shouted, "I had to leave Evan to save you! Do you know how hard that is?"

"Oh the horror. You had to stop making out for three whole seconds." Regulus teased.

"What the hell was that?" Evan demanded as well, looking between James and Regulus as he trudged through the water to the four of them, "I've never seen anything like that before."

James and Regulus shared a look. James cleared his throat,

"We've had some practice." He started slowly, "It's a thing we've been working on-"

"Wait, you've gotten in the water before?" Marlene asked, amazed, as the rest of the group appeared.

"Just a few times." Regulus told them.

"More like every weekend." James snorted, as always beginning to speak before he could think, "You practically begged me last time-"

Regulus cut him off with a threatening look.

Sirius was staring like he was seeing a ghost. Regulus could imagine why, he probably wasn't used to seeing Regulus like this, usually so cut throat and intense, suddenly laughing and beaming and clinging to Sirius' best friend of all people.

"I didn't even know you guys were close." Lily frowned, confused.

Regulus bit back a smile, glancing at James as also he tried and failed to control his expression. The light reflecting off the water made him look even more beautiful.

James wrapped an arm around Regulus' shoulders, "You could say that."

Regulus rolled his eyes again, "Prick." He hissed under his breath. James shot him a flashy grin.

Finally, it seemed to click.

"Holy shit." Barty took a step back, "Evan, they're-"

"I know, B."

"They're-"

"You don't have to say it, B."

"Evan, they're fucking each other!"

Evan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "I thought I just told you not to say it?"

"You're together?" Peter called incredolously. James smiled, turning Regulus to face him fully. Regulus knew what was happening even before Jamesx eyes dropped to his lips,

"Jamie, no-" Regulus started, even though he was already melting against his touch.

"Jamie, yes." James replied, all smug smiles and firm hands as he pulled Regulus into a kiss, right there in front of everyone.

Regulus broke, leaning his forehead against his chest when they pulled away.

He'd never felt guilt and relief so simultaniously. It was like a weight lifted off his shoulders just to remind him of all he'd done wrong to get it there.

"You're together?" Sirius repeated quietly, still watching them with that same expression. Remus' hand was placed gently on his back, a motion Regulus often did to James to calm him down. He knew it well, Remus thought Sirius was about to explode.

"We were planning on telling you, it's only been two weeks since we actually got together-" James began nervously.

Regulus swallowed hard, Sirius was the person they'd been most anxious to tell, worried about how he'd react.

"This is fucking amazing." Sirius called, pulling them both into a crushing hug, "Merlin, my brothers! I'm so happy for you both!"

Regulus wasn't sure surprised was quite enough to cover what he was experiencing right now. He needed something more intense, somewhere around the intensity of a nuclear bomb might cover it.

"You're okay with it?" James asked skeptically, his hand intertwining with Regulus' seemingly without thought.

Sirius laughed, "Well it sure as hell beats thinking Regulus was going to drown." He replied, "But, honestly, I'm happy for you guys!"

People took their turns congratulating them, eventually, when the excitement had passed and everyone went back to their own activities again, Regulus turned to James,

"Can we go again?" He asked, giving him the look that he knew made James fold every time.

"Yeah, we can do it again." James laughed, pressing a kiss to his forehead, "I love you."

"I love you too." Regulus smiled, taking a deep breath in as he walked over to the ledge. He nodded to James, who was already muttering the spell under his breath.

And off they went once more, flying through the water in their own peaceful little bubble.

Regulus had never been more happy than he was right then, with James holding him close and all of their friends having fun in the distance. No more secrets. No more lies.

He found Sirius' eyes when James swam them back to the safer water, his smile was filled with approval.

Regulus relaxed against his boyfriend, there was no place on earth he would rather be.

[not-rab]

i live for badass pandora 🤭💫

Dorcas: Hey Dora, what crystals get rid of toxic people?

Pandora: sharp ones.

[jaioes]

‘A bite of peace’ short film scene paintings. More of a painterly style for this once since it felt like it needed it .

Short film by the mischief productions!

[moutainrusing]

Hi,

🍬treat: Euphemia and Fleamont finding out about Jilly

Please

For many reasons, James did not want to tell his parents about Lily. He was going to list them all now, just for the sake of it.

Firstly, this relationship with Lily was new, and it felt like a precious jewel was lodged in his throat whenever he called it a relationship, because would it last, or would he have to let it go, cough it up, lose the jewel and pretend he’d never had it in the first place? Because it was something small, delicate, and if he made it something big, then would Lily slip between his fingers? Would she get fed up with James’s tendency to blow everything out of proportion?

Secondly, he’d never actually told his parents about his life-long love for Lily… James had vociferously declared his dedication at school, but with his parents… it just never came up? Or James never brought it up. They’d probably think he was too young. His parents had met in their thirties, the acceptable age, in their opinion, for finding romance, if one wanted it. Before that, it was about focusing on goals, to achieve one’s dreams, to get a job and love it. They encouraged James to chase his aspirations, find something he was passionate about and work for it. What was important wasn’t romance, but forging strong friendships and discovering a world of personal creation. Of course, James agreed. Family, friendship and self-love definitely came before any type of romance, but was it naive of him to want the type of love he had for Lily, too? What if he was too young? That was why he yelled about it in school, daring people to challenge him, wondering if he was being brave or stupid. He was immature about it, wasn’t he? What if he wasn’t sincere?

That was the third reason. James didn’t know how to tell people, honestly, that what he felt was true. He covered it up with a mask of bravado, arrogant claims and swaggering strides, but he wanted to be able to say it without all of that, to bear his heart and tell it fully: I’m in love with Lily Evans. Without all the extra theatrics, without making it showy in an attempt to be off-handedly careless about it, it was the truth, and why couldn’t he say it like that?

Fourth reason, James and Lily hadn’t even said ‘I love you.’ James was pretty certain that Lily thought the previous times that James had announced his love, before they were dating or had even been friends, were attention-seeking, exaggerated lies. Really, James didn’t know how to say ‘I love you’ without it coming off as false. So, Lily probably didn’t think he loved her just yet, and she definitely did not love him.

Fifth, they were taking things slow, and James needed to tone it down, tamp down on his excitement about it, because it wouldn’t be right for him to gush, and every time James spoke, he gushed. Therefore, he would have to keep his mouth shut, and he couldn’t tell his parents.

James reminded himself of this list as he counted down the minutes for his friends to arrive at his house for the end-of-year summer party, recounting their time at Hogwarts in the orange sunset of his family’s garden, the last moments of them acting like they were still kids in their seventh year, messing around before they had to be adults. Lily would be coming, and they would act like friends, even though they were dating, and James was bursting about it. They’d agreed to keep their relationship on the low, and James vowed to follow through with that.

“Prongs!” Sirius barrelled into his room. “How do I look?” They gave James a spin, rambling, “I went with Pa down to the forest to collect ingredients, but then a bunch of Bubotubers squirted pus all over us! And when we came back, there were only ten minutes to get ready for the party! So,” Sirius leaned dangerously close to James’s face and solemnly looked him in the eye. “Do I stink?”

James sniffed dramatically, excessively wrinkling his nostrils and heaving his chest. For a very long moment, he deliberated, and with a sigh, he morosely admitted, “Yes.”

Sirius whacked his head, and proceeded to tackle him, pushing him off the bed and to the floor, “Potter, don’t lie to me, I cannot smell like a Bubotuber, and this isn’t even vanity, this is basic hygiene!” they threatened, wrestling with James’s limbs.

Countering Sirius’s attacks, James laughed, “Fine, fine, you don’t stink!” And to benevolently prove it, James wrapped an elbow around Sirius’s head and pulled them to his chest, inhaling their hair loudly and sighing contentedly, “Ah, bliss.”

“Gerroff,” Sirius mumbled indignantly, though they made no attempt to move.

“You get off,” James retorted.

“No, you—”

“Sirius! James!” Euphemia called.

“Your friends are here!” Fleamont followed up giddily. “I’m gonna say hi!”

“Wait, Pa—” James leaped off the ground and hurtled down the stairs, Sirius rushing down right beside him.

“I want to let them in!” James and Sirius cried simultaneously, turning to grin at each other.

“I will,” Sirius tilted their head smugly.

“No, me—”

“Remus! Peter!” Fleamont beamed, opening the door and wrapping them in a hug without warning, and Peter was so short that he was completely engulfed by Fleamont’s chest, while Remus’s head awkwardly jutted out above Fleamont’s shoulder, his eyes bulging out of his sockets as he looked at James and Sirius with an expression of absolute shock and confusion.

Euphemia snorted, patted Remus’s gawkily protruding head, smiled, “It’s a pleasure to see you both,” and again, gave no warning as she joined the embrace. Following suit with their family, James and Sirius crashed right into the hug as well.

The doorbell rang, and in a flash, Sirius was swinging the door open, “Marlene! Mary! Lily! Dorcas!”

James also skidded to Sirius’s side, smiling goofily at his friends, “Hi!” He looked at Lily, and she looked at him, and James desperately wanted to freeze this moment in time, cling to the second that her eyes met his, bright and intense in the way they pinned him to the spot, holding his gaze in place as if they were channelling physical beams of light into his retinas, sending the heat coursing down his spine, from the top of his head to the tips of his feet, soldering him to the ground. Lily broke away, turning to wave in her adorable way at his parents.

Sighing dreamily, James allowed his feet to give way, for his body to slump into Sirius’s shoulder beside him.

Sirius raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “I thought you were keeping it on the low?” they muttered.

“We are,” James sighed again. “We just looked at each other, all people do that.”

“Right,” Sirius snorted. “So you definitely weren’t eye-shagging?” they snarked. Before James could refute that, Sirius shoved James off their shoulder, grabbing his hand and tugging him into the garden, where all their friends and family slouched over sun loungers and patio chairs.

“Bliss,” Sirius collapsed onto the grass, lying with a hand over their eyes as they smiled in the face of the evening sun.

“Glorious,” James added, sinking into the soft grass next to Sirius.

“Toffs,” Lily mumbled under her breath, and James looked up to see her in the deck chair beside his head, the soles of her sandals hovering near his sprawled-out hair.

He beamed at her dopily, tilting his face upside down to stare at her, mouthing, But I’m your toff.

She kicked him lightly with her sandal, and he turned his head to avoid her wrath, bursting into laughter. He didn’t miss her slight blush, and he glimpsed the way she smiled at him fondly. This was probably the best James had ever felt. Definitely the best, actually.

“So,” Fleamont leaned forward, hands steepled beneath his chin in a vaguely conspiratorial sort of way. He looked pointedly between Dorcas and Marlene. “Are you two… lovers?” he asked solemnly.

Marlene blinked from her position in Dorcas’s lap, before a lazy grin took over her face. “Aye, sir,” she saluted. Jabbing a finger at Dorcas, “We’re lovers, you heard him.”

Dorcas made a face, contradictory to the affectionate way they pulled Marlene further into their chest, “Looks like we have to be.”

“Oh!” Euphemia and Fleamont squealed simultaneously, clinging to each other.

“Young love,” Euphemia sighed reminiscently, clutching a hand to her chest.

James raised an eyebrow, “I thought you two married when you were thirty-five.”

Fleamont gasped, also clutching his chest, “Are you implying that we’re old?!”

“Yes,” Sirius shot James a mocking side-eye. “He was.”

“I can’t believe this!” Euphemia cried.

“Sirius, this is why you’re our favourite!” Fleamont waved a hysterical finger at Sirius, and Sirius caught it between their hands, nodding in understanding as they squeezed it compassionately.

James rolled his eyes. “S’okay, I’m Remus’s favourite.”

Remus didn’t look up from his book.

James sighed, “Well, I’ve been replaced by a book.”

“You would be my favourite,” Peter offered sympathetically. “But I’m really loving Monty’s cheese rolls.”

Fleamont perked up and gave Peter a high-five.

“You’d never be my favourite,” Mary stated bluntly. “And Effie’s cakes are always on top.”

“Wiser words were never spoken,” Euphemia pulled Mary into a hearty headlock.

Mary rolled her eyes, but leaned into Euphemia’s arms regardless. She cast a glance at Marlene and Dorcas, before immediately looking away and concluding, “And they’re each other’s favourites.”

That left only one option. James rolled over to face Lily, sitting up on his elbows and batting his eyelashes, “Lily, am I your favourite?”

Lily looked at him consideringly. Eventually, she decided, “Maybe.” Then she smirked, “For certain things, yes.”

James’s lips parted, and a flush seeped beneath his skin. “Oh…”

“So,” Fleamont leaned forward once again, this time eyeing James and Lily. “Are you two…”

In the middle of Fleamont’s dramatic pause for suspense, James checked Lily’s expression. She seemed relaxed, lips curving upwards as they dimpled her cheeks. Okay? she mouthed.

James nodded vigorously.

“…Lovers?” Fleamont finished.

Euphemia whacked her husband upside the head. “No, they’re clearly a pair of unwashed pyjamas,” she snarked.

Fleamont raised his arms in surrender, “My bad.” He looked closely at James and Lily, “So, how long have you two been unwashed for?”

Well, James’s face had already been bright red. By now, it must’ve exploded off his skull due to overheating.