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matrixaffiliate · 11 months ago

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Mistletoe

New Story! FFN and AO3

For the amazing @midnightelite ! Part of the Potterverse Gift Exchange.

The McKinnon's New Year's Eve party is the stuff of legends, but Marlene is far more focused on one Sirius Black.

Mistletoe

The McKinnon's New Year's Eve party was the sort of event that witches and wizards looked forward to all year. Budding DJs sent auditions to Angus, knowing the gig could fill their schedules for the rest of the year. Catering businesses sent Elspeth invitations to try new menu items and free birthday dinners. Friends and family blocked out their schedules after Christmas to come help the McKinnon's clean and set up for the party. And anyone who received an invite the beginning of December moved mountains to ensure that they could attend.

Marlene enjoyed the controlled chaos her parents orchestrated for the party every year, but she loved the few day of preparation more. The quiet lead up before the storm of people and music and food. She especially loved that only their closest friends and family came to help clean and set up for the party.

This year that included the Potters, as always, but the Potters included one more than the normal three.

Marlene had invited Sirius Black to this party every year they'd been at Hogwarts, but this year, their sixth year, was the first that he could come. The Potters had invited him to help prepare for the party, and to Marlene's delight, he'd agreed.

Marlene shifted the boxes in her arms as she walked from the shed in the back garden to the house. The sun peaked out from behind the clouds as snow crunched beneath her feet. The boxes blocked her view of the house, but not the sound of laughter coming from within. She reached for the door, trying to keep the boxes balanced in her arms. Fate had other plans. Marlene swore as the boxes tipped off balance, sliding forward. She lunged forward, hoping to trap the boxes between her chest and the door, but she forgot she'd been in the process of opening the door.

It played out in slow motion. The door swung open. The boxes fell forward. And Marlene braced for her own impact with the floor.

That didn't come.

Instead of hardwood floor, she impacted with strong arms that steadied both her and the boxes in her arms.

"Don't move."

"Sirius?"

"Really, Marls, there are better ways to get my attention than throwing yourself at me under the mistletoe."

Marlene rolled her eyes, stopping for a moment to look at one of the several sprigs of mistletoe her parents kept around the house. "Trust me, I don't need mistletoe as an excuse to kiss a bloke."

His body shook with his laughter and Marlene privately admitted that she wouldn't mind one bit if he took the mistletoe above them as an invitation to kiss her.

"Noted. Hold on."

With a strength Marlene didn't realize he had, Sirius lifted her and the boxes from their precariously balanced position, set Marlene down in the entryway, took the boxes from her arms, and carefully placed them on the floor next to her.

"Thank you." Marlene tried to shake the desire to be back in his arms.

"Any time, Marls." He winked at her. "All good?"

"Yeah." She swallowed as his eyes traced her face. He took a step closer to her and Marlene couldn't stop from doing the same.

"Sirius, my boy? Did you find that broom?" Monty's voice called from the dining room.

"Here." Marlene spun to the hall closet and pulled out the broom. She turned to hand it to him and gasped when Sirius was right in front of her.

"Thanks." His fingers wrapped around hers instead of the broom, and he stepped closer.

"Of course." She barely heard her own voice.

"Sirius?" Monty called again.

Annoyance flickered across Sirius' face for the briefest moment, and Marlene agreed. She loved Monty like an uncle, but right now she wanted to see what would happen if Monty forgot he needed this broom.

Sirius slipped his hands from hers to the broom and stepped back. He gave her a smirk as her turned towards the dining room.

"Mistletoe isn't all bad." He winked at her.

"I never said it was bad." Marlene grinned. "Only that I don't need it as an excuse."

"Good to know." His gaze went heated for a long moment before he disappeared down the corridor, leaving Marlene short of breath for several moments after he was gone.

The rest of the days leading up to the party found Marlene watching Sirius, and most of the time without realizing it. To be fair, most of the time she looked up he was watching her as well. When she met his gaze he'd smirk and wink at her before going back to whatever task he was engaged in. But Marlene rather preferred when she would look at him and he wasn't already watching her. There was a presence to Sirius when he wasn't aware he was being observed. It lacked the cockiness he put forward, and instead he exuded a quiet confidence in every task he took on. There was so much more to Sirius, and every time she watched without his knowing, she learned a bit more about the man he hid behind his mask.

New Year's Eve finally came and Marlene was a bit sad it had. She'd enjoyed Sirius being around her home, and after tonight he wouldn't be around at all until the next year. Sure she'd see him at school, but it wouldn't be the same.

Marlene watched Sirius laugh at something Remus had said, his head back, his smile lighting up his face, it was exactly what she'd come to know as him in these last few days with him. And it embodied how over those days, she'd shifted from seeing him as one of her most fit friends, to seeing him as something more.

"Marlene?" Her mother tapped her shoulder. "Will you please grab another platter and bring it out here?"

"Sure." Marlene smiled as her mum hugged her.

"Thank you."

She took one last look at Sirius and turned down the corridor to the kitchen.

"Running away from the party?" A voice she had come to recognize asked as she pulled the platter from the cupboard.

Sirius leant against the door frame as he smiled at her.

"Running errands for the party would be the more accurate descriptor." She smiled at him, setting the platter on the counter.

Sirius moved slowly to her side, his eyes not leaving hers. "That's a relief. I was worried the famed Marlene McKinnon hated her own party."

Marlene laughed and reached behind her to hold the counter, her heart beating so fast she worried she might pass out.

Sirius didn't stop his advance until his hands were covering hers. His body was so close, filling her senses with his scent, the sound of his breathing, the intensity of his stare.

"You said you didn't need mistletoe." He brought his forehead to rest against hers. "Is there something you do need?"

"To kiss a bloke?" She chuckled. "I prefer to want to."

His nose brushed hers and her eyes closed of their own accord. "Do you want to?"

"Yes."

She expected him to rush her. To kiss her like every other sloppy teenager. But she quickly realized why Sirius' reputation preceded him.

Sirius' lips were soft, as they slanted over hers, caressing, savoring, stealing not only her ability but her desire to breathe air. Marlene wanted to breath this kiss for the rest of her life. His hands shifted from covering hers on the counter, sliding the length of her arms, one tangling in her curls and the other wrapping around her waist and pulling her into him. Marlene's grip shifted from the counter behind her to Sirius' hair, her nails dragging against his scalp. Sirius growled and shifted the kiss, pressing her against the counter as he increased their pace, his hands holding her tighter to him.

That was where her brain decided to catch up with her.

"Sirius." She broke their kiss, but her voice came out in a breathy moan that Sirius took as an invitation to move his lips to her neck.

Merlin and Morgana why did he choose to do this when her mother was waiting for her?

"Sirius." She tried again. "Let me get this platter to my mum and then we can find a better place to snog."

He grinned against her neck before nipping at the skin beneath her ear. "Afraid to get caught?"

"No, but if we get caught there's no way we'll be able to sneak away."

"Touché." He brought his lips back to hers in a slow slide. "Lead on."

Marlene didn't remember untangling herself from Sirius, or where her mother was when they dropped the platter with her. But she definitely remembered pulling Sirius into the green house at the back of the garden.

"I thought you didn't care for mistletoe." Sirius teased as he pulled her down to the bench in the back.

Marlene glanced up at the sprig hanging above the bench and laughed. She didn't know her parents put it up out here too.

"I never said I didn't like it, only that I don't need it's excuse."

Sirius cupped her face and smiled the brightest smile she'd ever seen on him. "I happen to be rather fond of the tradition."

Marlene snaked her hands around his neck and pulled him close. "Then per tradition, I think you have to kiss me."

He did just that.

#blackinnon #sirius black x marlene mckinnon #sirius black #marlene mckinnon #sirius x marlene #romance #fluff #harry potter fanfiction #potterversegiftexchange2023

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jmagnabo92 · 11 months ago

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Potterverse Exchange - An Adventurous Voyage for @roalinda

AHHH finally time to reveal my exchange fic for Sadi! I hope you like it :)

In the Potter kingdom, there are cursed soulmates - a soulmate assigned, but no hope of being together, when Prince James accidentally crosses his - he's determined to break the curse and be with his soulmate...

AO3

***

Living in a palace, Prince James Potter always believed he had everything that he ever wanted… a palace, a want for nothing, the chance to explore aboard his ship to other kingdoms, but the one thing that he never had was a true love.

In his kingdom, they say that there’s soulmate curse, but James never bothered to care if it was true or not, all he wanted was a true love…

However, upon his twenty-first birthday, he is destined to be betrothed to Lady Lily Evans, a beauty to be sure, a fine dancing partner and the next Princess of the kingdom, but not a true love.

He’d always known this to be his fate – an arranged marriage with some lovely noble. It was not that he did not believe they could have a fine marriage, but he dreams of true love, of a man with long dark hair, brilliant grey eyes, and affinity for the sea that James could adore. An adventurous spirit to meet his own.

However, he knows that his dream is quite fruitless.

For one, he’s meant to be looking for a princess, not a prince, and for another, despite being in a kingdom surrounded by water, none of his perspective options have any desire to be near the water.

Hence, why he has taken to spending the weeks prior to the announcement, not with his eventual betrothed, but on his ship at sea. Trying to find a peace in the way his life is destined to go…

It would seem, however, that mother nature takes issue with his plans as a storm comes rolling in and his crew is trying to outrun the storm and get back to safety.

It’s too late though… it’s impossible to outrun, and James is taken inside the cabin … must protect the prince at all costs…

***

It’s not the first time Sirius has seen this particular ship, as the land-dwellers call it. Ever since the first time the prince of the kingdom had taken to sea-travel, disrupting the currents and attempting to swim to the depths of the sea and witness the mysteries it hides, Sirius had taken to watching nearby.

The prince was a gorgeous land-dweller. Short, messy (even under the sea) dark hair, gorgeous hazel eyes, and a spirit that called to Sirius in a way that he hadn’t stopped thinking about him in years despite his mother’s warnings.

Sirius had been warned against land-dwellers by the Queen of the Sea, and his mother, Walburga Black. She had not taken to her husband, and Sirius’ father, Orion’s death well. He’d been caught in a fisherman’s net and treated like some sort of attraction to be squawked at for all to see. He’d refused all food and attempted an escape only to be killed on his way back to the ocean.

It was luckily not the prince’s kingdom, but the neighboring kingdom that had done this. Still, Sirius had been forbidden since then to have any fascination with land-dwellers or go anywhere near the surface.

Sirius had always been a rebel, though. The eldest of the family and quite unhappy living beneath the sea, he’s always been curious about land-dwellers and the gorgeous prince that he’s fashioned himself into a relationship with – okay, well, at least to Sirius.

He’s been a bit obsessed since he was thirteen. Imagining the prince coming out to see his lovely merman boyfriend. Imagining that each dive is a date of sorts, wishing that the prince would catch sight of him with his brilliant golden tail, and swim over and kiss him.

They could break the surface and talk for hours on a rock or the boat. Sirius could use the tide to gain his legs (rumor has it that high tide would dispel his tail for legs) and they could walk along the sand. Together and apart.

Sirius could tell that the prince ached for a life outside the kingdom. A journey man’s heart, adventurous and lovely. And yet, they were both stuck in their kingdoms. The prince of the land-dwellers and the prince of the sea … destined to never properly collide, no matter how many times that he’d seen the prince in the ocean, they could never meet.

Until now, it seems.

The storm had come in quickly since his mother had summoned it at the sight of a royal ship, she’s always been one to try and get rid of any royals ever since the events with his father. Usually, the prince and his crew can get out of it, but this time, they notice it too late.

The ship gets wrecked, and Sirius can see the prince struggling amongst the wreckage. He wants to rush over there, protect his imaginary boyfriend, but he can’t… not without risking the same thing that happened to his father happening to him.

But the prince needs him.

***

James is caught on something in the wreckage of his ship. Perhaps, going to the center of the ship wasn’t the best idea. All he knows is that he’s slowly drowning, the sea turning on him at last.

His head is getting dizzy from lack of oxygen, and it won’t be long for the water to overtake him.

He looks around frantically for something to help save him. Something to release him, someone to help him, anything…

And that’s when he sees him…

The man – merman – of his dreams, long dark hair, brilliant grey eyes, and a worried expression.

He looks like he’s trying to decide what to do, so James sends him a please, help me look. Hoping that this gorgeous merman will save him from drowning.

As quick as a flash, the merman is suddenly in front of him. He dislodges James’ foot from whatever’s holding him back and helps him swim to the surface.

James can feel the strong tail propelling them to the surface as he wraps his arms around the merman’s neck and feels his arms wrap around James’ waist. Apparently, the tail can do it all.

It’s truly amazing and they’re breaking the surface in seconds.

James takes the big gulp of delicious air, letting his head feel better once the oxygen hits it.

It takes a few seconds for him to realize that they’re nowhere near the wreckage, the storm gone, the water eerily calm.

It’s just him and this merman and he’s… confused.

“My mother’s storm was targeted for the ship, and you drifted down and away due to it,” the most melodious voice beside him says.

He looks at the merman, still in his arms, and not wanting to leave.

“Your mother’s storm?”

The merman hums. “She’s the Queen of the Sea. My father, the King, was captured and later killed when he tried to escape by land-dwellers.”

James can’t help the pang in his heart. “That wasn’t –”

“It wasn’t your kingdom, no. The ship had a different royal crest.”

“Oh, so is that why you decided to save me, Prince of the Sea?”

“Merpeople are good people,” he simply says. “I couldn’t let the Prince drown.”

James hums. “I appreciate that.”

“Good.”

“But now, I’m nowhere near my people with no way to get to them.”

The merman huffs. “Clearly, I planned to get you to shore.”

“How was I supposed to know that?” James scoffs. “You haven’t even introduced yourself.”

“Neither have you.”

James gives him a look. Clearly, they’re both a little stubborn.

“Fine, since you saved me – it’s James, James Potter, Prince of the Potter Kingdom. It’s not the exact name, but I figure… your turn.”

The merman chuckles. “It’s Sirius, Sirius Black. Prince of the Sea or at least that’s what I call it. Mother calls it Black Kingdom, but frankly, there aren’t any other kingdoms down there, most merpeople just swim around to wherever they want, and you can’t exactly draw boundaries.”

James laughs. “It’s nice to meet you, Prince Sirius.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Prince James.” He gives a soft grin before saying, “Let’s go, we gotta get you back on land.”

James nods. “Sounds good.”

***

It was stupid, James knew. Stupid to be fancying a merman, but ever since Sirius had rescued him and they had chatted in the ocean and on shore – James hadn’t wanted him to disappear so soon, and had talked him into staying, at least so he can get to know the (mer)man of his dreams.

Not that he told him that.

He very carefully avoided mentioning that, even as he found himself laying beside what is undoubtedly the man he’d been dreaming of, barely able to keep himself from kissing him.

Naturally, he couldn’t have him, but he could befriend him, right? Nothing wrong with being friends with a merman.

Especially one as witty and charming as Sirius. Their humor was so similar, and they both felt … trapped. It was freeing to discuss it with someone who understood.

Unfortunately, it was eventually time to go (when they heard shouts looking for him), and he begged Sirius to visit again tomorrow.

Sirius looked uncertain but agreed.

Which is why, now a week later, they’re laying side by side in the darkness and staring up at the night sky. They had visited every night that week, and each visit helps James fall a little more in love with the (mer)man beside him.

He feels like he’s met the perfect man – Sirius is everything that he always wanted. The adventurous spirit reaching out to him.

“You know, for ages, I’ve dreamt about you,” James says, rolling over and sitting up on one elbow to look is Sirius’ beautiful eyes.

“Oh?” Sirius questions. “You dreamt about a fish coming to save you.”

“You’re not a fish, you’re a merman – a gorgeous merman with long, dark, shiny hair, brilliant grey eyes, and the adventurous spirit that I would love to share. I dreamed of marrying this man despite everything in the way, of taking off and living life at sea,” James states. “I don’t why I was dreaming about you, but…”

He wants to tell Sirius about his feelings, but Sirius is shaking his head. “James… we can’t…”

James laces his hand with Sirius’, “Sure we can.”

Sirius is quiet. He doesn’t look at James for a long moment, but when he does, he can see the interest there, and James is nothing if not brave, so he plunges forward, kissing Sirius with everything he has.

Sirius tastes like seaweed, which shouldn’t taste good, but does. He lets his head fall back and places his hands on James’ waist trying to pull him even closer despite his uncertainty before and James quickly shifts to straddle Sirius’ tail and waist.

This frees up his arm to be able to run his hands through Sirius’ amazingly soft hair, and he feels Sirius’ arms pull his chest ever closer.

It’s the perfect kiss.

***

Sirius has lost his mind. Why in the vast endless sea would he agree to spend time with the prince he’s been fancying and let him kiss him?

It doesn’t matter that the kiss is utterly perfect or that he loves the way James’ weight feels on top of him and James’ hands in his hair. It doesn’t matter that he never wants to stop kissing James because he must.

He must.

He could never be with James permanently, and James is set to reveal his betrothal to terribly boring human woman and – and that was far better for him than to be with a merman.

It doesn’t matter what they feel right now, it can’t last.

So, when the sounds of the night guard ringing the bell that James has taken to using to sneak back to his room at the palace, Sirius sighs, somewhat relieved.

He loves James but he can’t have him.

James reluctantly gets off him. “We’ll just have to continue this tomorrow, then?”

Sirius opens his mouth to tell him that no, they can’t continue this, but nothing comes out.

James takes this as agreement, pecks his lips and says, “See you tomorrow, boyfriend.”

He skips off before Sirius could try and say what he’d been meaning to say, leaving Sirius, alone and with the unfortunate position of breaking James’ heart by not showing up the next night.

It would be for the best, but it sucked.

***

Despite knowing that it was the right decision, it ached Sirius’ heart all day long to think about James sitting on the edge of the water, waiting for Sirius to swim to the surface, but he had to do it. He shouldn’t have let James talk him into chatting with him after he saved him, he shouldn’t have continued to meet with him in the last week, and he definitely shouldn’t have let James kiss him under any circumstance, but … he couldn’t stop thinking about that kiss.

It was everything he had imagined and more.

Sirius didn’t think it was possible, but somehow, he’d fallen in love with James in a very short time.

Or maybe, he’d fallen in love with him at first sight, but well, Sirius didn’t believe in that nonsense.

Thus, short time it is.

Still, his heart ached for James.

Especially because Sirius hadn’t been able to tell him the truth that they couldn’t date and had skipped off home with the idea that they were dating.

It would hurt James now, but he’d be happier someday… unlike Sirius.

***

James wasn’t stupid. He knew that Sirius was, well, apprehensive about their potential relationship. He had seen it in the way that he hesitated once they broke apart the night before, but he still hadn’t expected this.

This, being, standing on the shore that has become their spot waiting for Sirius to arrive only for him not to show.

He was being stood up.

It ached.

He knows that it wouldn’t be easy, but they could figure it out or at least enjoy being together for a little bit longer than one fucking night together.

One kiss… one admittedly long kiss… that’s all he had gotten after ages of dreaming about kissing him… it wasn’t fair. It wasn’t enough and James was as pissed as he was heartbroken to be standing here. In this spot. Where he should be kissing his merman boyfriend, not alone wanting to know where the hell he was.

Although…

Maybe he couldn’t get away from the Queen of the Sea, James reasons. Maybe he was just caught and unable to make it. Maybe his uncertainty wasn’t actually the reason for standing James up.

Maybe he just couldn’t get away…

That could be it, right? James hopes so.

Feeling a bit more hopeful, and a little less angry, James leaves when the night guard sounds the bell. Hopefully, it was just a misunderstanding… he just got caught up. That… that must be it.

He’s sure of it.

***

This is heartbreaking, Sirius thinks as he stays a safe distance and invisible away from James as he sits, three days after their kiss, on the shoreline just vaguely staring out at the sea as if hoping that Sirius would suddenly appear.

It’s clear to Sirius that he’s heartbroken and just hoping that something else – anything else – would be keeping Sirius away and not Sirius’ poor attempt at a breakup. It’s unfair, and it hurts seeing James staring so despondently out at the sea just waiting for Sirius to appear.

It’s for the best, he knows, but he just… it hurts.

It hurts as if his soul is being split in half, but it’s necessary.

They cannot be together.

Clearly, James is not quite getting it and that’s making everything so much worse.

Sirius may need to be clear – it can’t be.

***

James knows, deep down, that Sirius won’t be returning for him, yet he can’t stop himself from sneaking out and hoping he’s wrong.

That is until he gets the letter. He finds it stuffed in a seashell by their spot.

He’s hopeful, at first, until he reads it.

Dear James,

I feel I have failed you. I lead you on. Let you believe that we could be, but we can’t be. We can’t.

A merman cannot marry a land-dweller. We are princes that are expected to marry our own kind and produce heirs for our kingdoms to go on. We cannot have that if we continue on.

I’m sorry for trying to take what I could from you until the inevitable, but it is inevitable, and now, we must forget one another.

Sorry,

Sirius

It aches… this pain for Sirius. It aches as if they were soulmates and he’s being cut off from the other half of his soul.

But he cannot argue with Sirius – that’s why he wrote the letter, so there was no way for him to argue – and he has to accept that… his fate is Lady Lily Evans, and the merman who stole his heart will just have to be the one that got away.

***

It still aches, even on the eve of his twenty-first birthday.

James had been quite despondent throughout the preparations, attempting to be the man that he’s expected to be, but quite frankly, not putting any effort into it.

He doesn’t want this; he doesn’t want her. He wants his merman. The merman of his dreams.

It wasn’t fair to her, but he just can’t find himself at all interested in her. No matter what.

He’s trying, he really is, but…

“James?” a voice calls from the doorway to his bedroom.

He turns from his spot staring out at the sea to see his future bride standing there. She’s a lovely vision of red hair and green eyes, but she’s not Sirius.

“Yes, Lady Evans?”

She flushes. “You may call me Lily as we’re destined to be married.”

“Ah, yes, I suppose.” He pauses. “Erm, what may I do for you?”

“I was… I noticed that you’ve been rather… upset lately… I was hoping I could share something with you?”

James nods, a bit uncertain. They hadn’t had very many conversations, so he isn’t sure what she could have to share.

She sits on the bed and smooths her skirts. “Did you know that a twenty-first birthday marks a special reveal in our kingdom?”

James hums, looking back out the window. He’d nearly forgotten, probably because he wasn’t sure he believed the rumors. His kingdom had a spell put on it that would give the people a soulmate. The spell giver had wanted to punish the kingdom – force them to know that they had a soulmate that they would be unlikely to fall in love with due to any number of reasons because it also had a curse attached – may you never find what you’re looking for.

The kings of his land had found ways around it, and they had come to nearly remove the spell and curse for their people, but it stayed for the royal family and the others high in the roles of their government.

He had forgotten because he never really bothered with it, not when he knew he was destined for an arranged marriage anyway.

“I am assuming that you were still gifted and cursed with a soulmate?” James questions.

“I was and I am,” Lily confirms. “I believe that I know of yours. That yours is a merman – the Prince of the Sea.”

James nearly snaps his neck to look at her. “How – you – what?”

She hums. “My cursed soulmate is a mermaid. Her name is Marlene. I fell for her almost instantly. When I saw her name appear on my wrist, I thought – everything was perfect. I wasn’t a princess; I wouldn’t need to produce heirs. I could be with her… until I was told of our betrothal… she was also told that she’d be married to the Prince of the Sea…”

“Sirius,” James breathes. “He never mentioned… I mean, we – we never really… there was only…”

Lily nods. “I spoke with Marlene this morning. I wasn’t ready to let go of my soulmate, convinced her that we would find a way that I would run to be with her. He never mentioned it because he never thought there was a chance and figured it wouldn’t matter…”

“And it still doesn’t… even if he is my soulmate…” James starts, but he knows… he knows, it’s Sirius. “…we can’t be together.”

“What if you could?” Lily asks. “Sure, we might have to get married, and sure, they might have to get married, but we could just… accept that our soulmates are other people – merpeople? I wouldn’t begrudge you spending time with him, and I could spend time with her but we would still be the royal couple in public?”

“And produce at least one heir.”

“An accepted stipulation, no?” Lily asks. “For the opportunity to have him in some way.”

James nods, hopefully for a second before he remembers… “Except my love doesn’t want me, too. He walked – swam – away and never even gave us a chance to talk about it.”

Lily hums. “Are you in if he is?”

“Absolutely.”

***

Sirius can’t help staring at his wife to be in shock. He hadn’t exactly spared her much of a thought in the last few weeks – too caught up in the trouble with James, but when she finally made him sit down and talk to her, she made one thing very clear – he could be with James.

Of course, it would be their secret – the four of them. He would marry Marlene, James would marry Lily, but they could secretly be together.

It certainly was more than he could ever hope for.

He doesn’t dare to refuse when she asks, “Are you in?”

“Absolutely.”

***

Meeting Sirius in this tunnel or volcano or whatever was not what James expected, but he was thrilled when Lily leads him down a passageway to this strange area that had a pool connected to the ocean.

He’s still half-nervous that Sirius won’t show, but when he sees two merpeople swimming in, he delights at his merman.

“James,” Sirius says softly as James jumps in the water to throw his arms around Sirius’ neck. He can see that Lily had opted to bring Marlene (he assumes) out of the water. Her tail was a softer yellow than Sirius’ golden tail, but she, too, had long dark hair.

He can tell that Sirius probably wants to talk, but he doesn’t.

Instead, he chooses to kiss him passionately.

Sirius seems quite amendable to the idea. He doesn’t hesitate at all to kiss him back as James locks his legs around Sirius’ waist.

Unfortunately, they have to come up for air eventually.

When they do, James leans his forehead against Sirius’. “I’m mad at you.”

“If that’s how you react when you’re mad… can only imagine how you’d react when you want to ravish me in kisses.”

James blushes. “I was too happy to get to see you again that it overrode my anger…”

“I am so sorry, I thought I was doing what was best.”

“Well, it wasn’t best at all. Did she tell you everything?”

Sirius nods. “We can be together – married to other people, but together.”

James nods, “Yeah, and you’re my soulmate, so … you know it’ll be hard, but like… we can do this.”

“Hell yeah, we can.”

“So, now, we celebrate.”

***

Spending the month before the wedding sneaking off to their little hidey-hole, made the whole planning the wedding bit a lot easier, Sirius thinks. He knows that today won’t be easy, as he’ll be watching from the water as James marries Lily on his ship – recently restored and far grander than before since it would need to have many more on it for the royal wedding.

Everything had been highly detailed and was quite beautiful. His and Marlene’s wedding had been quite an affair, but not like this. This was … a little or a lot extra.

He catches James’ eye from his place at the end of the aisle. He blows a secret kiss, and Sirius knows that his vows to Lily mean nothing given that they’re planning their honeymoon together – their secret still theirs, still great, still perfect.

Still, it’s difficult to watch him marry someone else even if it’s just for show.

He hears the music start and James gives a little wave before turning away.

Sirius tunes out the majority of the wedding, only tuning in when the officiant asks Lily then James if they take each other as husband and wife. There’s a tiny part of him that hopes (despite already being married to Marlene) that he would declare his love for Sirius and abandon his kingdom for the seas, but he doesn’t.

They kiss and are announced as Prince and Princess.

Marlene turns to him and says, “Why don’t we go wait for them in our new home?”

Sirius nods, still feeling a pang of hurt.

“We’ll see them soon enough.”

***

The ball in their honor felt like it went on forever.

All James wanted to do was be in Sirius’ arms, kissing him, letting him make love to him – the high tide only comes through a few nights a month, so it’s often Sirius using his mouth on James to bring him to satisfaction. On the rare nights that Sirius had legs, James enjoyed getting buggered him and spending hours sucking him off – enjoying that oral fixation that he’s developed over the years.

Tonight isn’t one of those nights, but James could still enjoy Sirius’ wonderful mouth. Which is what he wants.

Sirius should be waiting in their new home – the one with their bedroom and swim-up pool for Sirius and Marlene. Free access to their soulmates.

Finally, finally, they say their goodbyes and are whisked off to their new home.

On the way there, Lily turns to him and says, “Happy, husband?”

James hums. “I’ll be happier once we get home.”

“Don’t forget about other expectations we have,” Lily states.

James nods. “Should we – tonight?”

Lily nods. “I think so. I am fertile enough tonight.”

“Alright, then, we should… first.”

“Agreed.”

***

Sirius frowns.

He had been expecting that James and Lily would come into their room and he would get the attention that he’s been craving, especially after the private events with Marlene under the water in their underwater bedroom (it’s easier for them to sleep underwater, even if he wishes that he could sleep next to James).

Instead of what he expected – James and Lily come into the room… kissing.

They’re so caught up in each other that Sirius could almost forget that they’re soulmates and think that James and Lily are soulmates.

And worse yet, he’s not even noticed.

It hurts.

Of course, he knows that it has to happen, but he thought it would be … not so soon.

Marlene touches his arm and pulls him back to their underwater bedroom.

“We don’t need to watch.”

“I just thought…”

“They have expectations, just like we do.”

“I just thought…”

Marlene gives him a small smile. “Why don’t I distract you? Fulfill those expectations.”

Sirius nods. “Yeah, sounds great.”

***

Things were not as easy or blissful as James expected.

Though he spent every night having his way (as much as he could) with Sirius, those expectations of his marriage to Lily and Sirius’ marriage to Marlene meant that they both had to fulfill husbandly duties.

And those duties put their relationship to the test.

There were times of jealousy and heartache.

Especially when they gathered for dinner, Sirius sitting with his tail dangling in the pool water, James beside him, while Lily and Marlene mimic them, and Lily says, “I have an announcement to make.”

“Oh?”

“I’m pregnant,” Lily states. She isn’t looking at James, despite knowing that he’s the one to impregnate her. She’s looking at Sirius and then, Marlene.

James is looking at Sirius and can see a jealousy in his eyes. Despite knowing this would happen, Sirius looks jealous and slightly angry. As if he was expecting something else to happen.

“I think I’ll go for a swim,” Sirius states, but James catches him.

“You can’t just swim off,” James states. “We knew this was going to happen.”

“I can be upset if I want,” Sirius says.

“Then, so can James, since I’m pregnant, too,” Marlene states.

Now it’s James’ turn to feel hurt and upset. He knew, of course, that the Queen of the Sea had expected heirs despite the somewhat pointlessness of their kingdom, but he thought it wouldn’t happen. He’s not even sure he understands how it can happen.

Sirius looks at her in surprise. Evidently, he didn’t believe he could’ve gotten her pregnant despite the numerous nights he knows Sirius and Marlene have been… together.

“You are?”

“I am,” Marlene states. “And you both knew this would happen – it’s what is expected of all of us. So, put aside your jealousy because we have a family to raise – together.”

“Right, of course.”

“Our family, together.”

***

“I love the high tide nights,” James murmurs against Sirius’ skin. He’s got him tied to the bed, completely naked, his cock delightfully hard. “Nights of just you and me. I can enjoy the taste of you … all night long.”

Sirius hums, already lost to James’ oral fixation.

It was a delightful surprise that his merman boyfriend could go all night – hard and wanting but able to last as long as James wants him to. He can edge him all night long and it’s utterly brilliant.

He’s already gotten him to the brink twice before playing the devil and stopping him from his release. He loves being in control.

Sometimes, he wishes that he could keep Sirius just like this. He loves his tail, but the thought of having Sirius languishing away in his bedchamber for him to return, tied to the bed, hard and aching for him…

A dream come true.

For now, though, he’ll take his high tide nights as often as he gets them.

***

Sirius couldn’t help feeling a little odd after hearing James’ confession – he’s sure that he didn’t mean for Sirius to hear it, but he did – he heard it, and now, all he keeps thinking about is how James wishes he was human.

He didn’t really want Sirius as is – not as a merman that can only serve him with his mouth for most nights – he wanted a human… one he could have his way with, one who could fill him up and make him delightfully sore. One he could ride all night long…

Not a merman that he could only do a few nights a month.

Maybe this isn’t working after all.

***

Sirius spends more time under the water than he cares to admit lately, especially as he hears the excitement for the royal baby.

When James asks, he says it’s because his mother wants them close as they prepare to welcome their own royal baby. Their daughter, Alexandra, is due to be born any day now, and his mother – Queen of the Sea – is as fussy as she’s ever been. Determined to have a say in the raising of the heir to the throne.

He hates it and would normally rebel, but maybe this is what is meant to happen – maybe they were supposed to try and be together and maybe it was supposed to fail. Maybe the cursed soulmates have won after all.

Maybe it was destined to end badly, always.

***

James is nearly furious even if he is thrilled with his son, Harry James Potter, the heir to the Potter kingdom. He looks like a mini him with Lily’s brilliant eyes, and although he’s happy to welcome him, he’s furious by Sirius’ denial again.

A simple note.

Maybe we weren’t meant to last.

Was all he’d gotten.

He’d wanted to talk to Lily or Marlene about this madness, but Lily had told him that Marlene would need to be surrounded by other merfolk for several months before she could resurface (or it would cause a development issue for their daughter as she nurses). It’s not a good thing for merfolk to spend too much time on land, and sometimes it was needed to be under the water.

He tries to be understanding, maybe the idea that Marlene has to be away from her soulmate means that Sirius is trying to be supportive by doing the same thing.

But that wouldn’t explain the note.

“James,” Lily says, softly, gaining his attention.

“Yes, Lils?”

“I know that he’s your soulmate and all, but I did just birth our son – could you maybe focus on us for a bit?”

“Of course,” James responds, instantly. He didn’t want to let her down. “I’m sorry.”

“Just… be better.”

“Okay.”

***

Sirius often makes irrational decisions that usually involve running. So, it should be no surprise when he takes to making their underwater home away from the land-dwellers castle much more like a home in the wake of Alexandra’s birth.

Maybe if he focuses on his actual wife and child then he won’t be aching for James, and maybe they could move on.

After all, it’s not like he doesn’t get on well with Marlene and she can’t be with Lily at the moment so…

It’s for the best.

***

It’s been months nearly a year after the birth of his daughter when Marlene, pregnant again, sits Sirius down to talk about why he hasn’t surfaced to be with James in nearly a year.

“Oh, well, I mean, you have to know that I am here for you and our daughter. And you couldn’t surface so…”

“Don’t lie to me. You’ve been a surprisingly delightful husband –”

“Thank you,” Sirius says, slightly offended.

“– but I know it was nothing to do with me or our daughter. You could’ve surfaced anytime, and I would have been okay with that as long as you didn’t completely abandon us, which I know you never will.”

She’s right of course, but he doesn’t want to admit that.

“So, tell me what’s going on.”

It wasn’t a question and Sirius aches as he admits the truth.

“… I just thought that he loved me for who I was, but he wants me to be a human and…”

“It doesn’t sound like he actually said that, at all.”

“What do you mean –”

“Just because he wants to spend more time sucking your cock doesn’t mean that he doesn’t love you as a merman,” Marlene states. “It just means that wants more time with you.”

“But he said…”

“He was in the middle of being highly aroused. You say all sorts of things in that kind of state. Things you might not even mean.”

“Yes, but…”

“But nothing – it’s entirely possible that he wishes for more time with you, not hiding who you are to him, and being able to be with you whenever he wants is a part of that,” she argues. “You need to talk to him.”

“And say what? I’m sorry you only love human me?”

Marlene gives him a look. “Why not try I’m an idiot that thinks my soulmate that was dreaming about me as a merman said something stupid during sex and now, I believe that he doesn’t love me as I am?”

Sirius pouts. “I’m not an idiot.”

“You sound like one.”

“Fine! I’ll go talk to him.”

“Good.”

***

James was not happy. He loved his son and was delighted to see him splashing around with Alexandra, happy that Lily and Marlene are reunited for now (although it’s only a matter of time before the next baby arrives and Marlene would have to retreat beneath the sea, again), but he’s seething at what Sirius told him – their talk after all this time was devastating.

He's tired and angry that Sirius would just make assumptions and then just not talk to him for almost a year – blaming it on raising a child his arse. There was no reason to put him through this pain. To leave with barely a note. To know nothing with no chance to explain.

James may understand now, and Sirius may get that wasn’t what James meant, but they were not on good terms.

There’re not enough apologies in the world to fix James’ shattered heart.

Not when he knows that he can’t trust that it wouldn’t happen again.

And he said as much to Sirius.

Come back to me when you can promise not to run, again.

He thought Sirius would promise him that he wouldn’t run again or claim that he never intended to run, but he didn’t.

Thus, there’s a lot of tenseness.

It’s not good for Lily or Marlene, both of whom are pregnant, and it’s certainly not good for Harry or Alexandra, who can tell that their little blended family isn’t all that happy – no matter how young they are.

It just… wasn’t what he was expecting.

***

Sirius can’t promise James that he won’t want to abandon him, again, and it makes them gathering together – the four of them and their kids awkward. He tries to make things easy between them, but it’s not. He can’t make that promise knowing that he��s constantly worrying that one day he won’t be enough, and James will just settle for Lily, especially because he sees them together at events, celebrating the next heir and all happily in love for the kingdom to see and thinks… wouldn’t that be so easy.

So, he doesn’t make the promise and he focuses on his daughter and soon-to-be son. Spending more and more time nowhere near James, no matter how much it hurts.

Even if he ends up pining his way through months of self-torture until Marlene says, “Why am I married to a dumbass?”

It’s three weeks before their son is to be born, and he’s been nothing short of doting on his wife. He’s not sure what he’s done to warrant being called a dumbass.

“That’s uncalled for.”

“Is it?” she questions, barely sparing him a look that says you should know what I’m talking about. She had just returned from visiting with Lily and James possibly. Perhaps he’d said something?

“Absolutely. I’ve been doing good by you.”

“But not your soulmate,” she states, plainly. “Look, I get it – you have issues, but whatever your issues are, you’re denying yourself the happiness you deserve.”

“Yeah, well –”

“And it makes me feel guilty.”

He’s surprised. “Why would you –”

“Because I’m perfectly content with our arrangement. I’m not the least bit jealous of James or the children Lily will bare for him. As far as I’m concerned, I’m happy to be with her when I can, but I’ve always known that we wouldn’t get everything.”

“I know that, too.”

“Except that you two clearly don’t believe it. You both want everything.”

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting it.”

“There is if you do nothing about it and take away the something, so you end up with nothing instead of everything.”

It’s true, he knows it, but he just can’t…

“I just don’t think that I can accept things as they are,” Sirius admits. “I want to – but I can’t. What I really want is the ability to be with James as a human or as a merman, however we want it, but not… this.”

Marlene grins. “Then you’re lucky you’ve got such a brilliant wife.”

“Huh?”

She laughs. “Lily and I realized pretty quickly that this wouldn’t be perfect, and it would inevitably implode, it’ll take time, but we have an idea…”

His heart leaps. “Please, tell me.”

“Well…”

***

“You have to deal with this, James,” Lily says, as she struggles to sit up. “Our little girl is due in two weeks, and you’re too busy moping about Sirius to help your family.”

“I’m not moping, and I’ve been doing my best – I have royal duties to take care of, too!”

“And you’ve been slacking on those, too!” Lily states. “You need to get off your arse and do something before everything blows up in our faces.”

“Fine!” James yells, quite angry.

He storms off but he knows she’s right.

He’s been miserable, seeing Sirius, but not seeing him.

It’s almost as bad as the weeks without him because he’s completing his ‘royal’ duties.

He can’t stand not being with him, but he hates feeling like he’s just going to swim off and only return because his wife is in love with James’ wife.

He wants him to return because he wants to be with him, not anyone else.

It’s no surprise that he finds himself back in their original spot. He almost wishes for the James of a couple of years ago – he could tell him that whatever idea he had about this strange foursome working out was not going to work. That they should run while they had the chance.

At least then, things would be a little less confused and complicated.

He sighs, he puts his head in his arms, curled up in a ball, what he wouldn’t give for time travel or to curse the person that put him in this position – gave him a merman soulmate.

He’s not sure how long he sits like that before he hears, “James?”

He doesn’t have to look to know that voice – it’s Sirius.

He hears the splashes of the water and feels Sirius reach for his hand.

“I’m sorry.”

James looks up at him. “For what? Saving me? Trying to be with me when you clearly don’t want to? Or running away when things get tough?”

“The last one,” Sirius states. “I would never regret the others.”

“Oh. That is – at least, good.”

Sirius doesn’t remove his hand from James’, but he looks down at his tail. “I want to make this work, I just worry that I am not enough for you, and I realize that sharing you with Lily was always the deal, ever since she proposed it, but I’ve been thinking – what if we found a way to make it so that we wouldn’t have to anymore?”

“What do you mean?”

“Marlene and I have been talking, we think that we might be able to give land-dwellers and merpeople alike the ability to be both. And – and if that were the case, since you already have Harry and Holly, when she’s born, and we already have Alexandra and Andrew, when he’s born – then we can just be. Sure, the public probably wouldn’t be too thrilled, but the bloodline is intact, and we can make it so that soulmate curse is broken.”

James blinks several times. He wasn’t sure that he was hearing right, did Sirius really say that he thinks that it would be possible for them to – to be together as humans and merpeople.

“It’s going to take time, but – but our wives are starting to figure it out. We could be together… just us.”

James grins. “You mean it? We could possibly…”

“We could… if you’ll still take me.”

“Gladly.”

***

It took years – five years, in fact, but by the time Harry and Alexandra were seven and Holly and Andrew were five, their parents had given back to their kingdoms. The ability to be with soulmates of a different kind of people, the choice to be human or a merperson whenever they wanted, and the ability to be with whomever they wanted.

It took years of trial and error, but at least they were together – no longer faking their marriages, bound and determined to be happy and themselves.

And it worked – the four raised their children together as they researched and tested and then finally a month ago, they figured it out.

Now, James and Sirius could be human or mermen whenever they wanted and finally able to escape, planned the adventure they always dreamed of having. They stood on the balcony of their room of their ship, ready to set sail with their children, Lily and Marlene. The latter couple were enjoying a swim as mermaids with their boys also enjoying being little mermen. Their daughters were playing on the deck as music played all around them.

They are finally going on an adventurous voyage – the one their hearts had called for all those years ago… together. Happy and free.

And most importantly – together forever.

Just the way they were meant to be.

In this world and the next.

#potterversegiftexchange2023 #sirius black #james potter #bambibelle #prongsfoot

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