#i think maybe julian was close to turning his dad in and that's why his dad doesn't trust him??? but maybe i just have a jason ritter bias

[cerealbishh]

"I don't want my father's divorces."

[sorrinslays]

(I'm the anon who asked for more sampo headcanons) Ooh I love those!! Thank u very much :] If u have any further thoughts on Sampo and the Moles interactions I'd love to hear those as well, I'm a sucker for the idea that he's really good with kids lol

Hi again anon!!! And yes, I do have some thoughts on Sampo babysitting the Moles, of course I do! Sampo is their dad after all /hj

Okay so this is getting into fanfic territory about something I'm working on, but I like to think that he helps them get better at negotiating and sneaking around by playing games with them. Hide and seek is a big one with them which is why when we (Astral Express) meet Hook and the other Moles they insist on playing that game.

More specifically, he promises that if even one of them wins against him, either as the seekers or as the ones hiding, they'll get a big prize (the bestest!!!!!). So far, they haven't won yet, but they're getting better, they are sure of it!!!!!!

Additionally, I'm a fan of the idea that Sampo taught them basic shit that you learn in kindergarten and stuff so that when they get the chance to go to school they won't be bullied by their lack of knowledge. He was sure that the 'ban' of the Underworld would be lifted before they are of the age to go to elementary school which is why he was insisted on teaching them the basics. Seele called his insistence stupid at some point but who has the bragging rights for being correct now?

Generally, Sampo is very touch starved and avoids it because it leaves an itchy feeling behind that makes him very uncomfortable but he was surprised to learn that he doesn't have the same problem with kids. Sure, if they hug him for long periods of time he gets uncomfortable but aside from that shit like pulling his pant leg to get his attention, using him as a monkey bar or dragging him around by his wrist when they want to show him something cool they found doesn't bother all that much.

Is on pretty good terms with Fersman (Hook's dad), surprisingly so. At first Fersman was very suspicious of Sampo but after a few months, he started feeling more comfortable around Sampo as they ended up being pretty good friends. Not close ones, but if Fersman needs help with something, especially if it concerns Hook and Natasha is unavailable or busy, he goes to Sampo.

They have this game where they have to sneak up on Sampo and as a reward they get 5 candies instead of the one he gives when he sees them. So far it hasn't worked but when they get close to doing so he gives them an extra one.

If Sampo is missing for more than a day or two (his usual) the first to notice are the moles and they ask (pester) Natasha where he is. Most of the time her answer is either that he is busy or, if he's missing for a week or so, she tells he's out gathering medicine and other supplies. Each time he returns from his medicine gathering the Moles insist to come with him so he can get back home faster and each time he tells them "maybe next time".

He always has candy in his pockets for the Moles.

Whenever Seele insults Sampo in front of Hook, she instantly defends him. It's hard to count how many times Seele wanted to insult that man but couldn't because Hook was in the room and would've been defensive over him. Anytime they do "fight" Natasha is quick to break it off.

Speaking of Natasha, whenever she sees Sampo not doing anything/he annoys her, she just send him off to look after the Moles. She says it's because he's the only one they somewhat listen to without the need to threaten punishment or chores but really she just eliminates two headaches that way.

Out of all the Moles, Julian is probably the most attached to Sampo due to being an orphan and Sampo being the biggest father figure in his life, which is why whenever he isn't playing with the moles and spots Sampo he follows him around like a lost puppy. Sampo noticed it pretty early on so he taught him a few tricks, like whatever the hell he did in the main quest where Julian turned himself into an adult.

[cryptid--bunny]

okay I'll post the fanfic here. Take this shitty mouse ricky for engagement (my tablet is not working right now)

IT'S LIKE 15K WORDS AND IS ANGSTY BUT HAS A HAPPY ENDING!!!!!

Ricky huffed as he banged his fist on the wheel of his car, loudly cursing as his hands tightly gripped the wheel. His attempted shaking of the vehicle did nothing to help with the problem of it not starting, but the janky anger filled movements helped get some of the anger out of the stoner's system.

“FUUUCK!” He threw his head back against the seat as he yelled, “SHIT!”

The sound of a door opening and crunched grass filled his ears as Ricky reached into his track pants to grab a loose joint. It was lit the second it touched his lips, lighter already at the ready.

“Jesus, Ricky, what's gotten into you today?”

Bubbles' voice almost soothed his irritation, or maybe it was the dope currently flooding his lungs, he couldn't tell.

“Fuckin car wont start! Son of a whore just broke down on me!!”

“Ricky, did you check the gas?”

“YES I CHECKED THE FUCKING GAS, BUBS!”

Bubbles raised his hands in surrender at Ricky's outburst.

“I'm just asking! No need to get all mad at me because your shitmobile isn't working.”

“Look, I'm fuckin’ sorry okay? I just had this big plan to take Trinity and Lucy out for a family picnic thing and now I fucking can't because of this!” he banged his fist on the dashboard, “Fucking.” He banged again, “THING!” And again.

Bubbles hummed to himself as he looked around the interior of fucked up car. Honestly it was a miracle it lasted this long with the state it's currently in. The two fell into an awkward silence as Ricky puffed his joint, smoke rolling out his mouth with every exhale. An idea popped into Bubbles' mind as Julian exited his trailer.

“Why don't you ask Julian?”

“Ask me what?”

Julian rose a brow as he walked down the stairs of the trailer's deck, signature drink in hand.

“Ricky was gonna take Lucy and Trinity for a picnic but the car’s not working.”

“I don't need Julians fucking help, Bubbles!”

Ricky pushed Bubbles out of the way as he climbed out the passenger side, falling onto the ground as he exited. He was quick to stand up properly after the fall and walk to the front of the shitmobile. Lifting the hood of the car, he bent down to try and get a look at the engine.

“Sides, it's a family day. Just me, Lucy, and Trinity.”

Bubbles rolled his eyes as he walked up to the front of the car and stood next to Ricky.

“Julian's basically part of that family, Ricky. Trinity treats him like a second dad.”

That caught both Ricky and Julian's attention, though for different reasons.

“What the fuck are you talking about, Bubs?”

Ricky stood up and stared at him, his brows knitting tightly as he tried to work his brain around the words his friend just said. Julian walked up to the two and took a quick sip of his drink before he finally spoke up.

“We're both her uncles, Bubs. I'm not her dad, that's Ricky,” he pointed to Rick, who was still trying to think. You could almost hear the gears turning in his head, “Also you're not using my car.”

That got the stoner out of his stupor, “I'm not fuckin' asking for it! That was Bubbles' whole idea!!”

“Oh, yeah, fuck me for making a suggestion! Did you already tell Lucy and Trinity about going?”

Ricky opened his mouth to reply, but closed it and turned his attention back to the engine.

“Yeah. They're expecting me to show up in an hour but this FUCKER wont turn on!”

Bubbles hummed as Julian stepped next to Ricky to try and get a look at the engine. The raven leaned in, arm brushing against Ricky as he pulled out a thin metal sheet. It was dry as bones.

“Ricky, you're out of oil,” Julian squinted at the sheet, “And by the looks of it, have been for a while,” he pushed the sheet back into the hole it came out of, “Shocked it hasn't caught fire yet.”

Ricky groaned as Julian stood back up, taking another sip of his drink.

“Great! Well, that's another fucking thing I'll need to get. Where the fuck is Cory and Trevor?!”

“Sarah has them, remember? She said she's taking them on a vacation away from you.”

Bubbles' reply set a fire in Ricky as he screamed.

“FUCK! THAT BITCH!”

He kicked his car hard enough to make the hood fall back down, cursing loud enough for everyone in the park to hear him.

“Ricky- Jesus calm down! Fucks sake,” Julian rubbed his face as he watched Ricky throw various items around his yard; Bubbles yelling at him to leave his stuff alone, which of course got another angry huff and shit tossed across the lawn.

Julian had enough. He stormed across the short distance to Ricky and roughly grabbed his arm to get his attention.

“Just get the fuck in my car. Passenger side. I'm driving.”

Julian's voice held a distant annoyance to it, but the deep gruffness in it told Ricky all he needed to know about how irritated the raven was with him right now. Although just because he could hear it, doesn't mean he was listening to it.

“Fuck off Julian! I said I don't need your fucking car!”

Julian pushed him towards his car despite the protests, easily able to manhandle Ricky even with one hand. The ginger had a brief thought about just how easily Julian was able to push him around with those bulging muscles of his. With that idea came another of those arms wrapped around him, in a comforting embrace, or maybe grabbing at him in a more desperate sort of way. Ricky was quick to shake his head and push that idea away.

“I said get in the fucking car, Ricky!”

“Fine! Fuck!” Ricky threw up his hands in defeat as he angrily stomped over to Julian's monte carlo, “Big boss Julian always gotta boss me arounds and shit.”

Julian pretended to not hear the insult as he opened the drivers side door and sat down. Ricky flew open the passenger door and all but fell into the seat, clearly still angry about being pushed into Julian's car. He slammed the door as hard as he could.

“Be fucking careful, asshole!”

“Fuck off!”

Julian's own irritation was skyrocketing as he pulled his keys out of his jeans pocket and started the car. He was about to pull out when Bubbles tapped on the window. He rolled it down.

“What is it, Bubs?”

“Just be careful, okay? And tell Trinity I said hi!”

“We're not going to the fucking picnic! Just to the store to get some shit for my fucked up car.”

Julian glared over at his passenger before sighed and looked back at his blonde friend with a frown.

“I'll tell her.”

After that, Julian pulled out of his driveway, and down the road they went. The drive was mostly silent save for Ricky's occasional mutterings of annoyance. It seemed even weed wasn't calming him down this time, which means he was proper pissed. That also meant that Julian was going to have to calm him down, as he usually did, or fix some future fuck up Ricky was going to do, which is also usually did. It's not that Ricky didn't appreciate how much Julian cared for him, quite the opposite actually, he just felt the man's attention would be better spent elsewhere. Now that's a thought that never leads to anything good.

Julian noticed Ricky's silence as they got onto the main road after leaving the park. There was an auto body shop fairly close but there was a bigger store further on that had car shit and other stuff Ricky might need for the ‘family picnic,’ so Julian was going there. A silent Ricky was never a good sign, so with a drink of his rum and coke, Julian was the first to speak.

“Look, I'm sorry I pushed you into the car,” it got a shrug reply. Fuck, Ricky must be really in his head, “I just didn't want you fucking up Bubbles’ stuff,” Julian glanced over to see his friend staring out the window. Shit.

With a deep inhale, Julian bit the bullet. Fuck he hated emotional conversation bullshit.

“Ricky.”

No answer.

“Are you okay?”

Julian noticed Ricky tense up in the corner of his eye. Progress.

“If it's about the car-”

“It's not about the fucking car.”

Those were Ricky's first words since they left the park. Usually Julian would be mad at getting cut off, but he let it slide this time. There was something more important to worry about.

“Then what is it?”

Silence.

“Ricky, cmon bud, talk to me. You know it's not good to let shit build up.”

Julian was keenly aware of the irony in his statement, it was almost painful. Ricky didn't know how ironic it was though, which was the point.

“Just some,” Ricky threw his hands up, finally looking away from the window, “fucking stupid brain words! Shit in my head wont stop talking and it's getting on my fucking nerves!”

Ah, bad thoughts then. That's nothing new to either of them, Ricky especially given his relationship with Lucy. Julian could never understand why he kept going back to her when all she did was berate him, cheat on him, and use him for free dope and a quick fuck. It was irritating to no end.

What the raven didn't know, however, was just how deep those words cut in Ricky's mind. It's why he had moments like this, where his brain 'won't stop talking stupid shit’ and he gets all quiet and moody. Ricky's always struggled with self esteem issues, despite whatever he might say to try and prove otherwise. Even as a kid he would get relentlessly picked on and as much as Ricky loved his dad, Ray was a terrible father. Sure he accepted the changes to his son pretty quick but that didn't change how he basically gave him no respect as long as he was under his roof. Especially when he was drunk. Which was most times.

“What's your brain talking about?”

Ricky debated telling his friend, curious about how he'd react. Would he be mad at him? Upset? He wasn't really sure he was ready to tell Julian how his heart seized when the raven smiled at him or the pounding in his skull when the two were alone passing a joint. Those were his favorite memories. He didn't know what any of this meant, and yeah Julian had a way of saying things that made sense to him, but there was this weird uncomfortable knot in the pit of his stomach that tightened every time he thought about saying it. Maybe he just needed to be drunk and high to do it. Maybe they both needed to be.

“Ricky? Earth to Ricky?”

The ginger blinked as Julian snapped his fingers in his face. Ricky grimaced and pushed the other's hand away.

“What?”

“Did you hear anything I just said?”

“Duh!” An obvious lie.

“Okay, what'd I say?”

“What's with all these fucking questions!”

Ricky quickly noticed they were parked in front of the mall and opened the passenger door to step out. He needed some fresh air. Julian was clearly having none of it as he stepped out shortly after and walked around the hood to stand in front of Ricky, one hand holding his drink and the other hand on his hip.

“What?! The fuck do you want! Let's just go in and get back home!”

“We're not robbing the place.”

Ricky rolled his eyes, “Yeah? And you have fucking money to pay for shit?”

“I do, actually. We're only getting what we need and nothing more, alright?”

Julians hard stare sent a shiver down Rick's spine. A shiver that ran right to his… Oh dear. He thanked the fact his pants were black as the two of them walked up to the entrance. The stoner watched as Julians muscular arm pushed open the glass doors.

Maybe he'll excuse himself to the bathroom real fast.

“So,” Julian spoke up after they’d entered, “What is it you need?”

Ricky looked around the large building for a brief spell before he met his friend's gaze.

“I dunno, picnic shit? Sandwiches I guess?” The shrug that followed irritated Julian, but he let it slide.

“Right. Sandwiches. We can make that at home. I mean from the store. You got a blanket? Drinks? What are you planning to do out there?”

“Christ, what’s with all the questions today, Jules?!” Ricky threw his hands up in frustration as the two made their way to the produce section, “It’s a fucking picnic! Why’s there so much that goes into it?! We’re just going out into the woods for an hour or some shit!”

“Ricky, stop yelling.”

The stoner opened his mouth to reply, in a yell of course, but the glare he saw Julian giving him made his mouth shut before any noise could escape. He hated how the older man had this control over him. What’s even worse is that Julian knew he had this power and oh boy did he abuse it. He loved telling Ricky what to do and Ricky found himself listening to every word he said… Well, okay, not every word. Sometimes Julian was really stupid and Ricky would go do his own thing because he knew it was a bad idea. So he listened to him most of the time. Ricky wasn’t even sure when he started listening to Julian, it just almost felt natural, which fucked with Ricky since he hated authority and being told what to do. It was just different when it was Julian he guessed.

“Alright, what’s Trinity’s favorite?”

Julian’s voice cut through his thoughts and snapped him back to the moment. Shit, he fell back into his thoughts again didn’t he? Ricky internally cursed at himself as he looked at the various meats on the stand.

“Uhh… Pepperoni?”

“I said Trinity’s, not yours, Rick.”

“Yeah I fucking know that! It’s pepperoni! You think I don’t know my own daughter’s eating habituals?!”

Julian rolled his eyes as he grabbed a fairly sizable log of meat. Ricky gawked as he held it under his arm.

“What are you staring at?”

“That’s not pepperoni.”

“Yes it is.”

“No it’s not.”

“Yes. It is.” Julian was getting incredibly annoyed with Ricky by this point.

“No! It’s not!” Ricky waved his hands around as he spoke, “Pepperoni is small! That things fucking huge!”

Julian rolled his eyes and took a drink from his glass to steel himself before replying, “It’s just larger meat, Rick. Here,” He maneuvered the log around his arm to show his friend the label, “See? It says pepperoni. It’s the shit restaurants and food places get so they can cut it themselves.”

Ricky stared at the label, internally cursing his inability to read. He made out the words ‘pepperoni’ eventually among all the gibberish words, which seemed to calm him down.

“Alright, alright. Fine. It’s pepperoni.”

“ Thank you,” Julian shifted the log back under his arm, “Now what else do you need?”

Ricky hummed as he looked around the meat produce, he racked his brain for anything else they might need. Honestly, he had pretty much everything back in the shitmobile and in Lucy’s trailer. After a silent moment, the ginger shrugged at Julian.

“I gots everything already for the picnic back in my car. If it’s not there, it’s at Lucy’s.”

“Great. Let’s go get the oil for your car then.”

The two men made their way out of the food area of the mall, Ricky grabbing a bag of chips on his way out, much to Julian’s chagrin. The rest of the store trip went fine, Ricky was quick to grab the car oil he needed having already known the kind his car took. Ricky may not be the smartest guy when it comes to math or words but he was great with cars. How else would that fucked up vehicle still be running?

“Remember Rick, we’re paying for it. Stay in the line.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Julians got fucking money and doesn’t want to do a little crime.”

Deciding to ignore the condescending tone, Julian walked up to the cashier and put down the meat log to the conveyor belt, signaling for Ricky to put the oil down after. The lady scanned the two items fairly quickly and bagged them, turning to Julian to say how much they owed. Something about the women irked Ricky, he couldn’t quite tell why though. Maybe it was the way she pushed up her tits towards Julian or the slight trill in her voice as she spoke to his friend. To his credit, Julian seemed to pay the girl no mind as he pulled out his wallet to pay.

Once the money was handed over, Julian grabbed the bag and walked out, Ricky following behind. The frown on the cashier’s face was not missed by Ricky.

“Alright, back to the park then.”

“Yep.”

Julian closed his trunk and raised a brow at Ricky as he leaned against the monte carlo.

“You alright, Rick?”

“Just fine,” Ricky turned to face his friend with his arms crossed, “Did you seriously not see at all that she was flirting with you?!”

With a groan and eye roll, Julian walked up to the driver's side, Ricky’s eyes following him.

“Christ, Rick, she was just doing her job . She wasn’t flirting with me, she was just being nice. Now get in the car.”

He did, but not without complaining while doing it.

“She was fucking pushing her tits at you!”

“No, she was not,” Julian sat down and closed the door, “Maybe you’re just seeing what you want to see, Rick.”

The words banged around in Ricky’s head as the car started. He barely heard Julian’s next words as he leaned back in the seat, lost in thought. Seeing what he wants to see? What did he want to see?? That girl was totally flirting with Julian, he knew what he saw, but then… Why did he care? Julian’s had girlfriends before, many of them actually, but it never bothered him. Ricky always had Lucy in his mind. As he watched the world go by out the window, his brain said a weird thing. What if he was bothered by his other girlfriends and he was just too focused on Lucy to notice. Fuck, now that’s something he never considered. Ricky’s jaw locked and his brows furrowed as he tried to remember how he actually felt whenever his friend got a new girlfriend.

When he wasn’t with Lucy, he was… He felt… Damn. Words are hard. We’ll try again later, push that thought aside for now, he’s got more important shit to worry about. Like making sure this picnic goes perfectly for Trinity, with or without Julian there. Ricky pulled out a joint from his pocket and lit it, getting an annoyed retort about ‘not smoking in his car’ from Julian, but he didn’t care. He needed to stop his brain from saying stupid things again.

“Sweet mary jesus, thank fuck you boys are back!”

Bubbles' voice caused both men to turn their heads as Julian pulled into his garage. He turned the car off and stepped out before replying to the man. Ricky stepped out shortly after and walked around to stand next to the two of them.

“What’s going on, Bubs?”

“Well, almost as soon as you guys left, Mr. Lahey showed up asking about any ‘illegal activities’ going on.”

“We’re not doing fucking nothing!”

Ricky’s outburst had interrupted Bubbles, but the smaller man didn’t seem phased by it as he continued.

“I know you’re not! But he seems to think some fucky shit’s going on because I guess he saw you two leaving together!”

Julian rubs a hand down his face, clear annoyance in his eyes as he took in his friend's words.

“Well Lahey can go fuck himself! We didn’t even steal nothin!!”

“Ricky, quiet.”

“Don’t tell me what to fucking do.”

“Bubs, we’re not doing anything illegal. You know this, so you have nothing to worry about.”

“Oh, I know, but Lahey seems pretty fucking convinced. He almost went into your trailer, Julian.”

The raven stiffened as he stared down at his friend, his jaw locking in place in an attempt to keep his cool exterior.

“He didn’t break anything did he?”

“Oh, no, I told him to fuck right off and leave us alone. He did fall onto Ricky’s car but that things been through worse.”

Ricky bristled at the idea his car might have a new dent in it thanks to drunky the fuck clown, but it’s not like it wasn’t already banged up to hell and back as is. The three of them walked back onto the lawn to inspect the damage Lahey’s drunken stupor had done, which was thankfully minimal.

“Sweet fuck, nothing’s missing.”

Ricky sighed as he took another hit from the joint in his lips. Julian nodded in agreement and took a sip of his drink.

“Oh yeah, Lucy stopped by while you boys were gone too.”

“Oh fuck,” Ricky quickly sat up and walked over to hsi friend, “What’d she say?”

“Was asking where you were, I told her that you and Julian went to the store to get picnic supplies and oil for your car.”

Ricky was starting to internally panic as he ran back to his car to grab the blanket he used for sleeping, continuing to listen as Bubbles talked.

“She seemed mighty pissed that you were late for pick up, I told her you’d be over as soon as you got back though!”

“Fucking right, come on Julian.”

“What? I thought you didn’t want me to go.”

“Well, fuck face, I don’t exactly have time to fix my car right now and yours is the only one working! So come on, let’s go!”

Julian looked back to Bubbles who gave him a lopsided smile and a shrug. He was lying right through his teeth, and Ricky fell for it hook line and fucking sinker. With a heavy sigh and another eye roll for the day, Julian started walking towards his car with a waiting Ricky.

“Fine, fine. I’m coming. Make sure you got everything.”

The drive to Lucy’s trailer was short but with an anxiety riddled Ricky, it felt like forever before they reached it. Ricky had jumped out of the car before Julian had even fully stopped and turned it off. He ran up the deck and knocked on the door.

“Hey, Lucy! Trinity! Daddy’s here for family picnic!”

It didn’t take long for the door to swing open to an excited Trinity, who he leaned down to hug as tightly as he could. Julian got out of the car and leaned against the side as he watched the scene in front of him. He took a drink to hide the smile on his lips.

“Took you long enough, Rick.”

“Hey, Luce.”

Ricky stood up and gave the bleached blonde an awkward hug as their child ran down the deck steps.

“Julian!” Trinity excitedly hollered.

“Julian?” Lucy repeated with confusion.

Julian raised his glass as a wave as Lucy finally caught sight of him. Trinity was quick to give her uncle an equally tight squeeze of a hug that she’d shared with her dad. Julian didn’t respond nearly as hard, too scared he might hurt her.

“Rick, what’s Julian doing here? I thought it was family day or some shit.”

“Yeah, my car’s fucked,” The two started to walk down the deck, “Bubbles said some shit about using Julian’s car and he woulnt’d let me just borrow it. It’ll be cool though! Trinity fucking loves him, so there’s nothin weird about it!”

Lucy rolled her eyes and took a drag off her cigarette, “Yeah, just not exactly ‘family day’ with someone not family,” She muttered under her breath. Despite the harsh tone she took with Ricky, she greeted Julian with a wide smile, “Hey Julian.”

“Hey, Lucy. Hope it’s okay I tag along, Ricky’s car’s having troubles.”

“He told me, it’s totally fine though, maybe you can be a good influence on Trin.”

Julian held his tongue as he noticed Ricky bristle at the comment. Ricky, however, was never good at holding his tongue.

“I’m just as good a influence as Julian! Who taught her how to change a tire huh?”

“You taught her how to steal a tire, Rick,” Lucy opened one of the back doors for Trinity to jump in, “But whatever, let’s just get going.”

Lucy went in after Trinity had scooted to the other side, leaving Julian and Ricky to share a look above the roof of the car before both got in.

The drive itself wasn’t too eventful, Ricky and Lucy talked for the most part about shit to catch up on their personal lives. A joint was shared between the two, Ricky had offered it to Julian who declined. He’d also offered it to Trinity but Lucy got mad at him for that one, which led into a small fight which had Julian yelling for them to shut up so he could focus on driving. Aside from a grumble and shuffling of seats, everyone went quiet after that. Julian had asked Ricky for directions a few times to make sure he was going in the right direction, but otherwise it was a fairly silent ride. Ricky puffed his joint, Lucy smoked her cigarette, and Julian made sure everyone had their windows rolled down.

“This is it, Jules! Stop the car!”

Julian took his foot off the gas and gently placed it on the breaks for the car to roll to a stop. Ricky gleamed as he turned around to face the other two passengers.

“Grab your shit, girls, it’s time for one fucking awesome family picnic!” He looked over to the raven, “Plus Julian.”

Julian smiled and shook his head as he turned the car off. It was parked on the side of a dirt road, trees and foliage on both sides of the path. Ricky practically jumped out of the car and opened the door for Lucy to get out. Trinity opened the other door and stepped out as Julian did the same. She smiled up at the big man, who couldn’t help but smile back at the little girl.

“Thanks for coming, Julian.”

“Of course, Trin. Anything for you.”

He gently placed a hand on her head and ruffled up her hair, to which she squealed and laughed at as she pushed his hand away from her. Ricky had watched the interaction as he opened the monte carlo’s trunk to grab their items. He didn’t even notice he was smiling until Lucy hollered for him to hurry up with the shit. The ginger quickly grabbed the blanket, beer, and pepperoni log before clumsily closing the door and jogging after his family. Julian took a drink from his glass and followed behind.

The trek into the woods was a short one, Lucy just wanted to find a patch of flat grass to lay the blanket down, and with everything set up the four sat down. Ricky opened the pepperoni log, pausing for a brief moment before pulling a knife out of his pocket.

“Did you have that in there the whole time?” Julian commented, his expression slightly aghast seeing as Ricky struggled to tear open the plastic with his hands just moments before.

“Yeah I must've, only just now remembered it though. Shit comes in handy when you need to cut some shit.”

Lucy sighed and took a drag off her cigarette, taking a chunk of meat that was offered to her.

“Did you not bring any bread or anything?”

“Well, no, didn't exactly have fuckin’ time for that. Went to the store to get oil for my car and this fucking giant shit log or whatever of pepperoni. When we got back Bubs said you stopped by all fuckin angry and shit so we just left.”

“Wait,” Lucy held a confused look, “Bubbles said I came over?”

“Well, yeah. Said you were fuckin’ pissed that we were late. That I was late, not we, you didn't really. You didn't know about Julian comin' along.”

“Ricky, I never went to Bubbles. I was upset that you were late but I never went over there.”

Ricky stared at the fake blonde with an extremely confused look, his brows knitted tightly and jaw left slightly agape. It almost looked like he was trying to think.

“That fucking ASSHOLE!” Ricky threw his hands up as he yelled.

“Rick, calm down. We were late and he just wanted us to be there on time.” Julian reached out to put a hand on his friend's arm to keep him from freaking out.

“Well he could've just fuckin’ said so instead of lying and shit. That's fucked.”

“Yeah, well, you can yell at him when we're back in the park alright? Right now, have some time with your family okay?”

Ricky groaned and shook Julians hand off him before giving a harsh “Fine” in reply. Lucy stared at the two with her brows raised, pausing to look at Trinity who was eating her own section of the pepperoni handed to her.

“I gotta rock a piss real quick, be right back guys.”

Ricky stood up, log rolling off his lap and onto the blanket, stumbled onto his feet and put a hand on a nearby tree to steady himself before walking a short distance and unzipping. Lucy took this chance to talk to Julian.

“That was impressive.”

“What? The walking?”

“No,” She gave a slight laugh, “The way you calmed him down so fast. It's like fucking magic.”

“Oh, that,” Julian took a drink of his alcohol and shrugged, “Guess when you know a guy long enough, I dont fuckin' know.”

“Julian, I've known Ricky about as long as I've known you, and that's a long fucking while, and I've never been able to reel him in that fast before.”

Lucy had leaned in closer to Julian, making him mildly uncomfortable and wishing for Ricky to come back sooner. He shrugged again.

“It doesn't work all the time, you've seen him when he's all riled up.”

“Well yeah, but you just have this,” Lucy paused to think before waving her hands around, “Thing about you. He listens to you,” She leaned in even closer, “It's kinda hot.”

Julian rolled his eyes and gently pushed her away.

“Lucy, stop. Seriously.”

The crunching of leaves told the party of three that their fourth was on his way back. Ricky came back with a lit joint in his mouth and sat back down onto the blanket.

“Fuck took you so long, man?”

“Had to go back to the car and grab some smokes. Fuckin’ sorry I guess.”

Julian sighed and looked into the woods, away from all three of them. Ricky turned to Lucy and handed her the joint, which she accepted after putting out her halfway finished cigarette.

“Well, whatevers, it's fuckin’ family day man! Let's just have a good fuckin’ time and hang out in nature and shit!”

“Yeah, it's nice Ricky.”

Lucy handed him back the joint as she replied. He took a quick hit before offering it to Julian, who declined. Ricky shrugged and took another before passing it back to Lucy. Sometimes a calm day is nice, not every day needs to be filed with bank robberies and gun fights. Sometimes a day can be just a little cloudy and hanging out with your girlfriend, daughter, and your best friend who's kinda your daughter's uncle but mayne like a second father if Bubbles is to be believed. Ricky still didn't know what to make of that, but he was never good with thinking stuff over anyway.

Lucy was the first to stand up, wiping some dirt and dust off her pants, “Well this was fun and all but I have shit to do back at the park. Think we can wrap this up?”

“Wrap this up? The fuck you mean, Luc?” He glanced up at her with a puzzled look, “We're havin’ a grand ol fuckin's time here, gettin high and hangin’ out with my daughter and the woman I love.”

“And Julian.” Lucy added on.

“And Julian.” Ricky repeated.

“Look, if you don't want me here I can go-”

“No, Julian it's not about-” Lucy started to speak over the raven, but he kept going.

“I know this is a family thing-”

“Julian, c'mon man.” Ricky interjected.

“Ricky just needed a ride and I did my part,” Julian took another sip of his drink. “Besides, I'm almost empty so I wanna head back also.”

Ricky groaned and swore under his breath as he stood up, clearly agitated.

“Fuckin' fine alright. We'll head back. C'mon Trin we're goin' back to the park no more fuckin’ family fun time.”

“Ricky.”

Julian stood up shortly after as Lucy started to walk back to the car. Trinity grabbed another pepperoni piece before she stood up.

“No, man, you wanna fuckin’ go home and shit that's fine, I get it. I just wanted to hang out with my fuckin’ family and shit.”

“Ricky come on, we've been out here for at least an hour and all there is to drink is beer. Trinity can't drink that, I'm sure she's thirsty.”

“Sure she can, why not?”

Julian physically recoiled and dragged a hand down his face, eyes looking away from the ginger before he turned back to him.

“Ricky, she's a kid. Kids shouldn't have beer.”

“Well why the fuck not, we did! We had beers and shit in grade 5 and we turned out fuckin' great.”

“Listen, Rick, just because we had it doesn't mean she should, okay?”

Trinity had already followed after her mom at this point, just leaving the two men standing in the woods. Ricky sighed and shrugged, turning away from Julian.

“I disagree because liquor and drugs are fuckin’ cool but whatever.”

Julian sighed and turned to leave, tugging at Ricky's shirt to get him to follow.

“Let's just go, man.”

Ricky fought against the tug and complained about leaving behind the pepperoni and beer, which Julian said fuck it too, but then the other man said he's not leaving his blanket behind and Julian let him go. Finally getting back to the car after the small skirmish, the group drove back to Sunnyvale in mostly silence. Ricky hated silence when he wasn’t high, so he did his best to smoke all he had on him during the drive, only rolling down the window after Julian had yelled and complained for him to do so if he was going to be smoking in his car.

“How was the date, boys?”

“Fuck off, Bubs.”

Bubbles giggled to himself as the two men exited the black Monte Carlo. Ricky gave his friend a middle finger as he exited.

“I’m just pullin’ your leg, Ricky. Seriously, was everything alright?”

“It was fine, a little awkward but was nice to get out of the park for a bit.” Julian closed his door and leaned against the car as Ricky walked back to his own car across the lawn.

“Oh?” Bubbles turned to Julian after watching their friend waltz by, “You need some fresh air or something?”

The raven shrugged, “Something like that.” He went to take a sip of his drink before groaning at the empty glass. “I need to get a refill, talk to ya later Bubs.”

“See ya Julian.”

Bubbles watched the taller man walk past and into his trailer, humming to himself as the door closed behind Julian. The blonde turned his attention to Ricky, who was inside his car lighting a joint. God knows which number it was today. Bubbles walked over as a kitty jumped onto the hood of the car, he quickly grabbed the small calico and held it close to pet it's head.

“Whatcha want, Bubs?”

Ricky shifted to sit at the edge of the passenger seat, legs hanging out of the car and planted on the ground. Bubbles hummed as he petted the cat. Ricky wasn’t sure how to make out his expression. He was never good at reading people, and that pissed him off and led to many fights due to him misreading someone's face.

“Speak up asshole! You wanna say somethin’ or you gonna fuck off?!”

Bubbles took a step back at the outburst briefly before steadying himself, pausing petting the cat to adjust his large glasses.

“Well, I was just wondering how the picnic went. I know you weren’t too happy about bringing Julian along.”

Ricky rolled his eyes and took a hit from his joint and exhaled before replying, “It went fine. Lucy said some shit but Trinity was happy to see him I guess,” He took another hit and stood, rounding on Bubbles in anger which caused the cat to jump to the ground and run off somewhere, “She said she never fuckin’ came to see you! Why’d you lie to me Bubs?! What the fuck was that for!”

Bubbles gave a nervous chuckle, “Well, you were late weren’t you? You boys were gone for a long time at the store.”

“What the fuck Bubs! I was all freaking out and shit!”

“Ricky-”

“No, fuck off! I’m pissed at you right now!”

Ricky stormed off, throwing his hands up as he yelled. He didn’t really care if he hurt Bubbles feelings, Julian was still there to comfort him if he started crying. Ricky grimaced as his brain trailed at the mental mention of Julian. He needed more weed in his system. The walk to J-Roc’s wasn’t too long, or at least it didn’t feel long to Rick but that may have been the drugs in his system making time go all sideways or something. He was grateful the camera’s had been gone for the past few days as he wasn’t sure he could deal with all that nonsense right now.

“Hey, J-Roc! Open the fuck up!” He banged on the door with a fist, lit joint in his mouth almost falling out as he yelled. The ginger quickly grabbed it between his index and middle finger and took a deep inhale. The trailer door opened shortly after his banging to reveal the exact short blonde he was looking for.

“Heyy, whas good, man? What’s got you all up in my bizzinuss, dawg?”

Ricky shoved his way into the shorter man's trailer, taking a look around and noticing Tyrone sitting on a couch nearby, some show playing on the small TV.

“You got any good shit, J-Roc? I haven’t been able to get good hash in what feels like fucking ages, man!”

“Ay, ay, you know I got that shizzazz, dawg!” J-Roc closed the door behind Ricky, not seeming phased by the other man forcing his way into his home. It was a normal occurrence whenever Ricky visited, so he was used to it. “Whatcha lookin’ for, king, you know J-Roc can hit yous up, knowmsayin?”

“Somethin’ to turn off whatever the fuck my heads doing. It’s been bothering me lately and none of my shits working!” The stoner fell onto the couch next to Tyrone, who shifted to put some space between the two.

“Whattia mean, man? Your heads been doin’ stuff?” Tyrone’s calming voice was a counter to J-Roc’s more chipper and louder voice, one that Ricky much more enjoyed which he would never admit out loud.

“Fuck, I don’t know, it’s just been saying shit that’s pissing me the fuck off!”

J-Roc made a humming noise before walking off to a separate room, leaving Ricky with Tyrone on the couch. Ricky hoped he was getting some drugs that could help him out.

“Sounds like you’ve been thinking, Rick.”

“The fucks that?”

Tyrone huffed a small laugh as he replied, “That thing with your brain saying stuff? That’s thinking. Those are called thoughts, and it’s normal. I think about shit all the time!”

Ricky’s brows tied as he frowned, resting his elbows on his knees as he bent forward.

“What do you think about?”

He watched as the black man leaned back against the couch, eyes trailing up to the ceiling.

“I think about a lot of shit. I think about me and J-Roc finally gettin’ it big, I think about what might happen in the future. Lots of stuff, man.”

Tyrone looked back to Ricky, who’s eyes were trained on him. The gaze was intense and gave away he was trying his damndest to think, his brain clearly not used to actively being used. Tyrone would’ve commented on it, but he figured he’d let Ricky speak when he was ready. J-roc stepped back in with a box but paused when Tyrone put up a hand. Ricky didn’t seem to notice this signal as he looked down at his hands, rolling the half burnt join in his fingers. J-Roc nodded at the hand waving and walked back into the room he’d come out of. Tyrone put his hand down and lowered his gaze back to the stoner. It wasn’t like him to be quiet for this long, and it was starting to worry him.

“You wanna talk about what your brain’s been sayin’? We won't judge you for nothin’, man.”

“Yeah, yeah, we’re a totally non judgemental zone, man!”

J-Roc’s reappearance made Ricky sigh and lean back on the couch cushions, closing his eyes as he rested his hands on his thighs. The white rapper shuffled around them to sit on the other end of the couch, leaning heavily forward to look at Ricky.

“It’s saying a lot of dumb shit right now.”

“Right now?”

Ricky groaned at Tyrone’s question, obviously annoyed.

“ Yes, right now. That’s why I need some stronger shit! That’s why I’m here!”

“Ricky, man, I think you need to talk, not smoke.”

“What the fuck is this now, a theraputist session?!” Ricky threw his hands up and stared at the other two men.

“No, man, we’re just friends trying to help a man out.” Tyrone put his hands up in defense, trying his best to calm the quickly angering man.

“Hyuh, we jus’ tryin’ to make sure yous a’ight, a’ight?”

Ricky grimaced and took another hit from his slowly fading joint, sighing as he flicked the ashes into a nearby tray.

“Can I get a smoke at least?”

“Of course, mans, lemme get that for you right quick.”

Tyrone turned to watch as J-Roc fumbled around with something next to the couch, just out of sight from the door. He pulled out a small bag and smiled as he leaned over the black man to pass it over to Ricky. Tyrone gave his friend a worried glance as Ricky happily accepted the pre rolled joints, making quick work to toss what was left of his joint into the tray and open the bag to grab a fresh new one.

“He’ll be fine, T. He needs this a’ight?”

“I really think he just needs to talk, man, not get high.”

“Nah, nah, he gets high and then he’ll talk, knomesayin? He gets more loose when he’s high, dawg, you know this.”

With a heavy sigh, Tyrone glanced over to their friend who was already smoking one of the new joints handed to him, “I hope you’re right, man. Something’s tellin’ me he’s been suffering with his thoughts for a while.”

“Fuuuck, that’s good. I knew I could count on you, J-Roc.”

J-Roc leaned back over to slap a hand on Ricky’s knee as he smiled, “Hey man, y'know I always got you! Hyuh!” The excited exclamation at the end made Ricky chuckle lightly as he took another drag of the joint.

Finally, he could feel his brain slowing down, the voices getting quieter, the thoughts of his friend getting fainter. Peace at last.

“How’re you feelin’, Rick?”

Silence followed Tyrone’s question for a moment before a wide smile spread across Ricky’s face.

“Fuckin’ GREAT, man! Fuck! This is just what I need.”

J-Roc lightly shoved Tyrone, who huffed a laugh, which caused Ricky to laugh thanks to the heightened giddiness from the drugs in his lungs right now. The black man raised an open hand to Ricky, who placed the lit blunt into his fingers. A quick huff and pass later, J-Roc having done the same, the room was starting to fill with smoke. Time seemed sluggish to the three men as they smoked, Ricky getting the highest of them by a mile. Tyrone and J-Roc shared a look as Ricky finished his second joint. It'd only been an hour since he arrived.

“Hey, Ricky man, you think yous can slow downs a bit?”

Ricky hummed as he took another inhale, smiling as smoke circled up out of his mouth and nose.

“What's that, J-Roc? Sorry I didn't hear you.”

“I said, I think you should slow downs a bit, knowmsayin? I know you and you can outsmoke any of us, dawg, but this is much even for your shizzass.”

Ricky groaned at the chastisement, but the rapper was right, he was smoking a lot even for him. He'd blame it on the drugs loosening his tongue if asked, but he felt so comfortable on the couch. Why not talk a bit?

“Brains been talkin’ a lot lately.”

“You said that earlier, yes.” Tyrone nodded.

“It's been talkin’ about… Shit. Y'know.”

Ricky frowned as he tried to think how to correctly word the next part, but the dope in his system made any sort of thinking a major challenge.

“What kinda shit, man?” J-Roc watched his friend expectantly, eyes flickering between his scrunched face and the loose joint in his hand. He did not want that being dropped and lighting a fire in his trailer. The ginger took another hit before sighing, smoke escaping his lungs with it. He mentally went ‘fuck it’ and bit the bullet.

“You think I'm a good dad?”

The question caught both of the other men off guard, their eyes widening as they recoiled in slight shock.

“What? Of course, man!” Tyrone was the first to speak.

“Yeah, dawg, who the hells been tellin’ you that you're not?”

“Lucy been saying shit again?”

J-Roc clicked his tongue and sat back on the couch, “Aw hell naw, don't listen to her. That bizzatch don't know what she's sayin’, knowmsayin?”

Ricky was silent for a brief moment, letting his friends' words sink in.

“What if she's right, though?”

“Rick-”

“No, listen to me, alright. I had this idea for a family picnic day and it was gonna be fuckin’ awesome and shit! Then my car breaks down cause of some stupid oil whatever and Bubs says to take Julian's car but Julian won't let me drive it so he HAS to come along and I guess that's fuckin… Whatever, not really a family picnic then,” Pausing his ranting for a brief moment, Ricky took another hit off the joint, continuing with smoke in his lungs, “Anyway Trinity was really happy to see him,” He exhaled the smoke, “And that's fucking cool, I guess, she's always happy to see him, but the whole… Fuckin… Day was weird.”

“Weird how?” Tyrone leaned a little closer, his elbows resting on his knees as he watched his friend rant, egged on by the dope he was smoking.

“Just. Weird. It was supposed to be just me, Lucy, and Trin, but Julian was there and it… Fuck, I don't know. I can't fucking wordulate anything correctly when it comes to my head bullshit.”

Tyrone placed a firm hand on Ricky's shoulder, something to ground him before he got too loose.

“Hey, it's okay, emotions are hard to put into words sometimes,” He paused to check his friend's expression, and to look back at J-Roc, “But we're friends,” He looked back to Rick, “And friends help each other, right?”

“Damn straight. BUAH!”

Ricky's eyes flicked between the two men, his brows tightening. He pursed his lips and hummed.

“Okay, fine. Fuck. If you tell fucking anyone about this coversation I will shoot you!”

“You've got my word, man.”

“You gots my word too, dawg, areh areh!”

With a heavy sigh and pinched nose, Ricky conceded to the mens questioning and concerned glances.

“Where do we even fuckin' start with this?”

“Well,” Tyrone removed his hand from Ricky's shoulder, “How about this. You said you had a family picnic day, yeah?”

“Yeah, well, sort of. Family plus Julian.”

“Right, plus Julian, that's the part you're stuck on. How'd it feel having Julian there? Did it feel wrong?”

Ricky clicked his tongue as his eyes squinted, staring at nothing as he did his best to remember how he felt during his time out. Did it feel wrong having his best friend with his daughter and maybe-kinda-sorta girlfriend? When he actually thought about it, no, it didn't feel wrong at all. In fact, he felt incredibly comfortable with Julian there. It felt almost… Natural. Then if it didn't feel wrong, why did it bother him so much?

“I don't know. It didn't feel like a bad thing, we all had a good as fuck time just hangin’ out in the woods.”

Tyrone nodded at Ricky's reply, taking a moment to look back at J-Roc and whisper something while their friend was lost in his head.

“So you guys had a good time, what's the issue then?”

“That's the fucking problem! I don't know! It felt so fucking… Nice having him there! Trinity was so happy the whole time and Lucy bitched at me less, like his fucking presence was just making shit better!”

The stoner threw his hands up in exasperation, anger and annoyance clear in his face and body. It seemed that no amount of dope could calm that deep of an emotion, or maybe he just wasn't high enough. Ricky took another hit.

“You sayin’ that him just bein’ there made all y'alls just more happy or some shit?”

“Fuck, I guess. Is that what I'm saying?” Ricky looked over to the white rapper as a confused began to mottle his angered one.

“That's what it sounds like, man.” Tyrone answered for his friend.

Ricky huffed and stared down at the floor, silent for a brief moment as the other two watched him, worried that his next move might be violent.

“Do you… Fuck this is stupid,” The ginger growned loudly as he ran the hand not holding a joint through his hair, “Do you guys ever feel like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like… Fuck- Like- Hanging out with somebody just makes you happier even if you're fucking pissed at ‘em?”

Tyrone and J-Roc's brows simultaneously rose as they shared a quick glance at each other before staring at Rick. They didn't dare interrupt as he continued to ramble.

“Okay. Shit. Let's say there's this girl, yeah? She's really hot but she's a bitch, like a massive one,” He glanced over to the other men as if looking for approval. They both nodded to show they were listening, “Alright, so let's say she's got this friend, yeah, it's uh…” He paused, mouth hung open as the gears in his head were almost audibly turning, “Another chick. She's friends with another chick, okay. They've been friends for a really long fucking time, and then one day this friend fucking goes ‘Oh hey my friend is super fucking hot despite being a massive bitch’ but she doesn't want to tell her friend this because, like, she's got a, uh, fuckin’ boyfriend or whatever. They're on and off or something but that's whatever.”

It didn't take much for Tyrone and J-Roc to realize what Ricky was actually talking about, and they were both a little stunned by Ricky's story. Tyrone nodded and told him to continue, which he did.

“Well, anyway, would it be fucked or some shit if she said anything, like, she called her friend hot or maybe if she wanted to kiss her or some shit. Would that be fucked or what?”

Ricky ended his rant with a chuckle, clearly forced, and took another hit off the depleting joint. The other two men were silent for a long time, processing the information given to them. Ricky didn't like how quiet they were, he felt like they were judging him and he was just about to get up and leave before one of them spoke. It was J-Roc.

“Listen mahfuck, I think that if that one girl found the other to be tight as hell, then there ain't nothin' wrong wit it. If she wanted to kiss her, maybe even get a little pootang, knowmsayin, then that's chill.”

“Yeah, man, and even if it's with two guys, that's still chill.”

“Might be a lil weird, but we don't judge.”

“Dude.”

Tyrone threw a glare at his friend who shrugged and took the joint from Ricky to have a hit.

“Point is,” Tyrone turned back to their friend, who was avoiding eye contact, “if you have any feelings for anyone, man or woman, we're here for you.”

Before Ricky could rebuttal with an insult, as is his usual, J-Roc's following outburst made any attempt of speech die on his tongue. 

“Hell, if we sharin’ our secrets and shi, I'm a little bi curious myself.”

It seemed this information shocked even Tyrone, especially given the white boy's earlier comment, who froze and turned to his friend with brows knitted.

“What? J-Roc, what are you talking about?”

“I said what I said, dawg. I feel everyone's a lil bi curious to some degree, knowmsayin? C'mon, don't tell me you never thought abouts it, even as a passing idea or some shizz.”

“No, I can't say I have, man. I'm all about them ladies, but hey!” The black man threw on a small smile as he raised his hands, “All the power to ya!”

“So, wait, you've thought about other guys and shit?” Ricky's curious glance over to his friend was met with a shrug.

“Yeah, mans, once or twice. Shit happens when you ain't got no ladies to bang and it's a sausage party ‘round hurr.”

“I'm not even gonna ask,” Tyrone waved a hand at J-Roc, turning his focus back on Ricky, “Anyway, all that shit aside, that story you told,” Ricky gave an ‘mhm’ as the joint was passed back to him and he took a hit, “was that about anything in particular? I mean, obviously yes I guess I should say any one in particular.”

“The fucks parculitar mean?” The ginger's brows twisted as he exhaled smoke, blue eyes staring at Tyrone.

“Particular, it just… Was it about anyone, Rick?”

Ricky hummed and tapped the joint into the ashtray, watching as the ashes gently dusted into the glass tray.

“What if it is?”

“We already said we won't judge, man.”

Ricky grunted and took another inhale, “Fucks sake,” he exhaled and pressed what remained of the tiny blunt against the glass tray to put out the fire. Smoke still freely flowed upward from it as he folded his hands against his lap, “Not a fucking word to anyone or you're both fucking DEAD, you hear me!”

Both men raised their hands as Ricky angrily pointed at them, agreeing that their lips were sealed. He held his glare for a moment before sighing and shifting his gaze to the floor, arms slumped against his legs.

“I've had this thought in my head for a coupla years now. I don't know when this shit started, fuck maybe it's always been there I don't know, but… Shit… I just…” Ricky gnawed on his lower lip, brows creasing tightly against each other, “Fuck, maybe I wanna kiss a guy, okay?! Maybe, I just, don't want to be called a terrible father sometimes and when he says I did a good job it gets to me in this weird fucking way that I don't know how to word it. Fuck! I hate feeling talk shit!” Head hung low, hands gripping into his hair, Ricky's teeth clenched as his eyes screwed shut.

It seems like the weed had the opposite effect he wanted. Instead of making him stop thinking about his best friend and the confusing emotions that came with it, the thoughts almost doubled actually. Whenever Julian smiled at him, rare as it was, and how it made his chest flutter in a weird fucked up way. When they'd get high together and Julian's giggles were finally freed from that harsh exterior. How Julian would give him a hearty slap on the back at a job well done, or a firm grip on his arm followed with a gentle shake. The closeness they shared felt different than any closeness Ricky felt with anyone else, even Lucy, and they had a kid together! A flash of Julians face close against his hit him like a brick and his eyes flashed open with a gasp.

When did he start crying?

“Ricky! Christ, man, are you hearin’ me?!”

“Ricky, cuh, you in there mans? Gimme a hra hra if you can hear me, dawg!”

Ricky blinked a few times and lowered his hands from his face to push Tyrone away from him, the other man’s tight grip loosening.

“What the fuck are you doing? Stop shaking me, christ!” He groaned and rubbed a fist against an eye, avoiding the concerned looks his friends wore, “Stop fucking looking at me like that.”

“Dude, you were out of it muttering some shit we couldn't make out. You okay, man?”

Ricky loudly groaned and stood up, shoving Tyrone in the process.

“Fuck off, T, I'm fucking fine. I'm going back to my car, you guys are no fucking help.”

“You sure about that, dawg? I don't think headin over there right neeaow would be smart, ya feel me?”

“The fuck do you know, J-Roc?! I said fuck off!”

J-Roc rolled his eyes and stood up to better face off against the ginger.

“I'm just sayin’, man, that means goin’ back over to Jules an shit, dawg, and you were just out here cryin’ over his muscle bound ass, knowmsayin!”

“I was NOT crying over Julian!”

“Yeah, yeah, sure ya weren't.” The following tongue click sent Ricky off into a rage.

He grabbed a random box off the floor and threw it towards the pair, who swore and raised their hands in front of their faces to protect themselves as Ricky grabbed their small side table and tossed that across the room also.

“Ricky, man! Calm the fuck down! We just got those!”

Tyrone stood up in an attempt to grab Ricky, which unfortunately failed as the stoner quickly wiggled out of his grip and slammed against a wall, causing several items to fall onto the floor. A shattering sound echoed throughout the trailer. The scuffle didn't last much longer as Ricky was shoved out of the trailer by an angry Tyrone and J-Roc.

“Don't come back till you’d calmed down, dawg!” J-Roc yelled before slamming the door.

“WELL FUCK YOU TOO! ASSHOLES!”

Ricky growled as he turned around, slamming a fist against the deck fence. His gaze went up and spotted an all too familiar sight by this point.

“Oh fuck no, fuuuuuck no.”

He stormed down the steps and shoved the man setting up a camera to the ground. He hoped it was hard enough to break the damn thing.

“You camera fucks need to fuck RIGHT off! We've been having a good fucking time with you cock suckers out of here!” He was about to pull his gun out before the last voice he wanted to hear hit his ears.

“Ricky for fucks sake, calm down! Did you forget about the contract from last week, dumbass?!”

Julian came barreling over, drink in hand, and grabbed Ricky by the arm and pulling him away from the cameraman still on the ground.

“What fucking contract?! Did you fucks trick us into signing another bullshit agreement?!” He rounded on the guy who flinched as he was attempting to stand back up, dropping his equipment back to the ground. Ricky smiled at that.

“No you asshole, the one we all signed together? They'll only be here for a week, that's what it said, and we're gonna get a fuck ton of money!”

Ricky scoffed and pulled his arm from Julians hold. He knew fully well that if Julian really wanted to keep him held then he could have, but his hand loosened at the tug and the stoner was let go.

“What the fuck ever, they better just leave me the fuck alone. You too, Julian. Fuck off.”

“What the fuck did I do?!”

Julian's hands rose in exasperation as he watched his friend storm off, an angry look plastered on his face. Ricky hated the pinch in his chest at the fact he was the one who put that nasty look there, he'd rather it be a smile or laugh, but he was NOT dealing with that right now. Not after the conversation with Tyrone and J-Roc. He only hoped and prayed the camera guy just arrived and didn't get anything that happened in the trailer. He might actually shoot him if that happened.

Ricky stormed off back to his car, swearing at someone who was driving on the road he was walking across. He may have also hit their car, but that's neither here nor there. The sun was going down by the time he'd gotten back, though to be fair it was already setting when he'd left J-Roc's. He rummaged through his back seat, throwing his belongings around before sighing in relief as he pulled out two bottles of alcohol. The labels had been scratched out at some point so he didn't know what exactly they were but upon popping them open and taking a swig, he'd guess one was whiskey and the other was vodka. Vodka wasn't his favorite, that was more of Bubbles' thing, but he needed to get drunk and he needed to get drunk now so he wasn't going to start being picky. He'd also found a few loose joints and pocketed them as he closed the car door. He planted everything on top of his car and grunted as he jumped onto the hood to sit against the windshield. He stared up at the quickly darkening sky, silent as the crickets started to ring around him. The silent shed nearby told him Bubbles must have already been asleep, or he was doing something elsewhere, Ricky didn't really care either way.

He heaved himself onto the top of his car with another grunt, sitting up with his feet planted on the hood. Whiskey was the first of the two bottles he'd grabbed to drink. A few other bottles of various nature were strewn about from previous nights, and here he was adding to them.

As night came, the alcohol in his system was hitting hard as he laid on his car. The whiskey bottle was about empty, vodka not far behind, and Ricky had lit three or four joints as well. He'd lost count a while ago. He was pretty sure he heard Julian yell something at him as he passed to enter his Trailer, but he couldn't make it out in his drunken state. He groaned a reply and lifted his half empty bottle as a reply. A scoff and door slam was the answer to his reply. He didn't care. He couldn't care. If he did care, that would only lead to ruining the best thing he'd ever had. Ricky sat up and put his head in his hand, eyes closed as he tried to steady his breathing. It wasn't working. He took another gulp of alcohol, hoping the burn would stop what he could see coming. It didn't work. He took a hit from the joint in his hand. That didn't do anything either.

The ginger loudly groaned and banged a fist onto his car, the loud bang causing some of Bubbles’ nearby cats to howl and scamper off. A dog started barking somewhere in the distance. He rapidly blinked his eyes as he stared up into the sky, stars twinkling above him in a sick mockery of what beauty could be. The moon was making fun of his miserable state as its light shone down on him, not a cloud to be seen to block the view.

Despite all his efforts, once the smallest crack in the dam was found, the entire ocean began to flood. Tears streamed down his face as he hung his head, hand not holding a joint trying desperately to wipe them away but more kept coming. Ricky had always been an emotional guy, this wasn't news to anyone, but if there's one thing he hated more than anything? It was crying. It always made him feel so weak, so lesser . He especially hated crying in front of anyone, so he was at least grateful no one was around to see his disheveled state.

Thoughts of Julian flooded his mind, his frown, his smile, his gravelly voice, his arms, his drink, his eyes, that tight fucking shirt he always wore. He couldn't stop it if he tried, his brain taking him on some fucked up roller coaster that was only headed down. His body shook as he cried, his throat tightening in an attempt to keep his volume down. It worked for the most part, save for the shattered gasps and sniffles.

The bottles he'd been drinking had fallen to the ground at some point, the rest of its contents spilling on the grass. He couldn't care less, though, as he tightly gripped his hair in a failed attempt to try and ground himself. The joint in his mouth was long gone, having fallen and burnt out onto the metal frame of his car at some point. The roach in his hand tempting to follow suit. His shaky hand found its way to his mouth and he attempted to inhale the smoke, hoping it could calm his racing nerves. The simple act did seem to help somewhat, as he was able to work on autopilot. It was gone before he knew it and the smoke in his lungs dissipated in one final exhale.

Fuck he hated these kind of nights. They've been getting more frequent lately.

The following morning was a rough one, Ricky head pounding with a hangover. He rolled onto his back on the grass, trying to remember how he even got there. He gave up after a few seconds and sat up with a strained groan, hand rubbing his temple.

“What the fuck happened last night?”

“Well, I could tell you but I'm not but I'm not sure if you really wanna know.”

Ricky had been asking himself that question, so Bubbles' response caught him off guard. He looked up at the blonde and squinted at him.

“The fuck you mean I don't wanna know?” He stumbled onto his feet, using his car as leverage, “Course I wanna know what happened, it's my fucking life, Bubs!”

The bifocaled man rolled his eyes and looked around for a brief second before stepping closer to Rick.

“You were crying, Rick. Like, a lot .”

Ricky blinked a few times, staring down at his friend. He scoffed and shoved him away.

“Fuck off, Bubs, no I was not.”

“Yes you were, Ricky! I saw everything from my shed! You weren't exactly quiet in your wallowing. You woke up my kitties!”

“I was not fucking wallowing , whatever that means, and I definitely wasn't crying! I sure as fuck did get drunk last night, though, that's for damn sure.”

“Ricky, for fucks sake, I know what I saw!” Bubs put a hand on Rick's shoulder, his features softening as he looked up at his friend, “If you need anyone to talk too, my sheds open. Not smart to let that shit steam, Rick.”

Ricky rolled his eyes and gently pushed Bubbles hand off his shoulder, “What are you, my theraputist?”

“What?”

“You heard me. Now where the fuck did I put that joint, I know theres one left in here somewhere.”

Ricky quickly turned and bent into his car to go searching, leaving a partially annoyed and confused Bubbles standing outside.

Aside from the cameras making a grand return, the rest of the day went fine if you asked Rick. Cory and Trevor fucked up big time, as they tended to do, which cause their entire plan to go awry. Ricky would never admit or say it was probably him who actually fucked up. Thankfully nobody went to jail and they were all back at home in one piece.

“What a fucking day.”

“You can say that again.”

“What a fucking day.”

“Rick- You don't actually- Whatever.”

Julian heavily sighed as he took a drink from his glass, not having the energy to argue with his friend and his weird brain. The two sat in an awkward silence for way too long for Ricky's brain, so he stood up and told his friend that he'd be back in a bit, to which he got a mumbled ‘okay’ in response. He wasn't gone long, as he promised, walking back into the trailer with a bong and lighter in hand.

“Oh for fucks sake, Rick.”

“Come on, Julian! You need to chill out, you've been super fucking stressed today, just a few hits with me come onnnn!”

Julian did his best to avoid Ricky's wide, pleading eyes, but he always had a hard time saying no to them. He hated how well his friend had perfected the ‘puppy dog eyes’ look.

“Fine. Just a few, I can't handle that shit like you can, man.”

Ricky smiled and quickly made his way back to his previous sitting spot. Julian couldn't help but smile behind his glass as he watched Ricky excitedly get the bong ready.

The two passed it between for a while, Ricky having to coax Julian into smoking more than he wanted. He just wanted his friend to smile and laugh, and this was the best way he knew to get that.

Properly baked out of their minds, Ricky and Julian sat on the couch giggling over the smallest things. Julian attempted to take a drink of his rum and coke, only to find that his glass was empty.

“Ah fuck, Rick. What the hell did you make me smoke, man? I can barely move right now.”

“Good,” Ricky giggles, “That means you're nice and fuckin’ high just like me.”

“Ricky.”

Julian tried to sound intimidating by lowering his voice, but glancing over to his friend and seeing that wide grin plastered onto his face, he couldn't stop himself from laughing. That caused Ricky to start laughing as well, and with that any anger Julian may have felt washed away into a fit of giggles and laughter.

“FUCK we need to get high together more often.”

“Oh hell no, Rick, I can't function like this. I have shit to do, you're just lucky it's late.”

Ricky waved his hand at Julian as he grabbed the bong to take another hit, “Whatever you big baby,” The bubbling was a comforting familiar sound to his ears as he inhaled the smoke into his lungs, “You want another hit?” Ricky exhaled as he held the bong out to his friend.

Julian examined the object for a moment, blue eyes flickering back and forth.

“Rick, I can barely fucking move right now. I don't think I need another hit right now.”

“Oh come ooooon, just one last one! For me? For your old pal Ricky?”

Ricky leaned in close to the raven, his pleading eyes wide as he pressed against his friend. He wasn't mentally aware enough to realize how into Julians personal space he was being, but even if he was, when had that ever stopped him? Julian glared at him for only a brief moment before rolling his eyes and gently taking the bong from Ricky's hand.

“YES!”

Ricky exclaimed and leaned back, already missing the warmth of being so close. He smiled as Julian grabbed his lighter and flicked it. It took a few attempts for the flame to spark, Julians sluggish movements doing nothing to help, but once it was lit and the water was bubbling, Julian pressed his lips against the ring and inhaled. Ricky watched the action with interest, almost studying his friends' moments. He found himself staring at the raven's lips as he inhaled the smoke, his eyes glued to the minor twitches in Julian's face. As Julian raised his head away from the bong and exhaled, Ricky's eyes followed the movement. It was almost like a painting of how gorgeous Julian looked in that moment, bong in hand, smoke gently leaving his mouth, eyes half lidded and mouth only slightly agape. Ricky hadn't even noticed he was staring until the raven's eyes shifted over to him. The smoke dissipated as he turned his head, a smile on his face.

“The fuck are you looking at?”

Ricky didn't respond, he just kept staring at Julians face, eyes flickering between the raven's eyes and mouth. He couldn't stop himself as he leaned in, body working of its own accord. His brain wasn't even registering what was happening, not until a warm feeling met his mouth. His eyes jolted open (when did he close them?) and he flinched back, harshly, almost falling off the other side of the couch. Julian hadn't moved, frozen in place with wide eyes staring at his friend.

Ricky panicked and fumbled onto his feet, stumbling as he quickly raced to the door muttering obscenities as he opened and slammed it behind him. He didn't care that he was leaving his bong in there, he needed to get out as fast as he could. Ricky had just kissed his best friend. Ricky had just kissed Julian . Totally straight and super sexy Julian. His mind was racing, he'd never gone from baked to sober so fast in his life. He stormed down the deck and into some random direction. There wasn't any place in mind, he just walked into the dark night, hands shaking. Whatever state he'd left Julian in was unknown to him, and he tried his best to forget the stunned look on his face. The way Julian had froze when they touched, the way he hadn't even turned to watch him leave, just staring forward into nothing. His eyes burned as tears formed, he didn't even try to keep it in this time. He fucked up. He fucked up bad.

“Ay ay, Ricky man! Whas u- Oh shit.”

J-Roc's voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he turned to face the white rapper, who quickly walked across the small yard to stand next to Rick.

“Shit, dawg, you alright? You wanna come in for a bit, have a drink or somn?”

Ricky sniffled and rubbed a fist against his eye, looking away from his friend before speaking.

“I fucked up, J-Roc.”

“Fucked up? Shiiit, man, what you do this time huh?”

It was meant as a joke, but the hard glare the blonde received told him that it was anything but appreciated. He raised his hands and apologized. Ricky sighed and walked over to the trailer's deck, taking a seat on the stairs. J-Roc sat next to him.

“You know that… Shit from yesterday.”

Taking a moment to think, J-Roc pursed his lips for a brief moment before it clicked.

“Oh, shi’ yeah! When you came over tryin’ to cop some o’ my shizz and then fucked up my place. Yeah I remember.”

“Yeah, well,” Ricky groaned, he didn't at all regret trashing his friends house, he deserved it after making him talk about all his emotional feelings and shit. The stoner tended to not regret most things so the emotion wasn't something he was used to, but damn if he wasn't feeling it hard right now, “You said you were into guys, right?”

“Sometimes, yeah, ain't nothin’ wrong wit it, dawg.”

“Have you ever… Kissed another man?”

The silence that followed made Ricky feel like he was drowning. He stared down at his hands as they rubbed against each other, trying to quell the shaking in his bones.

“Yeah, I did once or twice. What's with the sudden interest, man, some shit happen?”

“You could say that,” Ricky mumbled.

It took only a few seconds for the thoughts to click in J-Roc’s head. His eyes widened and mouth fell almost in slow motion as realization dawned on him.

“Oh SHIT, dawg, did you kiss Julian?!”

“Shut the fuck up! Not so fucking loud, asshole!”

Ricky was quick to cover his friends mouth with his hands, frantically looking around to see if anyone was watching. He sighed in relief when he saw they were alone and slowly removed himself from J-Roc's face.

“Yeah, I uh, I fucked up. I ruined everything.”

“The fuck are you sayin’ ruined everything? So you kissed him, big fuckin’ deal, dawg, doesn't mean anythin’.”

“But it does to me , J-Roc! Not even to mention that Julian's not into men! Not into me !” The tears burned against his eyes as they reformed, and he didn't fight it this time either as they freely rolled down his cheeks, “I fucking ruined everything. He's gonna hate me now and probably tell everyone how fucked I am and kick me out of his life.”

Just the thought of Julian never wanting to see him again sent a wave of pain throughout his chest that had him doubling over, fists tightly gripping his shirt on both ends. J-Roc placed a gentle hand on his friend's back, rubbing up and down as Ricky sobbed. The soothing motion unfortunately didn't do much to help the panic in Ricky's veins, blood pumping fast as his heart rate picked up tremendously. He could feel it beating against his chest.

“Listen, Rick, I know you cares about Julian and all, but he cares about you too, dawg. I've never seen him act like he does which you with anyone else! That's gotta mean somethin’, knowmsayin?”

The words slowly sunk into Ricky's head as the tears continued to fall. Never acted around anyone else like he did him? Surely that wasn't true. Memories of Julian holding him close during one of his many break ups with Lucy, carrying him home when he'd pass out drunk on the street, saving him from getting his ass beat in jail when they'd first started going and he was being an asshole. Julian offering his glass to Ricky whenever he asked for a drink, that was rarer but the more Ricky thought about it, the more it dawned on him that no one drank out of Julian's glass except, well, Julian.

“Holy shit.”

He slowly sat up, eyes wide as it all dawned on him. The stoner still has tear streaks down his face but he didn't care as a smile quickly broke out.

“Julian fucking loves me.”

“Well- Hey now, I didn't say that-”

“Julian fucking LOVES me!”

Before J-Roc would stop him, Ricky jumped up and rubbed at his eyes and cheeks with his shirt in an attempt to clean off the tears.

“Thanks a lot, J-Roc! This was a real big fuckin’ help!”

“Uh- You're welcome? Ricky, I really think you should-”

“No time, buddy! I gotta get back and tell Julian what I just realized!”

And just like that, Ricky was gone, taking off back down the road to Julian's trailer. J-Roc sighed and put his head in his hand. Ricky really never did think, did he?

Bubbles was outside when Ricky came back, a confused look on his face. The blonde man adjusted his glasses as he spotted Ricky walking towards him.

“Ricky, Jesus, there you are! What the hell happened here?!”

“Whattia talkin’ bout Bubs? I went for a walk, so what?”

“ So what ?! Julian's going fucking mental in there!”

Ricky's energy instantly depleted as he gulped and tried to keep the smile on his face.

“The fuck are you talking about?”

“Well,” Bubbles threw his hands towards the trailer as a loud bang echoed from it, “I was woken up by that! When I came to ask him why the fuck he's throwing a temper tantrum he says ‘Ask fucking Ricky’ and slammed the door on me!” He glared at the ginger and pointed a finger at him, “So tell me. What the FUCK happened?!”

Ricky chewed his bottom lip as he glanced past Bubbles and to the trailer. Another bang caused him to flinch and Bubbles whined at the noise. He always hated when his friends were fighting, Ricky swore he was about to cry. He hated seeing Bubbles cry.

“Fuck- Shit- Is he that mad?”

“Mad about what?”

Ricky sighed and his arms slumped against his sides.

“I fucked up, Bubs.”

Any energetic joy he had on the way here was now gone and replaced with the previous anxiety and angst that was there before his talk with J-Roc. Bubbles raised a brow and stepped closer to his friend, studying his features.

“Fucked up how? You fuck up all the time and he never reacts like this.”

“Oh fuck off, Bubs.”

“Hey, I'm the one to made Julian destroy his own trailer over whatever the fuck you did.”

“I kissed him”

The statement was so quick and silent that Bubbles almost missed it. The silence between them drew out as the blonde's brain caught up to what his ears heard. Ricky anxiously pulled at his sleeves as he waited for the yelling, for Bubbles to push him away and curse him out. It never came. Instead, what he got almost knocked him on his ass.

“Well, it took you long enough.”

“What?”

Ricky blinked rapidly, almost too stunned to speak. He rubbed a finger into his ear before asking his friend to repeat what he said.

“I'm just saying that you're not exactly the best at keeping secrets. We're family, Ricky,” Bubbles sighed and stepped towards Ricky, placing a gentle hand on the ginger's chest, “I'm just happy you're not wallowing in your shit anymore. You know how tiring it gets listening to you cry every other night over him? It's exhausting,” He smiled up at him, “Besides, I kind of agree with you… To a point.”

“... What?”

Ricky was stunned in silence as Bubbles smiled, a giggle coming soon after as the blonde stepped back.

“Ricky, I'm saying I like you both, and seeing you boys fighting all the time hurts me a lot, so get the fuck in there and fix this shit!”

Ricky blinked and stared at his friend, still shocked. Bubbles groaned and rolled his eyes at the stoner's frozen state. He grabbed the man's arm and dragged him towards the trailer deck, which finally clicked Ricky back to reality.

“You like men?”

“I like you … And pissed Swayze in there. Now go fix it!”

Bubbles shoved Ricky towards the stairs, causing the man to stumble and slam against the wall. He was quick to recover and stumbled up to the door with his feet underneath him. Ricky looked back at Bubbles who crossed his arms and glared at him. There was a lot on his mind right now, but that was for later Ricky to figure out he guessed.

“Uh, hey Jules it's Ricky. Can I come in?”

Quiet.

Silence.

Crickets.

Stomping.

The door swings open to a disheveled Julian, the wall behind him having a few dents in it.

“Ricky.”

Silence.

Stare.

Crickets.

“Julian.”

Silence.

Stare.

Crickets.

Before Ricky could say anything more, he felt himself being dragged forward and the warmth on his lips froze him. Julian's hands tightly held his head still as he kissed him. When his brain finally caught up to the moment, Ricky closed his eyes and hungrily kissed the raven back, his hands tightly gripping onto the other's shirt and pulling him as close as possible. Both of them had forgotten about Bubbles at the bottom of the stairs until he'd spoken up.

“Fucking finally, boys! Now can you stop fighting already?”

They quickly broke away at the voice, both staring at the other with wide eyes and open mouths. They both panted to try and catch their breaths. Bubbles walked up the steps and broke whatever trance Ricky and Julian were in, both of them turning to look at the bespectacled man.

“Now, let's get some drinks and celebrate, yeah?”

“I don't think I can get any more bullshit into me right now,” Julian sighed as he let go of Ricky and took a step back to let Bubbles in despite his words.

“Oh come on, my bong’s still in here isn't it? Let's fucking party!”

Julian groaned and rolled his eyes as the ginger walked in, but a small smile found its way to his mouth once Ricky had passed him. With a quick glance outside to make sure no one was around, Julian closed the door and turned to the two men. Ricky and Bubbles both grunted as they lifted the table to put it back up right. Julian may regret his freak out come morning, but for now? Seeing the two people he cares most about chilling in his trailer, sharing a bong and drink? Yeah. Maybe he can set aside his worries for tonight.

“Come on, Julian! We gotta make up for lost time!”

“The fuck does that mean, Rick?” Julian scoffed as he stepped towards the couch. He grunted as the ginger grabbed his shirt as soon as he was close enough to do so and pulled him down for another kiss. The tug had the unintentional secondary effect of Julian falling onto the couch and therefore onto Ricky, who fell onto Bubbles. All three men gave a small yelp at the domino effect, but Ricky was the first to start laughing after it.

“Dinner and a movie first, Jules!”

“Oh fuck off.”

“Boys! Get off of me!”

“Sorry Bubs, Julian's getting a little greeeeasy.”

“I am not! You pulled me down!”

“BOYS!”

Despite the arguing, laughter filled the trailer over the absurd situation. Even Julian couldn't help but laugh a little. Taking this chance to catch Ricky off guard, Julian leaned up to place a quick kiss against his jaw before pushing himself up on his arms. Ricky's laughter quickly cut off at the movement, his eyes widening as he looked up at his friend (boyfriend?) hovering over him. His throat suddenly felt really dry as his mouth held agape.

“Behave, Rick, and maybe you won't sleep in the car tonight.”

“Jesus, Julian, you sure you're not getting greasy right now?”

“Oh shut it, Bubs, I mean he can have the couch. If whatever…” He gave a vague gesture with a hand between the three of them, “... this is, is going to be anything serious. I don't want the person I'm kissing living in a fucked up car.”

“Didn't you give him that car?”

“That doesn't change anything. I didn't give it to him like that. ”

“I'm right fucking here, assholes!”

Julian rolled his eyes and heaved himself onto his ass, properly sitting on the couch now. Ricky was still laying against Bubbles as the blonde shifted to better sit up, though he didn't bother to remove the other's head from his lap.

“So,” Ricky started after all the shuffling was done, “What the fuck are we now? I mean Bubs said he liked us both when I came back, we kissed, the fuck is all this?”

“You ever heard of Polyamory?”

Ricky looked up at Bubbles with a confused look.

“The fuck did you just say? Pole amouree??”

“Yeah, what is that Bubs?” Julian added in.

“Jesus boys, have you never used the google before?”

“We don't have a computer, Bubs.” Julian deadpanned.

Bubbles groaned and rubbed a hand down his face.

“It's when you have multiple partners at once.”

“Oh like two girlfriends? Didn't a guy in school have that or something?” Ricky looked to Julian for confirmation. The raven thought for a brief moment before nodding.

“Yeah, I think so. Forgot his name though, might've been Craig or something stupid like that.”

“Yeah, that sounds right.” Ricky nods.

“Boys! Pay attention!” Bubbles interjected the side conversation, trying to get them back on track.

“We are!” Ricky whined.

Bubbles sighed and gently patted Ricky's head in a way to say ‘yeah, sure you are’ without actually saying it. He's sure that Ricky didn't catch on though.

“I'm trying to say, we all like each other right?”

The blonde looked between the two men, waiting for an answer.

“Yeah, I think so.” Ricky was the first to reply.

“We care about each other, yeah.” It was the best confession Julian would give.

“Right, so,” Bubs gave a smile as he reached down to grab one of Ricky's hands, leaning further to grab one of Julians in his other hand, “Why don't we try it?”

“Try what?” Ricky liked the feeling of Bubbles hands intertwined with his. It felt normal, and not weird like he thought holding hands with a guy might feel.

“The polyamory thing! Let's all date each other!”

Julian grimaced for a moment as his hand was grabbed, but letting Bubbles words sink in for a moment, he found he didn't exactly hate the idea. Ricky also wasn't against it, as shown by his wide smile as he looked up at him.

“Yeah alright, let's all be boyfriends or some shit! Pole armory!”

Bubbles let the misspeak slide as he looked over to Julian, tightening his grip against the other man's hand. Ricky also looked down at the raven, a smile still on his face. Julian's eyes flickered between his two friends and sat silent for a moment, thinking. Unfortunately with two pleading eyes on him, well, he never stood against. With a sigh, he finally gave in.

“Yeah, alright, we can try being boyfriends.”

Both men cheered at Julian's agreement to the new arrangement. Ricky surged upwards, breaking the hand holding between the three of them, and grabbed Julians face to pull him into a kiss. Bubbles giggled behind him as the stoner peppered his new boyfriend with kisses along his goatee. Julian's face flushed a pretty red at the affection, his hands gently placing against Ricky's shoulders. With a gentle push, the ginger stopped his onslaught with a wide grin on his face.

“Forgetting somebody?”

Ricky turned at Bubbles voice, attention now turned to his other new boyfriend. It wasn't uncommon knowledge that Ricky always showed his love in the purest way, always putting his entire heart into his partners whether they deserved it or not. It's why it hurt so much whenever Lucy berated him. This new adventure would be no different, of course, as he happily jumped over to Bubbles and pulled him into a deep kiss. Bubbles giggled against his lips as he tried to return the fervor, only able to get half as excited as Ricky.

“You're insatiable, you know that?

Ricky broke the kiss and smiled back at Julian, hands still holding Bubbles face.

“And you're about to see just how insatiable I am!”

“I'm already regretting agreeing to this.”

As the three laughed once more for the night, none of them noticed the red light next to the window, signaling a rolling camera. The camera crew on the other side of the window passed around some dollar bills, some excited and some upset.

Whether or not Julian, Bubbles, and Ricky stole that money the next morning after finding out about the tape, who knows, but Julian bought himself a new sofa and Ricky excitedly gave Trinity some new school books, and Bubbles? Well he got some fancy cat food. What else?

Hi I wrote a really long fanfic for these goobers but uh I'm not sure if I should post it (It's sfw dw) but here's the artwork that goes w it. Ricky goes thro a rough time but we love a happy ending :3

[l-r-christian]

A request by @sapphireplums

Title: Don't you hurt her

Summary: Y/N is happily dating a guy but Elijah doesn't like the fact his daughter's boyfriend is a rebellious vampire

Pairing: Elijah Mikaelson x Daughter!Reader

Warning: fluff, Elijah being overly protective

Y/N hurried down the stairs catching the attention of her father who looked up from his book. Elijah watched his daughter pause for a moment checking her hair before leaving and now Elijah wanted to know what his little girl was up to so he went to find the one woman she shared all her secrets with.

"Rebekah." Elijah said stepping into Rebekah's bedroom seeing the blonde putting clothes away and Elijah narrowed his eyes watching Rebekah jump.

"Hello Elijah. Need something?"

"Y/N left in a hurry. I was wondering if you knew something?" Elijah asked watching Rebekah closely as his sister looked away. Rebekah knew where Y/N had ran off to and promised to not tell Elijah or Klaus that her niece had began dating a boy.

"Nope. Sorry Elijah."

"Now Rebekah, we both know that you are Y/N's favorite aunt. You know things about my daughter that I wouldn't know, so I ask again. Do you know something?" Elijah asked calmly staring at his baby sister as Rebekah swallowed feeling a bit nervous but she wanted her niece to have her moments of peace before Elijah gets all protective.

"As I told you. No I do not Elijah." Rebekah stressed staring back as Elijah searched her face looking for the lie then left. Rebekah let out a breath and texted her niece that Elijah may find her.

"Something wrong, babe?" A smooth voice asked Y/N when the owner of the voice noticing the girl looking at her phone. The owner of the voice was Y/N's boyfriend, Julian Alexander, a 118 year old vampire that was turned by Marcel. Julian was bit of a wild card, always rebelling against the rules up until he met Y/N and the boy fell hard.

"My dad may know about us." Y/N tells the vampire as he raised an eyebrow as a smirk came on his face.

"What, the all noble Elijah Mikaelson wouldn't want me to taint his little princess?" Julian said smirking as Y/N giggled playfully pushing her boyfriend.

"Because I'm pretty sure I already have." Julian said lowly nipping her neck making Y/N giggle harder. Julian smiled moving so his girl could sit in his lap to show her how to play guitar. Y/N smiled as his strong arms came around her resting his chin on her shoulder spending the rest of the day teaching his girlfriend how to play.

"Hello, little witch. You may be in trouble with your father." Kol said smirking when Y/N came walking in and she looked up on the catwalk seeing Elijah watching her close.

"Why? I was study with some friends."

"Really? I'm no fool little witch." Kol said laughing lightly poking the hickey on Y/N's neck making her blush and run to her room.

"Who is he?" Elijah asked his daughter making her squeak scaring her when he appeared in her doorway. Y/N chewed her bottom lip weighing pros and cons of telling Elijah about her boyfriend.

"I don't know what you are talking about daddy." Y/N squeaked out her heart beating fast as Elijah put his hands in his pockets staring at his daughter.

"Do really think I believe that?"

"Yes.....no." Y/N muttered looking at her father her cheeks burn with blush. She told Elijah about Julian.

"Bring him to dinner I want to meet him."

Julian smiled at Y/N as she tied his tie while his hands on her hips. Julian was a bit surprised when Y/N came over with a suit saying he had to come to dinner to meet her family.

"Bring home a guy with tattoos and a piercing in his ear. Daddy's worst nightmare." Julian tease Y/N making her hit his chest as she smiled.

"Can you not be you for one night?"

"I'll try for you babe." Julian tells Y/N kissing her softly. Elijah growled lowly seeing Julian touching his daughter's lower back as they walked in. Klaus and Kol were smirking finding the whole thing funny with how Elijah was approaching the idea of his daughter dating.

"Julian Alexander, hands where I can see them." Elijah said glaring as Julian smirked kissing Y/N's neck making Y/N hide her blushing face. Elijah stepped forward but Rebekah stopped him from hurting Y/N's boyfriend. Elijah knew of the young vampire as Marcel had let the family know of the rebellious vampire.

"Shall we have dinner?" Klaus asked smirking as Y/N nodding dragging Julian to the table and dinner kinda went smoothly. Elijah stared Julian down everytime the vampire would touch Y/N.

"If you harm my daughter in anyway. I will tear your heart out and feed it to you after I hunt you down." Elijah said lowly in the vampire's ear after leading the vampire to the door.

"I wouldn't dream of hurting her."

While Elijah seemed to be fine with Julian seeing his daughter, Elijah would show up to their dates making sure Julian wasn't touching Y/N.

"I won't hurt her you know." Julian tells Elijah as they watched Y/N playing with Hope throwing water balloons.

"I am aware but you are a rebellious vampire."

"Right or maybe you are just scared of losing Y/N." Julian said getting up joining the girls by picking up Y/N jumping into the pool with her in his arms making her squeal. Elijah watched the three realizing that Julian was a little bit right and he decided to back off a bit but still keeping a close eye on them unaware that Julian wasn't leaving any time soon.

[spacerangersam]

A random headcanon I have is that Thomas is the 2nd oldest of five children. He took full advantage of the fact that most of the family responsibilities fell on his older brother to pursue a career in the arts, without being a disappointment to his family.

I’m that vein, do you have any headcanons about the ghosts’ families (other than the ones we already know like Kitty and Lady Button)?

Oh, I like that. I tend to imagine him either as an only child or the youngest of however with his spoilt brat energy, but him not directly being the youngest could actually work better as it would take a lot more eyes off him and, as you said, give him less responisiblity.

And oh, do I ever:

So, Pat – by virtue of the fact you only see his mum’s name in his article on the ghost board (I know that his dad’s name is probably on there and just blocked out by the posit note with his name but shhh), I tend to imagine Pat was raised just by his mother Maureen, his father walking on the family when Pat was young. Pat was, if my maths is right, born the year ww2 ended, so maybe Mauren and his dad got together in a 'well we might die so why not' panic, only for the war to end and for him to realise he had no interest in a family whatsoever. Maureen was Welsh but ended up staying in Yorkshire even after Mr Butcher walked out in hopes of more job opportunities. The rest of Mr Butcher’s, very large, family were not happy with him for walking out and were made an effort to be really proactive in Maureen’s life because of that, so Pat grew up surrounded by cousins and uncle and aunt’s taking care of him. My only other notes are that he had a twin sister called Gabrielle (the eldest of the two by like three minutes) who he was very close to, and that his mum was a Guide leader :)

Julian – Mumsy and Daddy were two upper class conservatives from Cheltenham, both big players in local politics though they never got the fame they really wanted. Julian had one older brother Charles who was seen as the golden child as he was a lot less wild than Julian, but in exchange he was like, incredibly boring and he never got into politics. He and Julian did not get along. Julian didn’t get along with most of his family honestly, though he did have one aunt who spoiled him rotten, and by the time he was twelve he basically moved in with her

Robin – The third of four children, raised by their dad after their mum died. I think his entire family would live together- like grandparents and aunts uncle, and when his siblings found someone and had kids, they’d stick around too so he was just constantly surrounded by people which makes it all the worse when he’s killed and left all alone anyway, just a very chill family unit with everyone working together to keep each other alive

Mary – Raised by very strict parents who she never felt connected with. And being the eldest, having four younger brothers, she was essentially treated less as a daughter by them and more like a live-in nanny. She didn’t have any other family to really turn to and support her. I tend to imagine she did get married though she didn’t care all that much about her husband, and had two kids. Like her parents though, she never really ended up connected with them, always busy working to keep them alive. I also think her husband was the one who accused her of witchcraft- not to get rid of her like with George, but because he genuinely believed she was

Captain – The son of two Catholics, his father a banker and a former army captain himself, his mother a dressmaker. He wasn’t close to his father at all, who was deeply affected from the first world war and insisted on keeping a distance from his kids and wife, worried that he accidentally lash out and hurt them. He was very close to his mother though, and I like to think she figured out early on he was gay and did her best to subtly hint she’d be accepting, though he never caught on. He also had a younger sister who was close with as a child, but the older the got and the more repressed he became, the further they drifted away from each other.

Humphrey (sorry mate I almost forgot you yet again) – Uh, idk about him…I think he lost his parents when he was young – which meant he had no one to turn to with regards to his marriage with Sophie – and was taken in by his uncle who did his best to care for Humphrey and his own two children. But he ended up passing away when Humphrey was in his early twenties, which he took very hard. He was very close with his cousins, they were both girls who were significantly younger than him, and he always saw them as his sisters, and likewise they say him as an older brother.

[lumosinlove]

Between Fifth And You

AO3

chapter two

~

It’s Saturday night for Manhattan’s elite, and we know what that means. The Noble House of Black beckons, and one particularly family seems to be a little behind on preparations—at least, their youngest son is.

Spotted—Logan Tremblay, looking hot in nothing but basketball shorts. Better soak up that fading blue August heat while you can, Lo. Or are you more interested in something a little more…fiery? But in the LES? Why so far from home, Dorothy? Eye color isn’t the only thing green about the Tremblay family. And they have a bad habit of sorting everything out with a little help from Ben Franklin.

“Shoot, shoot!”

Logan pivoted on his heel and was able to toss the ball around his opponent’s shoulder. He only caught a glimpse of red hair as Finn caught it with ease and jumped it up to the rim.

Finn O’Hara. One of these days Logan was going to step on his own shoes watching Finn O’Hara. His pale chest looked like sugar dusting, his exertion-red cheeks the goddamn cherry.

“Point moo-oi!” Finn shouted, slapping Will Morgan and Percy Marshall on their bare backs. “That’s how you say it, right, Tremblay?”

Logan feigned a shudder. “Non.”

“Shorty’s got game,” Will laughed, sweat dripping down his dark brown skin, darkening the leather bracelets he wore.

Percy shook his head, swallowing over a caught-breath, his silver Star of David swinging at his throat. “Shorty must be cheating with his Upper Side shoes.”

Logan just narrowed his eyes and laughed, pushing his hair out of his eyes. “You’re just tall. Doesn’t mean you’re good.”

“Yeah, yeah, Mazel tov, you fucker.”

“I’m finally winning,” Finn grinned. “And now I gotta get back to the shop. I said be back in five…pretty sure it’s been fifty-five.”

Logan swallowed. “I’ll—I’ll walk you.”

Percy slapped him on the back as they left, and Finn held the cage door of the basketball court open for him.

“So, you’re back at school?” Finn asked as he pulled his shirt on. Logan nodded, following suit, picking at the neck where it stuck to his sweaty skin.

“Yeah,” Logan nodded. “I’m supposed to be getting fitted for a suit right now.”

Finn snorted. “What does that have to do with school?”

“Oh,” the corner of Logan’s mouth raised as he realized. “Nothing, I…well, you know. The social scene. It sort of all feels like one thing, up there.”

Finn pouted at him. “Poor baby. Too many parties.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Logan laughed.

“Hey, feel like lunch?”

“I thought you had to be back.”

Finn shrugged. “I’m hungry.”

Logan bit his lip, wondering how many different ways his older sisters could actually kill him. Honestly, he thought he’d just die on the spot of he passed up the change to be squeezed into one of the small restaurants that Finn frequented. Screw the grand tables of his life. Logan wanted cracked leather booths small enough to let their ankles brush. Not that he’d ever say that out loud.

Finn didn’t disappoint. They walked down the shade of Mott street, then turned at a bakeshop on the corner. Finn pointed at it.

“You’ve been here, haven’t you?”

Logan raised a shoulder. “I don’t get down here much.”

Finn snorted. “Listen to you. Down here. You’re down here enough to pop into my bookstore all the time.”

Logan studied the cakes in the windows, biting his lip when he realized Finn’s eyes were still on him in the reflection. “I…yeah.”

Finn flicked the bill of Logan’s hat which shaded the back of his neck. “How’s that latest book you bought?”

Logan turned away from the window to get them walking again, not sure where they were going but trusting Finn to lead. “I’m starting school, man, I don’t have all the time in the world.”

Finn just laughed. “Come on, let’s catch the 6.”

Logan found himself squeezed into a tiny French restaurant in the West Village that served them even tinier croissants.

“I know the chef,” Finn said popping one he had spread jam and butter on into his mouth. “Dumo. Don’t pay a cent. I fucking love these things.”

Logan would have bought Finn a thousand of the tiny pastries without a blink just to see him lick a bit of jam from his thumb again.

“Dumo doesn’t sound very French…” Logan began cutting up his waffle.

Finn laughed. “Pascal Dumais does.”

“Oh. Yeah, that’s more like it.”

Logan glanced at a woman and her baby, who had started crying. He tried to think of something to say. For someone who’s job seemed to be making small talk at various parties and charming people with his accent—or so his mother sometimes said—he sure was horrible at it.

“So, what’s the suit for?” Finn asked, taking a sip of his black coffee.

“A fashion show,” Logan sighed, hiding his surprise—and maybe delight—at Finn’s unknowing shrug. “It’s…sort of a lot. Lots of people and cameras. And I always have to wear something green.”

Finn hummed in understanding. “It’s the eyes, yeah?”

Logan nodded. “A lot of fast English, too.”

Finn tilted his head. “I didn’t know that was hard for you. You’re perfect.”

Logan tried not to flush and covered it with a shrug. “I lived in France until I was fifteen before we finally moved to my dad. It’s still nice to be able to read lips sometimes. With the flashes and they make it super dark…I don’t know.”

“No, that makes sense,” Finn said, brown eyes soft. He smiled. “Hey, well, if you don’t want to go to the fitting, come man the shop with me. I’d love the company.”

Logan looked at him and ached, but saw his older sister Noelle’s pleading, excited expression in his mind. He might not love the scene, but he loved his sisters. “I wish I could. Really.”

They finished up their food and Logan had to admit that he lingered over his coffee until Finn said he absolutely had to leave.

“Hey, Tremblay,” Finn called from down the sidewalk, and Logan turned in the full knowledge that seeing the smile Finn sent him would only make him want to stay more.

The dutiful son wants the bookshop boy…I don’t know, Lo. How will their royal highnesses feel about that?

“Come buy more books you don’t read soon, okay?”

Logan couldn’t help but smile back. “D’accord.”

Finn walked backwards a few steps, yelling, “And bring me something green!” before turning and jogging down the subway stairs.

Logan laughed as he called his driver to him, escaping the heat for air conditioned leather.

XOXO

Pearls or diamonds, Upper Siders? Armani or Ralph? What, like you have other questions tonight?

Well, I have one for you. A tip from a friendly scroller gave me a peak at tonight’s guest list. Do you think we’re in for more than just a showdown on the runway? Cat fights over cat walks is what I always say.

XOXO.

[Image description: Two name cards reading, from left to right, Leo Knut and Remus Lupin, Sirius Black and Sebastian Montague]

Remus found Julian already dressed and tapping at a game on his phone when he descended the winding staircase of their penthouse.

“You waiting for mom and dad?” Remus said, dropping a kiss to the top of his head.

“And you,” Julian said.

“Right, right,” Remus smoothed his black tuxedo, trying to ignore the subtle glint of blue-silver embroidered into the black velvet. His mother was a planner—which Remus liked usually—but this design had not aged well. This suit had a twin that it no longer belonged with. Remus clenched his jaw as he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He’d hoped wearing it would feel like defiance.

But it only felt like he was lonely. He gave his head a hard shake. He had Leo. He couldn’t let New York throw him.

“Gossip Girl’s going crazy. Of course,” Julian said.

“Jules, you shouldn’t read that stuff,” Remus sighed. “It’s just gossip—”

“Just posted about Sirius,” Julian murmured.

Remus huffed, pushing his hair out of its too neat style in the mirror. “So?”

Julian shrugged, but pointedly looked away when Remus took out his own phone.

The photo looked like one from the paparazzi, but the sight of Sirius on the red carpet made Remus’ throat close up.

I spy a statement piece. Or maybe it’s just a statement. Sirius Black arrives on the red carpet—or should I say black carpet—with none other than New York’s favorite icon, in worship and fashion alike. The Saint of these streets is looking particularly dashing tonight, hand in hand with the heir of this city. Ouch, Re. Looks like you’ve been dethroned.

Remus stared down at the screen, neck hot. Sirius’ suit sleeves had the barely there leather half moon cut-outs that Remus remembered tracing onto his skin.

Sirius had smiled into their kiss. Think anyone will notice?

Remus had just laughed. Everyone will notice.

But there was Saint, a crown of moonstones in his golden hair.

Remus looked down at his own suit. Of course Saint had thought of a way they’d match, that was all it was, but it still felt like a snub.

“I sort of miss him,” Julian said quietly.

Remus’ heart pulled. He swallowed and clicked his phone off. He looked at Julian, who looked almost sheepish.

“Do you?” Julian asked even more quietly.

“Don’t you like Leo?” Remus asked.

“Of course,” Julian nodded quickly. “But…”

“Remus,” Hope smiled, coming down the stairs arm-in-arm with their father. “Jules. Ready, boys?”

Remus didn’t think saying no was an option. He cleared his throat, pushed his hair back.

“Almost,” he said, backtracking towards the stairs. “Just a second. Gotta call Leo, make sure he hasn’t left yet.”

XOXO

“We can watch a livestream of the red carpet and the show,” Natalie said. “Sit.”

Finn groaned, squished beside Natalie on her tiny sofa. “That feels like I’m stalking him.”

“We’re allowed to stalk the boys we like.”

“You’re dating my brother, Nat. Does this mean you stalked him?”

“It really does,” Alex said, coming in from the kitchen with their margaritas and dropping a kiss to Natalie’s temple.

“Hm,” Natalie smiled up at him, accepting a kiss to her lips. “Scruffy.”

Finn sighed and pulled a knee up to his chest, watching the loading video Natalie had pulled up.

“Your wifi sucks,” he mumbled.

“It’ll load,” Natalie scooted over for Alex and passed Finn his drink.

“Salsa, too,” Finn said, waving it over.

Finally, the video popped up to a view of the red carpet.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Alex said.

“Be nice,” Natalie laughed. “It’s fashion!”

“Look,” Alex sighed. “I know they’re wealthy and it’s suppose to be all, I don’t know sandy beaches and wristwatches, but not a single one of these people look remotely happy. Like take a look at this guy—“

Finn looked over the sandy-haired man posing in front of the cameras—well, not posing, really. Kasey Winter, the commentators were saying.

“Nice hair,” Natalie crunched on a chip. “And listen to that, his mother’s one of the biggest producers at Weird Sisters Records.”

“Fine, but he looks like he’s ready to kill someone. I mean, anyone else think its kind of fucked up that the New York families go to a New York university where New York businesses draw from New York’s elite?”

“Yes,” Finn and Natalie said in unison.

And then there was Logan.

Finn let out an embarrassing sound and set his drink down, leaning forward.

Logan walked out in front of the cameras with three girls—his sisters, Finn remembered. Not to mention he followed all of them on Instagram. They had a lot of shoes, sure, but they seemed all right.

“I saw this thing on Gossip Girl about one of the sisters,” Natalie said. “She—”

“Nat, why the hell do you read that?”

Natalie shot him a look. “Like you don’t.”

Finn ignored them, too focused on the dark, nearly black, velvety green cape—or was it cloak?—that covered Logan’s shoulders down to above his elbows, falling to an elegant point at the small of his back over his black suit. The sisters had a similar get-up in one way or another—a green train, a shawl, a corset. Logan’s clasp was a silver fleur-de-lis.

“Green,” Finn breathed.

“What?” Alex asked.

Finn bit the inside of his cheek at Logan’s expression. It was meant to be blank, Finn thought, at-ease and untouchable, but it came off almost enticing. His dark eyelashes swept against his cheeks. Finn watched his throat bob around a swallow, his adored eyes shifting from flash to flash.

“Nothing,” Finn answered his brother.

“How’d you meet this kid anyway, Fish?” his brother asked.

“I was closing up shop about a month ago,” Finn said. “And he stopped at one of our windows. Looked like he’d run the entire island, he was breathing so hard. Not to mention it was pouring like nothing else. Thought he was gonna pass out, so I unlocked the door and let him in to get dry. I don’t know, he was kind of shy at first. Listened to me talk for about an hour before he started giving anything back.” Finn shrugged, watching Logan walk off screen. “I invite him to play basketball with me, Morg, and Percy now. We get lunch after sometimes.”

Natalie sighed. “He looked like one unhappy camper.”

“I think his family puts a lot of pressure on him. He’s the baby. Only son. All that bullshit.”

“I kind of want that cape,” Natalie said.

Alex sighed. “That’s the idea.”

Natalie slapped his chest, then kissed his cheek, and Finn watched Logan walk off-screen.

XOXO

“What say you, Capulet?”

Sirius looked down at Saint at his shoulder. “They’re out of crab puffs.”

“Boo,” Saint said. “You still closing the show?”

“Yep.”

“Shouldn’t you be in hair and makeup?”

“Yep.”

Saint stepped in front of him, the gold band of moonstones nestled in his curls glinting in the dark stage lights. “Looking for someone?”

Sirius just reached out and ran a gentle thumbnail beneath where Saint’s golden eyeliner had smudged against his brown skin, striking it back to a point. “Nope. See you after the show.”

Saint clucked his tongue. “I’m unimpressed.”

“What else is new?” Sirius said.

Saint went to smile, when his eyes flickered behind Sirius and he raised his eyebrows. “That.”

Sirius turned around, and quickly schooled his expression. The cameras were going wild, and in front of all the flashing lights was Remus, hand-in-hand with Leo Knut.

“They make a sunshine pair,” Saint said from beside him. “How’re you feeling?”

Sirius touched two fingers to one of the black-leather moons on his jacket sleeve. They were meant to go with Remus’ stars. He remembered planning for them. He’d thought…part of him had thought if he’d worn them tonight—

“Cloudy sky,” he replied to Saint.

“I was gonna say dappled sunlight in…” Saint glanced around. “A dark forest.”

Remus and Leo were wearing dress shirts, collars rumpled and unbuttoned at their throats, each in a smooth shade of cream. Their hands, decked out in golden rings, were laced together, and they both wore pale gray slacks, slim cut, and laceless nikes.

My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun…hmm, but don’t I spy some burning jealous?

“What are we going for here,” Saint raised an eyebrow. “Left in a hurry and didn’t get the dress code?”

“We’re going against me,” Sirius replied, slipping his hands into his pockets and trying to stand straight. “That’s all.”

“Sunlight in a dark forest, indeed.”

Sirius watched them looking out over the flashes, and tried not to look surprised when golden eyes met his own. Remus’ expression didn’t change either. Instead, he simply blinked, then looked away. Leo, tall and lean, leaned into his ear, and Remus smiled. The cameras popped like champagne.

I love right here, Sirius remembered his own voice, the feeling of the soft skin by Remus’ eye beneath his thumb. I love right here when you smile.

“I need to get backstage,” Sirius said shortly, and turned on his heel.

“I’ll be watching.”

“Don’t I know,” Sirius called as he weaved his way through the crowd, heading backstage. The woman with a radio in her ear looked annoyed and nervous when he slipped past her, and radioed that he had arrived to whoever it was that needed to know.

“Sirius!” Alice called, hands full of makeup brushes and up in the air. “Jesus Christ, do you think I have all fucking night?”

Sirius shrugged out of his red carpet jacket—which someone took—and slid into her chair. “Sorry, Al.”

She twirled a protective cape around his shoulders, snapping it at the base of his neck. “It’s a good thing you’re pretty. But then again, I think everyone’s pretty.”

Sirius closed his eyes, letting her begin. “People are.”

Alice had just finished contour when Sirius all but felt his mother’s presence. A shift in the air. A cooler wind. People standing up straighter and shivering.  

“Sirius,” his mother’s face appeared in the mirror. Her red lipstick was the brightest thing about her, and even that was almost mauve. Her dress was tight around her breasts, but cascaded in thick waves of velvet behind her, and she wore tall leather boots. It almost looked like armor. “You’re very late, darling.”

“Sorry,” Sirius said. “Saint and I got caught up in the crowd, I guess.”

She hummed. “You two looked fetching out there. He’s much more pleasing than that other boy ever was. His family is important, too.”

It was true, that his mother had never liked Remus much. Though, Sirius couldn’t compare him and Saint. They were two different oceans.

“Get dressed,” his mother breathed, and was already snapping her fingers at one of the other models before Sirius could say another word.

“All right?” Alice asked him quietly.

Sirius looked at himself in the mirror. Her contour made his face look almost gaunt, as was the general makeup for all of the models, and he knew he’d be given dark eye makeup next, his hair fluffed into perfect curls.

“Fine,” Sirius said, and closed his eyes to let her work.

Sirius was shrugging into his given outfit—a billowing longcoat, 20th century in fashion, and a longer tunic made almost entirely of the thinnest black silk. It would shimmer when he walked, he knew, and his tall, lace-up boots, the flat sole so thin and delicate that he almost felt barefoot, would disappear beneath the shimmer. His mother was cold, stubborn, and cruel sometimes, an unfeeling, yawning sort of dark, but she was talented.

“Lord Vader,” came a voice from behind him, and Sirius laughed even before he turned to face Thomas Walker.

“Sounds about right,” Sirius said, and they clasped hands, pulling them into a one-armed hug. “You look fantastic, though.”

Thomas spun slowly on his heel, letting the long, loose fitting white linen of his button-down—which went out in two, tuxedo-like tails at his back—flare out above his slim, black trousers. He wore a thin scarf of distressed wool.

“Like a fallen gentleman, no?” Thomas grinned. “I might try and steal these pants. And maybe the shirt for Noelle.”

“Oh, yeah,” Sirius smiled, spying Noelle’s green eyes behind his shoulder. “She’ll love that.”

Noelle wrapped her arms, which were draped in a transparent green cloth, around Thomas’ waist. “Thanks for thinking of me, T baby.”

Thomas laughed in surprise. “Who let you back stage?”

“I’m a Tremblay, they’ll let us in anywhere.”

Thomas turned his head to capture Noelle in a soft kiss.

“See you after, hm?” Noelle said. “I’m gonna go say hi to my friend, she’s walking tonight, too.”

“Yeah, we’ll ride to Honeyduke’s together.”

Noelle raised an eyebrow at him. “You coming, Black?”

“Saint all but owns the place,” Sirius said. “Of course I am.”

Sirius walked. He didn’t look down, or hear the cameras. It wasn’t his favorite thing in the world, to be up here, not able to see past the lights—but something tonight was different. It felt as it had the night of his and Remus’ first kiss.

In that show, he had had one, thin line of black lipstick traced over the center of his bottom lip. It had marked Remus’ throat and cheeks like soot by the end of it all.

Remus had been waiting for him back stage.

“Come here,” Remus had whispered, and laced their fingers together.

“Where?” Sirius had answered, surprised by their palms pressing together.

But it hadn’t been a place. Remus had pressed them back in between clothing racks, and crashed their mouths together.

Here, Remus had whispered, and kissed him again.

Sirius felt the absence of the stage lights like a wash of cold air, and he stretched out his back, letting his stony face drop a little. He glanced around, but there was no one to be found. His cheeks were warm just thinking about it.

“Good,” his mother said as he passed her by to take off the makeup, and that was all.

XOXO

Saint looked across Honeyduke’s and felt like it was his. Logan was laughing with Thomas and Noelle, and he had Kasey Winter beside him, securing tickets to one of their favorite bands to see together.

“Done,” Kasey said, and flashed one of his rare smiles.

“I knew you were my favorite,” Saint took a sip of his drink, and Kasey scoffed.

“Me or my mom?”

“Maybe a little of both. Oh, and we’re going to sushi beforehand.”

Kasey’s smile was larger now. “Wouldn’t have it any other way. You gonna leave with that drummer again? What’s her name?”

Saint smiled. “Oh, Sally. And I make it a habit to always leave with the drummer.”

Kasey just shook his head. “Yeah, yeah. I’m getting a drink and leaving you to your one-liners.”

Saint watched him go, feeling settled, and set about scanning the room for Sirius. He was sure he’d know if he was there—people tended to swarm to Sirius, even if he didn’t ask for it. It was part of the reason they were so close. People flocked to Saint, too. So, they asked for each other’s company. A more intimate, calm part of life. Sirius was quiet. Saint wasn’t, but he let Saint , for a moment, be that way, too. Saint was loud. Sirius wasn’t, but Saint had his ways to fire him up.

“Another drink, sir?”

Saint looked over his shoulder, only to turn all the way around, interest peaked. The bartender had sandy hair, and a strong jaw, his cheeks textured by acne scars in some places. He had brown eyes—save for a sliver of green in one.

“Only if you have one with me,” Saint said, and glanced down at his name-tag. “Luke.”

Luke arched an eyebrow, pressing the heels of his palms onto the bar between them, revealing rolled up sleeves and some type of vine tattoo, wrapping all around both of his forearms.

“I’m working, sir.”

“Is that a later?” he nodded at the tattoo. “Nice.”

“I don’t think so,” Luke said.

“Oh, no?”

Luke scowled—how did he look so handsome doing that?

“Do you make it a habit to go home with all the waiters, too?”

Saint didn’t let his expression flicker, just smiled nice and slow.

“Hillrock,” Saint said. “Neat.”

The barkeep turned away.

Ouch. Looks like not everyone worships at your alter, Saint.

XOXO

The elevator doors opened, revealing the party to Sirius one outfit after the next. He had changed for the afterparty—the first of three. He wore a tight, thin black t-shirt and dark jeans. He hadn’t bothered to wash off the dark, smudged eyeliner from the show. His combat boots went up to just below his knee, and had the same nearly naked feeling sole. It made him feel soundless, like a shadow.

Maybe that’s why it was easy to find Remus and stand beside him without him stirring.

“You’re a little underdressed,” Sirius said without looking at him.

“Says the boy wearing a t-shirt,” Remus replied evenly.

Sirius scowled. “I meant at the show.”

“People like to be surprised,” Remus replied evenly.

“Who’s Leo?”

“My boyfriend.”

Sirius turned towards him. “You didn’t tell me you were coming home.”

Remus matched him. They were nearly chest to chest. “You didn’t say a word to me in class.”

“You didn’t—“

“I had the last word,” Remus snapped. “I figured maybe you’d finally have something to say back.”

Sirius stared at him, heart pounding in his ears. For a moment, he let himself look. At the golden eyes, hair more blond than ever from the summer’s sun. Sirius couldn’t stand that mouth set in a frown.

“Guess not,” Remus said softly, lips dropping open in the way they used to before they kissed.

Sirius all but felt him vanish into the writhing crowd.

XOXO

Finn looked up when a flash of color on the morning-silent street outside caught his eye. He set the books he was holding down, took the pen out from between his teeth.

Green.

“What the hell?” Finn laughed as he pulled open the door to his bookshop to find Logan standing there. “It’s five in the fucking morning, what are you doing here? Couldn’t sleep?”

“Never did,” Logan said, and that’s when Finn saw that Logan was still in his suit from the livestream.

“Ah, I see,” Finn said, eyes flicking up and down his broad form. He swallowed dryly. “The nature of afterparties, I suppose. Well, you—you look good. For someone who’s been up all night, I mean.”

Logan just smiled, one of his small, secretive ones. Finn watched as he stepped forward so they were almost toe to toe in the doorway.

“Wh…” Finn’s voice dropped off with a breathless laugh. He couldn’t help but look at Logan’s mouth. His full lips that could speak a language Finn couldn’t even begin to describe.

Logan just reached up to the base of his own throat and unclipped the fleur-de-lis clasp there. In one smooth swoop, he drew his short cloak from his shoulders and around Finn’s, right over his worn gray t-shirt, clicking it in place. The fabric brought a gentle scent, and he figured it must be Logan’s cologne.

“Something green,” Logan said softly. A warm, early morning breeze ruffled his hair, pushing the curls forward. Finn couldn’t move. “What are you doing here?”

“Inventory,” Finn whispered, then cleared his throat. “Inventory.”

“Okay,” Logan said. “I’ll help.”

[fruitcoops]

Ok so maybe its too late but ive been re-reading some of your fics and one of them was sirius being disowned. We saw remus' recation, and also james', regulus', and dumo's. What about remus' family's reaction? WHAT WOULD HOPLE AND LYALL SAY? AND JULIAN?

It’s never too late for Lupin love! Thank you for such a lovely prompt <3 SW credit goes to @lumosinlove!

Read the rest of the series here!

Sirius had never seen his mother-in-law so furious.

“We’re making a pie,” she said as soon as the door opened. No, not said—ordered.

“Okay.” He let them inside and immediately almost lost a few ribs to Jules’ hug. “Hey, buddy, how’s it going?”

Jules stayed silent, swaying back and forth slightly with his eyes squeezed shut. “I love you.”

“Love you, too. What’s going on?” Sirius glanced back to the porch, where Remus was waiting behind his father with an amused look on his face.

Something clattered in the kitchen as Hope went through like a hurricane. “Remus John, where do you keep your stepstools?”

“Was the middle name really necessary?” Remus muttered as he stepped into the house. “We don’t have any stepstools, mom! What do you need?”

“A mixing bowl!”

“Hang on, I’ll be there in a second.”

“Don’t worry, I got it.” Sirius patted his lower back and headed toward the kitchen, still dragging Jules along on one leg. Hope’s classic low bun was lopsided from her efforts, and her gray-streaked flyaways practically levitated on their own. “Mixing bowls?”

“Three, please. Julian, you’re cutting off his circulation.”

“No, no, it’s alright,” Sirius assured her. “How’s Wisconsin?”

“Cold, believe it or not,” she said with a wry smile as she gathered an array of familiar ingredients. “How’s everything here?”

He shrugged one shoulder. “Not too bad. We’ve been—”

“Hattie!” Jules shouted gleefully, sprinting toward the back door at light speed. Hattie spotted him half a second later and exploded into a ball of joy; she flung herself into his lap and they scrambled around before running back outside.

“We’ve been good,” Sirius finished around his laughter. “The season’s picking up again soon, so we’ve both been busy.”

Hope hummed to herself, scanning his face. After a moment, she patted the counter with her hand and passed him a sifter. “Four cups of flour in the bowl, please.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

They worked elbow-to-elbow for close to half an hour, keeping easy conversation through the noise of the rest of the house. Sirius usually hated small talk, but it was never awkward with Hope. She let it flow naturally and never took offense when he lapsed into general noises of agreement to avoid saying the ‘wrong thing’.

Sirius wasn’t stupid; he knew exactly what she was doing. Starting off with friendly banter, doing an activity together, sprinkling gentle touches to his arm or elbow—it was a classic Lupin attempt at buttering him up before going in for the heart of the issue.

Less than five minutes into rolling the dough, Hope stopped mid-sentence and raised an eyebrow at him. “You know what I’m getting to, don’t you?”

“Oh, absolutely.”

“Hm.” Her next push on the lumpy ball had a little extra force, and he felt the calm atmosphere start to sizzle. “I’m not angry with you.”

“I hope not.”

“I am rarely ever angry with you.”

“That’s good to know.” He passed her a little bit more flour and a small smile crinkled her eyes.

“You’re getting good at this. Won’t even need me, soon.”

“It’s not as much fun alone.”

Hope sighed and paused her steady kneading. “You are a wonderful young man, Sirius.”

“Thank you.”

“So I hope you’ll forgive me when I say your mother is a bitch.” Sirius mouth fell open a bit in utter shock, but Hope kept going, and her kneading grew even more aggressive. “The few times I’ve had the misfortune of hearing her speak, it has only been about hateful, horrible things. She doesn’t deserve a sweet boy like Regulus and she certainly doesn’t deserve someone like you.”

“Hope—”

She turned to face him and cupped his cheeks in flour-coated hands, pulling him down for a kiss to the forehead. “The greatest mistake of her life was not recognizing everything brilliant about you. We’re here for whatever you need, Sirius.”

He swallowed back the urge to dissolve into a puddle of tears right there on the kitchen floor. “You might have to arm wrestle Celeste for that.”

Hope patted his cheek with a twinkle in her eye. “We’ll coparent. Now put those big hockey muscles to work and help me roll this crust out.”

Remus poked his head into the room and tapped gently on the doorframe. “Knock, knock—”

“Who’s there?” Sirius asked, grinning at the withering look it earned him.

“You’re terrible. Can we switch? My dad wants to talk to you for a second.”

He looked to Hope, who huffed. “You’re stealing my employee.”

“I could help!”

“If you split the crust again, I’m reinstating your ban.”

Sirius turned to him with a wide smile. “You’re banned from pie-making?”

“It’s not official,” Remus grumbled as they swapped places. “But yes. Apparently, teaspoons and tablespoons are significantly different.”

“Yeah, honey, that’s why they have different names,” Sirius laughed, bending down for a kiss before he left them to their devices. Hopefully, the pie would still be intact when he returned.

Lyall was waiting in the living room, watching Hattie and Jules roll through the backyard in a mess of grass stains; he looked away from the window when Sirius entered, then crossed the room in three long strides and wrapped him in a hug. They were quiet for a few seconds before he stepped away and held him at arm’s length with a hand on each shoulder. “My wife is incredibly upset on your behalf.”

Sirius snorted. “I could tell.”

“We’re both very proud of you.”

His breath caught; hearing that from anyone was always overwhelming, but from someone like Lyall… “Thank you. That—that really means a lot.”

It wasn’t nearly enough words to express his gratitude (and his love, and his devotion, and his genuine relief that the Lupins thought he was good enough) but Lyall seemed to understand. With a final pat to Sirius’ shoulder, he tilted his head toward the kitchen. “You might want to rescue your husband before he gets smacked with a wooden spoon for stealing the filling.”

“Has he always done that?” Sirius asked as they walked out of the living room. “I kept thinking I was going crazy when the frosting started to disappear.”

“If it has even an ounce of sugar, it’s fair game. Jules seems to share that inclination.”

They entered the kitchen just as Remus popped an apple slice in his mouth and received a light whack to the back of the hand with Hope’s spoon. “No!”

“It’s good!” Remus protested.

“Lyall, are you done—oh, excellent!” Hope lit up when she saw them and shooed her son away from the bowl. “Sirius, please control your spouse.”

“I’ll do my best,” he laughed as Remus leaned up on his tiptoes for a kiss; his lips tasted like cinnamon, sugar, and home.

[casspurrjoybell-17]

HEART'S BLOOD - CHAPTER 32

*Warning: Adult Content*

Ian Foley drives in silence, concentrating on the road and the clock on his dash, his eyes constantly flicking back and forward between the two. 

Julian Hart keeps trying to think of a plan, some way to give them an advantage but he comes up with nothing. 

While quick with his fists, Ian dislikes guns and apparently doesn’t even keep a pocket knife handy. 

The best Julian can find is a plastic fork and a flashlight with a dead battery. 

Maybe MacGyver could do something with that but he can’t. 

The clock turns over the quarter hour and Ian swears under his breath and pushes his truck a little harder.

“You think he’s tracking the time so closely?” Julian asks.

Ian grunts and glances Julian’s way.

“He doesn’t have too. He poisoned my dad before I left and made me take the antidote with me,” he says reaching into his shirt pocket and pulling out a small dark bottle of brown glass. 

“He didn’t even tell me how I had. Not until I got to you. I mean thirty minutes,” Ian swears.

Julian remembers what he learnt from Agent Marsh...

“The first round of murders, the victims were poisoned. Henry did that?”

Ian Foley nods.

“There’s more to being a shifter than shifting,” he says, mouth twisted in a humourless smile. 

“Witchcraft, magic... I never had the mind for it. Henry is like my opposite. I can Shift easily... always have. It’s like breathing. Henry can’t shift worth shit but he’s a genius with the other stuff... especially poisons,” Ian shakes his head. “That is how he was able to sneak back here under our noses. All this time I though my Dad was just getting old, acting strange, forgetting stuff. But it was Henry making him do things and then not remembering. Like bring him food and supplies up here or at that bunker. If only I had realized sooner...”

“How could you even have guessed?” Julian asked, leaning against the door as Ian takes a turn too fast, pretty sure only half the tyres are in contact with the road.

“I should have recognized the signs. If I wasn’t so fucking dumb,” Ian bangs a palm against the wheel and his brow flush as red as his hair.

They are high in the hills now, nearly at the crest of a ridge and Ian slows and then turns onto one of the many innocuous dirt roads that lead off into wild tracts of land. 

This one is in bad shape and Julian clings to the handrail as the truck rattles and bumps over the rough surface, a cloud of dust rising in their wake.

“It’s not your fault,” Julian says, reluctantly offering comfort he doesn't want to give.

Julian: ‘I suspect that Ian’s problems go a lot deeper than an inability to control his temper and low self-esteem probably has a lot to do with it. Now’s not really the time to address his issues but I need him to tell me all that he can.’

“Your dad should have told you before it was too late to do anything,” Julian goes on. 

“I wish my dad had told me although he gets a pass on account of being dead.”

Ian glaces at Julian, his eyes flicking over his face, as though making a catalog of the young psychics features or really seeing him for the first time.

“Is it true?” Ian asks. 

“Was your dad really...?”

“Fey? Seems that way, but why would that matter so much?” 

Julian’s voice jumps with pitch and jolt of the road and the jostling isn’t doing the young man’s nervous stomach any good.

Ian looks ahead again, trying to avoid the worst of the rocks and pot-holes.

“About a hundred years ago, there was this war,” Ian says.

“The ‘Fey Wars’ conflict?” Julian says, remembering what Noah had said and Ian Foley nods.

“Yeah, that. My dad made me learn about it as a kid. It started out as a territorial thing, I think. I don’t remember all the details but I do remember one thing. There was this... kind of a sick game, really,” Ian hedges, looking uncomfortable.

“The Ritual Hunt?” Julian guesses, a sick feeling souring in the back of his throat.

“Yeah. It started with the wolves but shifters got on it too, eventually. The idea was that Fey blood had special properties, so it was a privilege to consume it. Deciding who got that privilege was another matter. It had to go to the best. So whenever a Fey got captured, the clan or pack would hold a hunt on the full moon. Five targets. Four humans and a Fey. All set loose, given a chance. Then the hunters...”

“I get the picture,” Julian says and Ian swallows hard.

“Whoever won was considered the best and the more humans they killed before the Fae, the better. A hunter who killed all four and the Fae last was... well they could challenge for leadership of the clan and take it as their right.”

“So Henry is trying to replicate that? Killing the four humans victims first and then...”

“I think so. That was his idea back then but your dad got way. Even though he died, Henry didn’t kill him so it didn’t count. But now, if you’re...”

Julian blinks and looks out the window, wishing his dad left him more than a book he can’t read. 

If not for Noah, he would have been totally in the dark.

“But why wait so long?” Julian asks. 

“It just doesn’t make sense.”

“Hunting is not a challenge unless the prey isn’t strong,” Ian answers.

“Shit. The timing,” Julian exhales sharply. 

“I turn twenty-nine in less than three weeks.”

Ian nods again.

“If you really are Fey, your powers are their full potential right now, just before they mature. And tonight is a full moon. His last chance at The Hunt.”

Ian’s breath catches and Julian looks over to see him blinking away tears.

“What now?” Julian asks, his patience long exhausted, left far behind them in the dust.

“He’s going to kill you, Julie,” Ian rasps in a broken voice.

“Yeah. I got that part,” Julian sighs. 

“Ian. Listen to me... this isn’t over yet. I’ve got something my dad didn’t had.”

“What?” Ian asks, looking at Julian as if expecting the young psychic to produce a secret weapon from thin air.

“I got friends on my side,” Julian says, meeting Ian’s eyes. 

“I got a giant werewolf, his killer sister super-smart brother, possibly the F.B.I. and...  I’ve got you. That’s a pretty crack team, I think.”

Julian: ‘Ian looks at me in surprise and gives me a very small self-conscious smile.’ 

The road descends from the crest of the ridge to the bottom of a long, flat valley. 

Thick trees line the edges and scale the steep boulder-strewn slopes to either side, while the center is a broad grassy meadow. 

Clusters of thick willow show were a water-course lies and sparse young pines break up the drier ground. 

At the end of the valley the land rises slightly then dips into a hallow just deep enough to hide it from view. 

The dirt track skirts the shallow, natural lake choked with water plants and then enters a dense corpse of evergreens where at last it ends. 

Ian pulls to a halt and turns off the engine and Julian hears the ticking of cooling metal in the sudden silence as they breath. 

Then as one they open their doors and get out. 

In the shadows beneath the trees, Julian sees a small, dark structure. It is a hunting cabin with plain wood siding fading to grey, a sloping roof of rusted corrugated tin covered in a layer of pine needles and a broad front porch. 

Between the way it blends perfectly with the surrounding trees, the messy pile of wood canting against one side and the single dark window, the creep factor is off the scales. 

Ian lopes up the low steps to the deck and pounds on the door.

“Hey, Henry. I’m here. I got him,” Ian yells.

Julian follows reluctantly and stands a few paces behind.

Julian: ‘If it was just my life at state, I would bolt for the truck, where Ian conveniently left the keys. But it’s not just me, Grace is here and George too, I can’t leave.’

“Henry,” Ian calls again, banging his fist against the door.

“Yes?” 

A soft voice speaks at Julian’s back and he whirls around heart in his throat. 

A man stands at the bottom of the steps, a rifle in one hand and a dead rabbit in the other. 

Besides these tokens, however, he’s about as far from the typical image of a ‘serial killer who lives in a cabin’ as it’s possible to be. 

Henry Foley has close-cropped grey hair, balding on top, with just enough colour to betray the family genes. 

He wears a checked cotton shirt, khaki dungarees and the arms of a cardigan are tied around his neck. 

The only odd thing about his attire is that he wears no shoes and his feet are bare, toes black with mud. 

His eyes land on Julian and his thin lips spread in a warm smile. 

When he speaks, his soft and wondering.

“Oh. My sweet David,” Henry says, dropping the rifle and rabbit.

He reaches for Julian, then snatches his hand back, with a quick drawn breath. 

“No. No. No,” he says, closing his eyes and pressing his fingertips to his brow, shaking his head. 

“It’s Julian. Isn’t it? Julian...” he adds, opening his eyes and smiling again, revealing a mouth full of too many closely-crowded yellow teeth. 

“You look so like him, my dear.”

Julian struggles against the urge to back away from him as he continues to draw near. 

Despite his innocuous appearance, there's something decidedly wrong about him. 

His face is lined but while Julian knows he’s older than George, he looks younger and there’s something unnatural about his face. 

It’s like a weird mask and Julian almost expects it to slide off at any moment, revealing something monstrous beneath.

“So beautiful,” Henry croons and reaches for Julian’s face. 

The young psychic can’t help the shutter of revulsion that shivers up his back and he turns his head as Henry touches him.

“Oh. But what is this?” Henry inquires, gently caressing the bruise on Julian’s cheek and then slides his fingers over his bloodied lip.

“Ian,” Henry sings. 

“I thought I said not to touch my prize.”

His voice is still soft but there’s an edge to it now that makes Julian think that his appearance is more of a disguise than anything else.

“I’m sorry,” Ian stammers, backing away. 

“Please. I didn’t mean to. Just let me help my dad.”

“It was my fault,” Julian interjects quickly. 

Julian: ‘It’s not true but I need Ian whole and sane, if he’s going to be any use to me at all.’

“Ian didn’t do anything wrong,” Julian insists.

“Oh?” Henry frowns, eyes scanning over Julian’s face and settling at the base of his throat. 

Julian sees Henry swallow and a weird expression twitches over his face. 

“Alright then, I’ll forgive my imbecilic nephew... if you say so my dear, sweet Julian.”

It makes Julian feel sick, but he nods.

“I say so.”

Henry tilts his head so far to the side Julian is surprised it doesn’t snap his neck.

“Very well,” he says, drawing a swift breath and regaining a crisp composure. 

“Ian. Be a good boy and put him with the others. Then you may give your father his... medicine... if you wish.”

Ian Foley casts Julian Hart a despairing and apologetic look and takes the young psychic’s arm. 

Then he leads the young psychic through the doorway and into the dark space beyond.

[beatles-slash-fiction]

It’s the sound of the pitter-patter of tiny footsteps on the patio outside that has Paul smiling warmly.

It’s his favourite sound in the world.

That, and the sound of a tiny fist banging against their front door.

Paul always gets excited at those noises, and he knows John does too. He exchanges a fond smile with his husband as they make their way to the front door together to greet their impatient guest.

“I wonder who that could be,” John says loudly and with exaggerated curiosity.

There’s a high pitched giggle from the other side of the door.

John opens it, and they’re met with the sight of a four-year old girl who lets out a squeal of delight before throwing herself at them.

“It’s Georgia!” John says with feigned surprise, kneeling down to give their granddaughter a hug.

“Grandad John!” Georgia says excitedly, giving him a sloppy kiss on the cheek. “Look at my new dress!”

She does a little twirl for them both.

“That’s lovely,” John chuckles. “Now where are mummy and daddy? Have you run ahead of them again and left them behind?”

Sure enough, just seconds later Julian appears sprinting down the pathway that leads from their estate down to the driveway, and he looks rather out of breath.

“Daddy tried to catch me but he’s too slow,” Georgia pouts.

Julian is red and sweaty by the time he reaches them, clearly unable to keep up with his own daughter.

“Georgia,” he pants,” how many times have I told you not to run off like that?”

“I know the way!” Georgia argues, but she quickly falls silent when her father shoots her a warning look.

“Outrun by a four-year old,” John laughs, shaking his head as he gives his son a hug.

“Yes, thank you for pointing that out.” Julian rolls his eyes before giving Paul a kiss on the cheek. “Mum, sorry to be a pain, but I had to leave Dhani as I had to chase after this rascal and he might need a hand-“

“I’ll go and help him,” Paul says reassuringly.

He leaves John to entertain their son and granddaughter while he strolls down the pathway in search of his son-in-law, but he actually doesn’t have to walk too far until he finds Dhani, walking towards the house at a leisurely pace with both hands resting on his large bump.

“Are you the search party?” Dhani jokes as Paul approaches and gives him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “I can’t believe how fast that kid can run now.”

“Faster than your husband,” Paul chuckles, linking his arm with Dhani’s so the younger man can lean on him. “God, you’re so big now.”

“Yeah.” Dhani grins and pats his bump. “Six more weeks. Can’t wait. This pregnancy’s been even worse than the last one. I feel sick and faint all the time now.”

“Your mum was like this when he was pregnant with you, y’know. Even then he was still such a skinny thing and he was forever passing out in the middle of recording sessions. Your dad used to have to hold his legs up in the air to revive him.”

Dhani smiles thoughtfully.

They walk in comfortable silence, and Paul reflects on how he’s always felt close to Dhani; he’s always treated the younger man like another son.

“We’ve thought of a name, you know,” Dhani says just before they reach the house. “We came up with names after we found out it was a boy.”

“Oh?” Paul tries not to sound too eager.

“Yeah. Since we’ve got little miss Georgia Joan Lennon, we thought we’d better carry on the tradition. So we’re going to name him James Richard.”

Paul’s eyes sting slightly, and he squeezes Dhani’s arm.

“That’s really lovely. I’m touched. Have you told your dad yet?”

“Yeah. He’s thrilled.”

Paul pats Dhani’s bump gently, his heart fluttering when he feels his grandson kick.

By the time they they make it into the house, John and Julian are already seated in the kitchen, listening intently as Georgia excitedly explains all the things she’s going to do with her new baby brother when he arrives.

“Next week I’m going to the toy shop to pick a toy for him, and it’s going to be the very first toy he gets,” she says proudly. “Isn’t that right, mummy?”

“That’s right,” Dhani laughs, stroking her hair as he eases himself into a chair. “Why don’t you tell Grandad John and Nana Paul what you got up to the other day with daddy?”

Georgia looks very pleased with herself. “Me and daddy painted the baby’s room. I wanted to make it pink but daddy said the baby might not like that. So we did it yellow.”

“That’s a good colour,” John agrees.

“And Grandad Ringo and Nana George have made a room for the baby at their house too. Right next to my room. So maybe we should have a room for the baby here. I think that would be a good idea.”

Georgia nods knowingly, as if she’s just suggested something rather groundbreaking.

John turns to Julian. “Is this your subtle way of trying to get us to babysit more?”

Julian laughs. “I think this is her subtle way of saying she wants you to babysit more.”

They listen to Georgia talk about her visit to Ringo and George’s house last week, and how she’s got a new teacher at nursery, and how she has a new best friend called Lucy. Paul honestly thinks he could listen to her all day; she can certainly talk for England, but he’s captivated by every word. It reminds him of when Julian was a little boy and would come home from school and excitedly recount his day. Paul used to love seeing that excitement in his son and he loves seeing again in his granddaughter.

They give her some orange juice and then Georgia asks John to play with her in the garden, which he pretends to be reluctant about but Paul knows he loves it.

And as he watches John take the little girl’s hand in his own and give her a look filled with pure love, Paul really can’t wait for their next grandchild to be born.

[cerealbishh]

"So... I should have called you when Kathryn came home sick. I just hate this every-other-week mom thing, you know? So when Kat needed me, I just had to show up for her. And I know it doesn't make sense-"

"No, it- it does make sense. Why do you think I let them eat ice cream at midnight? And look, I overreacted too, because of my weird-ass relationship with my father..."

[atlafan]

Office Neighbors - Part Twelve

a/n: a lot going on, but a happy time all around, enjoy! (reblogs and feedback are super helpful!) not proofread, sorry!

warnings: angst, fluff, smut...the word “homo” is used negatively. If that makes you uncomfortable, then please don’t read, or skip over that scene, you’ll be able to tell it’s coming. 

words: 16K

masterpost

Harry made love to you, quickly, before Andy got home. You both were just getting yourselves cleaned up when you heard the front door open and close.

“Hello?! I thought you guys were going to the pub.” Andy says and you both hustle out of the bedroom. “Did you say yes?”

“I said yes!”

Andy beams at the two of you and rushes over to give you both a hug.

“Congratulations!”

“Thanks, buddy, thought we all could go out and celebrate together.” Harry says. “Wanna go wash up?”

“Yeah!”

The three of you all go to the Thai place for dinner, and then head home to enjoy the ice cream cake. You were beyond excited, and you promised yourself you’d call everyone tomorrow to give them the good news.

“When are you gonna tell Mum?” Andy asks Harry with a mouth full of cake.

“Um, m’not sure yet. I’d like to tell my own mum first.” Harry chuckles. “I’ll have to FaceTime her when I first get up tomorrow.”

“I’m sure we’ll tell your mom soon, Andy.” You smile at him.

“What kind of wedding do you wanan have?”

“Small.” You and Harry say at the same time.

“Just close friends and immediate family.” Harry says.

“I thought girls liked big weddings, though?”

“Not all girls.” You laugh. “I think it’s more special when it’s intimate. When you have giant weddings you care more about making everyone coming happy when the days is supposed to be about you and your partner.”

“What did Phil and Julian do?” Andy asks.

“Oh, they’re not married. They’re in a civil union. They were rings, but they’re not married.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know.” You shrug. “It just wasn’t something they wanted to do. Not everyone needs to get married. I think it depends on your values and stuff. Your dad and I both really like the idea of marriage, so we’re getting married.” You smile.

Andy nods and continues on with his cake. Later on, after Andy goes to bed, you and Harry find yourselves having a little make out session in bed. You were straddling him, and he had his arms wrapped around you.

“Can I ask you something?” You breathe.

“Yeah.”

“I love the ring, I really do, but…” You bite your bottom lip.

“But what?”

“I just wasn’t expecting it to be so big.”

“That’s what she said.” He bursts out laughing and you roll your eyes with a sigh. “Sorry, I had to.” He strokes your cheek. “I figured that since we won’t be spending a lot on a big weeding that I could go a little extra on the ring.” He pecks your now swollen lips. “I thought you deserved a nice, big rock to go along with my nice, big co-“

“If you finish that sentence I swear to god I will pack up and leave.” Harry laughs and grins at you. “You’re in a goofy mood tonight.” You run a hand through his hair.

“I’m giddy, babe.” He kisses you again. “I’ve never had a fiancé before.”

“Hmm, me neither.” You smirk.

“Look at us, having a real first together.” He boops your nose and you can’t help but giggle. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too.”

You lean back in and lightly bite down on his bottom lip. You suck on it before licking into his mouth. He squeezes your hips before sliding his hands to your ass. One of his hands traces around your stomach and inside your leggings. He tugs on the band of your panties and slips his hand inside there as well. You grunt against his lips, but let him continue. His fingers slide between your folds, and you tug at his hair.

“Sure you’re not too tired for this? You’ve had a long day…” He says as he looks up at you, still feeling around.

“Yes.” You groan. “Then when we’re done I’ll be about ready to pass out.”

“Okay.” He cranes his neck to kiss you, and he slides two fingers inside you.

You gasp into his mouth from the feeling. He drags his fingers in and out of you slowly and rub his thumb over your clit. You rock your hips back and forth at the same pace as his fingers. You grip at his shoulders as it becomes more intense.

“Put one of your hands back in my hair, babe.” He grunts. You were soaking his fingers and he was trying to not lose it in his pants.

You do as he says and get a good grip on his locks and he moans softly. You press your lips back to his, not wanting to be too loud, and continue to ride his fingers. He curls them up and pets them against your front wall and you gasp again. You continue to moan into each other’s mouths as you get closer to your breaking point. The hand you have on his shoulder slides down his torso, and you tug on his jeans.

“No, it’s okay.” He tells you. “This is just about you, Y/N.”

“But it’s gonna hurt if I don’t.” You whimper.

“It’s fine, baby, just wanna get you off.”

He bites your bottom lip and your eyes roll into the back of your head. You come around his fingers and ride out the shocks. He slowly removes his hand from you and he sucks his fingers into his mouth as you catch your breath.

“Harry, are you sure you don’t want me to-“

“No, sweetheart.” He pecks your lips. “You were gone for so long, just missed you.”

You kiss him again and get off of him to go clean yourself up. Truth be told, even if Harry had let you rub and tug at him, he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to come. He was fine earlier, but the conversation during cake was distracting him. How was he going to tell Paige has engaged, and more importantly, how was he going to tell her she wasn’t invited?

//

Harry had sworn Andy to secrecy. He explained he wanted Paige to find out from him. Anne and Gemma were overjoyed with the news, as were your family and friends. You sent them all pictures. You even had Andy take a few pictures of you and Harry together in the backyard as a makeshift engagement shoot, it was fun. Andy blew bubbles to add some aesthetically pleasing effects.

“I swear if he doesn’t go to a college for art, it would be a damn shame.” You say as you look through the pictures. “Might post this one on my insta.” You show Harry a photo of you and him, he was holding you from behind and you both had big smiles on your face.

“Whatever you want, babe.” He kisses your cheek.

“So, there’s something I wanna run by you…” Andy was over at Caroline’s today so it was the perfect time to chat about wedding stuff. You were outside with him as he was gardening.

You enjoyed sitting in a chair while he would tend to the flowers. He always looked so cute with his bucket hat and tools.

“What’s up?” He says, turning to look at you. He takes his hat off and wipes some sweat from his forehead.

“How long do you wanna wait to actually get married? I mean…there’s not rush, but I don’t know if I wanna wait that long.” You look down at your lap and twiddle your thumbs. “I’m one-hundred percent sure about us…”

“So am I.” He scoots over to sit in front of you and he takes your hands in his. “Wouldn’t have proposed if I wasn’t. I just figured we’d be engaged for a while so we weren’t planning while you were working. This is a big year for you.”

“I know…but planning a wedding could be a good distraction for me. It’s like you’re always saying, I probably don’t have a great work-life balance. I could carve out time to work on both.”

“Alright, when are you thinking, then? This spring?”

“I was actually sort of thinking later this fall.” You mumble and look at him. His eyes widen and his mouth suddenly feels dry. “Like beginning of November? I was thinking maybe we could have a really small ceremony at the Boston Commons, and then Julian mentioned on the phone he could get us a deal at the hotel. It would be perfect for your family and whatever friends you’d want to have fly in. He said we could use one of the smaller function rooms for the reception. It’s still warm enough in Boston in November to be able to do something outside too.”

“Would…would just a couple of months be enough time for you to get an outfit together. I know you said you weren’t sure if you wanted to wear a dress, but fittings take time regardless.”

“Honestly, I was thinking of just taking a trip down to Macy’s with Nora and looking at some stuff there. I might wear a dress, but if I see a pantsuit I like I may go for that. I’ll wear white still, I think, I don’t really like the blushes or the peaches…” You try to read his face, which could be very difficult sometimes. “Are you having an internal freak out? Is this all too soon for you?”

“No, not at all…um, people just might think you’re, uh, pregnant since we’re rushing a little.” He swallows. “You’re not pregnant, are you?”

“What? No, I would tell you if I was, babe.” He nods at that. “I just, I mean, it’s nice to be your fiancé, I just can’t wait to be your wife, that’s all.”

His features completely soften. He felt like a puddle of mush. He was so fucking in love with you, and that love, for the first time in his life, was actually being reciprocated. Truth be told, he’d take you right to the courthouse now if he could. He definitely didn’t want a long engagement, he just didn’t want to add to your stress. He stands up and cups your cheeks and presses his lips to yours in a tender kiss.

“Come on, let’s go inside.”

“But you’re gardening.”

“I’ll get back to it in a minute. Let’s go grab my planner and see what weekend could work best in November.”

“You’re serious?!” You nearly squeal as you stand up.

“Yeah.” He smiles. “I wanna be your husband as soon as possible too.”

You wrap your arms around Harry’s neck, and he hugs you back briefly before you go inside. He grabs his planner from up in the loft and you both go into the kitchen to sit at the table to look at it.

“Here.” He taps on a date. “November 6th…”

“Oh, and it’s a Saturday, that’d be perfect, baby.”

“You really wanna get this all together by then? It’s gonna be a lot.”

“Julian’s got my back with the hotel, and Phil said his restaurant could cater the buffet. We’ll save a ton of money. Also, Mark’s part-time job is a DJ, so music is covered too. We just need to get your family here, essentially.”

“What about a honeymoon? Do you wanna take a trip or something?”

“Andy usually goes to Paige’s for Thanksgiving, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So what if we just take that entire week off? We could go somewhere warm if you wanted…or, I mean…I’m sure I’ll be spending the holidays in London with you, we could go on a trip then?”

“No, that’s a family thing, and yeah, you’re definitely coming.” He ponders for a moment. “I think a trip during Thanksgiving week could be fun, actually. You won’t miss your family?”

“I mean, I will, but we’ll see them at the wedding.” You shrug. “I’d much rather take a little vacation with you.”

“Where would wanna go?”

“On a gigantic level if money was no object? I’ve always wanted to go to Greece, but I know that would be tough to swing, especially on such short notice…”

“Hmm.” He puckers his lips in thought. “Yeah, that’s something we should really plan out…maybe we could save that trip for another special time.” You nod at him. “Somewhere warm…oh! What about Florida? That’s a perfect time of year to go, and hurricane season will be over. We could go to Miami or something.”

“I’ve never been to Miami! That would be a lot of fun, there’s so much to do there.”

“Alright, it’s settled then.” He slaps his hand down on his planner playfully. “We’ll get married in on the 6th, and then we’ll go on our honeymoon during Thanksgiving. I’m a master at planning flights, so let me take care of that, yeah? If Phil could get us a menu or something I’d like to do a tasting…”

“Agreed.” You were smiling ear to ear. “Oh my god, we just set a date!” You squeal and throw your arms around him. “I love you.” You kiss him. “I love you so much.” You kiss him again.

“I love you too, baby.” He kisses you. “Now, let me go back to tending to my flowers, I’ll be pissed if my roses get fucked up.”

He gets up and you can’t help but giggle at him.

//

It was time for the annual back to school shopping trip. You stayed back since it was a tradition for Andy to go with just his parents. You didn’t mind. Andy not only needed new school supplies, but he needed some new clothes as well. He had grown another few inches over the summer. His doctor thinks he’s going to be about six feet by the time he’s a sophomore in high school. Harry and Paige decide to meet up at Old Navy for the shopping spree.

“Okay, Mum and I are going to hang by the changing rooms. You can go around the store on your own, look for sales, and then you will try on the clothes for us.” Harry says firmly.

“Fine, but no coming into the room with me.” Andy mutters. “It’s embarrassing.” His voice cracks slightly and then he clears his throat.

“So you want me to tug on your jeans out in the open? Alright.” Paige shrugs.

Andy makes an exasperated noise and walks away, making Harry and Paige laugh. The two make their way to go sit at the chairs outside the changing rooms.

“I’m surprised you’re not looking around yourself.” Harry says to her.

“I have plenty of clothes.” She chuckles.

“Listen, uh, while he’s busy looking at clothes, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you.” He takes out his phone and shows Paige his lock screen, which was now a picture of you two kissing, and you were cupping Harry’s cheek with your left hand to showcase the ring. Andy had given you about two seconds to stage the photo.

“Um…why are you showing me a picture of you two kissing?”

“Look closer, at her hand.” He sighs.

Paige squints and then gasps, putting a hand over her mouth.

“Oh! You…you proposed to her already? That’s great! Congratulations.” She moves to hug him, but he shakes his head no.

“We’re in public.” He mumbles. “Anyways, yeah, we’re engaged now.”

“That’s incredible, I’m really happy for you.” She gives him a sincere smile. “Andy knows?”

“Yeah.”

“When did you do it?”

“A week or so ago.”

“And you’re just telling me now?”

“No offense, but you weren’t exactly top of my list of people to tell immediately. I was waiting until I saw you for this. We’ve been busy figuring things out. What Andy doesn’t know is that we’ve set a date already. We plan to tell him later. We wanted to make sure everything could happen where we want it before we started telling people.”

“Holy shit, you already set a date?” She puffs out some air from her lips. “Well, that’s great. When is it? I’ll put it in my phone now.”

“You don’t need to do that.” He puts his hand over hers to stop her from taking her phone out. “We’re keeping it really small.”

“So?”

“So…immediate family and close friends only at the ceremony and then a few extra friends at the ceremony.” She gives him a confused look. “You…you’re not invited.”

Before she has a chance to react Andy comes over holding a pile of clothes.

“Do I need to try every little thing on? Or is one outfit okay?”

“One, um, one outfit’s fine.” Paige says. “Go on.”

“Mum, are you okay, you look pale?”

“The, uh, leather from the shoe section is wafting over here and it’s giving me a headache. I’m fine, baby, go try your things on.” They watch Andy go into the dressing room, and she turns to look at Harry. “Alright, run that by me again.”

“You heard me the first time.” He says quietly. “You may have wanted me at yours, but I don’t want you at mine. Do you know how embarrassing it was to be put at the old college buddy table?”

“I thought you’d feel more comfortable there! Where did you want me to put you?”

“How about with my son?!”

“Okay.” Andy says coming out in a tee shirt and jeans. “Tug away if you must. They fit really well, though.” Paige huffs and stands up to check out the clothes. She tugs on the waist of Andy’s jeans and nods. “Can we go to the shoe store after? I was thinking I could get some boots for fall.”

“What kind of boots?” Paige asks. “You have two sets of snow boots, and rain boots already.”

“Like…like the boots Dad wears.”

“I can order you some online, I get them from a shop in London.” Harry says. “I like this outfit on you, go ahead and change and then we can check out.”

“I don’t know why you thought now would be a good time to bring this up to me.” She says. “You’re really hurting my feelings, Har.” She says quietly as Andy goes to change.

“I knew I’d be seeing you.” He shrugs. “I…I can’t keep doing this with you.”

“Doing what?”

“Pretending like we’re best friends who hooked up once and accidentally got pregnant. We were in a relationship for two years, and then you decided to walk away. Fine. We see each other and do this co-parenting for Andy. I feel like I leaned on you for a long time because you were around, but I have someone else in my life now to fill the hole you created.” He runs a hand through his hair and blinks a couple of tears away. “You have no idea how hard it was to sit there and watch you walk down an aisle that didn’t lead towards me.”

“Harry, I-“

“Okay, all set.” Andy says. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, it’s my allergies, let’s go checkout.”

“Can we get lunch before we go to Staples?” He asks, and Harry and Paige look at each other.

“I don’t have time for that, honey.” Paige says. “Um, are you starving? I could get you a pretzel for a snack?”

“Okay.” Andy shrugs.

Paige and Harry split the payment for the clothes. Andy carries his bags out of the store, and Paige pulls Harry to walk next to her, behind Andy.

“This conversation isn’t over.” She says quietly to him. “Clearly you’ve been keeping some things buried and we need to hash it out.”

“Fine, but I’m not changing my mind about the wedding.”

The rest of the afternoon Harry and Paige said about two words together. She hugs Andy goodbye before she gets into her own car. Andy climbs into the back seat of the car.

“Hey, Dad?”

“Yeah?”

“When can I start sitting in the front seat?”

“Hm, I don’t know, they change the safety ages all the time. When you’re thirteen I think? I can check when we get home.”

“Okay.” Andy picks at his bottom lip, a habit he picked up from Harry. “Is everything okay between you and Mum?”

“Never better, why?”

“Things just seemed weird with you both today.” Harry sighs at that. He’s not sure how honest he should be with Andy about all this.

“I told her about my engagement, and she was really happy for Y/N and I…but then I told her we set a date.”

“You did?! When?!”

“A couple of days ago, please act surprised, Y/N and I wanted to tell you together.”

“Okay.”

“So, Mum wanted to know when the date was, and I told her she didn’t need to worry about it because…I wouldn’t be inviting her.”

“But she invited you to hers, how does that make sense?”

“Andy.” Harry sighs again. “I only went to hers because of you. I wanted to see you all dolled up and walk her down the aisle. I also knew she just needed a little extra support because of Gramp not physically being there.”

“I’m…really confused…I thought you were, like, friends.”

“I know, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. Mum and I are friends, but sometimes she acts like we’re best friends, and it makes things difficult for me. I think she forgets that she…that she broke my heart, and that since it’s been so long it shouldn’t matter anymore, and I should just be over it, and I am, in a way, but I don’t like getting too comfortable with her.” Harry pulls into the garage and turns the car off. He turns to look at Andy. “I know you don’t know the full story, and you don’t really need to. Mum and I are okay, you don’t have anything to worry about, alright?” Andy nods at him. “Good, now, let’s go inside, Y/N will want to see all your new things.”

Andy acted as surprised and excited as he could when you and Harry told him about the date for the wedding. He was shocked that it was happening so soon, but happy for the both of you. He was excited to be a part of another wedding since his mother’s ended up being so much fun.

“Will I be allowed to bring friends?” Andy asks.

“You can bring one friend.” Harry says. “That’ll be fun, a little sleepover in a hotel.”

“Yeah! Wait, the Ariana Grande concert is in November…”

“No worries, Andy, it won’t conflict with anything.” Your assure him.

“Okay good.” He sighs with relief. “Caroline’s coming with me to that, so I guess I’ll invite Brandon to the wedding.”

“We’ll make sure to put you both in a suite with Grammy and Auntie Gem. You, Brandon, Ritchie, and Lizzie can all have your own party.”

“Cool.” Andy smiles. “I’m really happy for the both of you.” He gives you both a hug, and then goes into his room to put his things away.

“Well, he’s certainly handling things better than when Paige got engaged.”

“I think this is different with him. He had her to himself his whole life, and then all of a sudden he didn’t. I’d probably be resentful too, but he said he had a really great summer with Noah and Rachel, and that’s all that matters to me.” He looks back towards Andy’s room. “Can we go chat up in the loft?”

“Yeah.” You follow Harry upstairs.

“Just wanted some privacy, um, I told Paige we were engaged today.”

“Oh! How did she take it?”

“Good…at first.”

“What happened?”

“I told her we had set a date already, and she wanted to know what it was, and I told her it didn’t matter because she wasn’t invited.”

“And you thought a good time to have that conversation was while you were clothes shopping with your son?” You ask flatly.

“Everyone’s always telling me to rip the band aid, so I did.” He huffs. “We’re meeting tomorrow to talk more, she’s not happy with me right now, I sort of started to tell her off, but she just wasn’t understanding.”

“What else is there to talk about?”

“She seems to think we need to hash some things out, or whatever.”

“Well, there’s clearly some unresolved shit buried between the two of you. Where are you going to meet her?”

“For coffee in the morning…are you alright with that?”

“Yeah, I can hang out one on one with Andy for a bit. We can watch TV and eat pancakes.” You smile.

“You’re amazing, you know that?” He takes your hands in his. “I hate that I even have to deal with this bullshit.”

“Harry…” You nuzzle your nose to his. “It’s okay.” He pecks your lips and sighs.

“Thank you for always being so cool about all this. I don’t know I’d do if you were a classic psycho.” He laughs.

“Oh, I’m plenty psycho, just not about stuff like this.” You smirk and kiss his cheek as he laughs more. “This isn’t something I have much control over, you know? It is what it is.”

//

Harry wasn’t really looking forward to coffee with Paige, but he gets up and goes like he said he would. She was there waiting for him already, sipping on a piping cup of tea. He sees that there’s a second cup on the table already.

“Hi.” He says.

“Hey.” She says. “I got yours…black coffee.”

“Thanks.” He sighs and sits down.

“Okay.” She sighs. “I don’t want this turning into something heated, I think we can both have a mature discussion, we’re adults.”

“Right.”

“What you said to me yesterday, I…I didn’t realize you were still harboring those kinds of feelings. It’s been so long, Harry, I thought you were over all of it.”

“I am.” He says as he sips his coffee. “But I can’t help it when memories come back and I’m reminded that I wasn’t good enough to be the one to put on a wedding for.”

“We would have just gotten divorced, and you know it.”

“Did you ever even love me?”

“Of course I did! I just thought it was puppy love, infatuation…lust.” She chews her inner cheek. “I didn’t think I’d be spending the rest of my life with you, I was twenty-one years old! I still wanted my life to be my own. We had an accident, a happy one, and I don’t regret a thing, I love Andy with every fiber of my being, and I’m happy you’re his father.” She looks away and then back at Harry. “We wanted different things, Har.”

“No, we didn’t.”

“You wanted to get married and have more kids, did you not?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I didn’t.” She says bluntly. “I certainly didn’t want to have more kids.” She scoffs.

“But you’re such a good mum!”

“It’s my choice! I never wanted to have kids!” Harry’s eyes widen at that.

“Then why did you?”

“Because…because when I looked at all of my options, I just couldn’t…I don’t know, I looked at it as fate or something, like I was meant to have Andy or something. It was a perfect storm, Har, the condom broke, and it never had before, and I gotten off the pill. I was supposed to be Andy’s mom, and that was plenty. You deserve to be with someone who wants the same things as you. Part of why I ended up with Noah is because I knew he didn’t want more kids either. I also like that he’s older, but that’s a whole mixed bag that I won’t get into.”

“Right, because I’ll always be the immature punk?”

“You’re a fucking year younger than me, get over yourself.” She rolls her eyes. “You really don’t want me at your wedding?”

“No.” He sips his coffee. “The last thing I want to think about that day is you. It was nice of you to invite me to yours, and because of Andy and Y/N I went. If I didn’t have her I honestly don’t think I would’ve gone. I’m sick of carrying around all of this baggage, Paige. I’ve known you for fifteen years, or at least close to it, and I feel lucky that we don’t fucking hate each other, but we need to distance ourselves more.”

“How do you want to do that?”

“No more family vacations.” She frowns at that. “You can use the cabin whenever you want, I don’t care about that, but Andy’s not a baby anymore, we don’t need to do every little thing together like we were doing. Unless it’s his birthday or a holiday, we don’t need to do something as all of us together. I feel like we lean on each other for things more often than we should because we were such good friends at one point, but you have a husband now…you don’t need me.” He swallows. “And I don’t need you.”

“I see.”

“Do you? I feel like you live in a fantasy world sometimes, and I enable it to not make waves. You never ask if something is awkward for me, or-“

“So if we have a party or something on the boat for Labor Day, you wouldn’t come to something like that?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugs. “I’d have to ask my fiancé about how she would feel.”

“I just think it’s important to make memories with Andy with the two of us so he has that when he’s older.”

“And I agree with you. I’d like to continue doing our annual back to school shopping spree, and similar traditions. I think we’re really good co-parents, Paige, but that’s where it needs to end with us.” She blinks some tears away and then she chuckles.

“Feels like you’re breaking up with me. Must feel good.” She smirks.

“It does, in fact.” He smirks back at her. “You do understand where I’m coming from, though, right?”

“Yeah, I do.” She sighs. “I’m so sorry if I’ve been making things difficult for so long. I felt like because I left I needed to make sure you were okay, and that’s why I made sure to keep you so involved with everything. I wanted you to feel like family since yours is so far away.”

“And I appreciate that! Really, I do. I think for a while that worked for us, and maybe I was sort of relying on it because I was so focused on work, and I wasn’t really meeting people I wanted to date for long periods of time, but Y/N…she’s changed everything for me.” He takes a deep breath. “For so long I felt like I was never going to fall in love again, and that I somehow fucked up and missed my chance at having the love of my life, but I don’t believe that anymore. She’s the absolute love of my life, Paige.”

“I’ve never wanted anything more for you, Harry, please know that. I never wanted to hurt you, and I know it hurt like hell when I ended it. I knew things would work out for you eventually. I’ve loved seeing you so happy. You’ve got a pep to your step again.” She smiles. “Just like you used to.”

“So, we’re on the same page then…about us sticking to more boundaries?”

“Yeah.” She nods. “I think it’s for the best all around.” She sips her tea. “Will you at least send me pictures? I wanna see what Andy’s going to wear and all that. Oh!” She goes into her bag. “I don’t know if you want these, but I have some photos from the wedding. Ones with all of us, our friends, and a cute picture of you, Y/N, and Andy.” She takes out a baggie of pictures for Harry.

“Thank you, I do want these, actually. And I’ll make sure we send you pictures.” He smiles.

“Okay.” She smiles back. “Well, I’m glad we could just get it all out there and clear the air a bit.”

“I’m sorry I brought it all up while we were shopping with him, it wasn’t great timing.”

“It’s alright, I would have probably done the same thing if I were in your shoes.”

“While I have you…Andy asked me when he could start sitting in the front…”

“He did?!”

“Yeah, I told him I’d look it up. It’s thirteen, right?”

“I have no clue, those safety regulations change all the time. I’d say thirteen is good.”

“He’s gonna be so annoyed.” Harry chuckles.

“Just wait for him to bring it up again, and then tell him we said thirteen.” She crosses her arms. “And if he pulls some bullshit with you like he did with phone, you just send him to me and I’ll straighten his ass out.” She smirks.

“We’re excellent parents.”

//

With everything officially smoothed over with Paige, it was easy living for Harry. He was proud of himself for finally just laying it all out there. It made him much more chipper during syllabus week. It took your classes about two minutes into your lectures to realize the rock on your finger was an engagement ring, and many of your students squealed and congratulated you. Many that came by to see Harry congratulated him as well.

“Hey.” You say as you slip into his office, closing the door behind you and leaning against it. “Got a second?”

“Course, darling, what’s up?”

“Are we inviting our colleagues?” You whisper.

“To what?” You roll your eyes at him. “Ohhhh, our wedding.” He smirks.

“You’re not funny.”

“And yet, here we are, engaged.” He grins.

“Not for long.” You cross your arms.

“Alright, alright, don’t get your knickers in a twist. Would you like to invite them?”

“I mean…maybe to the reception? I really do want to keep the ceremony small.”

“I think we should invite them to the reception, yeah. They’ve been a part of our love story since the beginning, babe.”

“Especially Janette.” Harry nods at you. “Okay, so it seems like we’ll need to order some very specific invitations.” You chew your bottom lip.

“Y/N.” He hums. “This is supposed to be fun, remember?”

“It is!”

“You’re getting stressed.”

“I’m not!” He gives you an unconvinced look. “It’s the good kind of stress. The more we do, the more we get to check off, and then there’s no stress. I’m going shopping with Nora in a couple of weeks, I can’t wait.”

“Are you going to have a bach-“ There’s a knock on his door, and you open it.

“Oh…sorry to interrupt.” Andre blushes.

“You’re not!” You say. “We were just discussing, um, something not work related, I’ll just go.” You slip out.

“She can be a bit squirrelly sometimes.” Andre chuckles and Harry hums his response.

“What’s up?”

“Got an overload request from one of my students, and you’re his advisor so I need your signature.”

“Ah.” Harry waves him over and he signs the form. “They should really make these paperless so it’s les work.”

“I know, an email could easily suffice, thanks.”

Harry gets up and goes into your office, he closes the door and sits down in one of your chairs.

“Yes?” You chuckle.

“Has your hand been hurting at the end of the day?”

“No, why would it?”

“Well, it’s got so much extra weight on it now, I wanted to make sure.” He smirks, and you sigh heavily as you look at him. “Anyways, I was going to ask you if you plan to have a bachelorette party.”

“Oh, of course I do. Nora’s gonna plan the whole thing. We were thinking over Indigenous People’s Day weekend since most people will have that Monday off, do a long weekend type thing.”

“What do you think you’ll do?”

“Bar hop most likely.” You shrug. “Dance, drink, that sort of stuff. Are you going to have a bachelor party?”

“I don’t know who I’d have it with…” He twiddles his thumbs. “My two best mates live overseas, and I don’t want to ask them to fly twice, that would be insane.”

“So have them fly in a few days early and do something fun with them then. Our parties don’t need to be on the same day, you know? I’m sure we’ll be having lots of little parties between now and then.”

“True, Lucas sent us two different calendar invites.” He chuckles as he stands up. “Just promise me something?”

“Anything.”

“No strippers.” You burst out laughing at that. “Or exotic dancers.”

“What century are you living in?!” You wipe a tear away. “Harry, the only man I want giving me a lap dance is you, okay?” He nods as you bite your bottom lip.

“What?”

“Would you ever give me one? Do a little strip tease?”

“Maybe on our honeymoon.” He turns to walk towards your door, and then he looks at you over his shoulder. “And only if you’re a good girl.”

A chill goes up your spine as he leaves your office.

“What a fucking menace.” You say to yourself as you try to shake his words off.

//

Seventh grade was off to an interesting start. Harry annoyed Andy by taking first day of school pictures before he dropped him off. It was a new hallway and a new locker to get used to. Mostly everyone he had homeroom with the year prior was in his homeroom again. He noticed that some people had gotten taller, some voices had gotten deeper, some people’s skin had started to break out, and some of the girls looked…fuller. Andy hadn’t really noticed the changes amongst himself or his friends. Caroline was still as sweet as ever, but she did tell him in confidence that she started getting her period, so if sometimes she got snappy with him that may be why. Andy knew he had gotten a little taller, and he knew his voice was starting to crack, but he was thankful nothing else had really seemed to change.

He walks into his new homeroom, and sits down. Every year it was the same thing. The teacher would ask everyone their named, they’d give out locker information, and then the school handbook. Brandon comes in and sets next to Andy. This year Andy’s homeroom teacher was a science teacher, so it was all bench seating with two to a table.

“Hey.” Brandon yawns. “It’s crazy, every year I think I can get up early for school no problem, but here I am, running late.” He rolls his eyes.

“My dad makes me go to sleep and get up early at least a week before school starts. It’s annoying, but it helps.”

“It’ll only get worse, too.” Caroline says as she sits down with Tyler at the bench next to him. All of the tables were set up around the perimeter of the room. Andy was happy he’d be sitting next to his two best friends. “My sisters get up at 5:30 in the morning just to get ready for school.”

“Shit, why that early?” Brandon asks her.

“Shower, hair, makeup, and breakfast that my mom forces us to eat.”

“Luckily, we don’t have that problem.” Tyler says. “We can just roll out of bed.”

“Speak for yourself.” Andy scoffs. “I have to get up early to do my hair.” He runs a hand through it. Brandon smirks and ruffles Andy’s hair. “Quit it!” Andy giggles, and does the same to Brandon.

“You quit it.” Brandon giggles, and the two smile at each other.

After homeroom, it turns out Andy and Caroline have math together, and the teacher says they can sit where they like. They sit next to each other, and she smiles at him.

“What?”

“You know, you never told me what happened with you and Brandon after I left the wedding.”

“That’s because nothing happened.”

“So you didn’t dance with him?”

“No, we danced, but that was it…his dad called to tell him to be ready.”

“And nothing happened later on? I mean you both hang out all the time.”

“The timing just hasn’t been right.” Andy shrugs. “Playing basketball and skateboarding isn’t exactly romantic, Caroline…” He mutters.

“Sure it can! Remember when you were showing me? You had to put your hands on my hips and hold my hands.”

“That was so you wouldn’t fall!” He blushes. Andy remembers that day really well, and even though he asked Caroline first if he could touch her, he definitely enjoyed being able to show her a thing or two.

“Mhm, sure.” She smiles. “All I’m saying is, anything could be turned into a date.”

“Well…you know how my dad and Y/N are getting married in a couple of months?” She nods yes. “It’s gonna be in Boston, and I wanna invite him. They said I could have one friend come.”

“Oh, that’ll be great! I bet-“

“Alright, class, settle down. I’m hoping you all did your summer math work as we will be going over that after I take attendance. Welcome to pre-algebra.” The teacher says and everyone gets quiet. “Once we’re done with that, I’m going to give you all a pre-test to see what you remember.” The majority of the class groans. “I know, I know, a test on the first day, but it’s just for me to see how I can best help you.”

Andy takes his planner out and flips through a few months.

“What are you doing?” Caroline whispers.

“Counting down the days until art starts.” He side eyes her and she has to bite back a laugh.

After school, Brandon and Andy stand together as they wait for their rides. It was only a half day, but they were both exhausted.

“I’m really glad we have science and history together.” Brandon says to him.

“Me too. I have some classes with Caroline and Tyler too.”

“Same here. And there’s gym too for all of us at least.”

“I’m just glad we’ll still be able to call each other to do homework. I’d be really lost without you, B.”

Brandon smiles at Andy, and before Andy can say something else, he sees your car pull up. The boys say goodbye, and Andy climbs into the backseat.

“How was your first day?” You say to him.

“Okay.” He shrugs. “I think math is gonna be tough this year.”

“Well, lucky for you I’m pretty good at math, so don’t be afraid to ask me for help.”

“Thanks, Y/N. Is Dad teaching?”

“Yup, he’s in the middle of class. He’ll be able to get you tomorrow.” She grins. “I thought we could be a little adventurous and go to McDonald’s for lunch.”

“Dad doesn’t let me go there…”

“Well, you’re not with Dad, are you?”

“Can you even get anything there?”

“There’s a flurry and a large fry calling my name.”

“Y/N?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re the best.”

//

Harry comes back from his class to see Andy sitting in his office. He was munching on some apple slices.

“Hey, buddy, how was school?”

“Good.”

“Did you have anything for lunch, or do you need some money?”

“No, Y/N took me to get something to eat quick.”

“Yeah?” Harry smiles. “What did you have?”

“Um…well…I don’t wanna get her in trouble…” He swallows his last apple slice as Harry furrows his brows at him.

“What do you mean?”

“She took me to McDonalds.”

“Andy.” Harry sighs. “Why would you ask her to take you there when you know I don’t want you eating that stuff?”

“She asked me! I told her you didn’t really like it, but she said it would be fine. I didn’t even get fries! I got a happy meal with apple slices.”

“That burger is gonna sit like a rock in your stomach.”

“I got chicken nuggets.” He mumbles.

“Whatever.” Harry huffs and sits down. “Your classes went alright?”

“Yeah.”

“Good.”

Later that night as you were getting ready for bed, you could tell Harry was a little tense. You brush your teeth and look at him through the mirror.

“Any particular reason why you’re staring?” He asks as he spits the mouthwash he was swishing into the sink. He turns around to look at you.

“I’m just trying to read you. You’ve been sort of quiet today. Are you alright?”

Harry crosses his arms and looks at you intensely. You hated it when he looked at you like this. His features were hard, and he just looked intimidating.

“Why did you take Andy to McDonalds after he told you I don’t like him eating there?”

“Are you serious?” You laugh. “I just wanted to have a little fun with him.”

“By undermining me? Didn’t we have a chat about this, like, a long time ago when I did it to you? And that was by accident, you did this on purpose.”

“You act like my intention was malicious. What’s the big deal? We eat out all the time?”

“Yeah, we get pizza from the place downtown that uses locally sourced ingredients, or we get Thai food. Not fucking-“

“He got chicken nuggets and apple slices, it’s not like he pigged out.”

“Because he knows better.”

“You know, you never exactly told me he couldn’t eat there.”

“Well, he told you, and you went anyways.”

You had a couple of options here. You could easily argue with him. You could tell him how stupid it was to be upset over something like this, but if you did that you wouldn’t be validating his feelings. So, you swallow your pride.

“I’m sorry.”

“No you’re not.” He scoffs.

“Harry.”

“You’re only saying that because you don’t want me to be upset anymore.”

“You’ve been keeping this bottled up all day.” You sigh.

“Because I didn’t want to talk about it in front of him.” He looks away.

“Say it, Harry.”

“Say what?” He looks at you again.

“Tell me he’s your kid and not mine, and that I had no right to just change the rules.”

“Y/N.”

“It’s okay, that’s what you’re thinking, right? It’s not like that’s false. He’s your kid, and I’m his buddy. Maybe that’s all I’ll ever be to him, but someday you and I are gonna have a baby, and I’d like to treat that eventual kid once in a while with some fast food.”

“I guess we can cross that bridge when we come to it.” He plucks at his bottom lip. “You’re more than just a buddy to him, you have to know that. That’s not what I was trying to say, I just wished you had asked me first.”

“You were in class! I just, ugh, I had a craving for fries and ice cream, I really am sorry.”

“A craving, huh?”

“Don’t even go there. You never crave food?”

“Sure, I crave things all the time, doesn’t mean I always indulge.”

“I won’t take your son there again, okay?”

“Stop it.” He puts his hands on your shoulders. “He’s yours too. And maybe I should have told you I didn’t want me ingesting that crap.” You roll your eyes at that. “But I know he sees you as a mom.”

“I mean, one time he told me I’d make a good one, but-“

“He referred to you as ‘Mum’ once.”

“He did?! When?”

“When we went to Boston over April vacation, when I had to put him to bed…he said he was having fun with me and ‘Mum’…he was like half asleep, but still.”

“Maybe he just got me confused with Paige.”

“No, baby, he knew who he was talking about.” Harry hugs you, and cups your jaw. “He loves you and he knows you love him too, and I love knowing that you two are bonding. Take him to Sub Way next time, yeah?”

“Okay.” You smile and he kisses you. “I really am sorry, I didn’t think you’d be so upset.”

“It’s alright…we’re on the same page now, right?”

“Yeah.”

He nods and lets you go. You both get into bed and curl up with each other. You turn over to face him, and you nuzzle into his chest. He holds you close to him and strokes your back. He kisses your forehead and basically lulls you to sleep. Times like this you didn’t mind being babied at all.

//

“Look at that size of that thing!” Nora exclaims when she meets you at the mall in Manchester to go shopping. “Makes sense that he got you something so massive. Big dick, big ring.”

“Nora!” You squeal and nudge her. “Shh, come on, let’s go look at clothes.”

“Still thinking you might wanna do a suit?”

“Yeah, I feel like I’ll be the most comfortable in that. I feel like I’ll just look classy, you know?”

“You’ll look stunning.”

You both walk through Macy’s and look at all of the options. The pants were the easiest part. A high-waist pair of slacks would look gorgeous, it was finding the right top. You didn’t want to wear a body suit or a corset.

“Oh! What about this?” Nora says, waiving you over. “It’s lace, so it’ll add some texture.”

“It’s beautiful. I like the spaghetti straps. Let’s see if it works with the pants and blazer.”

“And the heels. You’re gonna be a show stopper.” You both giggle and go into the dressing room. You try everything on and step out. “It’s gorgeous, it’s so you in every way.”

“You think so?” You bite your bottom lip. “I think a bun and a veil will look great with it. I love it.”

“Harry really doesn’t care you won’t be in a dress?”

“Nah, I was actually thinking of changing into a short dress for the reception. Something simple.”

“Oh! I saw a cute short, white dress out there. Let me go grab it. It had a high neckline, but it was open in the back.”

“That sounds perfect!”

You buy everything, and have them put into nice dress bags. You and Nora decide to grab a bite to eat.

“So…can I ask you something?” Nora says to you.

“Of course.”

“Not that I’m not over the moon happy for you, but is there a reason you’re getting married so fast? I know you’ve known for a couple of years, and things are different at our age, but…you’re barely going to enjoy your engagement.”

“I’m enjoying it plenty, trust me. I just didn’t want to wait until after I got my doctorate, you know? I…I wanna start trying for a kid as soon as I get my degree, and I told him I didn’t care if we were married or not, but I think I do care. I wanna be married and have that extra security if I’m going to have a baby with someone. We love each other, why wait?”

“And he’s okay with all this?”

“Yeah! I think sometimes it’s tough for him to accept how much I wanna be with him because of his ex, but he’s coming around. He’s really excited. I mean, I am too. I’m finally going to meet his family in person, and his two best friends.”

“Maybe one of them will fall in love with me, and I’ll have my own British man to sweep me off my feet.”

“One of them’s Irish.”

“Mm, even better.”

You both laugh and continue eating before you part ways. Harry had taken Andy out for the day, so you were able to slip inside and hide your new things in the back of your closet.

//

“Dad, today was awesome!”

“Yeah, wasn’t too embarrassing going bowling with your old man?”

“No way, we haven’t gone in forever, it was fun. And I broke my high score on the pinball machine.” Andy was biting into a slice of pizza while Harry was sitting across from him smiling, resting his chin in his palm. “It’s kind of like when I used to just see you on the weekends.”

“Yeah, I really was your classic weekend dad, huh?” He chuckles.

“No, weekend dads let you eat candy until your teeth rot out and let you stay up really late. You still made me follow all of Mum’s rules.”

“Because I respect her, and she respects me.” Harry sits up straight. “Listen, there’s something I wanna ask you.”

“What’s up?” Andy wipes his mouth with a napkin and looks at Harry.

“Well…I was chatting with Uncle Niall and Uncle Louis the other day about the wedding. They’re itching to know who my best man is going to be.”

“That’s gotta be hard to choose between the two of them. You guys are like the three musketeers.”

“We are! But my choice is pretty easy because I don’t want it to be either of them. See, there’s this other man in my life I think would make a lot more sense to be my best man.”

“Really, who?” Harry grins at Andy and his eyes widen. “Me?!”

“Yes, you. No one else felt right.”

“So, will my suit be different that the others?”

“Of course.”

“Can I have my nails done the same as you?”

“You really want to?”

“Yeah…I wanna get into painting them more. I think it would be cool if we matched.”

“Definitely.”

“I’m really excited, Dad, thanks…this means a lot to me.”

“It means a lot to me that you wanna do it. You’re really becoming a nice young man, Andy.”

Andy gets up and hugs his dad. Today was a really good day. He can’t wait to tell you the good news when he gets in.

“Babe! We’re home!” Harry says as him and Andy get inside.

“Well, if it isn’t my two favorite guys.” You smile as you come down from the loft. You kiss Harry’s cheek and give Andy a hug.

“I take it the shopping went well?” Harry asks.

“Very well, so no snooping through my closet.” You say firmly.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Y/N, guess what?” Andy says.

“What?”

“I’m gonna be Dad’s best man.” He beams at you.

“That’s amazing!” You hug the both of them again. “It’s all coming together.”

//

“Andy, if you move, I’m gonna mess it up.” You tell him as you paint his nails black. He asks you to leave his pinkies purple.

“Sorry.” He watches you. “You don’t think I’m gonna get made fun of, do you?”

“Lots of guys are painting their nails nowadays. Just look at your dad, no one makes fun of him.”

“Yeah, but he’s big and strong, and could knock someone’s lights out.”

You swallow at that. It was true. Harry was a boxer, and if he really wanted to, he could beat the shit out of someone.

“You know violence isn’t the answer.”

“I know…I’m just not as intimidating as he can be.”

“You have his eyes, you just need to learn how to stare someone down the way he does and you’re golden.” You wink at him and he chuckles. “Are you really nervous about someone making fun of you?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugs. “Wearing a bandana or clipping back my hair is one thing, I just don’t wanna come off…girly.”

“I take offense to that. I’m a girl, what’s wrong with looking like me?”

“I guess nothing.”

“I’ll paint mine just like yours, would you like that?”

“Yeah, thanks, Y/N.”

You and Andy had gotten into the habit of nail time. Harry would sometimes join in, which was fun, but it was something the two of you could do together. It was a Sunday evening ritual. Andy’s friends loved the different combinations he would go with. Andy blushed when Brandon held his hand to look over a design you had managed to get on his thumb one day.

Then one day during locker break, Andy was switching some books out that he wouldn’t need for the afternoon. There weren’t a lot of people around.

“Hey, Styles.” A boy, Greg, and some other boys come over to him.

���Oh, hey, Greg.” Greg slams Andy’s locker shit. “Um, I wasn’t finished in there…” He goes to turn his combination but Greg grabs his hand. “You better not have this when basketball season starts back up.”

“What do you care?” Andy yanks his hand away. “Don’t like it, don’t paint your nails.”

Greg looks at his friends and laughs before shoving Andy up against the lockers.

“What are you, a girl now? Is Andy short for Andrea?” Greg smirks.

“Obviously not, you idiot.” Andy huffs. “Let me go, Greg.”

“Make me.” He shoves Andy harder against the lockers. Andy tries to give him his most intimidating gaze, but it’s not doing much for him. “You know what else makes you a girl? You like boys, Andrea.”

“Don’t call me that! And who even told you that?”

“It’s so obvious you have a thing for Brandon. You two are always all over each other.”

“What do you care?!”

“It’s annoying to watch.”

“Hey! Let him go!” Brandon comes racing down the hall and yanks Greg away from Andy. “What is the matter with you?!” He shoves Greg.

“Oh, look, your boyfriend came to your rescue, how nice.”

Before he has a chance to say or do anything, Andy watches as Brandon’s fist connects with Greg’s jaw, causing Greg to fall to the ground.

“Boys! What is going on out here?!” One of the teachers says as she rushes to the scene. “Principal’s office, now!”

Andy and Brandon look at each other, and then make their way down the hall. They sit on a bench outside the principal’s office to wait their turn. Greg had to be brought to the nurse.

“Why did you do that?” Andy whispers.

“He was being an asshole, obviously. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine…he was being really…homophobic…” He shakes his head. “I didn’t think people were still like that.”

“Well, they are, and it’s scary.”

“Maybe I should stop painting my nails.” Andy looks down at his hands.

“No!” Brandon puts his hand over one of Andy’s. “I really like it on you. You rock it. You’re, like, so cool.”

The boys are both called in to give their side of the story, and then Greg is brought it. When they all come out, Andy’s eyes widen when he sees everyone’s parents in the lobby. You, Harry, Paige, and Noah were all trying to keep cool as you chatted with Mr. and Mrs. Stewart. Greg’s father was keeping to himself.

“Andy!” Harry yelps and rushes over to him. “Are you alright?” He puts his hands on Andy to check him over.

“I’m fine, can you stop?”

“Honey, what happened? We got a call that you were in a fight.” Paige says.

“Excuse me.” Principal Morrison comes out of his office. “If all the adults would like to come in.” He sighs. You and Noah start to walk forward. “Just biological parents please.”

“Principal Morrison, that’s my step-dad, and my almost step-mom, they can both go in.” Andy says.

“Andy, it’s fine, we’ll wait out here with you.” You tell him.

Harry nods at you and goes into the office with the other parents.

“Right, well, it seems that Greg picked a fight with Andy, and Brandon stepped in when he saw what was happening. Greg said some hurtful things to Andy.” Principal Morrison explains.

“Like what?” Harry asks.

“Apparently he started calling him Andrea, and was making fun of his nail polish.”

“Well, there you go then.” Mr. Foley, Greg’s father, says.

“Excuse me?” Paige says.

“What’s a boy wearing nail polish for?”

“Um…” Harry holds up his hands. “It’s pretty common, mate.”

“It’s not like Brandon to be violent.” Mrs. Stewart says.

“He seemed to be defending Andy.” Principal Morrison says.

“It’s not common, actually, it’s odd.” Mr. Foley says. “Boys shouldn’t be painting their nails. I see how your boys are at basketball, it’s inappropriate.”

“They’re best friends.” Mr. Stewart says. “They’re close, there’s nothing wrong with that.”

“They seem a little too close if you ask me.” Mr. Foley scoffs.

“Well, none of that should be any of your concern.” Harry says. “What my concern is,” he steps forward, “is that you seem to be teaching your son it’s okay to bully other people for being a little outside the box, and it’s borderline homophobic.”

“Maybe don’t raise a homo then.” Mr. Foley says bluntly.

“Gentlemen, please.” Principal Morrison says.

“What the fuck did you just say?” Paige says, also stepping forward.

“I said, don’t raise a homo and my son won’t have a problem.”

“Right, that’s what I thought.” She smirks, and lunges at Mr. Foley. Harry hooks an arm around her waist to hold her back. “You piece of shit, you think you’re this big tough man, teaching such awful values to your kid? You’re a piece of shit, and your son is following suit!” She struggles in Harry’s arms. “How fucking dare you!”

“Paige, settle down.” Harry says and she takes a deep breath as he lets her go. “Clearly Greg instigated things. Andy wouldn’t pick a fight with anyone. He knows how to use his words if he has a problem with someone.”

“Didn’t learn that from his mum now did he?” Mr. Foley smirks.

“Fuck you.” Paige spits.

“What can we do, um, moving forward? Are the boys going to be suspended?” Mrs. Stewart asks.

“Greg will be given in house suspension for instigating, and putt his hands on Andy. Unfortunately, because Brandon did hot Greg, he will be suspended for the rest of the week, and when he returns we have to give him a week of in house suspension.”

“So, even though he was just defending his friend, he’s going to get punished more?” Mr. Stewart asks.

“That’s the policy.” Principal Morrison sighs.

“What about Andy? Who’s to say that little fuck won’t bother him again?” Harry says. “I won’t have my son being afraid to go to school.”

“Andy wasn’t fighting so he won’t have to face suspension. His teachers will be alerted, and an eye will be kept on him. We have a zero tolerance policy for this kind of thing.”

Harry and Paige look at Mr. Foley.

“Tell your son to stay away from ours.” Harry says.

“No problem there. Don’t need any of what Andy’s got going on rubbing off on Greg.” He scoffs. “Are we done here?” He says to Principal Morrison.

“Yes.”

All of the adults leave the room, and everyone waiting looks at them. Mr. Foley grabs Greg’s arm and pulls him out of the room entirely.

“Brandon.” Mr. Stewart sighs. “You’re being suspended for the rest of the week, and then you’re gonna have in house suspension.”

“What?!”

“I know it doesn’t seem fair.” Mrs. Stewart says. “We’re proud of you for standing up for Andy, but you really shouldn’t have hit that boy, okay?”

“I’m really sorry, Brandon.” Andy had tears in his eyes.

“Don’t be.” Brandon says to him. “I’d do it again.”

//

The car ride home was quiet. You and Harry had to cancel the rest of your classes for the day. Paige and Noah were coming back to the house. Everyone sits down at the table when they get inside your home.

“Andy, I’d like to hear the full story, if you feel comfortable.” Paige says, putting her hand over his.

“I was at my locker, minding my own business, when Greg came over and he started up with me. He slammed my locker door shut and shoved me up against it. I told him to stop and he wouldn’t. Then he asked me if I was a girl, and I called him an idiot, and then Brandon ran down the hall and pulled him off of me, and then….ugh, then he called Brandon my boyfriend and that’s when he hit him.” Everyone looks at Andy with sad eyes. “I’m not gonna stop painting my nails, I’m not changing anything. Greg can go fuck himself.” He huffs, and you crack up first laughing, and then everyone else has a chuckle.

“I’m so sorry that happened.” Harry says to him. “Kids your age can be so mean, and he seems to be getting a negative influence from his father.”

“I wanted to slug him.” Paige says. “What a prick.”

“I feel bad that Brandon’s being suspended.” Andy says.

“I know.” Harry sighs. “Something tells me Principal Morrison won’t be putting it on his permanent record, though.”

“Do you all mind if I go lay down? I’m a little tired.”

“Of course, honey.” Paige hugs him and kisses the top of his head.

They all watch as Andy stands up.

“Um…it was nice having all four of you there…thanks.”

“What exactly is going on between him and Brandon?” Paige asks quietly.

“Nothing.” You say. “He would have told me if anything serious happened between them. I think something’s bound to happen at some point. I think they’re both still figuring it out.”

“It’s good Andy has such a good friend in his corner.” Noah says. “Everyone needs someone like that.”

Paige and Noah eventually leave to go be home in time for Rachel. Andy was asleep when they said goodbye. Or he was pretending to be. He was texting Brandon under his covers. He wanted to make sure he was alright.

“Andy?” You coo as you go into his room. “Dad made tacos if you’re hungry for dinner, honey.”

“Yeah, okay.” He sighs and gets up. “Thanks, I’m just gonna wash up.”

You nod and go back out to the kitchen.

“Is he coming out?” Harry asks as he gets everything on the table.

“Yeah.”

Dinner is mostly quiet, but Andy seemed to be doing okay. You and Harry cozy up on the couch with separate books, and Andy comes out.

“Can I watch TV?”

“Sure.” Harry says, handing him the remote.

“Can I…sit between you two?”

“Of course!” You say and scoot away from Harry to make room.

Andy plops down between the two of you, and puts on some show on Cartoon Network. You and Harry keep mindlessly reading. You were half expecting Andy to lay in your lap, but about twenty minutes in you look over and see Harry watching the show with him, his arm around Andy, and Andy’s head nuzzled into his chest. It was so sweet you thought it was going to give you a cavity. Harry was eating it up too. Even though he knew this was a really tough day for Andy, he was happy to be having this moment with him. He knew as Andy got older they would just become fewer and farther between.

“Andy, if you don’t wanna go to school tomorrow, it’s okay to stay home.” Harry says to him.

“It’s okay, I’ll go. I’m not scared.” He yawns. “I’m gonna go read before bed, goodnight.”

“Night.” You say as he walks off. “I hope he’ll be alright.”

“He will be, he’s tough. Come on, we should go to bed too.”

You nod and follow him into your shared bedroom. You both go through your nightly routines and get into bed. He holds onto you a little tighter than he normally does. You knew he had have been worried about Andy, but he was trying to keep it cool for everyone else’s sake.

“Harry?”

“Hm?”

“How about I be big spoon tonight?”

“Alright.” He rolls over and you wrap yourself around him. He’d never admit it, but he needed this tonight.

//

Harry’s alarm goes off at five in the morning. You groan and roll onto your back to let him get up, only he turns it off and turns on his side to look at you. He reaches to stroke your cheek, and he takes your out stretches hand to his lips. He kisses on your palm and wrist.

“You’ll be miserable if you don’t do your yoga.” You mutter with your eyes closed.

“Don’t feel like it.” He mumbles as he continues to kiss on your hand.

You turn your head and open your eyes to look at him slightly. You move your fingers to his mouth and he sucks on your pinky. A small whimper leaves your lips and that’s when he knows he has you. He lets your pinky go with a pop and shifts under the blankets to get on top of you. You were naked, since that’s how you slept, and he only had boxers on. He mouths at your neck and licks up to your earlobe. He grinds his hard length against your center and he groans.

“Can feel how wet you are already.” He says into your ear. “I wanna fuck you.”

“You do?” You say innocently as he continues to grind himself against you. You move your hips up to meet his and he moans.

“Yes.” He kisses on your chest and sucks on one of your nipples. You push his hair back for him and you bite your bottom lip as you watch. “Can I?”

“Can you what?” You smirk.

“Fuck you. Please? I really want to.”

”Yes, Harry.”

He sighs with relief and rips the blankets away. He gets his boxers off and grabs a condom to roll on. He quickly gets back between your legs and you grind yourself against him.

“Like feeling me between your folds?”

“Yes.” He bites his bottom lip as he slowly pushes inside you. You moan out as he comes down to you, chest to chest. “Love it when you’re like this.” You pant. You move in sync with his thrusts and it has your eyes nearly crossing.

“Love it when you’re so good for me.” He moves to sit up on his knees, and pushes your thighs together. He grunts and his head rolls back. You take great pleasure in watching him lose himself. “You’re so fucking tight, Jesus.”

He lets your legs fall open and grips your sides as he continues to fuck in and out of you. You so a slight glute raise to give him a better angle, and you start rubbing your clit.

“Fuck, Harry.” You groan.

“Oh fuck, Y/N, oh god, shit.”

You both cry out and come at the same time. Your orgasm was so strong it just about brought you to tears. You cling to him as he falls on top of you. Your aftershocks cause you to clench around him a few times, but he continues to stay inside you. He kisses your forehead and you wince as he pulls out.

“Can we cuddle for a bit?” He asks as he throws out the condom.

“Yeah, let me just pee.”

You get up quickly to clean yourself up and then you get back into bed with him. He rests his head on your chest and you scratch his head, running your fingers through his curls.

“I should have Andy stay home today…I know he said he’d go, but…”

“Harry, if he doesn’t go the bullies win. If he really didn’t want to go he would tell us. If he doesn’t go today it’ll just be more difficult to later.”

“I know, you’re right.” He sighs. “I just…I admire him so much. When I was his age I just dressed like everyone else, I never did anything out of the ordinary because I didn’t want to get made fun of. I didn’t become myself until uni. People still gave me looks, but I was old enough not to care. He’s only twelve. He may be brave, but he’s only twelve…I’d hate for any of this to break his spirit.”

“Well, luckily for him he’s got a great dad for a role model. He’s able to be himself because he sees you doing it every day.”

“I…really don’t know what I would do without you sometimes.”

You kiss the top of his head and use your other arm to hug him close to you.

//

Andy was very brave at school. Some of Greg’s friends glared at him, but he had Caroline and Tyler by his side. When Brandon returns to school, and into the actual classroom, Andy feels overjoyed when he sees him sitting in homeroom.

“Hey, B.” He says as he sits down.

“Hey.”

“Did you get all your work? They wouldn’t let me be the one to drop off the worksheets because of Greg.”

“Yeah, I’m all caught up, thanks.” He rests his chin in his palm and puts his other hand over Andy’s. “Missed you.”

“I missed you too.” Andy’s cheeks were on fire.

“Let’s see what we’ve got this week.” He looks at Andy’s nails. “Dark green?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s…that’s my favorite color.”

“I know.” Andy smirks, and now it’s Brandon’s cheeks that are on fire. “Are your parents mad at me or anything?”

“What? No, not at all. They were pretty cool about everything, actually.”

“Oh, good…”

“Why?”

“Because, um, when my parents get married, I mean, when my dad and Y/N get married, they said I could invite a friend for the weekend. It’ll be really fun since we’re staying in a hotel suite. We’ll be with my cousins Lizzie and Ritchie.” He swallows. “Would you want to go?”

“Are you serious? Yeah! I’ll ask my parents when I get home. When is it?”

“November sixth.”

“Cool.” Brandon smiles.

“Cool.” Andy smiles back. “My dad asked me to be his best man, too. It’s gonna be awesome.”

“Makes sense since you’re literally the best.”

“Brandon.” Andy giggles as he blushes.

“What?” He giggles too. “It’s true.”

//

“Have loads of fun, babe.”

“I would, but you won’t let go of me.” You chuckle.

This weekend was your bachelorette party, and Harry was hugging you goodbye out at your car, and he hadn’t let you go yet.

“Sorry.” He clears his throat and steps away from you. Then he steps closer to you again to kiss you for the millionth time.

“Har.” You giggle.

“I know, I’m being clingy, I’m sorry. I thought I’d have Andy for the long the weekend…I’m not sure what I’m gonna do with myself.”

“Why don’t you hang out with Andre?”

“Yeah, I might catch a movie with him.”

“Good.” You smile. “I have to go or I’ll be late picking Janette up.”

“Alright.” He kisses you one last time and lets you get into your car.

You pick up Janette and you both squeal as you make the trek down to Boston. You were extremely excited. You’d be sharing a hotel suite with your friends, and the best part was Nora graciously planned the entire thing for you. You couldn’t have asked for a better maid of honor. Next weekend would be your bridal shower, which would be more casual than anything because you and Harry didn’t even put a registry together, you just had a honeymoon fund. You two really didn’t need anything since you were already living in a home together and bought what you needed. So the bridal shower would just be a casual luncheon in the back room of a grill in town.

The second you and Janette get inside the hotel room, Nora starts making frozen margaritas. You look around and see that the theme would be cinco de mayo, very cool. She puts some beads around your neck and hugs you.

“I hope you’re hungry because we’re eating at Fagitas and Ritas tonight.” Darcy says.

“Thank fucking god, I love it there. Everyone, this is Janette.”

“It’s so great to meet you!” Nora says. “Nice to finally meet the work bestie face to face.”

“It’s great to meet you all too. Y/N’s told me wonderful things.”

Janette gets acquainted with Claudia and Mark as well. You weren’t worried about anyone not getting along. Janette reminded you a lot of your friends in general, it’s probably why you clicked with her off the bat.

“Y/N, is Harry doing anything fun this weekend?” Mark asks.

“I’m not sure. He thought he had Andy this weekend, but it’s Paige’s weekend, so he may make plans with his other friends.” You shrug. “He can’t do his bachelor party until right before the wedding when his friends fly in.”

“Paige couldn’t have just switched up the weekends?” Darcy asks.

“She’s supposed to get him for long weekends since Harry has him during the school year. That’s how it used to be when she had him during the school year, so he just wants to do what’s right. He’ll make his own fun, it’ll be fine.”

You all get ready, take a few pictures, and head out. You take the green line to Park Street, and then head down the alley to the restaurant. It was an incredible place. They served liter pitchers of frozen margaritas for groups to share. Your friends would come often, and would get sneaky, often taking an entire liter to the face, and that was the plan for you tonight. You got your tequila lime shrimp tacos, and you all told stories as you downed your drinks. You lean into Nora.

“You’re not taking me to a strip club or anything like that, right? Harry was pretty adamant that he didn’t want me doing that.” You slur.

“No, babe.” She chuckles. “I was thinking a drag show at first, but you always hear about how they can’t stand bridal parties, you know? And then I was thinking of asking Phil and Julian about that gay bar you go to with them, but again I didn’t want to be annoying. We are going to a club for a bit, and we are going to see some men dance, but I wouldn’t call them strippers.”

“Exotic dancers, if you will.” Claudia says. “They stay on the stage the whole time, so you don’t have to worry about a lap dance.”

“And we already took out plenty of cash to throw their way.” Mark says. “I’ve been before, it’s fun.”

“Harry doesn’t need to know.” Janette winks.

“Would you care if he went to a strip club with his friends?” Darcy asks out of curiosity.

“I don’t know.” You shrug. “He’s really not the type to ogle women, he’s too shy for that I think. He’s a bit possessive in that I don’t even think he would enjoy going somewhere like that because none of the women would be me, you know?”

“Jesus.” Mark says. “Got yourself a good man, I have to say.”

You all raise your glasses to that, and when you’re done you head out, thankful for the cool October air hitting your skin. You hop back on the T to get to the place Nora had set up reservations for. Watching the men dance made for a lot of squealing and blushing on your part, it was all good fun. They showed a little skin, but weren’t stripping, and they really did stay on the stage.

Four men come out dressed in slacks and cummerbunds. I Wanna Sex You Up begins playing, and the choreography looks oddly familiar. Your jaw drops when it registers.

“Nora, you didn’t.”

“I had to.” She chuckles.

“I’m very confused…” Janette says. “Delighted, but confused.”

“In the first season of Glee a few of the guys get together for an all-male acapella group, and this was a memorable scene for Y/N.” Nora explains. “I requested it in advance, let’s tip well.”

You sway back and forth in your chair and sing along with the song as the men continue to dance essentially for you. You were laughing so hard you were crying by the end of it, and you hug your friend. Once you all have had your fill you head to a club so you all could dance.

Now you really felt like you were in your element. Nora had reserved a VIP sections at one of your favorite clubs so you could all dance freely without bumping into a bunch of sweaty strangers. You were sticking with tequila tonight as to not get sick. You were having loads of fun, but you couldn’t help but wonder what Harry had gotten up to, so you tell your friends you need to use the ladies room quickly. The ladies room in the VIP section was actually clean, you were shocked. You may pee just for the hell of it. You take out your phone and call your fiancé.

“Y/N?”

“Hey, baby!” You slur. “Just checking in, whatcha up to?”

“Well…it’s one in the morning, so I was sleeping.”

Oh, shit, you think to yourself. You hadn’t even checked the time on your phone before you called. Now you felt like a proper dick.

“Shit, Har, I’m so sorry. I didn’t even realize how late it was, and I was thinking of you, and-“

“Babe, it’s alright.” He chuckles. “I went to a movie with Andre and Sandra and then we went out for drinks and a bite to eat. It was fun.”

“Oh, good! Any plans for tomorrow?”

“I’m hoping to get up and go for a run, and then I’m gonna work on my manuscript. Then I may have dinner with Lisa and her husband, but we’ll see.” He yawns.

“I’m really sorry I woke you…”

“I’ll fall back asleep don’t worry about it. What did you all get into tonight?”

“Drinking, dinner, more drinking, we went to, um, a show, and now we’re drinking more at a club.”

“Ah, so you’re still out?”

“Mhm.”

“Go be with your friends, baby.”

“I know, I just…wanted to hear your voice, that’s all.”

“Mm, well I’m glad you called, then.”

“I love your sleepy voice.” You pout, not that he can see it.

“Y/N, you’re gonna give me a stiffy if you keep talking like that, so, please, go back out and have fun, yeah?”

“Okay, I love you.”

“I love you too.”

You sigh and go back out to continue dancing with your friends. You all get back to the hotel around three in the morning, and everyone crashes. The next day was all about recovering cozily. Room service was ordered and many movies were watched.

“Do you think things will change much once you and Harry are married?” Mark asks as you all do face masks.

“Nah, the biggest change will be going onto the same insurance plan.” You laugh. “We’ll start having kids, I know that much.”

“Do you have any big plans for after you get your doctorate?” Darcy asks.

“Mhm, we’re going to take Andy to Disney World as a combined celebration. Harry’s been dying to take him there for, like, and end of middle school thing, but we really wanna go before we have an infant on our hands, so he’s gonna say it’s for his thirteenth birthday instead.”

“That’s the perfect age to go.” Janette says. “He’ll remember way more, plus I bet he’ll enjoy the alone time with the both of you.”

“He’s gonna be so surprised.” You say. “I love that kid.”

“Any tea to spill about him and his friend?” Claudia asks.

“He hasn’t told me much recently.” You shrug. “Which is perfectly fine. He’s coming to the wedding with him, that I know for sure.”

//

Harry wasn’t home when you got back from your bachelorette weekend, so you take the opportunity to have a long shower and get into some comfy clothes. You hear the front door open and close, and go out to see Harry coming in with Andy.

“Hey, guys!” You say brightly.

“Y/N!” Andy says and comes to give you a hug. “Did you have a good time with your friends?”

“I did, yeah. How was Mum’s?”

“Good, we went shopping for a Halloween costume.”

“And what are you planning to be this year?”

“A rock star, so, so she got me a blow up guitar that has a strap, and I’m gonna wear all black. It’s gonna be sick.” He heads down the hall into his room.

“Is he going trick or treating?” You say as you wrap your arms around Harry’s neck. He hugs you for a moment before giving you a lip smacking kiss.

“Yeah, he’ll go out for a bit with his friends, and then I guess Caroline is having a little party at her house.”

“Oh, my…a boy-girl party, huh?”

“I know.” Harry sighs and grips your hips. “He’ll be picked up at 9:30 and not a moment later.” He kisses you again. “How was your weekend?”

“It was a lot of fun, it was so good to get away with them for a bit. Just another reminder of how excited I am to marry you.”

He squishes his nose to yours before letting you go. The evening is cozy as the three of you decide to play a board game before Andy goes to bed. It was an incredible game of Scrabble. Harry tugs you into your bedroom about twenty minutes later, and gets you undressed. You giggle as he kisses on you. You shift to get on top of him, and you pin his wrists to the pillows. You suck on his bottom lip and he groans before you lick into his mouth.

“God, I wanted you so bad this weekend.” You say to him as you kiss down his body. “Miss me?”

“Course I did.” He holds your hair back as you wrap your lips around his throbbing dick. His breath hitches as he feels your tongue run over his slit. “Fuck.” He breathes.

You bob up and down on him for a bit before he has you on your stomach. He pulls your hips back and starts fingering you from behind. You clutch at the pillows. You feel him open your cheeks up and his free thumb starts rubbing on your other hole. He hadn’t done this in a while, you almost forgot how good it felt.

“Shit, Harry.”

“Like that?”

“Feels so good.”

He was knuckle deep inside you, petting against your g-spot, and he gradually starts to work his thumb inside you. You gasp, but let him continue. You suddenly feel…full! It was sending you. You fuck yourself on his fingers while he continues to work his thumb into you.

“Alright? Still feels good?” He grunts. His tip was leaking just watching you.

“Yes, fuck, don’t stop.” You moan out into the pillows so you’re not too loud. You completely lose it around his fingers, and he gives you a moment before retracting himself. You wince a little when you feel his thumb leave you. You stay in position for him while he rolls a condom on.

“You good like that, babe? Your knees don’t hurt?”

“No, I’m good, please, give it to me like this.”

He nods and leans down to kiss you before getting back behind you. He grips your hips and pushes his thick tip inside you. Your back arches once he bottoms out. His pace is slow at first, wanting to ease in and out of you. You start moving on and off him at your own pace.

“Impatient.” He grunts as he lets you use him.

“You weren’t going fast enough.”

“So just tell me to go faster.”

“Thought you liked it when I used you.” You smirk at him over your shoulder and he bites his bottom lip.

“Will you get on top?”

“Yeah.”

He pulls out of you and gets on his back. You swing your leg over and sink down on him. You pin his wrists against the pillows again, and bring yourself down chest to chest. You lick into his mouth as you move on and off his hard dick. Your fingers intertwine and he squeezes your hands.

“Let me rub your clit.” He groans.

“Ask nicely.”

“Can I rub your clit?”

“Yes.”

You let go of one of his hands, and he snakes it between the two of you. You gasp into his mouth as he rubs circles into you. Sweat pools between your bellies, and you both lose it. You rest on top of him for a few moments before getting off. Once you’re both cleaned up you snuggle up to him in bed and lay your head on his chest.

“Slept like shit without you, if I’m being honest.” You tell him and kiss on his tattooed collar bones.

“I had to use my body pillow for the first time in forever.”

“I wrapped myself up in my little blanket burrito like I used to, but it just wasn’t the same. I enjoy your heavy body way more.”

“I’m always afraid I’m gonna crush you.” He chuckles.

“Oh, like when you lay fully on top of me? I fucking love that.” You smirk and he shakes his head.

“You’re suck a little freak.”

“Yeah, but I’m your freak.” You kiss his cheek. “I’m also not the one that enjoys giving people rim jobs, so I don’t wanna hear it.”

“I didn’t even do that tonight!”

“You still got in there.”

“And you liked it, so don’t kinkshame me.”

“I’m not! I like that you’re a little kinky.” You giggle.

“Just so you know, I don’t do that with just anyone…” He mutters.

“Aw, well don’t I feel special.” You say sarcastically. “It’s so good to know you’ve only had your tongue up a few people’s asses.” He blinks at you and you start laughing. “Chill, I’m just teasing.” You peck his lips and turn over, and he turns with you to wrap himself around you.

“You’re lucky I think you’re incredibly cute, you know that?”

//

Trick or treating was fun, but short lived. Andy his friends hit up the houses they knew that had the best candy, and then made their way to Caroline’s. You and Harry were at a Halloween themed game night at Mateo’s. Caroline’s house had a finished basement, so it was the perfect spot for a little party. Most of Andy’s homeroom was there. Her sister’s had helped set up donuts on strings for a little contest. There was music playing, and everyone was having a good time. There was even a wall with decorations for people to take pictures. Andy takes plenty with his friends.

Once Caroline’s sisters go upstairs, the kids all get into a game of truth or dare. They all sit in a circle on the floor, and put a bottle in the middle. The dares were lighthearted at first, someone had to cluck like a chicken, someone had to chug a can of soda, someone had to see how many marshmallows they could fit into their mouth, normal kid stuff. Then it got a little more serious. Some were daring others to go into the closet for seven minutes, others had to admit to having crushes.

“Okay, Brandon…” A girl named Maggie says, “truth or dare?”

“Dare.” He shrugs.

“Alright, I dare you to go into the closet with Andy for seven minutes.”

Andy nearly chokes on his drink, and looks wide eyed at Brandon.

“What exactly do you want us to do in there?” Brandon asks.

“Doesn’t matter, whatever happens is between you two.” She shrugs.

It wasn’t like they were the only same sex people to be asked to go into the closet. Some kids were out already, but things weren’t as obvious for Brandon and Andy.

“Do you want to?” Brandon asks him.

“I guess.”

They both get up, and go into the closet. Someone starts a timer for seven minutes. Andy leans against one of the walls of the closet. It was roomy.

“It’s too dark in here.” Brandon says as he turns the flashlight of his phone on. He sets it on the floor so it’s not blinding. “There we go, now I can see you.” Andy gives him a small smile. “Have I told you how cool your costume is?”

“Thanks, my mum helped me put it together. Although, Y/N helped with the eye liner.” He rubs the back of his neck. “I like yours too.”

“I don’t know, I thought it was kind of lame.” He chuckles. “A baseball player isn’t exactly original, but my mom wanted to make sure I was wearing pants.” He sighs.

“I know! Parents are always so worried about us being cold. It’s not like we were out that long.”

“Hey, remember when we were thing one and thing two in elementary school? We had to meet up like every weekend to make sure everything matched!”

“Yeah! I’m so glad we don’t have to do that anymore.” Andy stands up straight. “How long do you think it’s been?”

“Just a couple minutes.”

“This is such a weird dare…feel like I’m in an eighties movie.” Andy scoffs.

“I know, it feels like a force.” He sighs. “M’not gonna kiss you in a closet. That’s just what everyone wants. Then we’d have to walk out of here all awkward.”

“I don’t want you to kiss me in here either.” Andy chews his bottom lip. “But I do want you to kiss me, Brandon, really bad.” So many things had been left unsaid between them, and this was the first time Andy really said it to his friend.

“Maybe we can find somewhere else to go, somewhere less obvious.”

Andy nods, and the door opens. A few people frown as they can tell nothing happened between the two. It was getting closer to 9:30, and neither Andy nor Brandon wanted to get interrupted by a call from a parent again. Brandon watches as Andy goes over to Caroline.

“Is there somewhere private he and I can go?”

“Weren’t you two just alone?” She raises an eyebrow at him.

“Yeah, but it would have been so obvious…”

Caroline looks around. She thinks to tell them to go to the bathroom, but that would be obvious too. Her basement was a walkout, and the outside portion had been screened in for bugs. They could go out there for a few minutes. They could just say they’re getting some air.

“Go outside for a few minutes.” She nods over to the sliding door. “I’ll standby to keep watch.”

“You’re the best.”

Andy and Brandon go outside unnoticed by anyone else.

“You’re okay out here…like this?” Brandon asks.

“Yeah.” He takes a deep breath. “I need to know something before we do this, though…I mean, how do you feel about me? Because I like you, Brandon, like really like you.”

“I really like you too.”

“You do?”

“Yeah.”

“For how long?”

“I don’t know when it started exactly. I just know that I do.”

Andy smiles at him and backs up to the siding of the house as Brandon walks towards him. Andy reaches up and turns Brandon’s baseball cap around so it wouldn’t get in the way. They both chuckle out of nerves. Brandon cups one of Andy’s cheeks and leans in.

“You’re sure?” Brandon asks.

“Yes.” He breathes.

Andy closes his eyes, and braces himself. Brandon’s lips press against his. The first thing he notices is how soft Brandon’s lips are, but he wasn’t surprised because he was always using chapstick. The second thing he notices is how he feels warm all over. He had butterflies in his stomach, but they were the good kind. He reaches up to cup one of Brandon’s cheeks so he won’t pull away. They stay like that for a few moment, kissing innocently. Brandon pulls away to get some air and presses his forehead to Andy’s.

“How was that for a first kiss?” Brandon looks at him.

“B-better than I ever imagined.” He tugs on Brandon’s jersey to pull him back in and they kiss once more. They both giggle afterwards. “H-how was I?”

“Best kiss I’ve ever had.”

“Jesus.” Andy blushes. “We, um, we should keep this quiet until after the wedding. If we say anything to our parents they may not let us share a hotel room or they might add more rules or something.”

“Shit, you’re right…yeah, let’s keep it to ourselves for now. I…I mean, I don’t even know what this all means, like, are we gay?”

“Well…you could be, but I like boys and girls.” It was wild how easily he was just able to admit it. “It’s called bi, or whatever, so that’s what I think I am. Does it matter? I like you and you like me, that’s it.”

“Right, that’s all that really matters.” Brandon smiles.

Andy feels his phone buzz in his pocket, and he takes it out to see that Harry texted he was out front.

“I have to go, my parents are here.”

“Okay.”

The boys hug and then kiss one more time before going inside. Andy and Caroline share a knowing look, and then he makes the rounds saying goodbye. He heads upstairs and thanks Caroline’s sisters for having him, and then goes outside with all his candy. Harry would need to inspect it when they got home. He climbs into the backseat of the car. You were in a giggly mood from the wine you had drank at game night.

“Andy! How was the party?” You ask him as you turn around slightly to make eye contact.

“Oh, um, it was good, really, really good.”

[lilyharvord]

Sun

OH OH BABY. It’s MOTHER’S DAY. You know what that means…. :))))  It’s time to celebrate Mare Barrow. While I’m working on the next chapter of the Chain, I figured I’d give you guys this. This next chapter is gonna have to steep like a fine tea cause it’s Cal and the Colonel going head to head and those conversations need to be GOOD. LOL it’s unedited too, sorry. ALSO AVAILABLE ON AO3: link 

Rain patters against the window next to me, but the day outside is too dreary and grey for the event that occurred this morning. I couldn’t care less though, my entire focus is on the little bundle squirming in my arms. My son is as restless as he was inside of me. Still, I smile down at him as I lean back further into the pillows so I can see him better. He looks like me, and like Shade. My heart breaks a fraction at the thought, and heals at the same time. I never thought I’d see my brother’s face again, but there it is, on my son’s.

A tiny gasp draws my eye to the doorway, and my face splits into an elated grin as Coriane sprints across the room and tries to leap onto the bed.

“Momma!” She cries as she only manages to get the top half of her body up. Cal’s right behind her to lift her the last foot so she can crawl across the sheets to me.

“Hello darling.” I laugh as she nuzzles into my side. “I’ve only been gone a day, but you are acting like it’s been forever.”

“It was forever!” She bemoans, her large amber eyes growing impossibly wider as she tries to wind her arms around one of mine. “Grandma told me I had to sit and be quiet but it was so long.”

I don’t need an imagination to picture how that went. My child has more energy than a lightning storm. She bounces around rooms with a smile bright enough to power Ascendant for the rest of its existence, but she can be loud, and a handful if Cal or I isn't there to keep her in check.

“I hope you were good.” I murmur, earning a bright red blush from her as she turns her eyes to Cal. He sink down on the edge of the bed as she crawls away to sit in front of him. Nearly identical features mirror each other as he raises a brow at her when she looks up at him. That simple fact is a reminder of why I’m holding another baby right now. I may have carried and birthed Coriane into the world, but she is her father’s daughter in all aspects. She looks like him, she mimics almost every one of his expressions, and she follows him around like a duckling. The only distinguishing factors are her burning Red blood, and my skin color and mass of curls. I wanted one more to even the score when I realized that maybe she was more of a daddy’s girl than we had originally thought. And I got my wish, which makes me happier than a bird taking flight.

“I was.” She replies when Cal doesn’t step to her immediate defense like he normally does. Which just tells me she was opposite of good and I may have to find a way to thank my parents for watching her.

Her eyes fall to her brother and she edges away from Cal to get closer to me, a strange silence and stillness falling over her. She sits on her haunches next to me, her eyes trained on the little baby sleeping in my arms. She reaches a tentative hand out, but pulls it back quickly, as if thinking better of touch him.

“It’s all right.” I assure her, before shifting Shade so she can see him better. She leans forward, her eyes blinking a few times as she takes in his now sleeping face. With one of her fingers, she touches the tip of his nose and then traces his cheek.

“His skin is so soft.” She whispers, before looking up at me with wide eyes.

“Yours was too.” Cal teases before leaning forward with her. I haven’t let him hold Shade yet, and he may be getting a little impatient that it’s been a few hours. I wanted my time with him first, and he had willingly given it to me. He knew from the moment I found out it was boy that this was going to be my baby for a while. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to hold his son though.

“He’s so small. Was I that small?”            “You were actually smaller.” I smile weakly at the memory of her little body settling in my arms for the first time. Tears begin to build in my eyes at the memory and I roll them at the hormones that will take a while to calm down, before wiping the tears away.

Coriane watches my movement with a curious tilt of her head. That’s not one of Cal’s movements. A part of me flutters in surprise at the concept. She must be starting to develop her own mannerisms. Julian told me she would eventually, when she got old enough to start building her own personality. And she certainly is doing just that.

“I’m not sad darling.” I say, even though another tear slips by and falls down my check. She still wears her concern like Cal though, between her brows which scrunch just slightly.

Reaching my hand out, I curl my arm around her little shoulders and pull her into my side. She settles on her knees so she can press into me at a comfortable angle. “Sometimes, people are so happy, they can’t hold it in and it comes out as tears.”

“Having a new baby made you so happy you are crying?” Coriane reasons as she reaches a hand out for Shade again. He blinks open honey colored eyes and yawns. My daughter’s face splits into a bright grin as he weakly closes his hand around two of her little fingers.

I don’t know what gods to thank for the fact that she does not think we’re replacing her, or handling this like any of my siblings did when a new baby came. I remember thinking Gisa was the worst thing my mother ever made, simply because she took my parent’s attention away from me for a bit. Coriane hasn’t shown us that she’s acting like that. In fact, she had been the opposite side of the spectrum. She might have been more excited at the prospect of the baby than we were.

“Both of you make me so very happy I can’t hold it in.” I whisper to her before pressing a kiss on her hair. Never in my wildest fantasies did I see this day coming. I may have had faint visions of children when I lived in the Stilts, but those thoughts had never been serious. I had been so focused on simply getting through the day, I hadn’t thought about the months or years to come. I didn’t want to bring a child into the mud and the life that I had been forced to live. I didn’t even really want to bring one into this new world that we were all forging from the broken pieces of the old. But Coriane had moved inside of me, and I had become so sure of the path I was walking that when I finally saw her face, I knew I had made at least one right decision in my life.

Cal’s hand is warm on my knee as he gentle massages the joint with his thumb. Laying my cheek on Cori’s head, I smile at him. He returns the gesture. He looks tired, maybe just as tired as I do. We have a long couple years ahead of us too. Piedmont tries to march on the States every other month, and the Lakelands puddle along to the beat of their own drum, no matter how hard Evangeline tries to beat a different one. Tiraxes and Prairie refuse to hear talks or peace. We’ll be called on sooner rather than later. I know now more than ever, I will be loath to leave this little slice of peace that Cal and I have carved out over the years. There is war and strife all around us, but at least for this moment, we are together.

Pressing another long kiss to Coriane’s head, I whisper to her. “Your brother’s name is Shade.”

“Daddy told me.” Coriane replies in kind. “Grandma said it’s a special name like mine. That it was your brother’s name.”

“It was.” I try to keep my voice even, but it breaks on that admission all the same. Cal’s hand grows a little warmer, and he squeezes my knee a little tighter. There’s no room for him this high up on the bed, but he still wants me to know he’s here. I couldn’t be more grateful for him in this moment.

Coriane rests her head in crock of my shoulder and says, “He’s Clara’s daddy.”

“He was. And he would have loved both of you.”

Shade would have loved my daughter like he loved his own. I know he would have, and he would have teased Cal mercilessly the whole time. His absence is like a knife in my heart still, but the blade has dulled over the years. My son has dulled that blade further, and I suppose removed it an inch.

“Can I hold him?” Coriane breathes her question so quietly I almost miss it.

When I don’t respond to she looks to Cal and then back up to me for permission. I hesitantly push her hair behind her ear in response to her gaze.

“Dad hasn’t held him yet.” I murmur in answer, and her little lips immediately purse into a pout.

Cal rises from the bed in the rustle of sheets before scooping her into his arms and sinking down next to me with Cori in his lap. “We can hold him together.” He says to her with a smile that is reserved only for her. She grins back up at him, before turning that shining look on her brother. She practically vibrates out of Cal’s lap as I reluctantly give him over to them.

Even though Cal takes most of Shade’s weight in his hands, it’s Coriane’s body that Shade presses up against. He squirms for a moment, not happy with being shifted so much so soon, but settles quickly as Cal adjusts for him.

Coriane’s eyes open wide and her mouth opens in a little circle as she whispers, “he’s heavy momma.”

“You don’t need to tell me that darling.” I can’t help the comment. It slips past the filters I built after having my daughter. She’s getting older though, and she understands those sideways jokes for the most part now.

           “Be careful, make sure you don’t move too much.” Cal warns her when she squirms and tries to hold him by herself.

           “She’s all right, let her try.” I nod down to our children and Cal watches me for a heartbeat, trying to judge my comment. When I don’t say anything else, he adjusts his grip and lets Coriane take the full weight of her brother. She takes to him like a duck on water, and grins up at me when he nuzzles into her chest. I return her smile, joy oozing out of me. The lights overhead flicker for a moment, and then buzz louder as my emotion tries to manifest as something else.

           Cal smirks at me, but I can feel the pride and heat that rolls off of him in waves. He can’t hide it either. He wanted this as much as I did. I’ve always known he would be a good father, whether or not I was the mother of those children had remained to be seen. But it happened, and I couldn’t be happier to be doing this with him, to be growing our family and trying to carve out a place for them in the world.

           “He looks beautiful.” Cal leans around Coriane to whisper that to me, trying not to disturb the moment our daughter is having as she coos nonsense to Shade. Clara did the same thing to her when we brought Cori home and let my niece stick her head into the bassinet to say hello. The memory brings another wave of happiness over me that immediately makes the lights buzz again.

           “He’s healthy, and that’s all that matters to me.” I reply with a smile before letting him press a gentle kiss to my lips.

           “You were faster this time. Even your mother was impressed.” He teases before pulling back to avoid the sparks I try to snap at his cheek with. He smooths Coriane’s curls as he gives me a mischievous smirk she completely misses. I hope she never sees that smile, because then she’ll start copying it, and I don’t think I can take my child smirking at me like that.

           “Momma.” Coriane calls for me again, forcing me to switch my scowl for a smile instantly. She tries to wiggle and offer Shade back to me, her face pinched with her effort. Cal almost dives forward to make sure he makes it back into my arms, and I have to move just as quickly to avoid him falling into my lap. He makes it nonetheless, and I breathe a tiny sigh of relief as I sink back. Coriane, oblivious to the moment as much as a child can be, immediately starts trying to cliimb all over Cal. Apparently she was done sitting still.

           Cal manages to wrap an arm around her when she throws herself over his shoulder and says, “I wanna go play with Clara again.”

           “You don’t want to stay with momma and Shade?” Cal asks her as he twists to catch her and guide her back into his lap. She giggles at the game immediately does the whole thing again.

           “I wanted to make sure momma was okay. She’s okay.” Coriane dangles from his shoulder again and gives me an upside down smile from around Cal’s back. “And Shade’s okay too. I wanna go play now.”

           Cal pulls her back through and manages to wrangle her into stillness before saying, “let’s try to stay together as a family for a little bit.”

           Immediately she pouts, and her eyes glint as she glances at the door. I know that look, and it does not belong to Cal. That’s my brain turning wheels over and planning how to escape.

           “Just for a little bit darling.” I whisper as I reach out to brush my fingers through her hair. She glances at me, drawn like a magnet. I wonder if she’s an Ardent, an electricon like me who senses the electricity that dances under my skin. We haven’t had her tested, and we don’t want to know either. Let her be normal for a bit.

           Her pout melts away and she lets Cal hold her a bit closer before moving closer to me so we’re all squished together. I’d normally protest the discomfort, but right this moment, I want all of them as close as possible. A warm arm slides around my shoulders and I sigh before sliding into Cal’s embrace and resting my head as best I can against him. Coriane wiggles between us, trying to get comfortable, until she ends up in the crevice between our bodies. She’s already getting too big to squeeze into that space, and soon Shade will be that size and then they’ll both be grown. When they are, they’ll be taller than me, Sara told me as much. I don’t mind that though. I’d hate for my children to be burdened with my height.

           “This is the last one.” I whisper to Cal after a few minutes of being lulled by his warmth. Coriane sighs as I shift, and when I glance down, it’s to see her eyelashes fluttering as she dreams. I hope they’re happy dreams, tinged pink and covered in honey. She deserves that life, and I plan to carve it into existence with my bare hands for her and for Shade.

           “You said that after Cori.” I can hear the laughter in Cal’s voice at the same time that I feel his lips curl into a smile against my temple.

           “I’m serious this time. I’m fine with being a mother twice over. But if you get me pregnant again, I will kill you, Tiberias.” I murmur, but the threat loses all power as I smile down at Shade who grabs a tiny fistful of my shirt.

           His laugh is quiet, but deep and wonderful. I love that he laughs so much these days, that I laugh just as much. His fingers brush along the scars that reach up the back of my neck as he whispers, “But you make such a wonderful mother.”

           I can’t help but smile, even at the same time that I swear to myself that Shade will be the last one.

[ttylfedora]

Duck, Duck, Dumo

You just know I had to continue with the prank series!!

The prank mentioned in this fic can be found here! You don’t need to read it but it’s mentioned at the start.

As always, characters belong to the wonderful @lumosinlove

Enjoy!!💚

“Hey, Marc, do you think your dad would help me prank Remus?” Jules asked. They were both currently sat in the Dumais’ basement playing on the PlayStation after an evening at Sid’s.

“Oui, absolutely. My Papa loves pranking people. You’ve seen the video of Papa, Katie and Logan pranking Sirius, non?” Marc asked, pausing the game and turning to face Julian.

Julian’s eyes went wide.

“They what?!” He exclaimed, this was new information. Maybe he could enlist the help of his brothers boyfriend too!

“Oui! I’ll see if I can borrow Papa’s phone so I can find it. It might be in your brothers too actually!” Marc started getting jittery at the thought of being involved in a famous Dumais prank. His father was forever playing little practical jokes on Marc and his siblings, his older sister more often than not being the victim of such crimes. They both ran upstairs, colliding into each other as they rounded the corner into the dining room where all the adults were sat.

“Papa, could I borrow your phone, S'il-vous-plaît?” Marc asked, extremely out of breath from running.

“Any reason, mon fils?” He asked, suspicion dripping from every word. Marc only laughed slightly and took the phone from his fathers hand.

“Merci, I want to show Jules the video of Sirius getting pranked.” He reasoned, already going through his fathers photo app.

“Mon Dieu. I haven’t even seen that.” Jules and Marc looked up to find Sirius at the other end of the table with his head in his hands, his boyfriend laughing next to him. Marc backed up next to Julian to show him, both bursting out with laughter when Logan got Sirius in the face with the pie.

“That’s brilliant!” Jules exclaimed. “Re did you help?!”

“I mean I recorded the whole thing if that counts?” Remus chuckled. Julian was still beside himself as he nodded.

“Can I have my phone back now, mon fils?” Dumo asked holding his hand out. Marc placed the phone back in his fathers hand and they both bounded back down the stairs, shouting their thanks to the father of the group. Marc stopped suddenly.

“Jules, I have the BEST idea ever.”

—

“You both know your rolls, oui?” Dumo asked the pair of boys. Jules and Marc nodded vigorously, eager to get going with the prank.

Marc had stayed over at Sirius and Remus place the night previous while Jules was staying with them, and had clue Dumo in on their plans, to which he was more than happy to provide aid with. In fact, he ended up offering a better solution. A two for the price of one deal where they pranked both Cap and Loops. Naturally, Marc and Jules loved the idea and couldn’t wait to get started.

They made their way down into the kitchen, making sure to keep the noise down so as to not wake Remus and Sirius. What good would it be if Dumo arrived this early if they woke up anyway?

“Right, Julian, you’ve got the bubble bath, oui?” Julian nodded, holding up the bottle of soap like it’s was a first prize trophy, grinning widely as he did. “And Marc, you have all of the rubber ducks, correct?” Marc giggled as he held up the sizeable bag of miniature rubber ducks to show his father. “Parfait, Julian, you go upstairs and fill every sink with water and bubbles, I’ll start downstairs. Marc, you start pouring the rubber ducks in. If you have too many, put them on the floor, on the counter, wherever. Hide some if you want.” Dumo’s smile grew, knowing the Captain will grow more and more frustrated with each rubber duck that is found.

Julian and Marc bounded upstairs with the ferocity of dogs chasing after a ball in a park, however mindful not to wake the sleeping couple on the other side of the house.

“Remus is going to hate this.” Julian giggled as the entered the bathroom. He turned on the tap in the bath, pouring the bath suds in. Marc followed suit and poured a considerable amount of the rubber ducks in. “Where did your dad manage to get all these ducks any way?” He asked.

“We have learned not to question how Papa does his pranks. Even maman doesn’t bother any more.” Marc shrugged. Whenever he asked his father how he managed to get him and his siblings so good, he just shrugged.

“For me to know and you not to find out, mon fils.”

Julian turned his attention to filling up the sink with bubble bath too.

“Hide some in the drawers. Cap will go crazy trying to find them all.” Marc nodded in agreement, emitting a mischievous giggle.

Once the sink and bath had been filled, and an appropriate amount of rubber ducks had been deposited, they made their way to the next bathroom, leaving smaller rubber ducks in random places throughout the hall, in the guest rooms, and on the stairs. Having hidden a rubber duck in every place they could found, they trodden carefully back down the stairs to hand the remaining ducks to Dumo, who was sporting one of the biggest grins known to man.

“They’re still asleep, non?” Jules and Marc nodded. “Parfait, I’ll go fill up the rest of the sinks and then...we wait.” Dumo giggled, a laugh reminiscent of a seven year olds.

Julian and Marc watched, silent laughs shaking from them as they watched Marc’s father work his magic, hiding rubber ducks in hard fo reach places.

“Marc, you are taking after your Papa. This idea was brilliant, mon fils. Brilliant!” Dumo looked at his son in admiration. “I’m going to go, Julian you cleared it with your brother last night that I’m taking you both out for breakfast, oui?”

Julian nodded. This truly was the perfect plan. “I’ll go let them know we’re leaving.” He quickly ran back upstairs and knocked on his brothers door, opening it slightly and popping his head in.

“Re?”

Remus’ head lifted from the pillow, his curled hair ruffled to no ends. He opened up one eye to find Jules at the door.

“Mhmm?”

“Dumo’s here to pick me and Marc up for breakfast.”

“Alright buddy. Have a good time.” He flopped his head back on the bed and fell back asleep.

This was too easy. Julian closed the door quietly, barely able to suppress his giggles. He ran back downstairs and gave Dumo a thumbs up and they all left.

Ten minutes later

Lion Pride Chat:

Sirius: Dumo, please explain why the FUCK there are rubber ducks all around my house.

Julian, Marc and Pascal burst into fits of giggles over their pancakes.

Dumo 2 - 0 Cap and Loops.

[vidalinav]

Nessian Headcanon #12: Family Edition

Since I keep seeing baby headcanons I wanted to make a list of my own :D which I’ve briefly touched on in other posts but...

Cassian and Nesta have a boatload of children (5 at the end of it all I think). The others start joking that they’re building their own army. But what really happens is that they end up taking in many children over the years because they travel often with the work they do and they see so many conditions and there’s wars and all sorts of circumstances. It’s inevitable that kids don’t have homes but they have a giant house and unending resources and the House is like a big nanny itself so they think it’s fate. 

Nesta is actually the one who brings most of the children home. The first one is a 9 year old girl, who is the angriest kid alive. Has something to do with the plot of a story I’m writing, but Nesta is basically entrusted with this kid. She’s the grand niece of someone she ends up knowing and she’s pretty magically powerful so her family would have ate her alive, so she’s asked to keep her safe and whatnot. Her name is Magda but she goes by Maggie. She does not like Cassian whatsoever in the beginning, and she is horribly rude to Nesta. But Nesta does not care at all, she’s like okay get it out, say worse. Like she’s so chill, because she knows how it feels to be that angry. Maggie and Nesta end up being really close to the point where Maggie does not like being away from Nesta and gets very protective of her even to other members of the IC. She’ll fight first and ask questions later. Cassian and her form a bond actually not by fighting at all, but because Maggie does so many experiments that end up going awry. She’s a fae and has got magic up the wazoo and she’s a book nerd, and she’s kind of a trouble maker, and Cassian thrives. He loves her because she’s like a smaller more diabolical version of Nesta. The House is amused by their antics usually. 

Nesta ends up getting pregnant for their second child and this kid is the only one they actually have on their own. Her name is Lyra, and Maggie thinks that it’s hilarious that Cassian lives in a house with all girls. Maggie is about 12 when they have her, and Maggie at first does not take kindly to Lyra, because she starts feeling like they have their own family and she’s just the kid who eventually is going to have to go back to her other family (because that’s a plot too that I won’t go into to) but they try so much to include her, because Maggie is their child. No question. Nesta ends up telling Cassian that she’s pregnant by giving him an enchanted painting, which is the work of all three Archeron sisters. Elain for seeing what the child would look like, Feyre for painting, and Nesta for enchanting it so that if they have more children the picture will get bigger and there will be room for Feyre to paint the others. So one big family portrait. In that picture, Maggie is tucked in between the two with the baby/toddler. Dark hair, big blue eyes... maybe hazel. Maybe one of each (I’m really not sure). The best parts of both Nesta and Cassian though. She’s so gorgeous. Prettiest little girl. But yeah going back to Maggie, they ask her during this picture time (probably solstice present time) if Maggie wants to be an Archeron. (Another headcanon for another time, but Cassian marries Nesta too and becomes an Acheron). So, does she want to do this? Absolutely, and at this point she already start calling them mom and dad and just referring to them as such, so that’s their kiddos. 

Third and fourth are siblings. They’re from the continent. Maggie is 14, Lyra is close to 2. The siblings are brought by Nesta who is doing some thing that I cannot say because I have not made it up yet, but she finds them at the scene of a Massacre in hiding. The oldest is close to 6, the other is probably 1-ish. The oldest will not let them take the baby from her. The baby is a boy. They don’t speak the common tongue, which is any issue, but they hire a tutor to both talk to the little girl and then also to teach them ALL (everyone in their household) the language that the two siblings speak as well as teach them how to speak the common Prythrian language. So everyone ends up learning. The little girl is taken under the wing of Maggie, who is the perfect older sister/camp counselor as she likes to refer to herself after there’s more kids. They don’t know her name for the LONGEST time, because she won’t speak at all, but she ends up loving Cassian because he makes her laugh and he brings her a thousand stuffed bears because at one point she won’t stop crying and he brings them home and makes funny voices with them, and carries her on his shoulders, and she has the sweetest giggle. But eventually they end up naming her Ursella which she ends up going by Ella when she gets older, because her nickname with Cassian is little bear. They do ask her later when she talks if she remembers her old name and her birthday since they don’t know, but she doesn’t say that she does, which may be a lie, but Ella happily goes by Ella, and they give her a choice to choose one random day in the year to be her birthday, but she chooses to celebrate her birthday on the day they brought her in. She calls it her re-birthday.

The baby boy they name Nico. It’s actually a common Illyrian name and Cassian knows that the little boy is technically not Illyrian but it is his first son, and he really wants to give him that piece of him. Cassian does ask him when he’s about 10 if he’d prefer a name that’s based on his own culture, because they make sure that’s very integrated in their home life, because of course Cassian loves his culture and Nesta has that anthropological eye, so she knows and learns so much and they just love their children so much that they want all of them, every piece that they come with. But Nico likes his name, and he’s his dads through and through. But he LOVES Nesta. He’s a momma’s boy for sure, which I guess just makes him similar to Cassian. He does not like learning though, so Nesta usually has to teach him herself instead of having tutors, and she spends extra time with him going through his lessons. Lyra and him grow up together closer to age, so they pick on each other A LOT, but ultimately they grow up to have that relationship like I can pick on you but no one else can. They’re super close. If you want one, you find the other. They both will be together somewhere making a mess of things. Ella is the one who usually is like would you please be loud somewhere else. She ends up getting into music--playing instruments and so she generally prefers quietness to study and practice. Violin is her forte. 

The next boy comes about 4 yrs later. Maggie is 18, Lyra is 6, Nico is 5/6 ish. Ella is 10. The boy is about 12. He’s Illyrian and Cassian finds him this time and takes him to Nesta first, but Nesta is like why are you asking lol this is our new son. He’s a “bastard” unfortunately. I hate that word. But he has learned to fight, Cassian found him in the fighting pits in an Illyrian camp a couple hours away from Windhaven, and the situation was so much like his except this kid was never given a home like he was. So, he spent a good couple of weeks trying to get on his good side enough for him to trust him and to want to go someplace safer and warm. He hates Cassian a lot at first... while at the same time being like you’re the hero I’ve heard about. So admiration but also a touch of resentment and anger at the world. Cassian doesn’t know what to do with that, because still to the day he does not handle emotion like Nesta does. He understands it but he doesn’t know what to say, what to do, his go to is always training, but training is not what this child needs. So again, this is Nesta’s forte. Interestingly enough, she’s very gentle with kids. She’s empathetic, soft, but not condescending. She gives everyone the same respect so it helps a lot when he sees that and he’s never had a mom before who tucks him in or makes sure he’s feeling well. His name is Julian. I forgot that part and it turns out he’s HATES fighting. But he really likes plants. So he ends up spending a lot of time with Elain when she visits. He’s fascinated by them and ends up having his own garden. But because Nesta is magical in this headcanon (because she’s more witchy in my fics) he learns A LOT about poisons. Not because Nesta teaches him, but because he finds her books and reads them and starts growing them. This becomes a problem, because when Julian doesn’t like his tutors or teachers, he starts trying to poison them. Like not killing them, but he knows which will give stomach aches, which will give rashes. Nesta is both proud and reprimanding. 

I do feel like they might have more, but I don’t know for now I feel this is good for their set family. Five in total for their first gaggle of children lol. But all of them are asked if they want to be an Archeron. All of them say yes. All of them have each other’s back even if they have screaming matches on the daily. The house is mostly chaotic at all times but the House loves having people in it and laughing and being filled to the brim with stuffed animals and train sets and plants and music and family members coming in and out since Nyx visits often because he’s an only child for a very long time with Feyre taking more of a position in court rulings and Rhysand just being generally busy because you know High Lord/High Lady stuff. I don’t see Feyre being a stay at home mom but I also don’t see Rhys being a stay at home dad, but they’re also rulers so I peg them for both being working parents, which they feel guilty about A LOT at first, and it’s something that they struggle with in the confines of their own identities and their relationship, because they love Nyx and they know they’re parents but that’s not all they are, and without having the gender role of one parent staying home it’s very difficult for them to both rule, but Rhys does not want to stop being a high lord and Feyre is bored too often and she wants to rule and she knows she can, and she has that title for a reason and wants to utilize it. So it’s a hard time, with lots of arguments, but Nyx ends up mostly going with Cassian for a good amount of the day when he’s older and they have more kids in the house, and Nyx doesn’t really know that Feyre and Rhys had this problem, because he’d just prefer to be around the other kids and it ends up working really well. 

Cassian ends up being more of the stay at home parent. I don’t know why but I feel he just gives me that vibe where forget the courtier business, if there’s no war and if the armies are generally taken care of which he does, he wants to stay home and raise his kids, which is very surprising since he’s the one who doesn’t ever take vacations. He wants to be there for every moment no matter how awkward or loud. That’s his family and he’s waited so long for them, and it’s not even about him not having that family early on, it’s because he genuinely would rather be with his kids. He’s the one who as soon as they got the siblings was like I’m going to have to take a step back, because he saw his kids every day but he just didn’t want to be away for long periods of time, and at that point he’d already taken several steps back on working, so it became more of a done deal then. He still is the general, but he gives more responsibility to Devlon and to other people he’s trained over the years to step up. So generally, Cassian will work a couple of days a week for a couple of hours or just go quickly in the evenings, go over reports if the kids are in class with their teachers, and more during certain times of the year, but he’s generally more of a family man. 

Nesta in my fic/headcanon ends up being a queen as well as a leader of the witches and the founder/leader of the Valkyrie and she owns a shipping company and she’s the cauldron’s guardian which don’t ask me to explain, it’s in this fic I’ve barely written. But she’s a “I can bake the cake and eat it too” type of person to me, and because of her magic it is easy for her to do it all because it’s like a full time job. She goes home after a certain hour and she’s back with her kiddos, and most of her jobs have other people who have a handle on things as well. So she’s not an island, but she loves having the purpose and the drive, because as much as she did like being in the library and being in Velaris and having that day to day slice of life, she likes and yearns for adventure. She’s a go-getter and is not necessarily ambitious for power, but she’s got the whole world to discover and she can have anything she’s willing to work for. She wants to be and see it all. Cassian is endlessly proud of her and is like that’s my mate, my wife. My mate. My wife. And they both end up getting what they want without having to sacrifice their own ideals. Their marriage is a collaboration and it ends up working phenomenally for the two of them and their children. 

But ultimately it’s really the House that makes it possible. Because who cooks food and cleans and supplies every need and wish and whatnot? The House. Who baby proofs? The House. The House is like I’ve always wanted a big family and boy does it get a big family. 

[lumosinlove]

Sweater Weather

part xxi

[see tags for tw]

Regulus liked the cubs. Finn was a little out there maybe, but Logan, off of the ice at least, was steady and put together.

Leo had snorted when he’d told him what he thought. “Interesting take.”

They didn’t seem to mind having him around, although there wasn’t much time lately when Regulus didn’t feel like an intruder on something. Living in his brother’s house when he probably wanted to be alone with Remus. Leo inviting him over to nights that would probably feel and go differently if he wasn’t there.

But he didn’t feel unwelcome. Just out of place. Which was surprising, given the fact that he was a Snake. Had been. He still felt like he was one, anyway. A Snake. An intruder. Out of place.

And now the Lupins were here to stay and Regulus was self-aware enough to realize that he was seeing for the first time what was probably the most loving family in the entire world.

“Julian, sweetheart, you have to let Sirius rest. He’s got some big days coming up, as you well know.”

Julian looked up at his mother.

Regulus wasn’t sure if Julian liked him all that much yet. Although, he didn’t really blame the kid. When you were little, the rivalries seemed like a full-blown military crises. That was how the Lions had seemed to him, at least. A real beast, with sharp teeth. He imagined that, for Julian, he had venom and a tail that rattled.

“But—” Julian looked up at Sirius, who was playing goalie in one of the make-shift nets that he had set up in the living room.

“It’s okay, Hope,” Sirius said. “We’ll go another half hour.”

“You’ll go until dinner, which is in ten minutes,” Hope said.

“Well, it that case, bud, we should go help set the table, non?” Sirius stood straight from his goalie-crouch. “We can play more later.”

“Really?” Julian said, clutching his hockey stick.

“Mais, oui. Allez, let’s go help your dad and Re.”

It left Regulus alone with Hope in Sirius’ large living room. Hope was a mother. Regulus didn’t know how to put her smile and that role together yet. He watched her put her hands on her hips and look around. Even Regulus had to admit that the living room was mostly empty and bland. Sirius clearly didn’t know what to do with a house besides sleep and eat there.

“Well,” Hope said, and then smiled at Regulus. “Needs some brightening, huh?”

“Probably.”

Hope nodded. “Probably. Come on, let’s eat.”

Regulus followed her through to the dining room where Lyall was setting plates of salmon and rice down, along with a large salad. As Sirius sat down, Julian all but climbed over Remus to get the chair beside him. Remus’ eyes found Regulus’, maybe by accident, but he smiled, and Regulus did, too, a little. Regulus gestured to his own chair, on Sirius’ other side, and moved across the table instead. He sort of wanted to sit beside Hope, anyway. He wasn’t sure why.

“Here you go, sweetheart,” Hope said, passing him a glass of water and a bread roll.

“Thank you.”

Family dinners had not been like this. He found Sirius’ eyes, and the thought seemed to pass between them.

Really, the place was crawling with families. Not Sirius’ house, but Gryffindor. Hogwarts Arena. Regulus had watched Logan be practically tackled by someone who could only have been Leo’s mother, with her bright blond hair. Leo’s father, also blond, had walked right up to Pascal, shaking his hand. He had a sharpie in his back pocket and a wide smile. Finn also looked just like his mother. Haley O’Hara and her dark red hair, cropped in a pixie cut, shared her sons’ easy smiles, but her startling blue eyes were her own. Ramsey O’Hara was dark haired and brown eyed, and always video taping. Alex had been wearing a Heart-throb-O’Hara t-shirt. Marius and Iva Tremblay were quieter, but Iva looked just like her son, and kept pulling Logan into her arms, her eyes almost relieved when they looked at her son’s smile. The Tremblay sisters were anything but quiet.

Regulus, while surrounded, had tended to keep close to one wall. The quiet kindness of the Lupins was welcomed.

Regulus also kept to himself during dinner, listening to the conversation and taking seconds—and thirds—of the food.

“Hungry teenage hockey player,” Lyall laughed, raising his wine glass towards Regulus. “That’s something I remember, eh, Remus?”

Remus smiled and glanced at Sirius. “I don’t think the hungry part stops after teenage years, dad.”

Sirius glanced up, mouth full. “No, it doesn’t.”

Regulus smiled, watching as Julian seemed to be trying to time his own bites with Sirius’. He remembered being that obsessed only, back then, it was just a little brother thing, not a Captain Sirius Black thing.

“So,” Hope said, leaning on her elbows and lacing her fingers. “For the dinner tomorrow. Re, why don’t you and Sirius go get the food?”

“Please let me go with,” Julian said. “Please, please, mom.”

“You’re on house duty with me. Plus, Remus and Sirius will be going right from morning skate, so—”

“He can come to morning skate with us,” Sirius said.

Remus nodded. “Yeah, mom, it’s no problem.”

“You’ll both be working, who would—”

“I don’t need to be watched, mom,” Julian begged. “Please let me go.”

“Julian, it’s not a babysitter, it’s just that—”

“I can…” Regulus glanced around. “Not watch him, but…we can hang out.”

The table went a little quiet. Regulus felt a little dizzy, like someone was going to swing at him. He knew that wasn’t true.

“I’ll probably go to the rink and watch, anyways,” Regulus continued into the quiet, looking at Julian, then Hope. “I’m going out with Leo after, so.”

“Leo Knut?” Hope said and then smiled. “Oh, I’m so glad you two are friends.”

Everyone kept saying that.

“Well, Jules?” Hope said. “Alright?”

“Okay,” Julian said hesitantly, eyes on Regulus. Regulus flashed him a tight smile and then looked back down to his plate.

He volunteered for clean up duty, just so he didn’t have to make conversation. It wasn’t awkward, but he wasn’t used to these laughter filled living rooms. He wasn’t used to Sirius’ laugh. It threw him off guard.

“Regulus?”

Regulus looked up from the sink to see Remus behind him in the kitchen window’s reflection. He was all shades of night, until Regulus turned around and he was warm again. Remus looked almost nervous, leaning back against the refrigerator.

“What’s up?” Regulus said.

“I just,” Remus glanced down the hallway, then shrugged. “I know Julian’s…not exactly warmed up to you. Thank you for offering anyway.”

Regulus turned back around to the soapy water. “Don’t worry about that. I get it. I’d probably be the same.”

“It’s just that, it isn’t you. It’s—”

“Remus, I know what it’s like to be brought up in a hockey household. There’s a whole lot of loyalty. And sometimes loyalty doesn’t change easily,” Regulus glanced back once more. “Don’t worry. I understand. I’m a Snake right now. He’s a Lion. I’m someone who betrayed their brother, and he’s someone who loves his brother more than anything.”

He could feel Remus’ eyes on his back.

“I understand,” he said again, and turned the water back on.

“Well, thank you again. I think you guys will like each other a lot.”

Regulus nodded. “I hope so.”

~

It was the Lions’ last practice before they would get on a plane for game one against the Snakes. Regulus knew he would be taking a risk, traveling with the team there. But he wanted to show that he wasn’t afraid. Part of him even hoped that he ran into Snape, or Riddle, or Malfoy, or any of them. Just to show that he was better off. The other part of him didn’t want to care what they thought.

Regulus could picture the stadium and the entire, green crowd that hissed and cheered. With the drums of the music, a single spot-light would appeared on the ice, and with each successive beat, one of three very familiar words. The Snakes’ motto.

ALWAYS

PURE

HOCKEY

Toujours pur, Regulus could remember his father saying to them growing up, accompanied by the slap of pucks against the boards, and endless drills. Toujours pur, toujours pur—

Someone tapped his arm, and Regulus looked up to meet Leo’s gaze. He was lacing his skates.

“Ça va?” he said, which made Logan look up.

“Oui,” Logan said, then noticed Leo looking at Regulus, not him. “Oh. Ça va?”

“I hope you beat them,” Regulus said. “That’s all.”

“Well, yeah,” Logan laughed, wrapping tape around his socks tightly. “Me too.”

“Regulus,” Julian came up to them. He was in a Tremblay jersey today and Logan wrestled him into a gentle headlock, making him laugh before looking back up at Regulus. “Sirius is going out to warm up can we please go watch?”

Leo smiled. “Take him out.”

Regulus couldn’t help but smile a little, too. “All right. Allez.”

Sirius was doing shooting drills, rubbing absentmindedly at his healed ribs. It was nice to be around the sounds of the ice again. Sirius’ basement didn’t count.

Remus was on the bench, sitting on the boards with his feet dangling near the ice. Every once in a while, Sirius would swoop by for a kiss, or to say something that made Remus laugh. The other boys were filing out slowly. Finn and Logan were passing a puck back and forth while Leo dropped into the splits, stretching and talking to them. Evgeni and Jackson were ramming each other into the boards and laughing. The atmosphere would change once Coach came out, but Regulus now knew that it wasn’t like in Slytherin. There was never any silence. The laughter never went away, not even when they were working hard.

“Why did you leave?” Julian asked suddenly. He was standing nearly pressed against the glass, watching. They made eye contact in the slight reflection from the lights. He looked just like his older brother, something people always said to Regulus, too.

“I…” Regulus took a breath. “I wanted to leave.”

“Why?”

“I wanted better for myself,” Regulus said carefully. “I think we should always want the best for ourselves, non?”

“What if you can’t have the best? My brother wanted to play hockey.”

Regulus glanced over at Remus, laughing as Kasey squirted him with his water bottle, and thought of the right words.

“What’s best isn’t always attached to a thing or a person?” he tried. “Sometimes it’s a good attitude. What I meant was, I thought I was stuck. Then, my brother showed me I wasn’t.”

“So, Sirius is the best for you?”

“Sirius showed me that I could be the best for me. But, oui, Sirius is pretty great. So is your brother.”

“I know that,” Julian said, and rested his forehead against the glass again. He was quiet, and then, “You said bad things about Sirius. I saw it on youtube.”

Regulus chewed on his cheek. “Yeah.”

“But then you said good things.”

“Yeah.”

“Did you say sorry?”

Regulus swallowed. “Yeah.”

“That’s good.”

Sirius skated up fast and hard and stopped in front of the glass, knocking his helmet over where Julian had his forehead. Julian laughed and knocked gently back.

“Ça va?” Sirius asked, glancing at Regulus.

“Oui,” Julian replied and Regulus nodded.

“Hey Jules,” Sirius said, loudly to be heard over the noises of practice. “Tell Reg to make you un sandwich de la rondelle in the kitchen.”

He skated away with a grin at Regulus, who couldn’t help but smile back. The words brought back a memory that he hadn’t thought about in a long time. It left Julian looking half expectant and half skeptical.

“Allez,” Regulus sighed as he pushed himself up from his seat. “I’ll let you in on a Sirius Black tradition.”

“Okay,” Julian grinned.

The Lions kitchen was a strange sense of déjà-vu. It was the Snakes’, only awash in brighter colors.

“What’s a sandwich…sandwich ron…”

“Sandwich de la rondelle,” Regulus repeated, opening cupboards until he found bread and peanut butter, and swiping a banana from the counter.

“It’s a peanut butter and banana sandwich,” Julian said.

“Oui, sort of. But—Les bananes,” Regulus held up the fruit. “Sirius use to fry them in cinnamon and honey and then they would become darker because they’re caramelized. They would look like little hockey pucks, or la rondelle.”

“I want one,” Julian said. “Please.”

Regulus laughed. “I thought you might.”

~

Sirius watched from the bed as Remus pulled on a long sleeved white shirt. The cotton clung to his strong shoulders and he shook the sleeve out over his watch. Sirius could see his star necklace through the thin fabric. Remus pushed his sandy hair off of his forehead and looked up at the shelves again, patted his dark jeans, and then turned the closet light off. He stopped when he stepped out and raised an eyebrow.

“That’s not exactly what I call dressed for guests who are showing up in—” he looked at his watch. “ten minutes.”

Sirius stretched out against the bed. “You look good, Loup.”

“I’m wearing jeans and a shirt.”

“I said you look good, I don’t care what you’re wearing.”

Remus smiled and knelt on the mattress. “Then in that case, you look good, too.”

“I’m naked.”

“Then what’s that on your face?”

Sirius groaned. “It’s tradition.” He touched the dark beard on his cheeks and chin. He was keeping it short and neat, rather than letting it grow wild like some of the other guys, but he still felt a little self-conscious. “It isn’t that bad…”

Remus crawled forward until he was poised over Sirius’ body. “You know you look good.” He leaned down to brush a kiss over Sirius’ cheek, feeling the coarse stubble against his lips. “But this place is going to be filled with families in two seconds.”

“Hm,” Sirius leaned up to kiss Remus’ throat, and Remus felt the scratch there, too.

“Parents,” Remus warned.

Sirius kissed along Remus’ jaw.

“Dumo.”

Sirius sighed. “We should get dressed.”

Sirius, forced into a pair of tight jeans and a button down by Remus, opened the front door to see Pascal standing there with Katie on his shoulders.

“Bonsoir,” Pascal said. “I come bearing hungry children and the most beautiful woman in the world.”

Sirius laughed and Celeste slapped Pascal’s chest. “Well, there’s a Leo Knut cooking with a Hope Lupin so I think we’ll be able to help with that.”

“Is Logan here?” Adele said, pushing her way past her family.

“Yeah, living room. What, don’t care about me anymore?”

She rolled her eyes and gave him a hard hug before disappearing into the house.

Celeste gave Sirius a smile, looking after Adele. “We are still missing Logan being just downstairs. You were a hard loss, too, you know.”

“Tremzy,” Katie said and pointed forward.

Logan appeared with Adele under his arm and Pascal ducked down so Logan could take Katie into his arms.

“Salut, Katie,” Logan pressed kisses to her cheeks until she laughed.

Sirius watched them wander off towards the kitchen and then looked back at Celeste. “I think it goes both ways.”

“I am going to see if the chefs need any help,” Celeste said, and followed Logan and her daughters towards the kitchen.

Sirius watched them for a moment, and then turned back to Pascal. “Where are Louis and Marc?”

“Sleepover,” Pascal laughed and stepped inside, handing Sirius a bottle of wine. “I guess playoffs aren’t that cool anymore. Katie seems to like hockey the best.”

“She’d make a killer center.”

Pascal scoffed. “Killer, eh? Been hanging out with Remus.”

Sirius smiled. “Of course.”

“What about your younger one?”

Sirius closed the door and the warmth of the house picked up again. “With the younger Lupin down at the rink.”

“Oh? They are friends now?”

“I was surprised, too.”

Pascal patted Sirius’ back as they came through to the kitchen. “Kids are quick to forgive.”

“Blow on the spoon first,” Leo was saying to Katie. “So you don’t burn your tongue, and then tell me what you think.”

Logan laughed softly, kissing Katie’s cheek again. “Our entire dinner is riding on you, mon coeur.”

Sirius watched as Katie blew very carefully on the waiting bolognese sauce, and then let Leo feed her the spoon while she held onto Logan’s neck. His eyes found Finn next, who had a look on his face that Sirius knew well. Sirius looked at Remus, holding a glass of wine and talking to Eloise Knut and Hope.

Sirius could get used to this.

“Where are your parents, Dumo?” Sirius asked.

“I’ll fly them out when we win,” Pascal smiled, knocked on Sirius’ head, and then put a hand on his shoulder. “You know… Sometimes I want to shove you back in my basement and never let you out. But then I remember you’re not the same boy you were.”

One corner of Sirius’ mouth lifted. “That would be threatening, coming from someone else.”

“Yes, but you know what I mean.”

“Ouais,” Sirius said, and put his hand over Pascals. “I know.”

“This has been a hard season. Your team is going to work hard for you.”

“Pascal,” Sirius said softly.

“Dumasha,” Sergei’s gruff voice called, and he appeared beside them, clapping Pascal on the back. “Come play bubble hockey with me. I’m beating all the kids. Omg.”

“No, he’s not,” Thomas yelled.

“I’ll win,” Pascal warned.

“We’ll see, you lumberjack,” Sergei patted Pascal’s thick beard before retreating back towards the living room.

Pascal tussled Sirius’ hair once before following, and Sirius watched him go. His memories of living with the Dumais’ felt at once distant and like yesterday. The earliest ones were covered with ice. He had been terrified of his own family and his new one. The later ones went from ice to slowly melting frost to new, spring soil. Pascal had done that. And Celeste and the kids. And Arthur, and the team.

Remus.

Sirius walked over to where he was standing with the two women.

“Well, if it isn’t Sirius Black,” Eloise smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “Hi, honey.”

Sirius, a little surprised, laughed. “Hi, Mrs. Knut. Hope.”

“Hello, sweetheart,” Hope said. “Nice party we have here.”

“Thanks to you and Remus.”

“Oh,” Hope laughed and rubbed Sirius’ shoulder. “You have a beautiful house, it should be filled with your loved ones. A truly beautiful house…”

“Mom,” Remus laughed. “You can stop telling Sirius his house is beautiful.”

“Then I’ll tell him he’s beautiful. And probably so will your father. Sirius, my husband loves you.”

“Tell me about it,” Eloise said. “Wyatt’s walking around with a sharpie, so if you see him be ready.”

Sirius huffed out a laugh. “I’m ready.”

“He loves you. Not as much as Jules, of course,” Hope said.

Remus gestured to himself. “Um.”

“Of course, not as much as Remus,” Hope and Eloise smiled at each other. “I’ll leave you two. I’m going to find that Potter baby.”

Eloise hummed. “I’m gonna go convince Leo’s boys to move home with him for the summer.”

Remus smiled. “I don’t think you’ll have too hard a time.”

“Oh, I know I won’t.”

Sirius pulled Remus against his side, leaning back against the wall to look out at the scene that the kitchen was. Remus settled against him.

“You know,” Remus began, and then cut off.

“Quoi?” Sirius asked. He looked down at Remus’ thoughtful smile.

“Whether or not things…happen…”

Sirius laughed, knowing that this was Remus’ way of getting around setting him off in a round of superstition.

Remus looked up at him. “We’re doing pretty great.”

“I was just thinking that.”

“Good.”

Remus tilted his chin up, obviously wanting a kiss, and Sirius complied.

“I can’t believe we’re getting on a plane tomorrow,” Sirius sighed.

“Is Regulus still coming?”

Sirius nodded grudgingly. “No matter how many times I tell him it might be a bad idea. Even Minnie says—”

“He lost his rookie season,” Remus said. “I think he needs to be a part of this.”

“He’ll get—harassed by reporters.”

“So will you, and you’re still going.”

Sirius smiled and pulled Remus in closer, wine glass pressed carefully against the small of his back as he looped his arms around him. “That’s different.”

Remus wrinkled his nose. “Is it?”

“I’m the Captain. I’m just worried.”

“A true Captain’s job,” Logan said as he passed them, Timmy and Olli in tow.

“I am,” Sirius said after them, and when he looked back down it was to be kissed by Remus.

“Dinner!” Leo shouted, Hope beside him putting a stack of plates out. “Y’all come get it.”

“I’m gonna die,” Finn sighed, stopping beside them. “The accent is so here right now and I’m just—I’m gonna die.”

“Harzy, are you talking to us?” Remus asked.

Alex looked up from where he was standing with Kasey and Natalie. “Just ignore him, he’s a fucking puppy.”

“I’m pep-talking myself,” Finn took a long sip of his drink. “For life.”

Alex patted his back. “Okay, Fish, get it together.”

“Stop yelling at me.”

“I’m not yelling at you.”

“You’re yelling. I’m telling mom.”

Alex scoffed as they walked towards the food. “You can’t tell mom.”

Sirius snorted and pulled Remus away towards the plates to serve themselves.

~

Game one was rough and fast and disappointing. When Sirius had first skated out, the hisses had been deafening. Remus had watched from the bench with his nails digging into his palms. The Snakes had won 3-0. Close, but not enough. Kasey had made forty saves. Elias Cook had taken a puck to the knee and Remus knew even before evaluating him that he might be out for the run. Snape had been vicious. But so had Sirius. The locker room had been crowded, the families wonderful but adding pressure, and Remus was more than happy to watch Sirius collapse on their hotel bed. He was still in his game suit, but it was rumpled. The steely color had faded as the adrenaline did, and he looked tired.

“Fuck,” Sirius sighed, and raised his chin to look at Remus. “Why are you standing over there? C’mere.”

Remus laughed and chucked his bag down before falling beside Sirius onto the bed.

“Hell of a game,” Remus said. “It’s just one game.”

“Yeah,” Sirius replied, and then was quiet. “Riddle’s a good goalie.”

“So is Kasey.”

“No, I know, I just… we really couldn’t get a single shot in. I’m just happy we weren’t at home. God, Kasey’s probably just…kicking himself right now.”

“Nat’s here. And his family. She’ll talk some sense into him.” Remus said. After a moment, he groaned and sat up again. “Speaking of home, we should pack for the flight back tomorrow.”

Sirius groaned. “Come back.”

Remus laughed. “We have to be out the door at six tomorrow, and I know you won’t want to get up early to do it then. Just put your suit away, that’s all you brought anyway.”

“I just played an entire hockey game.”

Remus suppressed a smile as he took one of Sirius’ ankles and pulled off his shoe. “The world doesn’t know you’re like this.”

“Non.”

“I could tell them, you know.”

Sirius laughed. “That you undress me?”

Remus smiled. When both shoes had clunked to the floor, he straddled Sirius’ hips, hands going to his belt. “You’re right, maybe not.”

Sirius smiled and let his head fall back with a groan. “Fuck.” Remus let Sirius pull him down against his chest. “You’re so hot, but I’m so tired.”

“Oh, no way we were not about to have sex. You are waking up at six in the morning and you’re playing the game of your life the next night.”

Sirius let out a content sigh. “Hm.”

Remus pressed a kiss to his neck and then reached for the buttons of his shirt.

“I think we have to go to the net harder,” Sirius said thoughtfully as Remus pulled him into a sitting position.

“I think we need to get a handle on our power play,” Remus said, pushing Sirius’ shirt over his broad shoulders. He kissed those, too. “I think Coach should put Finn back on it. He’s ruthless when he wants to be.”

Sirius hummed. “Yeah. Him and James do well together, too. Will you murder me if I watch some tape?”

“You’re going to sleep.”

“I just want to see that second period play. You know—”

“Tremz was off-side and, no, Carrow didn’t push him,” Remus smiled when Sirius made a face. “Believe me, it happened right in front of me.”

“We were going to score.”

“I know,” Remus bent to kiss the scar on Sirius’ cheek, then the one on his lip. “But that’s hockey.”

Sirius kicked his pants off once Remus stood to go to his own suitcase. “I wish we had come out of the gate strong, that’s all.”

Remus snorted, tugging off his shirt. “Nice media lingo, there.”

Sirius rolled onto his stomach with a groan, then pushed himself into a standing position. A moment later, Remus felt his chest against his bare back, their skin warm against each other.

Sirius’ hands stroked over Remus’ sides, dipping into the muscle that cut along his hips. “You haven’t even asked me how my ribs are,” Sirius said against Remus’ temple. Remus could hear the smile in his voice. “You always ask.”

“I know you’re better,” Remus leaned against him, tilting his head to the side when Sirius began to kiss his neck gently. He put his hands over Sirius’. “I know we didn’t win, but you were amazing tonight.” He turned in Sirius’ arms and wound his fingers in his dark hair. "You see everything out there, huh?”

“I try,” Sirius said softly.

“You do,” Remus kissed him, then again and again. “Don’t get in your head, baby. You’re good.”

Sirius let out a breath, lips against Remus’ cheek. “I’m glad you’re here.”

Remus wrapped his arms around Sirius’ waist and held him there.

“Just tape for, like, ten—“

Remus pressed in closer. “Nope.”

Sirius’ laugh rumbled against his cheek. “Come to bed with me, then.”

~

It was better to be back in Gryffindor. Remus didn’t want to admit how much of a weight it was off of his chest to be away. To have the team away, and Regulus. It had been fine. Regulus hadn’t been bothered. Not yet, at least. They would be on a plane back to Slytherin tomorrow, win or lose.

“Shitter-McFucks,” Thomas said loudly. “We gotta win this game.”

“Where do you come up with these things?” Sergei sighed.

“I don’t know,” Thomas said, and he looked thoughtful. “They come to me. Makes sense though, right?”

Sergei made a barely affirmative sound and returned to taping his stick.

“T,” Remus said, smiling a little at the conversation. He held out Thomas’ shoulder pads. “Fixed it.”

Thomas took it and clutched it to his chest. “Sick, thanks, Loops. I love you.”

Remus smiled and turned to the room. “Does anyone need anything?”

There were a few murmurs of no, and Remus let out a breath. “Okay.”

Remus glanced at his watch. Twenty minutes until they had to be out for warm ups. Sometimes it was strange, thinking about the Snakes in this very building, doing the same thing they were. Taping sticks, getting dressed, stretching. Remus’ eyes found Regulus, who was sitting in Sirius’ stall while Sirius stretched out on the floor. They were talking intently, no doubt about the game. Regulus seemed to be drawing plays out on his palm, Sirius nodding along, then pointing, as if to correct something. Remus smiled at the sight, then walked over and crouched by Sirius’ shoulder.

Sirius looked up, hands around his ankles stretched in front of him. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Remus replied, and glanced at the door.

Sirius blinked. “Oh.”

“And I’m out,” Regulus sighed and stood.

Sirius stood, too, adjusting his snapback and catching Remus’ fingers. “Yes, yes, now?”

“I thought you could use a pick-me-up.”

Sirius cursed under his breath, grinning. “Re…”

He already looked flushed with it—with just the thought—and Remus wanted him. Badly.

Sirius was on his heels until they got to the PT room, looking carefully out into the hallway before shutting the door and turning the lock. He was still smiling when he turned, gently taking hold of Remus’ hips and backing him against the exam table.

“I love you,” he said into his first kiss, and then, into the second, “how do you want me?”

Remus hooked his fingers into the band of Sirius’ spandex and turned them so that his back was against the table, cushioned by the padding. Sirius leaned down to kiss along Remus’ neck.

Remus reached down to cup Sirius’ cock through the thin material of his spandex. “Just like this.”

“Jesus,” Sirius breathed. “Fuck, we—how much time?”

“We have time.”

Remus knelt on one knee, then the other. He pulled the spandex away to reveal Sirius’ cock, half hard but twitching as it filled. Remus’ heart beat faster, his own cock beginning to press out against his thigh.

Sirius’ hand was gentle against the back of Remus’ head as he took him into his mouth, sucking on the damp head.

Sirius half laughed, half moaned, brows drawn together a little as Remus took him down further. He was fattening up to full now, slick and heavy in Remus’ mouth.

“Ah—” Remus looked up to see Sirius’ head fall back. The tension fell out of his shoulders. His back arched a little, defined abs flexing through the thin material of his black undershirt. “Yeah—”

Remus sucked harder, keeping a hand wrapped around the base of his cock, stroking softly in the way he knew Sirius liked. Sirius was already spilling thinly over his tongue, bitter and warm. Remus pulled off to the head again, pressing his tongue to the slit hard and making Sirius jolt.

“God, Remus—” Sirius choked the words out, cock slicking itself more as Remus reached down to cup his balls and stroke behind them. Sirius widened his stance, welcoming the touch. “Ouais—yes.”

Remus stilled and pressed his hands behind Sirius’ hips, coaxing them forward gently. Sirius blinked down at him blearily. “You—you want me…”

Remus pushed Sirius’ hips forward more insistently and looked up. Sirius’ fingers tightened in Remus’ hair.

“Merde,” his hips fucked forward, almost on their own. “Re.”

And Sirius complied, fucking himself into Remus’ hot mouth in slow strokes. Remus was hot and aching in his own pants, and he reached down to push them under his balls. He moaned at the first touch, and Sirius picked up his pace. Remus’ breathed in through his nose, smelling Sirius’ slight sweat, and fucked his fist in time to Sirius’ hips. He was heavy on his tongue. Sirius’ breathing was heavy, eyes dark and hair curling out form under his hat. He was gorgeous, and strong, and Remus didn’t care if they won a silver cup when he had those silver eyes.

Sirius’ mouth was open, eyes tight with pleasure as he watched his cock sink in and out of Remus’ mouth, watched Remus’ hips move at the same time. Remus moaned as he pressed his palm against his own head, fingers tight around his shaft.

“Mon—I’m gonna—”

Remus felt flushed and turned on by Sirius standing there, half dressed before a game with his swollen cock looking like that. It was only a few more strokes before Remus felt Sirius begin to come in his mouth. Sirius’ hips stilled, abs flexing in, and Remus bobbed his head, sucking him through it.

“Yes, yes,” Sirius whispered, head dropped back again. He stopped breathing and grit his teeth. He pushed his cock into Remus’ mouth once, twice. “Ah.”

Remus pulled off when Sirius made a soft, sensitive sound. Sirius took one look at him, chest heaving, and dropped to his knees, too.

“Baby,” Remus’ voice shook, fist quick on his own cock. He needed to come so bad.

Sirius just pushed at his shoulders, laying him back until he was against the carpet and Sirius had him fully in his mouth. He worked Remus with his mouth quickly, groaning around him, and Remus’ hips arched off the ground towards the heat. He came hard, forcing his eyes to stay open so he could watch Sirius.

They lay there for a moment, Sirius panting with his cheek against Remus’ hip, before he pushed himself up and positively beamed at Remus.

“Nice and clean,” he said, and surged up and kissed Remus. “I fucking love you.”

Remus wrapped his arms around Sirius’ neck and licked into his mouth. “I love you, I love you. You’re going to play so well.”

Sirius smiled into their next kiss, biting at Remus’ lower lip. “I am now.”

Sirius pulled back with a questioning noise when Remus started laughing into their next kiss.

“I’m sorry,” Remus laughed through the words, stroking his hands over Sirius’ cheeks. “It’s like an entire new experience kissing you with this thing.”

Sirius grinned and rubbed their cheeks together. “You like it a little bit, I know you do.”

Remus smiled into the kiss, but didn’t answer, instead carefully tucking Sirius back into his spandex and patting his butt. “See you out there, Captain.”

It was Sirius’ first home game back and playing. Instead of the normal pump up songs, the Lions’ had a special pre-game video on the jumbotron. When the lights went down, it played the first notes of Back in Black. At first the song’s notes were spaced out, remixed. It was hard to tell what the song was, echoing through the stadium. As soon as the crowd figured it out though, they went wild, and then an image of the back of Sirius’ jersey, slow-motioned, played of him walking down the darkened tunnel to the ice, his last name shining in glossy letters.

Dum.

Fast clips of Sirius’ tricky, skating feet.

Dum-da-dum.

A goal from the season, beautiful and impossible—until Sirius did it. Remus’ heart pounded.

Dum-a-dum.

The crowd recognized the song. Hogwarts roared.

Dum-a-dum-dum.

Remus laughed on the bench, popping a piece of gum in his mouth.

“Marlene’s a genius,” he shouted over the noise to Moody.

“She is,” he laughed gruffly.

The video continued with the rest of the team, highlights from the season and snippets of interviews. Finn and Logan crashing together after a goal. Leo’s bright blue eyes, focused from behind his mask. We’re ready, his accented voice said. We feel ready. James and Sirius’ famous one-two plays. Evgeni, mountainous and bear-like. Pascal and Logan. The French Canadian father and son, came Frank’s voice, and then the clip cut, bleeding together into a whole. Pascal and Sergei, helmets pressed together. Thomas, proud and tall, flipping a puck right between a goalies legs. Walkie-Talkie, walking the walk!

A waving rainbow flag being waved by numerous fans.

Remus felt tears building in the back of his throat. He wished he could see Sirius right then.

Frank’s voice over the speakers. Lions fans. Welcome to the Stanley Cup Finals.

He drew out the next words in the way he always did. Your Gryffin-dor Li-ons!

The Snakes skated out for warm-ups when the Lions did, insignificant and dark in their black away uniforms. When the lights came up, the Lions were out, Kasey raking up his crease and the others doing a lap on their side of the rink. Remus saw Snape’s eyes flick over from behind his visor, but that was all.

Arthur was bent over his calling card with some of the assistant coaches, motioning to various players.

“How does it feel?” Remus asked Kasey when he skated over to the bench for some water while Leo warmed up in goal, too.

“It feels good,” Kasey said. “It—”

James skated up fast and stopped hard. “Blue.”

Remus raised an eyebrow at him. “James, you ask me this ever game, I really don’t know how…” Remus trailed off and crossed his arms. “This is a superstitious thing. Isn’t it.”

James, looking only a little guilty, smiled. “Blue?”

Remus handed it to him. “You are all insane.”

“Bliz,” Leo said, opening the bench door. “You’re back in.”

Kasey tapped his butt with his blocker and skated back out.

“Is he okay?”

Remus looked back at James. He had his contacts in, adjusting one with a knuckle. “What?” Remus asked. “Who?”

James looked over to center ice where Sirius was tracing the Lions’ logo with a puck. Remus could see fans filming him—or maybe it was Kuny, down on the ice with his legs in the air, stretching.

“You know how Cap gets,” James said. “How much did he beat himself up over the last few nights?”

Remus sighed. “Oh, he tried to watch tape.”

James snorted. “Of course.”

“Didn’t let him, though. I all but wrestled him into bed—no.”

James’ face was already lit up.

“Not like that, Pots.”

James laughed loudly, reaching with his stick for a puck to take back out with him. “Sure, Loops, sure.”

Logan and Finn were standing near middle ice together, waiting for the wrap-around shoot. Logan was laughing at something Finn was saying. He took his helmet off and put it back on again, like he did with his hat.

“Cute, huh?” Leo said, and when Remus looked over at him, he grinned.

Remus laughed. “Proud of yourself?”

“Very.”

Remus found Sirius again. He was at the far side of the rink, pushing a stick over the glass for a little kid.

“Yeah. Yeah, me too.”

The horn went to signal the end of warm ups, and the team skated back towards the bench so that the ice crew could get rid of the shaved up ice.

Sirius jumped the boards in front of Remus, and Remus could already see the game taking over his expression. He was chewing the inside of his cheek, tapping various teammates and talking fast directions to them. Go hard here, ease off this, cover Malfoy on the power play…

When the lights went down for the national anthem, it felt sudden. Remus’ heart jumped in his chest. Sirius glanced at Remus as he pulled his twelve necklace out from within his jersey, smiling before bowing his head and holding the pendant to his lips. Finn had his hand on Logan’s shoulder, Logan was holding his necklace, Leo was behind both of them, close and shuffling from skate to skate.

Remus looked over to the Snake’s bench. They were still. Their eyes were ahead. He thought about Regulus, up in the Lions box with the other families, looking down at the red and green. He wondered, not for this first time, if Sirius’ parents were here. He hadn’t asked. He didn’t want Sirius looking for them, even subconsciously.

Things didn’t get interesting until halfway through the second period. The Snakes were mirroring Sirius’ line, calling Snape’s out whenever Sirius jumped the boards. Malfoy was on him like a magnet, hammering him into the boards and getting penalties called on himself for slashing.

“What kind of fucking strategy is this?” Finn said before climbing back out onto the ice for their fourth power play of the period. Sirius was circling with one of the refs, talking with his hands, his mouthguard in one of his palms.

“Alright, boys!” James yelled. “Alright, alright, here we go!”

Not single goal had yet to be scored and the crowd was anxious for one, shouting at every moment a Lion was close to Riddle’s net.

Sirius, seemingly giving up on the referee, set up across center ice from Snape. He spat something that made Severus sneer and Remus—Remus couldn’t deny that it sent a new wave of heat through him. Sirius was all hockey now, and his eyes were on the Cup. The Stanley Cup wasn’t in the building yet, it was too soon, but it would be. Remus’ throat got tight when he thought about it. He’d never been this close. He never thought he’d ever be this close.

The puck dropped. Sirius scooped it back to Finn and darted into the Snakes’ zone, wrestling against Malfoy still. He shouted for James but Snape intercepted the pass, sudden and sloppy in his strokes, and carried it back to the center zone. Malfoy, though, was too busy with Sirius. The puck went careening towards the boards, momentarily alone, before Finn was there, catching it and carrying it towards Riddle. He faked once, weight on his toes, twice, and then shot it above Riddle’s left shoulder. The goal horn blared in red lights. His hands went up and so did Sirius’. Logan shouted from beside Remus on the bench.

“Fuck, Harzy,” he said, and Leo and him shared a smile.

Remus clapped with Hogwarts, glancing up at the jumbotron to see the score change from 0-0 to 1-0. Finn jumped the boards and Logan pressed their helmets together in the split moment that they met while leaving and getting onto the ice. Finn was sweaty and grinning.

“That’s what we’re doing,” Thomas shouted. “That’s what we’re doing.”

Sirius stayed out and Remus smiled. He wanted a goal, Remus could tell. He and James circled each other as they talked, heads close together so the others couldn’t hear or read their lips.

Remus patted Finn’s shoulder. “Good getting us going, Harz.”

“I’m good at getting boys going, Loops.”

Remus snorted and Leo shoved him.

Riddle was making a slow lap around the crease, eyes on Finn on their bench, then moving over, all the way across the ice, to Kasey, re-setting, too.

Remus looked between them, and when he returned to Riddle, he saw that he was spitting words at Snape and pointing to Kasey.

The lights changed, calling a TV break.

“Mon loup, c’est bon?” Sirius said. He put a foot up on the boards, stretching.

Remus hesitated, then nodded. “I—yeah. Your ankle? Is it stiff?”

“Non, just stretching,” Sirius smiled. “Worrier.”

“Hey,” Remus tried to smile back, but he was watching Kasey approach the bench. “Hey, Kase—”

“I saw it, too, Loops,” Kasey said, squirting some water into his mouth and glancing over at Riddle. “Believe me. That guy’s eyes practically glow like the ones on his mask.”

“Just watch out for any bad plays,” Coach said. “That goes for everyone.”

“I mean,” Kasey shrugged. “If he tries to get a goal by ramming into me, it’ll be no goal.”

“I’m not worried about the goal, Bliz,” Coach said. “I’m worried about you.”

One corner of Kasey’s mouth lifted in a smile. “Well, shucks, Coach.”

“Alright,” Coach nodded. “Let’s be careful and play hard.”

There was a chorus of yes, coach, and Pascal’s line went out for the face-off.

“What exactly did you see Snape and Riddle do?” Sirius asked, back in the locker room. He was smiling and wearing the Lions hat token that Logan had given to him after Sirius scored two goals in the third. They had won game two 4-2. The series was tied for now.

“Nothing really,” Remus was bent beside him by James, taping up a sore calf. “It was a look but…”

“But that’s all it really takes with Riddle,” James said. “Thanks Loops, that feels better.”

“Go easy on it, no running on the plane.”

“I don’t do that!”

“Yes, you really do.”

“Well, I am a responsible father now.”

“I didn’t see them try anything,” Sirius said, glancing over at Kasey. “But I’m not sure that makes me feel better.”

Remus sighed, running a hand over Sirius’ knee and using it to push himself up. “Me neither. But, hey.”

Sirius looked up at him, and Remus tilted the brim of the hat back so he could lean down for a quick kiss. “We won.”

“Lupin love,” Thomas shouted.

Remus laughed. “Do you need something, Walker?”

“Sirius!”

Remus didn’t have time to look behind him before Julian was barreling into his back, arms around his waist and gazing at Sirius.

“Those goals were so good.”

Sirius smiled. “Thanks, Jules. Wanna wear the hat?”

“Really?”

James leaned in. “Be warned of the countless sweaty heads that has adorned. We can’t wash it.”

“I wanna wear it!”

Sirius placed the hat on Julian’s head while the other families filed in. Remus saw Alex give his brother a tight hug, Leo’s dad going up to clap Logan on the back. Kris’ daughter went running to him, and he scooped her up with kisses. Julian had become fast friends with Regulus and was running to show him his hat where he was standing with Leo.

Sirius rose, locking his hands around Remus’ lower back. “Want to come cool down with me?”

Remus smiled, palms on his chest. “Oh, we’ll cool down, will we?”

“Yeah,” Sirius pressed a kiss to Remus’ cheek, beard dragging against his skin. “You know. Relax all of our tense muscles.”

Remus wound his fingers in Sirius’ sweaty hair. “I love you. Go shower.”

Sirius pressed a last, soft kiss to Remus’ mouth. “Don’t leave without me.”

“Never.”

Sirius’ house was warm and quiet when Hope unlocked the door.

Hope turned to Sirius once they were inside. “I made some spaghetti for you, Sirius, I thought you might be hungry.”

Sirius laughed. “Hope, tu es un ange.”

“He said you’re an angel,” Remus smiled. “And he’s right.”

“Remus makes the best post-game sandwiches,” Sirius pulled him close. “I guess I have you to thank for that.”

“Oh, no, that’d be Lyall,” Hope smiled, pulling a covered dish out of the refrigerator and turning to the microwave. “Lyall and Remus always made sandwiches together after his games.”

“And me,” Julian said, sliding into a chair at the kitchen table. “Right dad?”

“Every game,” Lyall smiled. “Best part of my day, bud.”

“Can I go skate, mom?”

“Julian Lupin, you are going right to bed. Do you know what time it is? I’ll let you miss school for this, and your bedtime, but there is a line, darling.”

“But we’re having spaghetti.”

Hope raised an eyebrow. “Did you just play a full game of hockey?”

Julian sighed. “No.”

“Okay then,” Hope stroked Julian’s hair. “Go get ready for bed, okay? Take dad with you.”

“C’mon, J, we’ll watch some of the post-game.”

Remus watched Julian and his dad trudge upstairs then turned to Hope. “Mom, let me do that. We have a long flight tomorrow again. Why don’t you go rest up, too?”

Hope looked between them and laughed, understanding. “Well, if you insist. I’ll just leave you two alone then. My son the chef, that’s new!”

Remus snorted. “It was new, like, four years ago!”

Hope smiled and kissed Remus on the cheek, then Sirius. “See you two tomorrow.”

When the microwave beeped, they shared the bowl with two forks, ankles tangled below the table.

“Are you really worried?” Sirius said after a few beats of silence. He twirled his fork in the noodles and held it out to Remus. “About Kasey. About Snape.”

Remus took Sirius’ fork gently into his mouth. “I don’t know. I know he’s worried. He’s nervous about his thigh. I can tell. It’s like you, early on with your ankle. Timid.”

Sirius nodded slowly. “Do you think I should talk to him?”

Remus shrugged. “It couldn’t hurt. Kasey’s strong, but it’s always good to hear you’re good.”

Sirius’ smile was sly, if not a little sleepy. “So I learned today.”

Remus smiled. “Eat so we can sleep. You frickin sweetheart.”

Sirius laughed and pulled the bowl towards him to scrape the last of the noodles towards him and into his mouth. After putting it in the sink, he bent over the back of Remus’ chair, arms across Remus’ chest.

“Bed?”

Remus tilted his head back for a kiss. “Bed.”

~

Slytherin was cold and the Snakes were vicious. Remus looked up at the second period clock running down as he prodded at Sirius’ left shoulder. Sirius was breathing heavily, Moody holding cotton to his bleeding nose.

Malfoy was in a similar state, being led to the the penalty box.

“Finally got tired of him being all over you, eh?” Remus said, then, more firmly, and loudly to be heard over the Slytherin crowd, “Do you have to go back to the locker room with me?”

“Non,” Sirius yelled, batting Moody’s hand away and swiping his own across his nose. The bleeding had stopped. “I’m good, allez.”

Remus nodded, replacing Sirius’ shoulder pad and pulling his jersey back down over his shoulder and arm. “All right, go.”

“Love you,” Sirius breathed, and then hopped the boards to go to the penalty box. Remus couldn’t help but smile a little as he watched him and Malfoy spit words at each other through the glass.

Coach leaned in. “He okay?”

Remus nodded. “He’s fine.” He looked back over at the penalty box, at Malfoy inside. “Blondie’s really not gonna leave him alone this whole series, huh?”

“That’s their way,” Coach grumbled. “Stick on you like leeches. Sirius knows how to handle it.”

Evgeni and Jackson made their way back onto the bench.

“Just take your time, the word will come to you,” Jackson was saying. “Kuns, you can’t get frustrated like that.”

Evgeni grumbled something in Russian and Jackson just nodded along.

“Nado, score goal,” he ended with.

“I’m trying.”

They were down three nothing, and Remus looked back at Kasey. He was tense, in his own head. Remus would give anything to be able to talk to him.

The puck dropped, Logan on the face-off. They were four-on-four, Sirius leaning forward in the box, probably hoping for a jack-in-the-box goal. Snape carried the puck in easily, past Olli, deking around Pascal only to be crushed to the boards by Timmy. He lost it for a second, but Logan flubbed a pass and then it was on Carrow’s stick.

“Shit,” Remus swore under his breath.

Carrow was a ruthless, fast skater. He pushed towards Kasey, closer and closer.

Despite everything, Remus wasn’t expecting him to ram into Kasey, disregarding the puck entirely, and knocking them both into the net.

The goal horn blared and Carrow didn’t even look up as he skated off the ice and down the tunnel. He knew he was too dirty to be allowed back in the game. Some of his team members patted him on the back. Remus felt sick.

Remus leaped up—and Kasey stayed down. The ref was blowing the whistle hard.

“Fucking interference!” James shouted, voice breaking with how much he had been at it. “Fuck!”

Kasey hit the ice with his stick as he rose, slowly. So slowly.

Sure enough, the referee skated out, hands in a cross, signaling that there was no goal.

Just as suddenly, the crowd started to sing. At least, at first Remus thought it was singing. Then, he recognized the sound.

“Winter,” the crowd was saying in a long, drawn out drone. It was haunting. It was over and over again.

Winter, Winter.

They were taunting him. Kasey was lapping his goal. He was favoring one leg. He was keeping his head down.

“Coach,” Remus said quietly. “Coach, he’s hurt.”

“Let’s see what he does,” Coach said. “Let’s see, Kasey’s not reckless.”

“He might be if the entire crowd is taunting him into it.”

“We have ten seconds left. He can last ten seconds.”

“We’ll keep it away from him,” Thomas said. His eyes were dark. “Jesus, Kase.”

The ten seconds went, and the end of the second period rang out.

Kasey was down on one knee in his crease, head bowed. Then, he lifted his gaze and looked right at Remus. Remus could only just make out his brown eyes through his mask. Kasey gave a slight shake of his head.

Walking back down the tunnel was a blur. Sirius was holding his hand until they had to part ways. Remus looked up at a TV as he passed and stopped when he saw himself. It was the moment from earlier. He had his hands up Sirius’ jersey, checking his shoulder, while Sirius had his head turned close to him, mid-sentence, blood dripping down his face.

“Black and Lupin, close on the bench this game,” the show host was saying and Remus scoffed. “And what looked like a bad hit on Lions starting goalie, Kasey Winter, by the Snakes tonight. Lucky for the Lions, they don’t have too bad a rookie. Nineteen year old Leo Knut, Louisiana born…”

Remus kept walking, pushing open the door to the quiet room where Kasey was waiting for him on his back on the exam table. He had his bad leg stretched out.

“Hi Kase,” Remus said softly.

Kasey had an arm over his eyes, and he pulled it away slowly. “Hi, Loops.”

“You okay? Can I get you some water or a bar or something?”

Kasey shook his head. “No. Let’s just—let’s get this over with. Just tell me.”

Remus bit his lip, but nodded. “Okay. I’m gonna take your shorts off, alright?”

Kasey nodded, and Remus worked quietly until he was stripped to his underarmour and Remus could feel his strong muscles and tendons. Remus was gentle and quick. Kasey wasn’t a player who liked things sugar coated.

“Well?” Kasey asked in a rough voice.

“It—it has a light tear, I think,” Remus said softly, and Kasey closed his eyes. “I need you to rest Kase. Don’t think I haven’t seen you pushing yourself. I know it’s frustrating.”

“Barely,” Kasey grit out. “I’ve been barely pushing myself. It’s—it’s just not—”

There was a knock at the door, making them both look up.

Natalie poked her head in, and the moment Kasey saw her he pressed a palm over his eyes and sucked in a sharp breath of tears.

“Kase,” Natalie was rushing forward, the door falling shut behind her. She rubbed a palm over his chest, the other in his hair. “Hey, baby, you’re all right.” She kissed his forehead. “You’re all right.”

“I’ll give you two a second,” Remus said quietly, and she nodded.

“Thanks, Re.”

Remus felt overly hot and heavy when the door closed behind him. The hallway looked busy and loud with staff members.

“Remus.”

Remus turned at Arthur’s voice, meeting worried, stern eyes.

“Tell me,” Arthur said.

“These injuries are tricky,” Remus managed. “They’re easily aggravated and…”

“And I should get Knut warmed up?”

“Yes,” Remus said, even though it hurt. “Yes.”

Arthur pressed his lips together and they stood there for a moment, the chaos around them.

“I’m going to go see Bliz,” Arthur said. “Tell him he’s good.”

“Natalie’s in there. I think you should give him a minute.”

Arthur nodded. “Okay. Go see the boys. I’m coming back in five to go over strategy.”

“Okay,” Remus managed a tight smile, and headed for the locker room.

Sirius was on him in a moment, sweaty and stripped down to his pads and socks.

“No, it isn’t good,” Remus said before he could ask. “Where is Leo?”

“Warming up,” Sirius said. “Fuck. Re—”

“Loops?”

It was Evgeni.

“Blizzard is okay?” he asked. The rest of the locker room quieted to listen.

Remus shook his head. “He’s okay but he’s done for the season.”

Remus turned to Sirius and took his hand. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” Sirius said. “Are you?”

“I feel horrible,” Remus said. “I should have watched him closer, I should have—I knew how hard he was being on himself, I’ve been there.”

“Re, this isn’t your fault. Did you see that hit? Carrow’s out of the game and he’s gonna get a suspension for that. It was completely insane.”

“They’ll just replace him with Bones. You know they will, that’s their whole strategy. They don’t care how hard the hit is—”

“They don’t care about their players,” Regulus cut in. He was standing with Pascal and offered a humorless smile. “Whatever makes the game easier.”

“And yet their motto is always pure hockey,” Pascal shook his head.

“I need to find Leo.”

“He’s with Finn and Logan by the bikes,” Regulus said.

Remus nodded, pressed a palm to Sirius’ cheek, and then turned away.

Leo was stretched out on the floor in his spandex, Logan and Finn talking with him as they kept their muscles warm on the bikes. They looked up when Remus entered.

“Is Nut in?” Finn asked.

“Yes.”

Leo sat up. “Is Kasey…” but he trailed off at Remus’ expression. “Fuck.”

“Bliz,” Logan sighed, raking his fingers through his sweaty hair before hanging his head, elbows on the bike handlebars and feet slow. It had been Logan’s missed pass.

“It isn’t your fault, Tremz. We just have to hope for the best. But get warm, Leo, okay? You can see him after.”

Leo nodded. “Okay. Not my first play off game or anything. No pressure. At least my family is here.” Leo let out a long breath and touched his forehead to his knees. “My mama would cry if she missed this.”

Remus looked to Finn and Logan. “You guys good?”

Finn nodded. “Yeah, Loops, we’re good.”

Remus pushed back into the hallway, hoping to go back to Kasey, only to be met by Alice. He tried to duck out, but she walked with him.

“Coach says he’s in,” she said, gesturing to the door closing on the cubs. “He told me to come to you for news on Kasey.”

“Slight tear in the adductor longus,” Remus said as they walked down the hall. When Alice just gave him a look, Remus sighed. “Inner thigh.”

“So, his repeating injury.”

“Yes, but,” Remus stopped, hand on her shoulder. They were at the locker room. “Do me a favor, and don’t put that in the press statement. I don’t want him hearing that right now.”

Alice’s expression softened. “You’re good to them, Lupin.”

Remus was already pushing open the door. “They’re good to me.”

Out on the ice, Leo was met by hisses and jeering. Finn and Logan kept close to his side while he marked him his crease, circling and tapping his posts.

Moody chuckled from beside Remus. “Not superstitious, eh?”

Remus patted Sirius’ shoulder. “That can only last so long when you’re around this one twenty-four seven.”

Sirius turned. “Quoi?”

“Nothing,” Remus said, and shared a knowing look with Moody.

“Where’s Bliz?” James asked.

“Watching with Natalie and his family in the recovery room,” Remus said. “He’ll be okay, you guys focus. Win this game for him.”

Remus looked out at Leo, at Pascal on the face-off.

The referee dropped the puck, and the third period of game three began.

[fruitcoops]

I was watching this video w Megan Rapinoe & Sue Bird (tumblr won’t let me link but it’s from 2 days ago on GQ- they ask each other questions but it’s like quiz style?) and didn’t know if you would want to do something similar for coops? Some of the stuff they said/how they acted reminded me of coops’ dynamic

Anon, this video was the perfect way to spend an evening. Both these women are my role models and they’re unbelievably cute together--go check out the video here if you have the chance! Their dynamic is a lot like how I imagine Coops, too! Sweater Weather credit goes to @lumosinlove!

“Hey, Lions, we’re back!” Sirius waved at the camera and tapped a short stack on notecards on his thighs. “I’m Captain Sirius Black of the Gryffindor Lions and I’m here with my fiancé, Remus Lupin, to do another couple game.”

“The response to our last few interviews was incredible and we had a great time,” Remus continued. “Miss Marlene McKinnon was kind enough to drag us back in here to answer even more questions!”

“Do you want to go first?”

“Sure.” Remus cleared his throat and pulled the first card. “What are my parents’ first names?”

“Hope and Lyall.”

“Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. What’s my hidden talent?”

“You can sing.”

“Does that count? I feel like most people know that now.”

“Hmm.” Sirius thought for a moment, drumming his fingers on his knees. “You can cook really well.”

“Thank you, baby. What’s my favorite accessory?”

Sirius brightened. “Your watch!”

“Yes!” Remus held it up to the camera—it was simple and elegant, with a leather band and a small face. He wore it with the clock against the inside of his wrist, just above his pulse point. “What is my dream travel destination or vacation?”

“Oh, that’s tough.” Sirius bit his lip in thought. “Seattle? Paris?”

“I do want to go to Seattle, but I’ve always wanted to go to Montreal,” Remus said. “You’ve seen my hometown, but I’ve never been to yours.”

Sirius frowned. “Really?”

“Really. What am I most afraid of?”

“I think…I think you’re most afraid of not being useful,” Sirius said after a moment. “For six years, your job was all about helping people, and it’s not now.”

Remus raised his eyebrows at the camera. “I was going to say the dentist’s office. Goddamn.”

“Sorry,” Sirius laughed. “Yeah, you don’t like medical facilities.”

“I mean, you weren’t wrong about the useful thing,” Remus said. “You still get a point for that. What’s my favorite music, song, or artist to listen to before a game?”

“You don’t have one.”

“That was quick. Half a bonus point for speed. When was our first date and what did we do?”

“Our first official date was just after All-Stars and we went to Sid’s, but we had been together for about three months at that point and just hung out at each other’s houses.”

Remus grinned. “Do you remember what day it was?”

“January 28th.” Sirius gave him a look. “I know for a fact you don’t know what day it was.”

“January 28th.”

“You only know that because I just said it!” Sirius smacked him playfully with his cards. “Next question.”

“What’s my favorite movie and TV show?”

“Jurassic Park and Avatar: The Last Airbender.”

He whistled the first part of the theme song as Sirius did the hand motions. “What’s my shoe size?”

“Oh, god,” Sirius muttered, staring down at the floor. “Eleven? Eleven and a half? You have smaller feet than I do, but not by much.”

“I’m a size ten.”

“Are you really?”

Remus pulled one sneaker off and handed it to him with a laugh. “Check for yourself. Oh, I’d love to know the answer to this one. How do you know when I’m mad at you?”

Sirius tossed his shoe back with a snort. “You make faces.”

Remus seemed surprised. “Do I?”

“Yeah. You’ve got a very expressive face and the second you’re pissed, it’s written all over it. It’s like—” Sirius pursed his lips and scrunched his nose slightly. “I can’t really do it, but anytime I see that I’m like, ‘oh, shit, what did I do?’ Also, you stop calling me baby.”

“That’s what I was going to say. What’s my favorite city to play in?”

“Not Florida.”

“Not fucking Florida,” Remus agreed with a grin.

“Gryffindor for sure.”

“Where was I born?” He gave Sirius a teasing look. “Do you know this time, or should I get my mom on the line?”

Sirius stuck his tongue out. “Madison, Wisconsin.”

Remus glanced at the camera. “We got asked this question in an interview a few months ago and he had to call my mom afterward because he forgot.”

“She made fun of me the whole time,” Sirius pouted.

“What is my favorite food? Oh, you’ll get this one for sure.” Sirius hesitated and Remus’ eyes widened. “Really?”

“I’m a little torn. It’s either my grilled cheese or your dad’s turkey-cranberry thing. Actually, I don’t think you know what your favorite food is.”

Remus nodded slowly. “That’s a really good point. My first thought was grilled cheese, but my dad makes the best postgame sandwiches. I’ll give you that. What’s my favorite hobby?”

“Reading.”

“What did I want to be when I was a kid?”

“A librarian, until you started playing hockey.”

Remus leaned over and high-fived him. “You’re on a roll, baby. What was my jersey number in college?”

“Number six.”

“The transition was so fucking easy,” Remus laughed. “Coach literally came up to me a month before practices started and went ‘hey, what was your old number?’ and I told him, and he looked down at his clipboard and went, ‘cool.’. I got my jersey two weeks later.”

“Is this your last question?”

“It is, indeed. What’s my full birth name?”

“Remus Jehosephat Lupin.”

“That is incorrect.”

“Close enough. It’s Remus John Lupin, which I find endlessly funny.”

“Why is it funny?” Marlene asked off-screen. Remus hid his face behind his notecards as Sirius laughed.

“Because it’s such a basic middle name! I love Hope and Lyall with my entire heart and they’re wonderful people, but they named their sons Remus and Julian and then I think they got stuck. Like, you’ve got these two very uncommon first names and they sort of went ‘fuck it. John and Michael. We’re done.’ It’s just so funny.”

“Whereas your parents went the extra mile and gave you and Reg goddamn supervillain names,” Remus snorted. “The drama of it all, my god.”

“Alright, alright, my turn.” Sirius leaned his elbows on his knees. “What is my favorite color?”

“Blue.”

“How do I like my coffee?”

Remus hissed between his teeth. “Ah, shit, you always make the coffee. With a lot of sugar, right? It’s black with sugar?”

“It can’t be black if it has sugar in it,” Sirius laughed. “But yes, I do put sugar in my coffee. What are three things I never leave the house without?”

“Keys, wallet, phone.”

“My favorite TV show?”

“Why are you going through these so fast? Uh, Avatar.”

“Did I ever have a job that wasn’t playing hockey?”

“Nope.” Remus frowned. “Were you allowed to get a job as a kid?”

“I was not. What’s my favorite ice cream flavor?”

“Cookies and cream.”

Sirius made a buzzer noise. “Incorrect.”

“Is it chocolate?”

“Yep. You get half a point for that. What’s the first meal I ever cooked for you?”

Remus gave him a look. “You don’t remember what you cooked for me, do you?”

“Refresh my memory?”

“No way!” He punched him lightly on the arm. “I’m not falling for my own tricks. Next question.”

“It’s kind of a repeat from earlier. How do you know when I’m mad at you?”

Remus fiddled with the edges of his cards. “You act all weird and Captain-y, and then you get quiet. Just cranky vibes all around.”

“Cranky vibes,” Sirius laughed. “Good to know. What are my favorite movie-watching snacks?”

“Popcorn and…Sweet Tarts?”

“Yes!” Sirius gave him a high-five. “Do you know what I like on my popcorn?”

“Butter and enough salt to kill a Victorian child.”

“Bonus point! What is—oh, shit!” He nearly fumbled the cards onto the floor. “What is my favorite movie of all time?”

“Indiana Jones.”

“Which one?”

“The one with Marian, because she reminds you of me.” Remus looked over at the camera. “I really don’t like snakes.”

“What is the first thing I do when I wake up in the morning?”

“Oh, I think this requires a demonstration. C’mere.”

“Does it really?” Sirius sighed as he laid down next to him.

“For sure.” Remus cuddled into his side and laid his head on his shoulder. “Alright, the key to a true Sirius Black wake-up is getting all four limbs wrapped around the other person like you’re trying to suffocate them with affection.”

“Okay—”

“And then,” Remus continued with a grin. “I go, ‘honey, wake up’—”

“You absolutely do not.”

“In my head, that’s what I say. It’s very sweet. To answer the question, the first thing Sirius does is this.” He buried his face in Sirius’ chest and groaned loudly, then dissolved into snickering as Sirius’ chest began to shake with suppressed laughter. “Stop it, you’re ruining the demonstration!”

“You forgot the part where I have to peel you off me with pliers and grease,” Sirius teased as they stood up, dusting themselves off. The camera crew applauded and they both bowed. “Alright, where were we? What am I most scared of?”

“Losing your friends and family,” Remus said. “Also, spiders and most bugs.”

“You forgot one.”

“Which one? The dish soap bubbles?”

“Losing you.”

A vibrant blush tinted Remus’ cheeks and ears, and he floundered for words. “Oh.”

“You still get the points, though,” Sirius said mildly. “What city do I like playing in the most?”

Remus paused for a moment longer, then shook his head to clear his thoughts. “Uh, Gryffindor. You like the crowd.”

“I do.” Sirius smiled at the camera. “To all the fans out there: you are incredible and there is nothing like skating out with everybody roaring so loud the windows shake. Who is my biggest hockey influence?”

“Now, or when you were younger?”

“Now.”

“It’s Dumo, right?”

Sirius nodded. “On and off the ice. What’s my proudest career moment?”

“Hmm, I wonder,” Remus said sarcastically. “Could it possibly be winning the Stanley Cup?”

“Just maybe,” Sirius laughed. “What’s my most famous celly, and which one’s my favorite?”

Remus grinned. “Lightning McQueen.”

“I hate it when you call it that.” Despite his words, Sirius was smiling. “It’s supposed to be cool!”

“Can you elaborate?” Marlene asked.

“I mean, most people who have seen him play know what I’m talking about,” Remus said, gesturing to the camera. “But Sirius’ famous celly is a double fist pump, and I call it the Lightning McQueen because it’s like ka-chow! It’s also his favorite one, though he dances when we’re skating alone or with a couple of the guys.”

“Shhh, they aren’t supposed to know that!” Sirius covered Remus’ mouth with his notecard. “This is the very last one. What is my biggest pet peeve?”

“When I leave my socks laying around the house.”

“Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner! That drives me fucking bonkers. Marley, who won?”

“It wasn’t a competition,” she said off-screen. “Just a Q & A.”

“Who got the most right?” Remus asked.

“You two are hopeless,” she muttered. There were a few beats of silence. “Remus won, with sixteen and a half out of seventeen. Sirius, you had fifteen and a half.”

“No.” Sirius groaned and dropped his head into his hands as Remus whooped.

“Hell yes!”

“My bonus points let you win.” He shook his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe this.”

Remus faced the camera with a victorious smile. “Thanks for joining us to witness my landslide victory—”

“It was one point.”

“And make sure to like and subscribe for more Lion Pride content! See you around, Lions.” They both mock-saluted, and the video ended.