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theosmommy1966 · 3 years ago

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MaraudersxPregnantReader

Staring down at the little stick in your hand was nauseating. You could feel the muscles in your stomach clenching, wanting to gag and throw up the breakfast you had just finished eating. Your hands were shaking as the little plus sign just got darker, a small sob escaping your throat before you could cover your mouth.

You were only a few months out from leaving Hogwarts, James and Sirius were in Aurors training. You and Remus were working with Albus to start teaching in a few years. You all lived with James’ parents in Potter Manor, as you looked for one of your own. Marauders Manor is what the boys wanted to call it.

James and Sirius didn't want either you or Remus to feel like it wasn't as much your home as it was theirs.

A knock at the door interrupted your internal crisis, James' voice leaking through the wood. “Y/n? Are you alright? Remus and Sirius want to go to the shops.”

You shook your head, knowing if they left it would give you a few hours to come up with a plan. “I'm not feeling well Jamie, could you all go without me?” Your voice was shockingly steady, as tears streamed down your face. You watched the doorknob move a little as James tried to open the door.

“Um.. Ya, I'll let them know.. Do you need anything? Want me to bring you back some sweets or a new tea?” James said, leaning his forehead on the door. He was trying to not kick himself for not noticing you were feeling ill. He always noticed the little things with you, he was upset with himself that he didn't notice something at breakfast.

A small smile found its way to your lips as you answered him, “If you see that new lavender breakfast tea will you?” You knew he would, you didn't really even have to ask, James is a gift giver. Any time he went anywhere without any of you, he always showed up home with bags of gifts.

Books or tea for you and Remus, vinyls or band tees for Sirius, sweets for everyone. Some would say it's his love language, but those who really know James know he is his own love language. He has so much to give, that it comes out in whatever form you need. Gifts, cuddles, soft spoken words, protection, everything and anything he could do.

James didn't answer, just started to walk away, but he only got a few steps before he heard your soft sob. As much as he wanted to turn back and demand you open the door, he knew you. He knew that if he did that, you would just shut down more so he did the next thing that came to his mind.

He told the boys that you were having girl troubles, watching Sirius shiver in disgust with Remus rolling his eyes at the shorter boy. Before giving another speech about how it's natural and to stop acting like a prat and blah blah. James wasn't listening as he walked towards the kitchen where his parents were sitting at the table.

“Um.. Mum?” James said looking down at his shoes, he hated asking someone else to look after you. You had three perfectly, ok two perfectly capable men and Sirius, to do so. But he knew that sometimes a mothers touch was just better. Mia looked up from her magazine watching as her son's eyebrows and nose scrunched.

“Do you think you could check in on Y/n? She said she's not feeling well, bathroom doors locked. I thought I heard her crying, thought she might let you in while the boys and I are gone.”

Mia jumped up from the table patting James’ cheek sweetly before kissing it. “Of course James, I'll start some of her tea and give her a check in. You did well coming to me, my little love.” Mia could see the doubt on her son's face before, she knew how protective he was over you. She really was proud that he was admitting that this might be out of his depth. “Now run along, have a good day. I'll take care of whatever it is.”

James smiled, kissed his mothers cheek, and hugged his father before running out to his boyfriends. Remus was still, as they all walked out the door, lecturing Sirius about being more loving and understanding during that time of the month. “You always are so sweet to me the week of the full moon.. I don't understand why you can't be nicer to her when she's literally bleeding for a week..”

Monty shook his head as he listened to all of his sons, it didn't shock him that Sirius was the one to be weird about periods. He had always pushed James to be nicer to his mother during ‘shark week’ as he liked to call it. Would make sure that the house elves knew to take certain things to her. Would take James to pick her flowers, or buy her special sweets. Showed his son different potions he had made to help with cramps.

Mia smiled over at her husband as he stood and kissed her gently. “I'll be down in the apothecary if you need me, Darling.” Monty knew that at first, the two parents were very wary of the relationship the four of you had. It started out as Remus and Sirius, James and you, but somewhere along the way lines blurred and now it was all four of you.

But after a while of watching, they could see how well it worked. You each had something that the others needed. Four puzzle pieces that fit together in some way. All the pieces touched, but some connected more solidly with others. Remus and Sirius, Remus and you, You and James, James and Sirius.

The couples that started together still stood stronger together. But you and Remus got along just as well as James and Sirius. While Sirius and you, and Remus and James got along well enough, but just barely to maintain the relationship you were in. It was fascinating to watch the dynamics of your group.

Eventually when things settled down, and all four of you started staying together in the manor, Mia was just thrilled. Thrilled to have so many children to care for. Thrilled to have a daughter to shop for, talk too and guide.

You were thrilled to have parents that cared. Being an Avery came with stipulations and a lifestyle you couldn't deal with. You weren't built to be cruel to those who were ‘less than’ you. You didn't bully people or hex those who annoyed you. Your parents abused you from the moment you could form your own opinions.

When you were sorted into gryffindor everything fell apart. But thankfully the "war" if you could call it that started and ended within a year. Voldemort's army was small and weak, the generation they counted on was yours. And your age group was tired, tired of getting thrown around and beat into submission. So things did not go as parents and Voldemort had planned.. Dumbledore's army being far larger than the opposing side.

You were still sobbing when Mia knocked lightly on the door. “Darling, why don't we go to your room. I've brought you some tea, the boys have left already.” Knowing that your mother was on the other side of the door just made you cry harder. Somehow you managed to get up on your feet and swing the door open.

Mia was shocked to see how pale your cheeks were, the redness of your eyes as tears streamed down your cheeks. But she wrapped an arm around your shoulders and quickly led you towards your room. She noticed your fist closed tightly around something as you sat down on the edge of the mattress.

“Cou-could you hand me that shirt please Mia?” You said softly pointing at the red quidditch jersey hanging over the chair near the fireplace. Mia smiled as you pulled it over your head, realizing it was one of James’ jerseys. Her smile grew when you took a deep breath and closed your eyes. It warmed her heart that even without him being physically present, her son made you feel safe and protected.

Without either of you saying anything, you held out the little stick that had thrown your life off track. Mia took it, but was confused, her eyes bouncing between it and your face. It took you a moment to realize that she didn't know before you chuckled humorlessly.

“It's a muggle pregnancy test, I missed my period and was talking to Lily and Marls about it. Lily suggested I take it, according to the instructions, a plus sign means it's positive and I'm pregnant.”

The last few words came out choked over another sob. Mia rushed forward, now understanding why you sent James away. Thanking whoever was listening that she had been sent up to take care of you. She held you while you cried a little more and when it was finally silent she pulled your head away.

Wiping your cheeks she smiled softly, “Why don't we go down to the apothecary. Ask Magic Monty for a calming draught and see if he can tell us more. Really he is so much better with this type of magic than I am.”

You nodded and silently followed her down to the basement. It was one of your favorites in the manor. The walls were lined with shelves that were not perfectly straight, bottles and vials filled with different herbs or liquids. Monty's new candles had been lit, allowing the forestry smell of James to fill your nose, followed by chocolate and caramel of Remus and the smokey smell associated with Sirius.

His amortentia infused candles had been a huge hit, sold out almost immediately. But the manor was filled with them, per request of the boys. Monty looked up, googles adoring his face, as the two of you made your way down the stairs.

The mad scientist quickly put a lid on the cauldron and walked towards the two of you. By passing his wife and wrapping his arms around you, pressing his cheek to your head. You thought you would start crying again, but you didn't.

His hug was warm, and comforting, like a fathers should be. It said words that you needed to hear, that whatever was going on he would deal with it. Monty would be there no matter what, whatever you needed, whoever needed a good head slap he was the guy.

You could feel his magic as it pulsed through you, your lower stomach just between your hips warming a touch more as his arms tightened. When he pulled away he had a soft smile on his face, raised one finger before practically running to the other side of the room.

You giggled at his silliness as he mumbled and nodded to himself. He tapped the tops of a few vials before finding the one he wanted and turning back with an ‘AhHa’. The light shimmering liquid was green in color, a pale almost light grass green. “This is a prenatal potion, long term only needed once a week instead of every day.”

As he walked back over to you he whispered in fake conspiratorially “It's the good stuff.”

Mia shook her head but felt the weight lift off her shoulders as you smiled and giggled again. “It doesn't taste the best, but I promise it is the best. I'll have to make some more, but it won't take me but a few days. My grandbaby deserves the best of the best and so do you dear.” Monty said as he ruffled your hair affectionately.

You drained the vial, grimacing at the taste but it got you thinking, “What if you tried to break down the aspects of Amortentia. Find out which parts of it bring out the smell we love, and try to change it up a bit. Make it so the ingredients change according to what the drinker wants to taste? Especially with potions for pregnant ladies, that would probably really help right?”

Monty's jaw dropped, he was about to launch back to his table and start in on your theory but caught his wife's eye. “That is very smart my dear, I'll look into it! But first, do you want to hear the baby's heartbeat?” Mias eyes widened, she was excited but hasnt shown it yet, knowing how upset you were.

To her utter disappointment you shook your head. “I want to wait for the boys, it's something we should all do together right?” Your voice started to shake again as you sat yourself down on the bottom stair. “What if they don't want this? What if.. If they want me to leave?”

Monty and his wife shared a look of pain, before Mia sat next to you, her arm wrapped around you again. “Darling, do you really think they would do that?”

You nodded but then shook your head, “Not Jamie. God he's been talking about having babies since we got together in fifth year.. He will be happy, probably have everything bought within a week.” You laughed softly through your tears. “Remus doesn't want to chance passing his condition down, and Sirius.. God Sirius is going to flip out. And if he leaves, then Remus will leave and.. And..”

Monty knelt down, squeezing one of your knees as you tried to finish your sentence. “And if they leave, it will be all my fault..”

Monty shook his head, before tilting your chin up so you could look at him. “Listen to me, little darling, everything will be ok. You're right, James will be happier than all of us combined because he's that kind of person. Remus and Sirius will be scared, and that's ok, but if they make the choice to not be around things will still be ok.”

“You will still have us, no matter anyone elses choice. Even if James walked away, you would still have us. You're our daughter Y/n.” Mia said as you leaned your head against her shoulder, Monty nodded and spoke again. “But no matter their choice moving forward, it won't be your fault. I've kinda gathered that you lot are not the safest obviously. It took two of you for this to happen. But the choice to stay or go, is on each of you, you're just as capable of walking away as they are.”

“Though this means you will have to stop smoking that dope.” Monty joked seriously, making you laugh again. “Why don't you go take a nap, or a bath, calm down and we will send for the boys yeah?”

“Just James.. Sirius is already upset with me, I don't want to ruin his and Remus’ day.”

Monty nodded, patting your head, before they both watched you disappear up the stairs. Mias beagle patronus rushing off with a message to her son. The two parents hugged and held each other, in hopes that whatever was to come of this, that things would really be ok.

—

James, Sirius and Remus were all walking through Sugarplums Sweet Shop, baskets full of candy they don't really need. Exploding bonbons, Peppermint toads and chocolate frogs, Bertie botts every flavor beans, sugar quills and cauldron cakes weighing them down.

Sirius was his usual happyself, it didn't bother him that y/n wasn't there. He had always been.. Tolerant of her but that was about it. He felt like she was a female copy of himself and he hated it.

Ran away from a bad family.. Check..

Fit in with the Marauders.. Check.

Moved in with the Potters.. Check..

Hell even some of his own family liked her, better than him. She often had tea with Andromeda, Narcissia and Bellatrix and that only made the bridge between them longer. Of course it was really all Sirius' fault and he knew that subconsciously.

Y/n was always nice to him, going out of her way to try and make him happy. Making his favorite treats, always offering him the first glass of firewhiskey when she poured it. But still he just disliked her.

James thought it was petty.

He knew it was because y/n had taken his attention away from Sirius. It didn't matter that she was in the same situation as himself, it mattered that she had James' attention. Even though they both made sure that the Marauders always spent plenty of time by themselves it didn't matter. Eventually it just got to the point where James stopped trying, he wanted her around and if Pads wasn't going to try neither was he.

"Are you still pouting because your girlfriend didn't come.." Siruis said, rolling his eyes as he watched James grab extra sugar quills. He was becoming annoyed, having already been drug threw the tea shop in search of tea he would never drink. He figured if y/n didn't come, why were they shopping for her?

Remus squeezed his boyfriend's hand harshly trying to tell him to stop "She's our girlfriend Pads.. Stop.." He said trying to defuse what was about to happen between the two men. But it didn't work.

Sirius scoffed "Shes James girlfriend.. Isn't that right Jamie." He said in a condescending tone "I just don't understand why he's pouting, I'm sure she'll call for him soon enough and he will run off."

James gritted his teeth, he was beyond tired of having this conversation. He was normally gentle and calm, but he was at his breaking point between the years of hearing this and his worry about this morning. "If she's not your girlfriend and she's such an inconvenience to you, then stop touching her. Stop taking advantage of the perks of being with her and then talking shit about her behind her back." He slammed his payment down on the counter, ignoring the dirty look from the witch behind it. Scooped his bags up and stormed out of the store.

Remus and Sirius were very close behind him, Sirius speaking cruely "What advantages.. She's clingy and whiny. Don't get me wrong, she's a bloody good lay but her voice is like nails on a chalkboard.."

He knew he was being overly mean. He didn't really even think about what he was saying, it was just flowing out at this point. James spun around and took a breath to tell him off as the light blueness of a patronus caught his eye. The small beagle jumped playfully around him and only him.

Sirius waved his arms dramatically and laughed humorlessly "See.. Cant even deal with some cramps without him.. Ridiculous."

Remus sighed, he didn't even know where to be in this argument. While he sided with James he thought if he voiced it, Sirius would feel attacked and alone. So he stayed silent as the two glared at each other, before James snapped his fingers and disapprated home.

—

When James arrived in front of his home he sighed, trying to calm himself down before he went inside. He didn't want to lash out at you or his parents just because he was upset with Sirius. He was starting to think this whole Poly relationship thing was a mistake. He didn't know how correct he was about to be, everything was going to change today.

Before he could even open the door, his father was in the doorway. The look on Monty's face was even and encouraging, which only threw James off as he walked forward. Just as he reaches him, Monty's hand lands on his shoulder, squeezing it causing him to stop.

“I just want you to know that whatever happens your mother and I will stand behind you. But we will also do what we feel is right. But no matter what, you James, will always be our son. And we love you.”

With that, Monty walked away, leaving James standing on the top stair into his home. He was trying to breathe steadily, his fathers words had made his anxiety skyrocket. When he shut the door, setting the bags down and turning to head towards the stairs, he noticed his mum standing at the top.

All Mia did was hug him as he walked by, while she probably thought it was soothing, it really wasn't. Every second that went by between seeing his dad's face, and now when he pushed his bedroom door open was agony. When he saw the sleeping form of his girlfriend wrapped in his blankets he was a little confused.

If you were just feeling sick, what was all the encouragement for?

But he toed his shoes off, pulled his sweater over his head and slipped into the bed. His chest tightened when he noticed the slight pink to your cheeks. The redness on the tip of your nose and the plumpness of your bottom lip. He knew that you bit it when you were nervous or upset, leaving it to swell.

Even though your face was clear of any makeup, he could still see the tracks left behind from your tears. It hurt his heart to know that something had you this upset. He mentally started going over every interaction he could remember you having the day before, trying to figure out what was going on.

He knew Sirius had bit your head off in the evening after you got home from Marlenes. But you said you had fun with her, Lily and the other girls. You seemed your normal self even after Sirius’ attitude.

His hand stretched out to brush some of your hair back, causing you to wake up enough to realize he was there. The calming draught Mia had brought up after your bath leaving you fuzzy and tired. “Jamie..” You whispered, eyes barely open but he could still see the redness and that they were bloodshot.

“What's wrong, My love?” He whispered back scooting towards you, his arm moving towards your waist pulling you into his chest. Your mind was fuzzy, but your body was relaxed and warm. Even warmer now that James had a hold of you.

Really you shouldn't be telling him now, had you not taken the draught you wouldn't have. But you weren't in a head space to really stop yourself. So when he asked you a question, all you wanted to do was make him happy.

He had left his boyfriends to come and make you feel better. You were already convinced that everything was going to fall apart later. Convinced that all of this was your fault. All the unhappiness that was about to happen, in your mind, was your fault.

While in the tub, you had made a plan. If they wanted you to leave, you already had it all planned out. Bags were packed and hidden under your bed, letters written out, everything was ready. So when James whispered again, trying to ask if you were ok, all you could do was whisper back.

“I'm pregnant.”

part 2

As always please let me know your opinion! The next one will really pull on the heart strings.

#Marauders #james potter #sirius orion black #Remus lupin #james potter x y/n #sirius black x y/n #remus lupin x y/n #marauders x y/n #marauders x oc #the marauders fanfiction

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scarletttries · 3 years ago

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Ted Lasso First Kiss Headcanons: Jamie Tartt

Author's Note: My rewatch of Ted Lasso has only made me even more smitten with season two Jamie Tartt, so enjoy these headcanons and let me know if you want to see these for other characters :)

Jamie Tartt

- You met Jamie in his season-one player days, not paying any mind to his flirty comments as you went about your job at Richmond FC, knowing he was the type to try and sleep with anything that moves.

- When he came back from Manchester City though, you started to notice a real difference in him. He was respectful, with you, with his teammates, even with Nate. It was like the lessons Ted taught him had finally begun to sink in.

- He wasn't making comments about your looks or making flirty jokes anymore, he was asking you about yourself, genuinely interested in getting to know you better, and tell you more about himself. More and more you found him making the time to sit with you between training sessions, easy conversation flowing between you as you found yourself gradually trusting that he really had changed.

- After months of putting in the work to be a good friend to you, one day Jamie would hunt you down at work,a gift bag in hand. He'd nervously tell you how much he enjoyed spending time with you, and how much it had meant to him for you to be his friend since he came back from Richmond and he wondered if you'd want to go out for dinner with him, as a date?

- The relief washing over him when you say yes would be painfully obvious, Jamie nodding and telling you what time he'd pick you up. It was such a rollercoaster moment for him, he almost walked away before he remembered to hand you the gift bag he'd be hiding all day. Inside was a pretty plant for your desk, Jamie nervously mumbling about how he was going to get you flowers but thought it'd be nicer to get you something that would last a bit longer [I headcanon Jamie as a shockingly good gift-giver, I don't know why]

- Your first date with Jamie would be the perfect balance of easy and special. You know each other well enough at this point that conversation and laughter flows naturally between the two of you, and Jamie would be on his absolute most gentlemanly behaviour all night, telling you how beautiful you looked,and softly taking your hand without ever being too forward.

- After dinner Jamie takes you back to your place, walking you to your door and telling you that he had a great night, almost as nervous as he was the moment he asked you out.

- Taking the opportunity you'd reach up to place a hand gently on the back of his neck, tilting his head until your lips could softly meet. A comforting warmth spreads through your chests, one of Jamie's hands settling on your lower back to pull you closer, the other brushing softly along your hairline, deepening the kiss. Your bodies pressed against each other, you could feel the colour flushing in your faces, Jamie's eyes wide as he slowly pulled back, overwhelmed by his feelings towards you.

- "Wow" he breathed out absentmindedly, blushing as you laughed at his reaction, even though you felt the same undeniable chemistry he did. "Listen, usually I would invite myself inside and we'd have a great time, but I really like you, and I want to do this differently. So, as much as it's killing me not to kiss you again, I'm gonna go home now and then I'm going to ask you another day tomorrow, alright?"

- "I guess we'll see what I decide tomorrow then, Tartt." You teased, watching his frown turn to laughter at your smirk.

"Well then, just in case you turn me down." he laughed, pressed his lips back against yours, strong arm still wrapping warmly around you. "Alright, now I can live it." He nodded as he walked away, pretty confident of what your answer would be tomorrow.

#one shot #writing #fanfiction #jamie tartt #jamie tartt headcanons #ted lasso #ted lasso headcanons

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turodebabel · 2 years ago

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The 99 names of Allah:

Ar-Rahman The Lovingly Beneficent, Most Kind and Gracious

Ar-Rahīm The Most Merciful, The Most Compassionate

Al-Malik The Ruler, The King

Al-Quddūs The Holiest, The Most Pure

As-Salam The Source of Peace, The Flawless

Al-Mu’min The Remover of Fear, The Giver of Tranquility

Al-Muhaymin The Protector, The Bestower of Security

Al-Azeez The Mighty, The Eminent

Al-Jabbār The Restorer, The Repairer

Al-Mutakabbir The Supremely Great, The Perfection of Greatness

Al-Khāliq The Creator, The Planner

Al-Baari’ The Maker from Nothing, The Evolver

Al-Musawwir The Fashioner, The Bestower of Forms

Al-Ghaffār The All-Forgiving, The Absolver

Al-Qahhār The Ever-Dominant, The Conqueror

Al-Wahhāb The Liberal Bestower, The Giver of Gifts

Ar-Razzāq The Supplier, The Provider

Al-Fattāh The Opener, The Revealer

Al-Aleem The All-Knowing, The Omniscient

Al-Qābid The Withholder, The Restrainer

Al-Bāsit The Expander, The Unfolder

Al-Khāfid The Humbler, The One who Softens

Ar-Raafi’ The Exalter, The Uplifter

Al-Mu’izz The Bestower of Honor, The Strengthener

Al-Mudhill The Disgracer, The Dishonorer

As-Samī’ The All-Hearing, The Ever-Listening

Al-Basīr The All-Seeing, The All-Perceiving

Al-Hakam The Judge, The Arbitrator

Al-‘Adl The Just, The Equitable

Al-Latīf The Subtle, The Gracious, The Refined

Al-Khabīr The Inner-Aware, The Reality-Knower

Al-Halīm The Forbearing, The Calm-Abiding

Al-‘Azīm The Supreme Glory, The Most Grand

Al-Ghafūr The Forgiving, The Pardoner

Ash-Shakūr The Most Grateful, The Most Appreciative

Al-‘Alī The Highest, The Exalted

Al-Kabīr The Greatest, The Most Great

Al-Hafīz The Preserver, The Protector

Al-Muqīt The Nourisher, The Sustainer

Al-Hasīb The Accounter, The Reckoner

Al-Jalīl The Majestic, The Glorious

Al-Karīm The Generous, The Bountiful

Ar-Raqīb The Watchful, The All-Observing

Al-Mujīb The Fulfiller of Prayers, The Responsive

Al-Waasi The All-Embracing, The All-Pervading

Al-Hakīm The Perfectly Wise, The Most Judicious

Al-Wadūd The Loving-Kindness, The Most Affectionate

Al-Majīd The All-Glorious, The Majestic

Al-Bā’ith The Awakener, The Resurrector

Ash-Shahīd The Witness, The Testifier

Al-Haqq The Truth, The Only Reality

Al-Wakīl The Trustee, The Advocate

al-Qawī The Inexhaustible Strength, The Supremely Strong

al-Matīn The Firm, The Steadfast

Al-Walīy The Protecting Friend, The Nearby Guardian

Al-Hamīd The Praiseworthy, The Laudable

Al-Muhsī The Reckoner, The Appraiser

Al-Mubdi’ The Starter, The Beginner, The Originator

Al-Mu’īd The Restorer, The Renewer

Al-Muhyī The Giver of Life, The Reviver

Al-Mumīt The Creator of Death, The Life-Taker

Al-Hayy The Ever-Living, The Alive

Al-Qayyūm The Self-Existing, The Self-Subsisting

Al-Wājid The Finder, The Resourceful

Al-Mājid The Noble, The Generous

Al-Wāhid The One, The Manifestation of Unity

Al-Ahad The One, The Only One

As-Samad The Satisfier of All Needs, The Eternal

Al-Qādir The Able, The Empowered, The Capable

Al-Muqtadir The All-Determining, The Prevailing

Al-Muqaddim The Expediter, The Promoter

Al-Mu’akhkhir The Delayer, The Postponer

Al-Awwal The First, The Pre-Existing

Al-Aakhir The Last, The End and Ultimate

Az-Zahir The Manifest, The Evident

Al-Bātin The Hidden, The Inner

Al-Wālī The Sole Governor, The Friendly Lord

Al-Muta’āli The Supremely Exalted, The Most High

Al-Barr The Gracious Benefactor, The Source of Goodness

At-Tawwāb The Acceptor of Repentance, The Oft-Forgiving

Al-Muntaqim The Avenger, The Inflictor of Retribution

Al-Afuw The Forgiver, The Effacing

Ar-Rauf The Kind, The Tenderly Merciful and Consoling

Mālik al-Mulk The Master of the Kingdom

Dhu-l-Jalali wal-Ikram The Lord of Majesty and Generosity

Al-Muqsit The Equitable, The Just

Al-Jami The Gatherer, The Uniter

Al-Ghani The Self-Sufficient, The Independent

Al-Mughni The Bestower of Wealth, The Fulfiller of Needs

Al-Mani The Preventer, The Defender

Ad-Darr The Corrector, The Distresser

An-Nafi The Creator of Good, The Auspicious

An-Nur The Light, The Illuminator, The Enlightenment

Al-Hadi The Guide, The Leader on the Right Path

Al-Badīi The Wonderful Originator, The Awesome Inventor

Al-Baqi The Everlasting, The Ever-Present 96

Al-Warith The Inheritor of All, The Supreme Heir

Ar-Rashid The Appointer to the Right Path, The Director

As-Sabur The Most Patient, The Patiently-Enduring

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let-the-dream-begin · 4 years ago

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In My Daughter’s Eyes Chapter 31: Home For Christmas

Chapter 30

Read on AO3

Christmas morning began with a solid weight on Claire’s back that knocked the wind out of her. Eyes still closed, she let out a stifled oomf, and heard a low chuckle beside her. (They’d both made sure they were fully clothed before falling asleep for this exact reason.)

“Aye, good morning, leannan.”

Claire groaned; of course the man was already awake, and had probably been more than capable of stopping Faith from pouncing on her. When the tiny slaps to her head began, he finally intervened.

“Alright, alright, let’s be nice.” The weight was removed, and Claire finally opened her eyes, rolling over to see that Jamie had lifted Faith bodily off of her, and was holding her up on his shins, holding her hands: playing airplane.

“Merry Christmas,” Jamie crooned up to Faith, and she squealed, kicking her legs. If Jamie didn’t have her hands, she’d have toppled over. But Claire knew he’d never let her fall. “Aye, merry Christmas, lass.”

Claire sighed heavily and forced herself to sit up, smiling lazily at the pair of them. “Merry Christmas, baby girl.”

Claire might as well have not said a thing; she was still giggling at Jamie and kicking her legs. Claire gave him a look, and he winked at her before letting Faith gently plop on the mattress between them.

“Hi,” Claire said, bending down to kiss her. “Merry Christmas.”

Faith hummed in response, squirming out of bed by climbing over Claire.

“Merry Christmas, Sassenach.”

Claire looked up to see Jamie sitting up, hair tousled, clothes rumpled from playing with her daughter, a lazy, peaceful grin on his face. Even as Faith relentlessly tugged on Claire’s hand, groaning impatiently, Claire leaned over to kiss him.

“Merry Christmas, love.”

Faith could be held up no longer, and soon both adults were being led to the tree, crouched over so as to have one each of her little hands. Gillian, thank God, already had coffee brewing, having already been trampled by Faith herself on the air mattress. Gillian had offered to get a hotel room this year, not wanting to overcrowd Claire now that she knew Jamie would be joining them, but Claire would not hear of it, and neither would Jamie. Both ladies were wearing their matching set of Christmas pajamas, and Jamie dramatically remarked how left out he felt to not have received his own pair for this year.

“I’ll remember that fer next year,” Gillian said wryly, handing them each their own festive mugs of coffee.

Air mattress out of the way and coffee distributed, Faith was tearing into the first of three bigger boxes before anybody could stop her.

“That’s from Auntie Gi, darling,” Claire said, nestled tightly against Jamie, laying her still sleepy head on his shoulder, smiling contentedly. Claire knew exactly what was in those three identically sized boxes, and she fully expected the joyful stimming that erupted from Faith. It was an Animator Doll, the Anna one. Claire had seen them in the Disney store and decided that Faith absolutely had to have one, then Gi had offered to get her one, and so had Jamie.

Faith handed the unwrapped box to Gillian without so much as looking at her before she moved onto the next one, a gesture that very clearly meant: free her from her box immediately.

The three adults chuckled, Gillian muttering to herself as she headed to the kitchen to get scissors.

“That’s from Mummy,” Claire said, though she was sure it was falling on deaf ears. Claire had gotten the Elsa one, and the box was shuffled over to Gillian, still just beginning to open the Anna box. Faith moved onto the third box, Claire reminding her it was from Jamie as she got up from the couch, abandoning his warmth to help Gillian with the boxes before they fell behind and Faith had a fit.

The third doll was Merida, the one Jamie insisted he get for her. Faith hummed loudly and flapped her hands, squealing with delight. She looked over to see Auntie Gi and Mummy busy trying to free Anna and Elsa, so she picked up the box to shuffle over to Jamie in her silent request.

“D’ye like it, Faith?” Jamie said, setting his mug down to take the box. “She’s our lass, aye?”

Faith nodded, then bounded back to the tree.

“Faith Julia,” Claire called. “I won’t finish opening these until you say thank you.”

She hastily kissed Gillian’s cheek, to which she replied, “Ye’re welcome, Pipsqueak,” then Claire’s, answered by “You’re welcome, lovie,” and then Jamie’s.

“Ye’re very welcome, mo chridhe.”

The next few gifts were from Santa: a few DVD’s Faith had been asking for (one day she pulled up a list on her tablet of every single Disney film ever made alongside their DVD cover and started pointing to the ones they didn’t own, some that Claire hadn’t thought about in years) and a few she had not, a plush of the pig and chicken from Moana, a new puzzle, and a set of Merida pajamas. By the time Faith got through tearing all the wrapping off, all of her new treasures were freed from their boxes and plastic wrapping. The pajamas had come last, and before anyone could stop her, she was pulling her nightgown over her head.

“Faith, wait, that’s not — ”

Before Claire could remind her that she was to get dressed in her bedroom, and that anywhere else was inappropriate, Jamie was already holding the shirt over her head, smiling at her as she poked her head through. Claire shook her head, trying to suppress the smile that insisted on making its way across her face. She just sighed, letting Jamie finish dressing her, and Gillian snorted into her coffee mug.

While Faith got started arranging her dolls and toys on the coffee table and finding spaces for her new DVD’s among the rest of her collection, the adults began their own gift exchange. Gillian and Jamie exchanged gifts first, each giving the other Scottish-themed holiday baubles, causing all three adults to laugh. Claire got Gillian a shot glass with a bawdy quote that served her all too well, and Gillian got Claire a small potted succulent, the pot having been hand painted by her.

Claire was nervous; she was always a terrible gift-giver. Frank had been content to receive the most generic man-gifts known to humankind, but Claire knew full well that Jamie deserved more than that. Yet even as she handed him the box, she was worried she’d still gotten just another generic man-gift.

Jamie grinned at her as he took the box, opening it with care, as if to not disturb the wrapping. He would be the type to open presents that way. He set the paper aside and opened the box.

“Open the card second,” Claire said quickly as he picked up the envelope. He looked at her sideways, then set the envelope aside. After unfolding the wrapping paper, he pulled it out: a gray Scottish tweed cap.

Jamie was grinning ear to ear, examining the fabric. “It’s authentic,” Claire chimed in. “Made sure of it.”

“It’s braw, Sassenach.”

“I saw on Facebook your father had one in a lot of your photos, but I never saw you with one. So I thought I’d give you a bit of Scotland for Christmas.”

His grin spread wider, if that was even possible. “Thank you, Sassenach. I love it.”

“Put it on,” Claire demanded. “I want to see.”

Jamie chuckled, but he obliged, and Claire’s heart fluttered.

“What d’ye think?”

Claire leaned in so their faces were inches apart. “You’re as dashing as ever.”

He captured her lips sweetly, both of them grinning into the kiss.

“Oi,” Gillian barked. “Ye’ve an audience, here.”

They broke apart, still grinning, and Claire rolled her eyes. “Alright.” She swiped the cap off of Jamie’s head and put it on herself. “Open the card now.”

Jamie chuckled, taking up the envelope. “Ye dinna look bad yerself, lass.”

Claire stuck her chin up proudly. “A girlfriend always ensures she looks good in the clothing she buys her boyfriend.”

Jamie shook his head as he tore open the envelope, a blush creeping up his neck.

“What?”

“Nothin’.”

“What?” she demanded, shoving him by the shoulder.

He glanced at Gillian and then sighed in resignation. “I was thinkin’,” he whispered in her ear so that only she could hear, “what ye might look like wearing just the cap.”

Claire’s stomach flipped, her breath stuttering. “We’ll just have to see, won’t we?”

He bit her earlobe in response, and she squealed.

“Oi!” Gillian shouted. “There’s a bairn. No’ to mention me.”

The pair of them just laughed, and Jamie continued tearing into the envelope. Claire remembered exactly what she’d written; she’d agonized over it for hours and days:

Merry Christmas, Jamie. You’ve changed my life for the better in every imaginable way. I love you.

Your Sassenach,

Claire

He kissed her again, and Gillian was no doubt rolling her eyes.

“Trust me, mo ghraidh,” he said. “Ye’ve changed my life, too. Made me whole.”

Claire briefly indulged his beautiful words, stroking his jaw, before pulling away so he would look at what was inside the card.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a subscription to something called Flaviar,” Claire explained. “Once a quarter you get all these samples of rare whisky. Right up your alley.”

Jamie beamed. “This is unbelievable!”

“You can go on the website and customize your account with your personal preferences,” Claire went on.

“Sassenach…” he laughed. “It’s great. It’s so great.”

Claire smiled back at him. “I’m glad you like it.”

With one final kiss (and an eye roll from Gillian), Jamie picked up his gift to Claire and handed it to her, a large square box. He looked just as antsy as she had felt giving him her gift. She tore open the paper with no such grace that he’d possessed when opening his. There was a plain white box, and Claire opened the lid and gasped. She reached in and pulled out a miniature greenhouse of sorts: a white framed structure of clear plastic, open on one side. There was tissue paper packed inside the structure, and Claire unburied a box labeled: Medicinal & Herbal Tea Indoor Herb Garden Starter Kit.

Her heart positively melted as another small gasp escaped her lips. “Jamie…”

“I noticed yer wee balcony garden a while back, Faith’s party I think,” he said. “Figured ye missed yer wee herbs in the cold months. So.”

“Oh, Jamie…there’s so much here!” She turned the box over and rattled off the list of seeds included. “Chamomile, Lavender, Lemon Mint, Calendula, Yarrow, Sage, Rosemary, Fennel, Lemon Balm, Peppermint, Hyssop…” She trailed off, realizing no one else had any bloody clue what she was saying. “This is more than I was even able to find myself.”

He shrugged. “Amazon has it all.”

“It’s perfect. It’s wonderful.” Her heart was fluttering; she felt like a kid in a candy store. “This, did you get this on Amazon, too?” She gestured to the greenhouse.

“Oh. I made that.”

Claire was gobsmacked, her mouth falling open. “Made it?”

“Aye. Wasna too difficult. Ye could just put them on the windowsill, but I thought it would be nicer in something a bit more decorative.” He suddenly looked very shy, as if apprehensive of the quality of his own handiwork.

“It’s beautiful.” She cupped his face in her hands, having put the box of herbs in her lap. “All of it. You are amazing.”

He was blushing, and Claire wanted to kiss every inch of his face that was splotching red. He still had no idea how bloody wonderful he was.

“There’s, ehm, one more thing.” He pointed to the packed tissue paper inside the greenhouse, and Claire reached inside, pulling out a small, long and narrow box. She tossed her head back, laughing out loud. It was a little dirt poker with a ceramic heart on the end that read: “I Dig You.”

Claire tossed it to Gillian, who also began snorting with laughter. “Oh, that’s awful.”

“Aye, aye,” Jamie said, laughing. “I couldna resist.”

“Oh, God…” Claire said, still laughing as she cupped his face again. “I dig you, too, love.”

Claire felt very much like Faith with her toys, wanting to tear into her gift and begin planting everything immediately. Sadly, it would have to wait, as there was much to do today before they met the Murrays at Jamie’s apartment.

“Faithie,” Claire crooned. She had finished filing away her DVD’s and was now surveying the dolls and toys she’d arranged atop the coffee table. “It’s your turn, lovie. Remember your gifts?”

She did not respond at all or give any indication that she’d heard her.

“Faith, come here,” Claire said, getting an idea. She took off Jamie’s cap. “Do you want to wear Jamie’s hat?”

She immediately picked her head up and scampered over to them, grabbing greedily for the cap. Claire let Faith feel the textures inside and out before plopping it on her little head.

“You look lovely,” Claire said, poking her nose. “This was my gift to Jamie. Where are your gifts, baby? Do you remember?”

Faith just giggled, spinning around with her hands on her head, on the hat. Claire sighed with a laugh, taking her by the shoulders and redirecting her to the tree. “Here, darling. See? Give one to Auntie Gi, one to Jamie, and one to me.”

Claire knew what was inside the shoddy wrapping; Faith had brought them home from school and they’d wrapped them together. She watched as Faith obeyed, handing one to each of the three adults, and Claire had to pull her into her lap to stop her from bolting off. They all opened them at the same time, Claire letting Faith “help” to keep her engaged.

“Oh! Look at that!” Claire said with exaggerated excitement, despite having seen it already. The other adults gave similar verbal reactions. “Oh, who is that? Who’s that, Faith?”

It was a large foam snowflake, each of the three decorated generously with glitter of all festive colors, a photograph in the center. The teacher had asked how many adults were in Faith’s life that would need one, which Claire appreciated. Faith still did not like to be photographed, so only half of her face was visible, due to the fact that she was hiding in Angus’s fur. But, it was better than the ones with her hands covering her entire face. And it was rather sweet, really, the way she was hugging her dog.

“Who is that, Faith?” Claire said again, pointing. Faith jabbed her finger into the picture, humming and bouncing in her lap. “Yes, who is it?” With an explosive squeal, Faith poked herself in the chest over and over. “Yes, good job!”

“Good girl,” Jamie echoed, and Gillian said, “Yay!”

“Who else?” Jamie chimed in, pointing at Angus in the photograph. “Who’s that, Faith?”

Faith gave another little shriek and pointed at Angus, chewing at his Christmas treat in the corner of the room on his bed.

“Ah! Good job!” Jamie gave her tiny thigh a squeeze, and the women cheered quietly as well.

“Thank you, baby,” Claire crooned, hugging her tightly and kissing her temple. “I love my present. Go give hugs.” She passed Faith over to Jamie, who held her tightly to his chest in his lap.

“Thank you, m’annsachd. I love it very much. I’m gonnae put it right on my tree when we get to my house.” He gave her one final squeeze before sending her off to Gillian, who had to call Faith’s name several times to get her to actually come to her.

“Thank ye very much, my sweet wee lass.” She gave her a loud kiss on the cheek. “Best present yet this year.”

Presents all distributed and Faith’s ornament hung on the tree, they moved into the kitchen for their Edible Arrangement breakfast. When Claire had explained to Jamie the Christmas traditions, he’d offered to pick up the ingredients for the cookies. When he’d asked, “What don’t ye have?” and Claire had answered: “Uh…the cookie mix and the icing?” he’d laughed out loud. Evidently, he’d thought they’d be making them from scratch, which was quite bold of him to assume, considering who he was dating. In the end, Jamie brought over ingredients for homemade sugar cookies, and the four of them had a grand old time forming the dough, rolling it out, and using the cookie cutters, all with Christmas music playing, of course.

While they were baking, Jamie encouraged Faith to pick out one of her new Christmas DVDs to watch. Claire had mentioned that she was not a fan of using streaming services, wanting to feel the physical copy in her hands and have a space where it belonged that was in her control. So Jamie purchased half a dozen movies that were already streaming somewhere, being that he wanted to watch a Christmas movie with his girls, but wanted to do it in a way that Faith would be happiest with.

And so, Jamie sat squished into the corner of the couch with Claire curled into him like a kitten, Faith at attention between the cushions with Gillian on the other side of her, with Home Alone playing on the tellie. Claire was nursing her second mug of coffee, warmed by it head to toe, along with Jamie’s occasional kiss to her head, or the deep rumbling in his chest that echoed against Claire’s back when he laughed.

Last Christmas, Claire had confidently told Gillian that it was the best one she’d ever had. And now, the future was bright with possibility, the promise of each holiday getting better and better with Jamie there. Hell, each month, each week, each day, every hour, minute, and second was better than the last with Jamie in her life.

God, she was never letting him go.

——

Jamie had given his sister a key to his apartment for her to use in the event that they were late coming from Claire's apartment because of Faith or any other mishaps. They were, in fact, perfectly on time, arriving at 1:30 exactly, giving them plenty of time to get things in order for the arrival of Jamie’s family.

And yet, Jenny’s rental car was there waiting anyway.

Jamie sighed, rolling his eyes as he parked his car.

“Shoulda known,” he said. “Maybe she’d come when I wanted her to if I told her four.”

Claire squeezed his knee, and he could tell she was trying not to laugh. “She’s going to have all the food out already, isn’t she?”

“Aye, that she is.”

Faith insisted on being carried by Jamie, refusing to even let herself be unbuckled from her car seat until Jamie tried. This left Claire and Gillian to handle the presents and Angus. Gillian had driven over Claire’s car so Jamie could spend the night with his family after they had to go back to Claire’s.

Jamie announced his presence as he unlocked the front door, but there was no need. Everyone was sitting in his living room, everyone except Jenny. Before he could ask, his father cut in:

“We tried tae offer help,” he said wryly. “Yer darling martyr sister shoved us out of the kitchen and told us she didna need us mucking anything up.”

“Out of my kitchen,” Jamie grumbled, rolling his eyes. “Aye, well, Merry Christmas, everyone.”

“Merry Christmas, son.” Brian stood up out of the recliner to embrace his son, cupping Faith’s head gently as he pulled away. “Merry Christmas, lassie. Great to see ye again.”

Jamie took note that his nephew was playing the Wii again, and he briefly wondered which of the three adults had known how to set it up. Unless the wee imp already figured it out.

“Merry Christmas, Claire,” Brian said warmly, embracing Claire tightly. “This is Gillian?”

“Yes! My best friend, and a Scot to boot,” Claire stepped aside.

“Pleasure,” Gillian said, shaking Brian’s hand. “Thank ye so much fer having me.”

“Any family of my son’s lass is family of mine,” he said, genuine as anything.

Ian greeted everyone next, and it only took a few seconds before Maggie was on Claire’s hip. Jamie watched with weak knees as she babbled to the baby and made adorable faces at her, reveling in the sound of their mingled giggling. Offers of playing with the baby was the only way to get Faith to allow herself to be put down, and then Jamie was off to the kitchen.

“Merry Christmas, Janet,” he said, watching as she finished arranging appetizers on a large serving plate.

“Merry Christmas, brother,” she said, her voice chipper.

“I see ye’ve got yer son on more of those mind-numbing video games.”

“Och, come off it. It was the only way to get him out of my hair.”

“Ye could have waited fer us. I could have helped.”

“Nonsense. I’m used to being the host on Christmas. Why should that change?”

“…Because ye’re not the host this Christmas?”

She shot him a dangerous look, and he gave up, putting his hands up in surrender. “We’re just inside when ye’re finished, o gracious host.”

Jamie produced the ornament Faith had made him and let her place it on the tree, and Ian and Brian remarked how lovely it was, how fine it looked on the tree. Shortly after, Jenny fluttered in with the tray of arranged food, and then the whisky and wine was flowing. Wee Jamie was pulled away from the Wii so the repeat marathon of A Christmas Story could be put on, and the adults sat and talked and laughed while Faith went back and forth between her mother’s lap, Auntie Gi’s lap, Jamie’s lap, and the baby mat that Maggie was playing on.

Jamie was going on and on about how great Faith was doing at the stables, how well her transition had gone between therapists. He knew full well that around this time last year, Jenny had been overly concerned with the propriety of this relationship, whether or not it was a relationship back then not mattering in the least to her. He emphasized how important it had been for there to be a boundary set between mom’s boyfriend and horse therapist. Jessica and Faith were developing a really special bond that was really lovely to see from the outside.

Not to mention that standing there with Claire and cheering her on together was one of the highlights of his entire week.

“What day of the week did ye say she goes?” Ian asked.

“Fridays,” Claire answered.

“Oh, and there’s a break fer the holidays,” Ian said, sounding sad. “I would ha’ loved to see her ride. We’ll be flying back before it starts again.”

Jamie’s chest warmed, and he felt Claire melt against him, and looked down to see her genuinely touched.

“I…I have videos, if you want to see,” Claire said tentatively.

“Oh do ye?” Ian lit up, and Jenny and Brian beamed.

“Yeah, hold on…”

Jamie watched as Claire clicked through her photos and found all the ones grouped by location at the stables. She scrolled all the way back to last September, and Jamie’s heart flipped.

“I’ve never seen these,” he said, leaning in.

“Oh,” Claire said, and he could feel her blush before he saw it, heat radiating from her sweater-clad form. “Well, at the time it didn’t seem appropriate to show you. But yes…there are quite a few that you…haven’t seen.”

Before long, Claire was sitting back as Jamie and his family combed through every photo and video of Faith at the stables. There were hundreds from her first day alone, and when they got to Halloween, Jenny smacked her brother’s arm.

“Oh, come on! Dinna tell me that wasna planned!”

“It wasn’t,” Claire said. “Faith chose it because Merida rides horses.”

“She’s sae smart,” Brian said, oozing with pride. Jamie’s eyes twinkled.

“Oh…look at this one…” Jenny put a hand on her heart. “The way he’s looking at her, even all the way back then!”

Ian and Brian nodded in agreement, smiling. Jamie leaned in and felt his breath catch in his throat. He remembered the moment clear as anything.

“Could I get one of her with Pippi before you put her away? Without the helmet?”

“Aye, of course.”

Faith hadn’t wanted to move just yet, and Jamie hadn’t seen the harm in letting them have one more moment together. And apparently Claire had snapped the exact moment where Jamie was struck by how amazing it was that the stars had aligned just so to allow him to have even the smallest part in this child’s life, remarkable as she was.

Even all the way back then.

“I used to stare at that one,” Claire admitted sheepishly, quietly, as if trying to confess to Jamie alone. “Random times during the day, I’d find myself looking at it. And I still managed to convince myself until July that that wasn’t strange at all.”

Jamie chuckled wetly, blinking away unexpected tears. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and fervently kissed the crown of her head.

“It’s like I knew,” Claire said, even quieter, as Jamie’s family started playing a video on the phone. “Like I knew that someday she’d be yours.”

Yours.

Jamie’s eyes lifted up to see Faith rocking and flapping her hands on Maggie’s play mat, bottom lip tucked firmly under her teeth, humming.

Mine.

“That,” Jamie whispered into her curls, “is the greatest gift you could give me, Sassenach.”

She kissed his cheek, and they returned their attention to the phone. After several minutes and several repeated, “Oh, beautiful!” “She’s a fine rider!” and “What a braw lass!”, the conversation steered in different directions. Jamie noticed that Claire kept turning her head toward wee Jamie, and during a lull in the conversation, she called out to him.

“Your uncle told me you play football, is that true?”

“Aye!” the lad burst proudly, eyes immediately lighting up. He shuffled closer to her, standing in front of where she sat on the couch.

“That’s amazing.” Claire beamed. “I wish I could see you play. I bet you’re so good.”

“I am,” he said, nodding curtly. “Ye can come next Christmas, and watch me then!”

Claire looked up at Jamie, who nodded encouragingly. “Yes, I’ll have to do just that.”

“I’ve got videos of some of his games,” Jenny chimed in. “If ye really want to see.”

“Of course I do!” Claire’s voice was filled with genuine excitement, and little Jamie was alight with joy.

“I want tae see! Let me watch!”

“Dinna crowd her, now.”

“No, it’s alright. Do you want to sit with me?”

The boy bit his lip and scrambled into Claire’s lap, and she accepted him into her embrace like it was the most natural thing in the world. Jamie watched, his heart melting as his nephew snuggled closer and closer into her, giggling every time Claire cheered for him on the screen. When he was able to tear his eyes away from them, he looked up to see Jenny beaming at them as well. She looked up, and their eyes met over Claire’s head, and Jenny’s smile widened.

It struck Jamie that of course his wee nephew would feel left out with all this talk about Faith, and he was far too young to understand that her achievements were all the more special because of her disability. So naturally he would feel like nobody cared as much about him as they did about Faith. And it was just so like Claire to notice that, and to take the initiative to make him feel included, make him feel special.

“Oh! What a save!” Claire exclaimed, and little Jamie laughed. Apparently he’d been playing goalie that day, and had actually managed to toe away the ball that was headed at him at about half a mile an hour. “You saved the whole game!”

Jenny flicked her eyes back to the screen. “Aye, that’s one of my favorites.” She ruffled her son’s hair, and Claire smiled at her. Jenny glanced up at Jamie once more, and she winked at him. In that moment, Jamie heard her loud and clear.

She's a keeper, brother.

Before long, dinner was served. When Claire complimented the ham, both Jamie and Jenny answered with thanks, and Jamie shot Jenny a look.

“Just because you put it in the oven doesna take away the marinating and seasoning I did.”

Claire just laughed, shaking her head at the two of them. “I can’t imagine what it was like to have raised those two,” she said, leaning over to Brian.

“Aye, ye’ve no idea.” They shared a laugh like lifelong friends cracking an inside joke, and Jamie had to laugh, too.

Could she have fit in any more perfectly?

After dinner was present time. Wee Jamie was bouncing off the walls nearly as bad as Faith. The kids of course went first, and Jamie made sure to emphasize that his nephew’s gift was from him and Claire both. She had helped him pick it and they split the cost. It was a wooden train set, complete with curves and ups and downs and Thomas and a few friends. Jenny chided both of them for buying something so expensive, but Claire waved it off.

“It’s from both of us,” Claire insisted. “And look how happy he is.”

“Thank you, Uncle! Thank you, Auntie!”

Jamie’s stomach flipped. “Lad—”

“You’re very welcome,” Claire interrupted, accepting the crushing embrace he was squeezing around her legs. “I’m so glad you love it.”

“Aye, you’re welcome, lad. But—”

“No, Jamie, he can call me that. It’s okay.” Claire said quickly. “If that’s how it makes sense to him, then I don’t see why not.”

He looked back and forth between the lad’s shining face and Claire’s flushed cheeks, then up at Jenny, who shrugged with a smirk.

“Aye. That’s…that’s fine.”

By the time Jamie’s head stopped spinning, Faith was already halfway finished tearing open the first box that she’d reached for. It was a horse for a barbie doll to accompany the rest of the gift in another box. Wee Jamie tore open the gift from his grandda while Faith reached for the other box, and Jamie watched with bated breath, knowing exactly what was inside. Claire crouched down next to her daughter, cheering on Faith’s paper tearing excitedly.

“Oh, Faithie, look!”

Jamie met Jenny’s eye; she looked nervous.

“It’s a barbie with a dog, and he looks just like Angus!” Claire opened her mouth to keep talking, but her breath caught in her throat, and her fingertips rested tentatively on the fabric taped to the plastic of the box, right over the dog inside. Her mouth hung open, and she looked up at Jenny, her eyes glistening.

“Where…did you get this…?”

“I made it,” Jenny said sheepishly.

Claire’s mouth fell open wider, and she blinked rapidly. Faith, completely oblivious to her mother’s emotion, thrust both boxes toward her, demanding they be opened. Jamie stepped in to help, having already grabbed the scissors in anticipation of this request. He sat down next to Claire and put his hand on her knee.

“I sent her a picture of Angus,” Jamie explained, poking the fabric on the box. “And Jen hunted down a small enough print, made a pattern, everything.”

Jamie freed the plastic dog first and untaped Jenny’s creation, then slipped it on.

“Look, Faith, see?” Faith took it in her hands eagerly. “Now he’s just like Angus.”

Barbie’s dog now proudly wore a rainbow, puzzle piece-patterned vest that read, in tiny, carefully stitched lettering: “Autism Service Dog.”

“See, lass?” Jenny chimed in, kneeling in front of Faith. “This barbie is just like you.”

Jamie’s heart was fit to burst as Faith flapped her hands with glee, and Claire half laughed, half sobbed beside him.

“Jenny…” Claire croaked. “This is…beyond…” She sniffled and swallowed, quickly swiping tears off her cheeks with the sleeve of her sweater.

“Every wee lass deserves to see herself in Barbie,” Jenny said it like she was reciting a cheesy toy advertisement on the tellie, but Jamie could see the emotion behind her eyes.

Claire leaned forward and threw her arms around Jenny, and she squeezed right back.

“That means…so much to me. More than I can ever say.”

“You’re very welcome, Claire. So very welcome.”

Jamie felt tears pricking his own eyes, and might have succumbed to them if Faith hadn’t been moaning impatiently about freeing her doll and its horse from their confines.

Jamie’s girls pulled away from one another, each smiling wetly.

“If my son can call ye Auntie, d’ye think it’s alright if I call ye Sister?”

Claire’s smile grew impossibly wider, and she nodded. “I would be absolutely honored.”

And suddenly, for Jamie, every single thing was right in the world.

128 notes · View notes

newyoungjustice · 4 years ago

Text

Happy Mother’s Day if you celebrate!! Here’s some headcannons about all of the awesome moms of the NYJ kids:

Lois

Lois always would read Jon whatever she was working on when he was little, and still will occasionally.

While only one of her children is biologically hers, they all consider her their mom and love her so much

She and Clark have taken each of them (individually and as a group) to the daily planet. All of their coworkers love the kids

All of the Kent kids can cook, so every mother’s day all of them make her breakfast together (with Clark’s help when they’re little)

Linda

Despite being the only non-speedster in their family, she 100% can keep up with the rest of them in just about everything but running speed.

She likes to tell the twins stories about whatever she’s reporting on.

Linda is very good at doing hair, so since Irey’s is so long she’ll always style it for her.

Jai looks exactly like his mom.

Linda does not let anyone talk bad about her kids and will throw hands the second someone does.

Jade

So Jade isn’t always around, but Lian still really loves her even if she isn’t the most present in her life.

When she’s around, she likes to take Lian out to this diner they both like and she lets her stay up late and eat whatever she wants

She also taught Lian some fighting skills and knife skills too.

Lian doesn’t always know where her mom is, but she tries to write her a card every mother’s day even though it hurts her a lot to do it.

Selina (bonus mom)

She has been a pretty active part of Damian’s life since he was 10

She was very nice and let him open up to her at his own pace

She also taught him all sorts of fun tricks to use in the field.

He made her a card the first mother’s day he was with Bruce, she loved it so much.

Selena likes to take Damian to the zoo, especially when he first got here it was a really good way for them to bond.

Bianca

She was very hesitant about letting Milagro and Jamie go out in the field, but has come around on it now that both her kids are heroes.

They have family game night or movie night every week.

Milagro is a really good gift giver and always gets her something really sweet and personal.

and note while not everyone on NYJ has a mom, all of the parents serve as surrogate parents to the ones who don’t have their own family and love them so much💓

#lois lane #linda park #bianca reyes #selina kyle #jade nguyen #lian harper #irey west #jai west #jon kent #chris kent #conner kent #kathy branden #milagro reyes #jamie reyes

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scapegrace74-blog · 4 years ago

Text

Wolf Like Me

A/N So there I was, all ready to keep working on my new historical AU, when Metric Jamie and Claire barged into my brain and started making demands. I’d been neglecting them, they said. I hardly ever let them indulge in smut, they said. I could only go back to writing the AU once I gave them their due. The things I do for these two loons, man...

The title song is by TV on the Radio and doesn’t have much to do with the subject matter, except for one line which has always made me... *pulls at imaginary collar*

The entire Metric Universe, now chronologically ordered, can be found here. I’m placing this new installment between Ceremonies and Lazy Dancer, so sometime during the first month or so of their physical relationship.

The light filtering into their compact kitchen was diffuse, watery and dull as the weather outside. He went through the motions of preparing coffee, despite the fact he wasn’t working until later in the afternoon. By all rights, he should be sound asleep. His aching body had lifted him from the shoals of sleep and his weighty thoughts had kept him grounded there.

Carrying his mug and a reheated meat pasty over to the sofa, he lowered himself gingerly to the cushions. He had been ridden hard and put away wet, he mused. On the surface, this wasn’t a disagreeable state, but very little about his budding relationship with Claire could be safely interpreted on its surface.

As though summoned by his thoughts, his one-time roommate and seemingly voracious lover emerged from his room and padded down the hallway to the bathroom. She looked like a cross between an albino gazelle and a harried hedgehog. Even in his current mood, he couldn’t help but smile fondly. His love for this woman was monumental, rooted deep in his soul and reaching out to span the horizons of his life. He only had to find a way to keep it, and her, from killing him. Piece of cake.

Frazzled hair now somewhat tamed, Claire settled gracefully next to him with her own coffee, near-translucent eyelids lowering in bliss as she took her first sip. He wondered if she could sense to waves of tension that emanated from his skin like heat from a sunbaked street.

“So,” she murmured at last, “last night was pretty wild, huh?”

Right topic, wrong interpretation. Still, she had brought it up, and that was the best opening he could hope for.

“Mmhmm,” he replied non-committedly.

“I thought I might have to hook you up to a saline I.V. there at the end. What was that, four times?” She grinned slyly at him from over the rim of her mug.

“Three,” he corrected, although he couldn’t fault her observations. His balls were still tender.

Finally reading his mood, Claire placed her mug down deliberately on the table. She turned to face him, eyes narrowed in scrutiny.

“Don’t overdo the accolades on my account. Jesus, Jamie, you’d think I ruined your favourite rugby jersey, not rocked your world in bed. Are you mad about the handcuffs?”

Despite everything, his cock twitched in his shorts at Claire’s mention of last night’s foray into light bondage: his, not hers. While not a kink he’d explored before, his reaction has been far from disinterested. No, he wasn’t mad about the handcuffs.

“Ye seem verra keen tae discuss my opinion o’ last night, Sassenach. What I’d like tae ken is did ye like it?”

Spluttering, Claire ran her hands nervously through her hair. He watched her carefully as she tried to navigate towards an acceptable answer. It was a delicate operation he was undertaking. He would need all of Claire’s surgical dexterity to broach the topic without cutting through the tender tissue of her perfectionism.

“What a ridiculous question, Jamie!” she finally said. “I’m pretty certain our neighbours needed a cigarette by the time I was done.” Collecting her still half-full mug, she made to rise. He held her in place with a palm across her thigh. Beneath his touch, her muscles were twitching.

“Aye, but were ye?”

“Was I wot?” Her eyes were fixed on the kitchen, as though longing for escape.

“Were ye done?” He spoke slowly, softly, tiptoeing into a minefield.

“Jamie...” she chuckled nervously.

“I want tae say somethin’ to ye, Sassenach, and I dinna want ye tae take it fer criticism...”

“Jamie,” she repeated, this time in a warning tone.

“Nah, ye need tae hear this, Claire. I love ye, as ye ken well. I love everything about ye, even the annoying bits. An’ because I love ye, nothing makes me happier than tae see ye well pleased and tae ken twas I who brought ye that pleasure. Do ye understand my meaning?”

Enormously wet eyes stared at him, a furrow between her arched brows as though she was working through a riddle. At last, she nodded in acknowledgement.

“I’m no’ daft, Claire, nor am I sae blinded by lust that I canna see that ofttimes, when we lie t’gether, yer enthusiasm can be a wee bit.... what’s the word? The one the Millennials throw about when a thing is designed for somebody else’s consumption?”

“Performative,” said in a bleak voice.

“Aye, performative. And while it’s a dream come true tae bed you, t’would be a million times better if I kent ye were taking yer bliss for yerself, an’ no’ giving it tae me like some sort of gift ye dinna deserve.”

He paused, trying to read whether his words had found their mark or if she was about to pack her bags and tell him to go to hell. He wasn’t exaggerating. Sex with Claire was infinitely better than any other sex in his life. And while he didn’t have some vast experience of women, he’d been with enough to know when Claire’s enthusiasm was feigned. She wanted him, of that he was certain, but she’d never learned to take. It would be the rarest privilege to be the one to show her, if only she would let him in. He could teach her tricks that would blow her mind.

***

“I feel foolish.”

“Whatever for, mo nighean donn?”

They were lying in his rumpled sheets, still fragrant with the previous night’s debauchery. Rather than tear him a new asshole for his audacity, to his everlasting surprise Claire had crumpled into his side with a breathy sob. He had carried her back to his room like a bridegroom. There, with tender lips and winnowing fingers, he had eased her into a rare moment of emotional vulnerability.

“I’m studying to be a doctor, for Christ’s sake. And I’m hardly a blushing virgin...”

He gritted his teeth, trying to avoid thinking of the selfish men that came before him. They weren’t here now, holding this fierce but complicated woman in their arms, her maple eyes and molasses hair spilling all over him. He wasn’t her first lover, but god willing, he would be her last.

“Ye’re a giver, Sassenach. It’s who ye are, down to yer core. Tis hardly yer fault ye were never taught that pleasure is the gift that gives.”

“Will you? Teach me?”

A shiver ran the length of his spine, lighting his nerves like sparklers. Even after the night they’d just spent, blood flooded to his cock like a bruise. He’d have to be dead to not rouse at such a request from this woman.

“Aye, mo ghradh. It would be my pleasure.” And he meant it.

Rather than immediately strip naked, they spent a good deal of time kissing and petting, their clothed hips settling into an easy grind. Everywhere he sampled, she was sweet and salty, sour and bitter, a smorgasbord for his tongue and his mind. It was this variety, this seemingly endless combination of textures and moods, that captivated him. He was certain he would never tire of her.

As things grew more heated, Claire tried to roll him on top of her, but he resisted.

“No, a nighean. Like this.” He pulled her on top of him until the bulge in his underwear lined up with the furrow in hers.

“Jamie!” she laughed, pulling her hair back from her eyes.

“Makes me feel like a randy lad of fifteen all over again,” he teased. “Ye make me sae hard, Claire.”

She gasped, and he watched in fascination as her pelvis shifted from a steady rock to a deliberate, searching circle. There was a distinct stain of moisture on the pale blue fabric of her knickers, but he couldn’t say if it came from him or her. Both of them, most likely.

“Sae hard,” he continued in a low murmur that shook with restraint, “tae see ye take what ye need from me.”

A high pitched whine indicated his partner was growing frustrated by the ongoing torture of their almost-contact.

“Please, Jamie,” she begged.

“What is it ye want, Sassenach?”

A flash of spitfire defiance met his teasing question.

“Your cock.” The click and suck of her pretty mouth spilling such filth was nearly his undoing. Perhaps it was for the best that she’d nearly drained him dry only eight hours before.

“Then ye better take it, aye?”

Faster than he could have imagined, Claire dragged his boxer-briefs down past his ankles and shed her own knickers. With the sigh of a nomad reaching an oasis in the desert, she sunk down on his length in a single, long draught. She was so wet it oozed down to where his balls where already drawn up tight against his base. Clenching his eyes tight, he counted slowly to ten.

“Now what?” she breathed, seemingly as stunned as he felt.

“Now ye move until ye find the place where it all clicks,” he offered with a flex of his groin.

“What about you?”

“Christ, Sassenach, can ye not feel me throbbing like a bloody split lip inside of ye? Don’t spare a thought for me. This is for you.”

She let out a curious hum and twisted her hips this way and that, rolling him against her inner musculature. A slight arch of her fluted spine. A counter-clockwise roll. A series of rhythmic pulses, and then she found exactly what she was looking for.

“Oh.” It was the exclamation of a prophet, having glimpsed the divine. That of a pilgrim, having reached the mountain top. It wasn’t like him to mingle the sacred and the profane, but the look on Claire’s face was nothing short of holy rapture.

“That’s it,” he encouraged, clawing at the bed clothing to avoid grabbing her and pounding to his own rhythm.

“Oh! Jamie. Oh!”

“Tell me, Claire. Tell me,” he begged, desperate for something, anything, to hold onto on the sheer cliff of madness that suddenly yawned before him.

“I’m... I’m fucking you, Jamie,” she whispered, like it was a secret kept in a locked diary.

“Aye, ye are, a nighean. Dinna stop. Dinna stop, Claire.”

Wispy noises and half-formed words began to slip from her mouth. These weren’t the orchestrated moans and cries of the night before, and they aroused him a hundredfold more. If he had to guess, she wasn’t even aware she was making them.

“Can’t...” she breathed after endless moments, neck straining as she titled her chin skywards, slim hands coming to rest on his chest.

“Aye, ye can,” he urged, though he doubted she heard him.

What only minutes before had looked like budding ecstasy was quickly turning to frustration as her head began to thrash from side to side, whipping her hair across her cheeks.

“Can’tcan’tcan’t,” she chanted almost to herself.

She was teetering on the knife edge between heaven and hell, that much was clear. Half mad with agonized bliss himself, he sought frantically through the atlas of her labyrinthine mind, searching up dark hallways and around blind corners for an answer that would help release her from her self-made snare.

“Take what ye need, Claire,” he panted, offering himself up to be consumed. Then, gambling boldly, he added “Be a good girl an’ take it.”

He knew she’d heard him by her sudden stillness. He held his breath. There was a tremor that started where he was buried inside of her and spread across her surface like wind across a pond, given voice as a rapturous sigh when it reached her face.

She began to move again, a pinched look of determination on her beatific face. A set of dainty fingers sank to where their flesh met, so wet that it burned, bursting full and yet cavernously empty, begging to be drowned. He couldn’t look away, curling up on his spine for a better view, slack-jawed and mesmerized by her practiced movements.

“I’m... I’m... oh my god, Jamie, I’m going to...”

He couldn’t have stopped himself then for all the money in the world. Teeth set, eyes fixed on nothingness, he spun away from gravity just as she let out an otherworldly howl and bore down on him like a wolf ravishing a lamb. Lava rushed down his veins and through his cock in bolts of heat, the whipcrack of release shimmering like electricity across his skin.

Claire folded down over his chest, her arms crossed over her head like she waiting for a bomb to drop from the sky. She still rode him languidly, wrenching ever last drop of pleasure he had to give. Her shoulders shook in some strange cocktail of gasping, laughing and sobbing. At long last, she was still. She had yet to meet his eyes, and he felt unaccountably nervous.

Pushing strands of hair away from where they had stuck to her face, she rested her chin in her stacked hands. Her face was equal parts awestruck and adoring, and he allowed his tense muscles to relax. Seemingly at a loss for words, she placed a lingering kiss on his sternum and rested her cheek once again on her hands, exhaling deeply.

“Sassenach?” he asked, once his breathing was once again under his control.

“Hmmm?”

“I ken ye were only kidding about the I.V., but...”

#my writing #outlander

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angelicamerlinbarnes · 4 years ago

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A detailed list of shit the Marauders reveal when they down Veritaserum-spiked drinks (yes, it is all Sirius’ fault)

Sirius 1. The true horrors his family have inflicted on him

RESULT: James and Remus get so angry they turn slightly murderous, Mcgonogall and Dumbledore are informed, Mcgonogall adopts Sirius and Regulus for the time being while James arranges things with his parents (from then on, “Minnie” sounds more like “Mom”, so Mcgonogall lets him call her that. Even in class).

2. His love for Remus

RESULT: Nothing. He and Remus have been together since they were thirteen. There’s just a lot of blushing and giggling and things that James would rather have never seen.

3. How much he cares about Regulus

RESULT: Regulus starts to sit with the Marauders at lunch. Sirius will randomly grab his hand while they’re walking around. There’s a lot more affection and sweetness between the two of them now.

4. How much he fucking adores James (“I think you’re my soulmate, Jamie, you know that? Not like the lovey-dovey romancey kind, because yuck and also Remus Lupin exists, Jamie, and have you seen him, but Jamie, I - fuck, I just love you so much -” and James just blushes and beams super wide)

RESULT: James and Sirius start to refer to each other as “soulmate” as well as “best friend” and “brother”, including to casual strangers. To assure Remus of how much he loves him though, Sirius makes sure to call Remus “the love of my life” and “my only one” and “the moon to my stars” and “Moony, my love” and other mushy-gushy bullshit we don’t have time for right now.

5. How he thinks he’s a terrible person in every sense of the word

RESULT: Remus, James, and Peter start to make a list of everything they love about him in a notebook. Every time someone, anyone, says something they like about Sirius, the Marauders force them to write it down and sign their name. When the notebook is full, they wrap it up and give it to him for Christmas. He’s already on the verge of tears, and then they show him the new one they got a week ago that’s already half full, and he starts bawling so hard he can’t breathe.

Remus

1. All of his anger at the world

RESULT: Severus may or may not have started an impromptu class strike with every Hogwarts student who wasn’t a Death Eater in support of werewolf rights. James and Sirius may or may not have barricaded the school from the Ministry officials who came to shut it down. Peter, Lily, and Regulus may or may not have collected petitions from wizards and witches all over the world in support of werewolf rights. And the Ministry definitely changed the laws.

2. Just how much he loves Sirius even if he’s constantly afraid to show it

RESULT: Sirius and Remus eloped in sixth year without telling anyone. When James finds out he loses his shit at not being there to be their best man. Sirius starts responding to all of the people who ask him out with “Sorry, I’m a married man” and signs all of his school assignments Sirius Lupin. It drives Mcgonogall nuts. Remus sneaks out for months to arrange them a makeshift wedding on the grounds. This involves decorating trees and making them all flowercrowns and creating veils and dresses for both of them. Sirius cries when he sees it. They get married at midnight, with Severus officiating and James and Regulus standing as Sirius’ groomspeople and Lily and Peter as Remus’. Dumbledore and Mcgonogall are their witnesses. It’s gay and it’s beautiful.

3. How much he hates himself

RESULT: They all work on complimenting him more. Though they assure him they love his scars and his body exactly as they are, Sirius and Lily offer to teach Remus how to do makeup to cover them up. Peter learns how to keep his hands steady so he can paint Remus’ nails because he knows it makes him feel beautiful. Regulus learns the best Muggle clothing shops from Amir and James smuggles Remus out to shop there and buys him whatever he wants. Severus keeps creating spells and potions and researching old texts until he finds a way to cure lycanthropy.

4. How he’s sort of casually suicidal because he just keeps asking himself what there is to live for

RESULT: They clear their dorm of anything he can hurt himself with. They’re extra protective leading up to, during, and following the full moon. And they remind him every day that they love him. Every day.

5. How ugly he thinks he is and how beautiful he thinks Sirius is

RESULT: This is really up to Sirius to fix. It’s a lot of kissing Remus’ scars and casually referring to him as beautiful (“How are you today, beautiful?”). And Sirius makes Remus mixtapes. Hundreds of songs reminding him how beautiful he is in Sirius’ eyes. It doesn’t work. Remus still doesn’t think he’s beautiful. But he knows Sirius thinks he is, and for now, that is going to have to be enough.

6. How he doesn’t think he deserves to be a Marauder or have Sirius’ love

RESULT: They try to include him more. They make sure to tell him how brilliant his plans and ideas are. They know that when it comes to his self-esteem, there’s not much they can do. But they try. They try so, so hard.

7. His gigantic inferiority complex

RESULT: You’d think it would be something sweet, but they just yell at him any time he makes a self-deprecating comment. Sometimes Sirius angry-kisses him. Somehow this works. (They also force him to have tea therapy with Mcgonogall.)

James

1. How guilty he feels for not having to go through all the shit his friends do

RESULT: Well, for awhile they try to stop telling him about their problems, but that only makes it worse. So they settle for buying him thank you presents, except they’re all things that only the giver likes. He asks what the fuck he’s supposed to do with that Queen record Sirius wanted, sixteen bars of Remus’ favorite chocolate, and that glittery hair bow Peter wanted. They smile and tell him that they know helping them makes him feel better and that his wealth makes him feel like shit, so they’ve resolved to drain his pockets by buying gifts for themselves. James laughs so hard he can’t breathe as they all tackle him onto his bed and cuddle him for hours. (They buy him real thank you presents too. Just, y’know, all with James’ own money.)

2. His hurt feelings at Lily’s constant rejections

RESULT: Lily blurts that she hates how he flirts with her but she doesn’t hate him, she actually quite loves him really, and James’ eyes go squinty with hurt and then widen with stars and they just kind of stare at each other and blush in stunned silence until Severus blurts, “Just kiss already, why don’t you?” And they both whip towards him and he turns crimson. (This is where Sirius starts laughing.)

3. How he actually thinks Lily and Severus are really good for each other

RESULT: In response to Severus’ remark, James confesses to having not made an actual move because he truly believes that Lily and Severus are better for each other than he could be for either of them. Lily smiles slightly and Severus’ mouth drops open as he gasps, “Either of us?” James’ face burns. (This is where Remus loses it.)

4. How he doesn’t actually hate Severus, he just hates how much he wants to kiss his stupid perfect mouth

RESULT: James then fucks up further by spilling out his guts about how much he wants to kiss Severus. Severus’ eyes get so wide they worry they might pop out of his head. He reaches out and tugs James by the tie into a filthy kiss. Lily squeaks. James faints. Severus panics. (This is where Peter collapses on the floor next to Sirius and Remus in uncontrollable laughter.)

5. How he misses pranking but feels like he’s more hated for it than he is revered

RESULT: Sirius, Remus, and Peter help him come up with pranks that are fun but don’t hurt or inconvenience people too much. Severus helps add safeguards, Regulus finds targets for them, and Lily encourages them and tells James over and over that she enjoys a good bit of fun.

Lily: It should involve glitter.

James: That doesn’t even make sense -

Sirius: Shut the fuck up James, we’re using glitter.

6. How much he wants to be a good person but feels like his friends are so much better than him

RESULT: They tell him what a good friend he is as often as they can. They try to remind him of all the things he does for them and how they’d be nothing without him. He doesn’t quite believe it, but it’s still nice.

7. How he feels like he’s not doing enough to help the people around him

RESULT: They make written lists of the things he’s done for them and tape them to the bathroom mirror. (Like any melodramatic teenager, James’ breakdowns take place while gripping the sink and staring in the mirror while questioning your every life decision.) They sometimes lock him in there until he reads the whole list out loud. (When they let him out Sirius hugs him so hard he struggles to move or breathe.)

8. How he’s pretty sure he’s gonna die before all of them and he’s way more okay with that than he should be

RESULT: Remus forces him to learn even more defense spells outside of class. Sirius and Regulus teach him hand-to-hand combat. Lily and Severus make it their priority to give James reasons to enjoy life. And Peter is the one tasked with noticing when James’ mood dips and swings.

9. His repression of his bisexuality

RESULT: Remus forces him to talk for ten minutes a day about being bisexual. Sirius makes them all I LOVE MY BISEXUAL BROTHER shirts that they wear every weekend (James’ says I’M THE BISEXUAL BROTHER. Severus and Lily’s say I LOVE MY BISEXUAL BOYFRIEND. James has a matching one that says I’M THE BISEXUAL BOYFRIEND. Those get made after James is way more comfortable with who he is.) Peter will nudge James’ side every time a boy he thinks is cute walks by, and James learns to do the same in return. They tease him and love him and Sirius kisses his cheek all the time, and life is good.

10. How the happiest day of his life was when all four of the Marauders wore skirts and he felt so comfortable in his own skin and so happy and so ashamed

RESULT: Sirius starts wearing skirts to class every day. Remus wears summer dresses. Peter wears tutus. James is still hesitant, but then Severus shows up at breakfast in a soft skirt and smiles as he kisses James’ cheek and James runs upstairs and changes before his first class. Regulus tells him, “You look beautiful, Jamie,” and James throws his arms around his neck and holds on tight even as Regulus huffs in fake annoyance.

Severus

1. How he internalizes every insult the Marauders throw at him

RESULT: They stop insulting him. And apologize for every single one they’ve ever thrown his way. (And Severus is treated to the first of many hugs from Sirius and Remus - they’re the best huggers in all of the Marauders.)

2. How he used to be proud of being a Slytherin but because of them now hates himself for it

RESULT: James, Regulus, and Sirius arrange a House Pride day. It encourages interHouse mingling and everyone is decked out in their House colors. A lot of friends are made, and plenty of long-lasting relationships too. Dumbledore thinks it’s such a great idea that he makes it an annual tradition.

3. How terrified he is of the impending war

RESULT: There’s not much that can be done. But they start having family movie nights to distract themselves. Cuddle piles are common and welcome.

4. How jealous he is of Sirius and Regulus for having somewhere to go when their home life is too unbearable

RESULT: Naturally, James adopts him immediately. And Sirius and Regulus do their damndest to be his brothers. The nightmares are still there, but the causes for them are not. (Also, Severus, Sirius, and Regulus get the help of Mcgonogall and Dumbledore to create a safe haven for the kids of abusive pureblood families. It takes awhile for the secrets to come out and the pride to fall, but eventually this place is home to Narcissa, Andromeda, Lucius, Bellatrix, and quite a few others. To all of their surprise, there are multiple kids from every House in the haven (dubbed “Love Haven” as a parody of the pureist institutions called “Blood Havens”). It doesn’t excuse their behavior, but it gives them reasons to change for the better.)

5. How much he hates James for stealing his only friend and how much he hates himself for losing her and how much he loves, loves, loves James Potter despite all his efforts not to

RESULT: A lot of long, drawn out, uncomfortable conversations between James, Lily, and Severus. Even after they’re together, their insecurities get in the way. Luckily, the good times make up for the bad ones.

6. How he’s known Remus’ secret since first year and never once thought to tell

RESULT: Sirius loves him. Like, really loves him. Severus is treated to so many Sirius hugs he starts to forget what it was like before they started hugging. And Remus and Severus build themselves an unlikely friendship, one that mostly involves them sitting next to each other while reading and occasionally leaning their heads on each other’s shoulders. And Severus becomes one of the people Remus Lupin reaches for when werewolves are brought up in class. He finds, surprisingly, that holding Remus Lupin’s hand is something he just never quite wants to stop doing.

7. How the Slytherins the Marauders think are his “cronies” are actually his bullies that follow him around everywhere

RESULT: When Severus goes to class the next day, the cronies don’t look at him. They don’t speak to him. They don’t touch him. Severus asks all of the Marauders in increasingly urgent tones what they did, but they won’t say. In the end, all Severus knows is that he will never be mistreated again. Not while they’re alive.

8. How much he cares about Regulus

RESULT: Regulus will slip his hand into Severus’ a lot. They refer to each other as brothers to total strangers. In a group of Gryffindors, it’s nice to have a fellow Slytherin around to talk to. As much as they love their friends, there are just some things those headstrong Gryffindors will never understand.

9. How he feels like a freak for his asexuality

RESULT: Dumbledore opens a sex ed class at Hogwarts. (As part of his punishment for, ya know, the genocide, Grindelwald is forced to teach it. He and Dumbledore make eyes at each other the whole time, which makes Sirius and James gag and Remus and Peter laugh.) The class explores sexuality, including asexuality, and there are open discussions. Dumbledore authorizes an annual Pride at Severus and Remus’ request. There’s a lot of cake and glitter and hugs. The world is all the better for it, and they are all the happier for it.

Lily

1. How guilty she feels for loving James when she promised Severus she would only ever love him

RESULT: More awkward conversations for the three of them. And a lot of kisses, hand holding, hugs, and other assorted variations of affection between Lily and Severus.

2. How wholly and purely she loves Severus, no matter what James or anyone else says or thinks

RESULT: They apologize to Lily as well as Severus for all their remarks against him. James touches Lily’s shoulder and tells her she couldn’t have picked a better person to love, not even him, and she smiles. And James creates an organization to combat anti-Slytherin bias, which includes a lot of talking to first years and helping them be proud of who they are. Lily is at every meeting, holding tightly to Severus’ hand as she breathes in deep and blinks back happy tears. And whenever James catches her eyes, she smiles. Wide and big.

3. How she feels when James flirts with her like she’s a prize to be won rather than a human

RESULT: James apologizes. A lot. Like, more than is honestly necessary. But he also tries to amend his ways. He treats her like a person from then on; he treats the people she loves like people. He’s careful not to touch her unless she asks for it or invites him to. And she learns to trust him, that he doesn’t always mean the shitty things he says. The day she first kisses him is the day she finds out he’s asked every single girl in their year how to respectfully flirt with someone, respect boundaries, and remain unthreatening in a conversation.

4. How much she struggles with being a witch because of what her family and classmates think of her

RESULT: The Marauders work to better their classmates and professors’ minds by speaking out against pureist slurs and encouraging her to stand up for herself. And her last summer before graduating, they all travel home with her to her family and give them a talking to. (It doesn’t quite work, but, well. She has a new family now. One she chose. One she likes much, much better than her old one.)

5. How she’s never really felt like much of a girl (FTM Lily)

RESULT: Regulus helps Lily, since he’s trans, with ways to battle dysphoria and feel better about his appearance. James, Sirius, and Remus help correct people when they use the wrong pronouns, and encourage Lily by calling him “dude” and “bro” and whatever other masculine nicknames they can come up with. Peter talks to Dumbledore and Mcgonogall about all of the needed steps that should be taken to ensure Lily’s safety and comfort, and Severus buys him too many clothes and tells him he’s beautiful and helps him search for names until Lily decides he wants to keep his original one. And they all tell him how proud they are of him every day. (They also buy him a trans flag, along with every other pride flag needed for their group, and a couple hundred mini ones for every other queer student. Lily leads the school’s GSA, though it was founded by Remus and Sirius. And James smuggles them all out to Muggle Pride.)

Peter

1. How left out he feels all the time

RESULT: James, Sirius, and Remus are sure to include him in their antics. They ask him his opinion on things and let him make the plans some days. And they hug him more. There are lots and lots of group hugs.

2. How he constantly wonders if they would notice or care if he disappeared

RESULT: The seven of them start to play Hide and Seek every week around the castle. And they don’t stop until they find everyone, including Peter. It’s stupid, but it proves to Peter that even in the context of a children’s game he’s important. (He feels even better when he’s found first.)

3. How he doesn’t think they would go to the same lengths for him as they would for each other

RESULT: They hope they never end up in a situation where they have to prove this to him, but. In the meantime, they tell him how much they love and appreciate him. They do what they can for him. And they try to make things more equal between the four of them, even if that just means splitting a chocolate bar into equal pieces.

4. How he thinks he might be bi but he also thinks it doesn’t matter because nobody will ever love him, right?

RESULT: Remus actually throws a fit at this. He shouts for nearly twenty minutes about how if a werewolf like him can be loved, and he is, he knows he is, then Peter can be loved. Sirius then starts shouting at Remus, because he hates when Remus refers to himself as less than human. Their fight eventually devolves into a very fierce makeout session, at which James rolls his eyes and envelopes Peter in a hug, telling him that they love him no matter what and one day someone else is going to too. Then he grins and takes Peter’s hand, pulling him out of the dorm (as Sirius and Remus collapse on a bed that is probably not either of theirs) and down the halls to the Great Hall, where their other three friends are waiting with grins. A Hufflepuff punk looks up at Peter and smiles, and Peter’s heart lights itself on fire.

5. How much he actually cares about that nonbinary Hufflepuff Maxwell

RESULT: A nonbinary Hufflepuff named Maxwell Needles, a transfer student from Beauxbatons, is the object of Peter’s affections. The other Marauders tease Peter endlessly for his crush on the Hufflepuff, but also encourage him, and Remus and Sirius do recon work to see if Max will make a worthy Marauder, should they like Peter back. After watching them undo an entire Potions lesson in plain sight and not get caught, they decide that yes, Max is good enough for Peter. Eventually Peter works up the courage to ask Max out, and they grin at him and pull him in for a quick kiss by the tie, whispering their assent against his lips before pulling back and fluttering away, though they leave a trail of magical butterflies in their wake that follow Peter around the whole rest of the day. (Peter and Max have conversations while Max carries Peter around piggyback style.)

6. How stupid he feels compared to all of them

RESULT: They help him study, but are sure to compliment him every time he does something well. And they assure him he’s not stupid - he’s just smart in other areas. Besides, Remus notes dryly, a person as intelligent as Maxwell Needles would never love him if he weren’t at least interesting.

7. How sometimes he’s thought about joining You-Know-Who because at least then maybe they would finally see him as something other than their tag-along laughing stock

RESULT: They assure him of his worth, and they make him promise to tell them every time he thinks about giving in to the Dark. They know there’s very little they can do if he chooses to become a Death Eater, so they do all they can before it’s too late. (And they all live to be grey and old, so it must have worked.)

Regulus

1. How much he looks up to Sirius

RESULT: Sirius bursts into tears and pulls Regulus into his arms. They hold each other and whisper in each other’s ears with their eyes closed as they sway until finally Sirius pulls away and cups Regulus’ face in his hands, smiling through the tears and kissing his forehead hard before whispering, “I love you.” Regulus smiles and returns the sentiment. The two are inseparable afterwards. They hold hands a lot, their fingers woven together during classes, and so it’s no surprise when less than a week after Sirius Black becomes Sirius Lupin, Regulus Black becomes Regulus Lupin.

2. How he thought he was going to die when Sirius left him at Grimmauld Place

RESULT: Sirius tears up and pulls him close, cradling his crying baby brother against his chest as he whispers, “Come home with me. I’m sorry. Come home with me. I’ll never let them hurt you again. I’ll never let anyone hurt you ever again.”

3. How much he genuinely adores Remus

RESULT: Remus gives Regulus his last name without hesitation. He takes on a motherly role towards Regulus, often holding his hand and kissing his forehead. Regulus takes to occasionally calling him “Mum”, which Remus doesn’t mind in the slightest. When Regulus becomes an Animagus, his cat will sit on Remus’ lap for hours, letting him brush his fingers through his fur without pause as he sleeps. Regulus introduces Remus to strangers not as his brother-in-law, but simply as his brother, and Remus loves him. (And Sirius adores how close his brother and husband are. He’s not sure what he’d do if they didn’t love each other.)

4. The existence of Amir and Regulus’ shame for loving him

RESULT: The Marauders visit Amir (a Muggle librarian) with Regulus to assess whether he’s a good person (he is). They create an organization at Hogwarts that helps Muggleborn and half-blood kids, as well as anyone else who wishes to join, with Muggle-magic relationships. They, but especially Lily and Regulus, work hard to better Muggle-magic relations long after graduating Hogwarts.

5. Being born a girl and being a boy but also just a person (he/they)

RESULT: They take care with his pronouns. Sirius screams at their parents (and willing takes the Cruciatus Curse) any time they call Regulus “Regina” or their “daughter” or “she” or “her”. Similarly, James is fiercely protective of him at school, helping him stand up for himself when people get it wrong. And Remus, sweet sweet Remus, helps him dress in whichever way makes him most comfortable and brushes his hair while humming lullabies.

6. Thinking Sirius looks beautiful in a skirt

RESULT: Sirius starts crying, but they’re happy tears. And he smiles for days afterwards. So any time Sirius wears a skirt, Regulus goes out of his way to tell him how beautiful he looks. (Both brothers know how much the other struggles with the whole concept of loving yourself, but Regulus knows that Sirius often struggles with it more than he does.)

7. Being happiest when he’s hanging out with the Marauders and James throws an arm around his shoulders

RESULT: Regulus grows to be incredibly close to James. While at first he worries about intruding on James and Sirius’ friendship or James’ hospitality when he comes to live with them, his worries are soon forgotten when James starts treating him like another brother. James has a casual affection with him that Regulus loves, like when he’ll throw an arm around his shoulders or take his hand or kiss his cheek. After growing up in such an abusive family, physical affection is everything to Regulus (and Sirius, though he never says it).

8. How much he likes Severus and holding his hand and just simply being his friend

RESULT: Severus holds his hand like all the time. They’re each other’s best friend, and they aren’t ashamed to admit it. They even go to some of the school dances together, sitting criss-cross on the floor in the corner and playing Muggle hand games that Lily and Remus taught them.

9. How much he admires Sirius just for being who he is without shame

RESULT: Sirius tries to help him out of his shell. They go out shopping together and Sirius encourages him to buy whatever he wants. James buys him skirts for Christmas, Remus does his hair up when he wants it, Peter paints his nails, Lily gives him her approving nod, and Severus smiles and tells him he looks beautiful. (And in private, Sirius lets Regulus in on the little secret that he’s never been unashamed. He’s just better at hiding it.)

10. How much he wants to be like Lily, a boy who nobody questions is a boy

RESULT: Lily is extra helpful in helping him assert himself. He teaches Regulus some techniques he knows to look more masculine, and they talk about their dysphoria together. And Lily tells Severus, Sirius, and Remus that Regulus struggling, so they’re sure to call him handsome every day. And James, of course, is as sweet as ever, kissing his cheek and referring to him as “your highness” and “your majesty”. (James calls Severus “my prince” as a joke because of the whole Half-Blood Prince thing, and it makes Severus blush and cover his face with his hands every time.)

#wolfstar #james x lily x severus #marauders #friendship #veritaserum #i think i'm funny #i am usually wrong #original characters #communication guys come on #there are seven marauders and you cannot change my mind #angst #fluff #my crack ass brain and its useless shit #please dear merlin just let them all be happy #or at least not dead #yes i know i'm asking for too much shut up #have a nice day y'all #trans boy lily evans

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diablcblanc · 4 years ago

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VALENTINE’S DAY ALPHABET !

@artificiallyimplantedmemories SENT. D, G, T?

D : DATE. what is your muse’s ideal date? where / who with / etc?

Okay, that's harder to answer than you'd think. Remy loves dating, he loves planning dates to sweep his romantic partner of their feet. He plans the date to the person && that's part of the fun. BUT a date catered to him it would depend on the comfort level he feels with the partner && how close they are. He's actually a bit of a home bird, so, if it's someone he deeply trusts, nice wine, home-cooked dinner && a rooftop picnic would be pretty nice. Join missions are ALSO a lot of fun. But Remy really likes to not be bothered whilst on a date, [ unless it's trouble they decide to cause in the moment. ] So he'd also like to avoid all the superhero / end of the world shenanigans if possible.

G : GIFT. is your muse good at gift - giving or do they struggle to get it right?

He's a very good gift-giver, he's thoughtful && he takes note of the little things. It helps that he doesn't really have to worry about money, he tends to match the gift to the receiver && takes pride in finding just the right thing to give. In a funny comic short Remy gives Jamie Madrox a rare, one of a kind watch. Jamie knowing this was a good gift, multiplied himself with the gift then gave it to the rest of the xmen as his Christmas gift...

T : TRUE LOVE. does your muse believe in true love?

Yes && No. Remy is && has always been a romantic, but he doesn't believe that there's just that ONE person. He's fallen in love a lot && even if he has a hard time getting over some of his exs && is still a little in love with them...He doesn't believe that he can't love again.

#artificiallyimplantedmemories #[ ASKS ] ⊗ — Everyone can relax...Gambit has returned.#[ HEADCANON. ] ⊗ — Stealing from the museum. I do love the classics.#[ SHIPPING. ] ⊗ — You’d be surprised the things a boy could do in the name of love.

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formlessvoidbeast · 6 years ago

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@carnagekiid requested: college age coffee shop au with Mako as the part time barista/grad student and Jamie as an exhausted mechanical engineer major?

Coffee shop/school AU’s are super outside my wheelhouse, but I tried.

(If you made a roadrat exchange present, but did not receive one, please send me proof and a prompt and I will write a ficlet for you! I am not involved with the running of the exchange, but I’m here, and I have time, tea, and typy fingers. Everyone who did their part deserves a gift!)

Mako didn't envy the full-time students.

Going through grad school part-time suited him much better. He kept his cool, did things at his own pace. He'd get there eventually, but he was in no rush. His work/school balance was just right, as far as he was concerned.

Service industry work could be hellish, but for some reason customers tended to be scrupulously polite when Mako was staring down at them. The cafe was a cute place, and working there wasn't bad. He liked that he could look out for the other baristas, too, and the owners would back him up if he had to eject a bad customer. Work was grounding, and the coffee shop being so close to campus meant he got to see all the madness of college life without being sucked into it.

Take the boy who always gave his name as "Junkrat". He was known to blow through the shop at strange times in a flurry of manic energy. He took the biggest, sweetest, most caffeinated drinks, flirted outrageously with Mako, and sprang away again. He was skinny enough Mako suspected most of his caloric intake was the coffee.

He never stopped moving. Always bouncing around on his mismatched legs. Always fidgeting with his mismatched hands. Wild flame-orange eyes always a little too wide, words a little too fast. Just looking at him was exhausting. He tipped decently, though, and, well... it was kind of nice to be called 'angel' and 'handsome' and 'gorgeous'. So Mako was a little bit fond of Junkrat, even if watching him reminded him exactly why full time college was a bad idea.

Mako might have watched Junkrat more than other customers. At first because his long pale body was only ever clothed in slightly too few clothes to be decent, and there was nothing wrong with admiring the view. As the semester wound up to finals week, everyone was more stressed. The coffee shop was overloaded with miserable students purchasing inadvisable amounts of caffeine, and everyone was on edge in class. In the middle of it, Junkrat seemed the same as ever—on the surface. Mako could see the frantic edge to Junkrat's mania, though, the deepening circles under his vivid eyes, the droop of exhaustion those rare moments he was still.

Everyone was pushed to the edge. Junkrat wasn't the only one. Mako just worried about him though. Wasn't much he could do for him, as just his barista. He had his hands full with work, classes, and the students he actually TA'd for.

He tried to talk to him, in the brief moments he was coming through the line. Not that talking was his strong suit.

"New arm," he noticed. He figured, if Junkrat didn't want it mentioned, maybe it wouldn't be such an eye-seering orange and yellow. It had an x-eyed smiley face sticker on it. "Cute."

"Yeahyeah, haha," Junkrat grinned up at Mako, but his whole body was faintly trembling. "Final project. It's... it's coming along. Yeah. It's fine. Great. Wear testing. Probably needs more work but... Yeah, it's fine. It'll be fine."

Mako held his hand out. Junkrat stared at it, tittering.

"Shake?" Mako prompted.

"Oh! Right, mate. Shaking hands. People do that." He shoved his hand into Mako's, and Mako shook it. The hand felt like metal, but it gripped with approximately average strength, and none of the joints pinched.

Mako released him, and gave him a thumbs up, which Junkrat immediately returned. "Seems good," Mako said, and handed Junkrat his receipt and drink.

Junkrat puffed up with pride, eyes shining. "Good! It is good, innit?" He grabbed his oversized drink, saluted Mako with it, cursed when some of it slopped out onto his shiny new hand, and was gone out the door.

In tiny interactions, Mako tried to brighten Junkrat's days. He wasn't sure how successful he was. He was glad when finals were over, and winter break started. Campus cleared out, the coffee shop only needed a single barista on duty, and Mako could mostly work on grading papers for the classes he was TA for instead of running off his feet for hours.

He wasn't expecting it when Junkrat showed up. He got only a small mocha, called Mako 'the beautiful angel of caffeine, giver of the life-giving elixir', said 'I love you' when given his drink like a man who hadn't slept in several days and didn't realize what their mouth was saying, and then curled up in one of the cozy armchairs instead of bouncing away.

Within minutes, he was snoring. He was far from the first student to ever fall asleep in the coffee shop, but he was the last one Mako would have ever expected it of. Junkrat snored exuberantly and loudly. It was oddly endearing.

Mako smiled to himself as he went back to his grading.

Normally Mako would have woken someone up after a little while, but he couldn't quite bring himself to wake Junkrat. It wasn't like there were any other customers for him to be disturbing, anyway. Mako let him rest, an ungainly heap of limbs sprawled in the corner, until closing time.

"Junkrat." Mako shook his shoulder, and he woke with a snort and mild flailing. He blinked uncomprehending up at Mako. "Closing time." Mako told him.

"Oh, right. Right." Junkrat stood and stretched, arching and cracking his back. He rubbed his face and looked toward the clock. "Shit! Fuck! Missed my carpool! Gotta take the fucking shitty buses and take three times as long..."

"I'll drive you," Mako said, and then closed his mouth, because he hadn't expected to say that out loud.

"Really, mate?" Junkrat beamed at him. "All right! I knew I liked you!"

Mako didn't regret it. He gestured him to follow with a turn of his head, and led Junkrat through the staff room, grabbing his jacket on the way.

"I'm not to far, but I'll pay gas money. What kind of car is..." Junkrat broke off with a gasp when he saw Mako's vehicle. "...not a car. Hooley Dooley would you look at that hog! Second sexiest thing I've seen all day!"

"Only second?" Mako pulled his leather jacket on, and pulled the studded riding gloves out of his pockets. He was almost insulted. His bike was probably the best thing he owned.

"Third." Junkrat's voice was small and strangled. "After you, earlier, and you right now mate I didn't know you could get any sexier!?"

Mako laughed, warmth blooming through him. They weren't customer and service worker any more. They were outside their usual context, and now anything was possible. He quite liked where the possibilities might lead.

He settled astride the bike, patted the space behind him. "Ready, Junkrat?"

"It's... it's Jamie, actually," Junkrat said, as he climbed behind Mako. "It was just a silly nickname because I wanted you to think I was cool and different and remember me? Hahaha?"

"All right, Jamie." Mako grabbed Jamie's hand, which was delicately resting on his side, and pulled it so he was much closer to Mako's back. "Hold tight." He bared his teeth, reving the engine. "You're about to learn why they call me 'Roadhog'."

#roadrat #junkrat #roadhog #college au #coffee shop au #flirting #cute #roadrat exchange #carnagekiid

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