#third now regulus is here i gotta write about it
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shootingthe-stars · 8 months ago
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i’m like ugh i hate writing sports and politics meanwhile the marauders are just a bunch of jocks going through political unrest
do you know how many sports games i’ve written at this point (3) i’m sick of writing sports😭free me
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childotkw · 2 years ago
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1. Consuming Shadows (of course, I love all of them)
2. CS chapter 52 and 53🤭
3. Harry
4. Harry/Tom|Voldemort
5. Gold Dust (and I must put ILYWT in here  even though it isn't a fic yet)
6. Kinda weird, but for CS it's when Hadrian and Riddle are sitting in Riddle's office, completely in peace (before they both go full dumbass mode). That scene probably got to me because CS started with Hadrian being Lily's puppet, his desire for revenge going strong to him now sitting besides Riddle, hoping that he'll ask him to stay in Britain.
7. The first chapter of bloodied hands & and velvet sheets, knowing what will happen next.
8. What's there not to like? But if I've to choose, I'll pick plot and characterization.
9. Literally all of them. I can't wait to see more of Regulus and Harry, what will Grindelwald do now that he knows that Harry is the Master of Death in ybtm, the third task in CS etc.
10. Barty and Harry, Regulus and Riddle, Regulus and Harry - never thought about those ship, had my eyes only for Harry and Riddle. I love them all now.
11. ILYWT!!! Also, some cross overs between your fics. It'd be so much fun to see how each of them react to different versions of themselves.
12. CS, ybtm, TLWD(BTPS), Reckless Hearts...just all of them basically.
13. Unfortunatelly no because I don't know anyone who even reads fics, let alone ship Tom and Harry🥲
14. TLWD(BTPS) - I can't wait for more☺
15. How long did it take you between the first time you got an idea for a fic and posting the first chapter (for each of them)?
Ask list 1. My favorite fic of yours 2. My favorite chapter in my favourite fic of yours 3. The best character you’ve written for 4. The best ship you’ve written for 5. A fic I haven't read yet from you, but I want to 6. Something I remember vividly from reading one of your fics 7. What made me the most emotional after reading 8. What I like the most about your writing 9. A fic i'm excited for you updating / posting 10. A character/ship I didn't enjoy/think about as much before you wrote about them 11. Something I wish / hope you write 12. A fic of yours that i've re-read 13. If i've ever shared / talked about your fic to someone else 14. A fic I didn't expect to like so much 15. A question I have about one of your fics
Darling, I went feral reading through this omg! You answered all of them 😍😍😍😍😍
CS reigns supreme here I see hahaha - it's brilliant!
Gosh I haven't thought about Gold Dust in aaggeess but I have such a soft spot for that story! I really need to go back and finish the next chapter.
Ooooh though I love that that is the 'vivid' scene for CS! It's such a subtle one, but you're right in that it has so much meaning. Their relationship has progressed so much - and then, as you say, they both turn into dumbasses 😂
BH&VS chapter 2 will be finished - I swear. It sounds mean but I gotta get Luna. I have to. I want people cry. And I'm blushing over the characterisation and ships bit. Having people unexpectedly like a story with a character/ship/plot they had never thought about before is delightful!
ILYWT is high on my list to be written, and maybe I'll dabble in oneshots for some of my crossovers. I kinda wanna see Hadrian and Ciro!Harry interact, ngl.
As for your question, from initial idea to first chapter:
CS: week/two weeks
ybtm: about a month
TLWD(BTPS): couple of months, it started as a tumblr post
BH&VS: about six months, it started as a tumblr post and I wanted to get the first chapter out for skitty's birthday
I can't really remember for the other stories, to be honest? On average I'd say it'd be maybe two weeks - month to form an idea, start planning it out, then writing, then posting.
Thanks for sending this in! It was wonderful to read 😘😘
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lumosinlove · 4 years ago
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Sweater Weather
part xvii
A/N:
Hey team!
I just want to pop in before the chapter to say a HUGE thank you to those who sent me letters!
Thanks to Hannah for your letter and O’Knutzy necklace! It’s AMAZING.
I want to thank Giana for your gorgeous letter (I’ll answer your questions in a separate post and I’m so glad you’re writing again!)
Thank you Kennedy for the painting, earrings, shark sticker (yay marine biologist!) and letter with the dried flowers :)
Thank you Alba for your SW art and your letter—yay to being there from the beginning!!
Thanks to Sophie for your kind words and letter!
Thank you Stephanie for your letter (and beautiful handwriting wow) and of course your gifts! I love the bookmarks and pin!
And last but certainly not least thank you to Alaena! I love that you included what asks you sent in XD and the STICKERS. I can’t decide if I want to put them on things or hang them all up on my bulletin board :) They’re incredible.
Thank you everyone, you’re all so thoughtful and kind!!
With SW ending soon (at least this fic, but this universe will never be over for me!) it is so incredibly lovely to hear what it means to you all. I feel so luck every single day that you guys love this team as much as I do. You thank me for this story, but I think the best part of fiction is that it expands and evolves differently in each mind it touches. Tumblr is such a freakin gift because I get a little glimpse into how you all think about these characters. So, I’m saying thank you to YOU. It’s truly a privilege to hear from you all. <3
If you feel like sending me anything, there is a link to my P.O. Box in my tumblr description! <3
Okay my mushy rant is done. Here’s chapter seventeen :)
~
Remus forgot his own birthday.
Lily had to remind him, bringing out a cake while he and Sirius had spent the day playing with baby Harry. Harry Potter. Harry James Potter.
The team adored him. Remus would never forget the sight of an entire team of hockey players, fresh off a plane, and crammed into a hospital room to peer at the small head of dark hair in Lily’s arms.
Minus one. Minus two, if what Sirius said was true, and Remus was part of the team. Remus had looked at the picture that Pascal had sent him from beside a sleeping Sirius and a heart monitor.
He had looked at the picture, and then at Sirius, and the relief doubled.
Four broken ribs. Bad, but it could have been worse. So much worse. A few days in Vegas to be monitored, just in case. Then, home.
Home for Remus’ birthday, home and in pain, but smiling none-the-less. Harry was a welcomed distraction from it all—the press, the hurt, the uncertainty. Lily seemed to know this without it needing to be said. Remus had told her she had enough going on without worrying about a cake, but Lily had just waved him off and cut them all large slices of the chocolate fluff.
Sirius, meanwhile, had somehow slipped a simple golden necklace around Harry’s neck, and when Remus looked down next, there it had been. A shining gold star pendant. The message had been clear. Sirius’ name-sake and Sirius himself—something to make a wish on.
Remus took a weeks off of work, all that he could.
Road-trips were a blur. Practices were anxious. The team was anxious.
March 27th.
Eight weeks. Sirius had been out for eight weeks. Resting, and stuck in his big house. Remus never thought he would be so thankful for Regulus.
“I’d rather be here than Slytherin any day, even though he whines like a baby when you’re gone.”
“Non,” Sirius would protest.
Regulus would raise an eyebrow. “Yeah.”
Remus would sneak into Sirius’ bedroom whenever he got home late, press one, two, three, four gentle kisses across his chest, and take his place on the other side of the pillow, carefully placed so that Sirius didn’t roll over during the night.
Sirius whined a good deal about that, too. And getting back on the ice.
“I just…I want to be back in case we make it to…” the playoffs.
The team was close. So close.
Sirius had only recently been allowed to come to the rink, suit and all, for home games to sit in the team box. It was strange, looking up from the bench at the jumbotron and seeing the image of Sirius there, standing with his arms crossed, sometimes with a beanie on, making his eyes look intense as he focused on the game in front of him. He was completely unreadable—to everyone but Remus. Remus could tell when he was happy with the team’s playing, when he was annoyed at their opponents. The internet was crawling with gifs of Sirius’ stormy eyes. Remus had more than a few saved, and they frequented the team group chat.
Remus looked up now, but all the jumbotron was showing was James, who had been taking lead in Sirius’ absence, talking quickly to Finn. Remus could see his own legs in the background.
The Stars were up 4-1, and there was ten minutes left in the second period. If they won this game, and they won the next game, they were in. And Sirius would be back the week after that—hopefully in time for the first playoff game, and not for an all-too-long summer vacation. Although, honestly, right then, Remus thought Sirius deserved either one. A chance at the Cup, or a break, a chance to rest up. To be together.
Leo was in net, Kasey resting up his thigh that continuously bothered him. Leo was skating a slow circle after the Stars scored yet another goal, tracing the blue crease with his stick. Remus could practically feel his furious calm.
“Big Rig may experience different weather up there, but he sure as hell has more gravity. Tremzy,” James knocked his helmet with his glove. “Don’t let him catch you, eh?”
“We gotta come back from this shit,” Finn said as he followed Logan over the boards. “For Leo. Leaving him out to dry out there. No.”
“For Cap,” Thomas said, coming back over the boards and breathing hard.
“Gotta put my baby in that silver crib!” James followed his wingers, a center for now.
“Cookie, Bluey, Ringer, be ready,” Coach called. “You’re on deck.”
“The oven is hot tonight,” Elias Cook said, pouring water over his neck.
“Stop saying that,” Kasey shook his head. “Jesus.”
“He can’t help the heat, Baby Bliz,” Thomas said.
Kasey just shook his head and looked back to the game.
Remus leaned in over Thomas’ shoulder. “That was a hit, Talkie, you good?”
“I’m hot,” Thomas said around his mouthguard.
Remus snorted, patting his shoulder pad. “You sure are.”
James lined up for the face off, Finn and Logan jostling against Benn and Perry. Logan dug his skates in when the ref dropped the puck and James whipped it back to him. Logan darted forward into the Stars’ zone, tailed closely.
“C’mon, Tremz,” Remus murmured.
Logan shot the puck off to Finn who got battered against the boards almost immediately by Benn, but got it smoothly to Olli, who sent it sailing back towards the Stars’ net. James was there behind the crease, Khudobin pushed out the wrong way—
James curled it in from behind and the Gryffindor goal horn blared.
“Fuck!” Thomas rose to his feet, knocking his stick against the boards. “Atta boy, baby-daddy!”
4-2 until the buzzer sounded and they were heading back down the tunnel. Remus glanced up at the screen one more time, and only just caught Sirius, smile plastered on as he was shown shaking the hands of a few older men. Remus suppressed a smile, and followed the team off of the ice for second intermission.
The locker room was subdued, and Sirius came in while Remus was crouched by Logan, taping up a jammed finger. He walked up to Coach first, leaning his elbows on the podium where he controlled the projector. Remus watched as he pointed to a few of the plays drawn up on the whiteboard, Coach nodding along.
“I can do this,” Logan said. “Leave with your moon eyes.”
Remus rolled his eyes, but tore off the tape and rose. “You’re all set. Try and keep it safe during third.”
“Oui,” Logan said, already sliding his headphones back on. Finn rose to get a fresh jersey, brushing a palm over the back of Logan’s neck on his way. Logan’s eyes followed him as he went to Leo next, who was sitting with his elbows on his knees in his stall, head down and airpods in. Finn squeezed himself in beside him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. He leaned in to press a few kisses to his neck, murmuring soft words. Leo closed his eyes and pressed into him.
“Hey.”
Remus turned away from the two to meet Sirius’ eyes. He was smiling, a good break from the grimace Remus had become used to.
“Hi,” Remus said and pressed a hand over the familiar bandage, thick beneath Sirius’ suit and shirt. “Feeling okay?”
“I’m good,” Sirius leaned down, right in the locker room, and kissed him. His mouth was gentle, leisurely. “I feel good.”
Remus smiled into it, and took his hand. “Good. Come on.”
Sirius followed him, hand in Remus’, into the training office.
“Ten minutes until show time,” Remus said in the dim space and wrapped his arms around Sirius’ neck. “Are you really feeling okay? Been on your feet for a while, I’ve been watching.”
“Loops, I come back soon. I’m healed, I’ve started light exercise. It’s just a matter of insurance.” Sirius leaned into him, lips brushing his. “You seemed to think I was fine last night.”
Remus grinned. “Yeah, I definitely think you were fine last night.”
Sirius smiled, but then his expression turned more grave. He bit his lip, and ran his hands up and down Remus’ sides a few times, almost as if to comfort himself. “Fuck, I want this for the team so bad.”
Remus nodded. This was a conversation they had been having more often than not. “I know. And they know. You want it for them, but baby, they want it for you. They’re out there doing their fucking hardest for you. I don’t think you should start preparing for the worst. Not yet. Hockey’s a fast game.”
“We’re just—we’re so close. And fucking Grayback and…and if we win this game, we just have to beat Vegas again and we’re in. And I won’t get to fucking be out there because of fucking Grayback. And he’s not even suspended anymore—”
Remus kissed him, and Sirius mumbled for a moment into it before relaxing.
“Two games,” Remus said. “Home. Then Vegas. We beat Grayback, take a chance at the cup away from him. That’s the best we can do.”
Sirius looked at him for a long moment. “How are you so okay with all of this?”
“What’s the alternative? Obsessing over him? He’s not worth it. At all.”
They looked up at the sound of the team noisily making their way back down the tunnel, shouts and whistles, trying to psych themselves up for a come back.
“Third,” Remus said, then tucked his fingers into Sirius’ hair and kissed him again. “You’re competitive. I love you for it. But, baby, you’ve already beaten him. You beat him a long time ago.”
Remus kissed Sirius’ slowly smiling mouth again and again before rushing out the door.
Sirius made his way back up to the box. He watched the other members’ eyes follow him as he slipped back into the private room. There was an absurd array of food and drinks on a table, designed to impress members and investors. Sushi rolls and miniature hot dogs, popcorn in Lions colored cardboard boxes. Red-frosted cupcakes and lion head cake-pops. Sirius took a cupcake. He’d already beaten Grayback. Remus had just kissed him. His ribs had healed well. It all called for a cupcake.
“Really letting yourself off, eh?”
Sirius looked up at a man. He was wearing a white collared shirt under one of Sirius’ jerseys. Obviously a fan, obviously nervous, obviously important given the way one of the managers was looking at him talking to Sirius.
“No,” Sirius said plainly. “I’m having a cupcake.”
There were laughs from around him, as if Sirius was the funniest guy in the room. Sirius didn’t feel funny. This guy was making him miss puck drop.
The man held out his hand. “I’m Mike. Real doozy you slapped the world with.”
Sirius took it tightly, cupcake in his other hand. “I wasn’t aware that I did the slapping.”
“Probably broke a lot of hearts though.”
Sirius looked at Mike the way he looked at opponents on the ice. He watched him blink, watched his body language change.
“I was thinking about my own heart. Désloé, how do we know each other again?”
“Oh. Well—”
“Right,” Sirius nodded. “Enjoy the game.”
Sirius walked towards the box’s edge, unwrapping his cupcake. He could see the entire stadium from up here, the teaming mass of red and gold, the team readying themselves on the ice. A tiny glimpse of Remus on the bench. Coach was gesturing and talking. He watched his own face on the jumbotron as he took a bite of the dessert. He found the camera and flashed it a thumbs up, waving his arms upwards and listening to the crowd’s cheers roar in time with his hands. He caught glimpses of rainbow flags in the crowd, signs with number twelve decked out in the colors. It was a nice contrast to the signs that Sirius saw on his way into the stadium. Defaced number twelve jerseys, slurs, people jeering at his window as he drove through security. Interesting, to see who was inside, and who was not.
The puck dropped and James won it. James who, despite them being down, was hot tonight. No doubt riding the adrenaline of Harry and Lily at home, of being named temporary captain, of being so close to what they all dreamed of.
Sirius couldn’t think it, not even in his head.
The puck seemed to be frozen in the central zone, both teams battling too hard. A stalemate in aggressive trench warfare. Back and forth, back and forth with no progress. Sirius crumpled the cupcake wrapping between his fists and cupped them together, shoulders tense.
“Allez…” he whispered to himself.
The camera was on him again, and he looked stony even to himself. He raised his eyes to it and pointed a finger down at the game. Show that, he mouthed.
The Lions goal horn blared. Logan had scored.
Sirius knew the camera caught his reaction on camera. He put his fists up, relief bubbling out of him in a shout.
“Allez, Tremzy!”
The crowd was going wild. Finn slammed Logan into the boards in celebration and the jumbotron replayed the beautiful tip-in. 4-3. Things weren’t so impossible anymore.
Sirius squeezed the wrapper in-between his hands again and set his elbows on the ledge.
“Play Kuny, play Kuny…” Sirius muttered under his breath. He would match Oleksiak. Sure enough, Coach sent Kuny’s line over the boards a second later. Nado and Evan Kane followed him, Fox and Sunqvist on defense.
“No power plays,” Sirius prayed. “Come on, Nado, no stupid penalties.”
“Do you always talk to yourself in French while playing?”
Sirius stiffened. Mike was back.
“Non, parfois je parle en russe.”
Mike blinked. “What?”
“Laisse-moi tranquille, homme intrusif,” Sirius grinned sharply. “I said only sometimes. Usually on the bench.”
That seemed to make Mike happy. “Hey, you’re really superstitious, right?”
“Yes.”
“Like what?”
Like being alone in the team box, Sirius thought bitterly. Like getting a blowjob from my boyfriend before a game, you know, that doozy I slapped the world with?
“There’s a lot of them,” Sirius said. “If you’ll excuse me, I really have to watch this.”
Mike nodded quickly. “Oh, of course, of course.”
Sirius shifted away a little when he didn’t move, tried to focus on the ice. The puck had dropped and it was on Evgeni’s stick. He was carrying it quickly up the ice, seeming to cut through the players with his broad shoulders. Sirius imagined he could hear his deep voice, calling for Nado to look alive. The pass connected, but Seguin tapped it out of Nado’s hands from behind and sent it up the ice quickly to Benn.
“Merde,” Sirius said. The Lions were changing and then it was Pascal’s line with Elias and Brady, Olli and Timmy on defense. Benn managed to get around Olli, and then—
Leo was pushing far out of the crease and aggressively jabbed the puck right from Benn’s stick and onto Pascal’s waiting one. Leo slid back into the crease like a water snake. The stadium was chaos.
Knutty, Knutty, Knutty, was the chant. It filled the air itself. The jumbotron showed the bench briefly, Logan and Finn and Thomas grinning up at the stands. Pascal still had the puck.
His solid form darted up a clear channel, catching the Stars in a slow shift change. He was in front of the goal, Sirius squeezed the wrapper between his palms. Pascal faked by lifting his left leg, Khudobin went for it, and Pascal slid it right between his pads, neat and tidy.
They tied the game. They tied up the game. Sirius pushed back from the railing with a long breath as a TV break began. The Lions ice crew came out to some pop song and began their sweep. Sirius looked down at his bench and yearned to be with them. He rubbed his hand absentmindedly over his ribs. They were healed. He had a few more sessions with Remus left and then he would be back. He would be back.
He thought of the hit.
He hadn’t known what was wrong. There had been no air in his lungs. But Remus had been his first thought. He knew who hit him, he had seen his face before he hit the ice.
Remus.
This would hurt Remus.
“Wait, has a what?”
His own voice over the jumbotron drew him out of his thoughts. It was a pre-recorded interview, one of the fluff ones that they played for fun to entertain the crowd.
Marlene’s voice from off screen repeated the question. “Which one of your teammates has a life-sized Stormtrooper, R2-D2 and C-3PO action figure in their apartment?”
They showed his own face again, laughing and thinking. “Oh. Um.”
It switched to James, arms crossed and actually thinking about it. He pushed his glasses up his nose and laughed. “I don’t know, Finn and Leo? That seems like a weird Harzy thing.”
It cut to Finn. “That’s not weird. I wish it was me. I’ll convince Nut, don’t you worry.”
Pascal looked unimpressed, sitting easily in the chair. “There is only one person this could be, and that person spent the first two months of his time in the U.S. with only the phrases, You’re my only hope, and I’m your father, to his vocabulary. Oh, and the word no.”
Sunny was laughing. “I know exactly who this is.”
Nado looked pained. “Do you have any idea how many times I’ve seen Star Wars now? Do you have any idea?”
Finally, the screen cut to Evgeni, smiling, tongue jokingly between his teeth. “Good for English, you know?” He held up his hands. “I am Force.”
The video ended with a swoop of the Lions’ logo, and even Sirius could help but smile. There was eight minutes left in the period.
Eight minutes to pull ahead.
They would do it.
The Stars had called a time out, and so James, Logan, and Finn were milling around the ice together, keeping their muscles warm. Leo was looping around the goal.
They were ready.
Seguin faced off against James, both of them leaning forward.
Seguin won it.
There was a fleury when James was pinned to the boards by Oleksiak, but Logan was there to steal the puck from beneath his feet.
The clock had dwindled down to four minutes when a whistle blew with a slashing penalty on the Stars. Pascal and Thomas joined James on the ice for the power play unit.
Sirius could feel the energetic restlessness of the crowd. They all knew what this could mean. Sirius let out a shaky breath and looked at the wrapper in his hands. He thought of Remus. Remus, and his long list of superstitions. But what pulled him through had been himself. Sirius held it anyway, but he held his Lions closer.
They were ready.
They set themselves up in a triangle, a tic-tac-toe, in front of the Stars’ goal. The sent it to each other quickly, boxing the defensemen in. Finally, James got it to Evgeni, who slapped it with a one timer and—
The goal horn. 00:24 seconds remaining.
The crowd was already singing with victory. The Stars tried for one last push, but Leo snatched the puck right out of the air with his glove.
00:03.
Done.
Sirius pushed his hands through his hair in relief. “Merde.”
Sirius was out of the box before anyone could even think about congratulating him, jogging down the private staircase and towards the locker room. He made it to the player’s hallway before he was stopped by a smiling Alice.
“I know, I know,” she said. “Can we just get a few questions in?” She gestured over to where Marlene was standing with a microphone, talking to a dark haired girl holding a camera. Alice raised an eyebrow. “It’s only Marlene.”
Sirius rolled his eyes. “Sure.”
Alice patted his arm. “Congrats, by the way.”
“Thanks,” Sirius said and shoved his hands into his pockets while looking at Marlene expectantly.
“Okay, McKinnon, let’s go.”
Marlene scoffed. “Nice to see you, too. Hi Cap, how are you? Ribs, mind, in general.”
Sirius relaxed a little. If he had to do interviews, he preferred Marlene above all else. “I’m healing well. Ready to get back on the ice.”
Marlene narrowed her eyes at his short response and he smiled. That made her smile. Those were rare for the press, and she had just caught one.
“Any thoughts you want to share about how the majority of the world is responding to you lately? By my calculations, you’re quite the icon and inspiration—not that you weren’t before of course.”
Sirius laughed a little. “Oh yeah? Um,” he cleared his throat. When he looked up he could see Remus down the hall a little ways. He was talking to Kasey who was still fully dressed. Remus looked beautiful and strong and…And Sirius just… He hated questions like this but he just—
“Someone is always going to find something wrong with you,” Sirius said. “With what you say. With what you do. My job is not to please, you know? My job is to play hockey, sure, but, really, my job is to be the person I want to be, do the things I believe are right, do the things I love. With the people I choose to love. I think that’s everyone’s job,” Sirius found Remus beyond the cameras again, along with everything he had ever wanted. He looked back to Marlene. “That took me a long time to learn. They say, have a thick skin and an open heart. Before, all I had was a thick skin. Now, I’ve found someone who can help me have both. I didn’t even realize how much I needed that.”
~
“And that was an interview with a surprisingly heartfelt Captain Sirius Black,” Lee Jordan broke off in a laugh. “Earlier this game we also got to see him telling the cameras, show the game, show the game. Pointing down at the ice. Outstanding. That’s a layer of the Captain that I don’t think we see very often. From what I hear, the dude’s funny, though, Dean. Now, let’s take a look at the Lions’ top scorers. With the Captain out, that would be Logan Tremblay, James Potter, and, that’s right, one of the oldest in the league, Pascal Dumais…”
“What is that?” Remus said, appearing in front of Sirius where he was waiting in the PT room and drawing his attention away from the television. Remus peered at his hands.
“Oh,” Sirius felt himself flush as he looked down at the cupcake wrapper, more like a tiny ball of oily paper now. “I was holding this when Logan scored, so…”
Remus laughed. “So, you had to hold it the entire period. And now it’s practically falling apart. You’re not keeping that.”
“But it—” Remus grinned as Sirius surrendered the wrapper. “Fine.”
“Hey,” Remus said, and Sirius looked up. Remus was flushed from the game, eyes bright with the win. He leaned up and kissed him hotly, then softly. Sirius had to blink a few times when he pulled away. 
“You always had an open heart,” Remus said. “That’s obvious to anyone who knows you. Who loves you.”
Sirius smiled. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
Someone cleared their throat. “Sorry…”
They looked up to see Kasey, now in just some basketball shorts. “Hi.”
“Hey, Bliz, I’m ready for you,” Remus said, then looked up at Sirius. “I can get the subway back if you wanna go home to Regulus.”
“Non, non, I’ll wait,” Sirius said, and bumped fists with Kasey on his way out.
Remus smiled after him for a moment, then at Kasey. “So, thigh?”
Kasey nodded, eyes shifting downward, then back to Remus again. “Yeah.”
Remus paused, brows drawing together. “Kasey, are you—”
“Hey, Kase?” Natalie appeared in the doorway. She had her long blonde hair drawn back in two dutch braids and a Blizzard jersey on over a gray sweatshirt with the hood spilling out. Her smile wasn’t as bright as usual.
“Hi, Remus,” she said. “Baby, I’m gonna go say hi to Marlene. Just text me when you’re all set okay?”
“Hi, Nat,” Remus said slowly.
Kasey nodded, accepting a kiss on the cheek. “Okay.”
He hopped up on the table and lay on his back while Remus got ready.
“Just the thigh that’s bothering you?” Remus said carefully. He pushed Kasey’s shorts up his thigh to get at the tense muscle and carefully began kneading the muscles. The post-game played softly on the television while Remus waited for Kasey to speak.
“Will it always be like this, Loops?” Kasey asked quietly after a few moments.
Remus looked up at where Kasey was reclining on the padded table with his fingers across his chest. Remus, if he was being honest with himself, had been waiting to have this conversation with Kasey for a while.
Kasey looked back at him. “It acts up more often than not. I can’t play if I can go down, I…I can’t—”
“I know,” Remus said softly. “I know, Kase. Look.” Remus moved down to his knee, smoothing the muscle firmly. “This injury…it’s a tough one. It takes a long time to heal. It takes time and endurance. So, my answer is no. It won’t always be like this. It just takes time.”
“What if I don’t have time?” Kasey’s voice was even quieter. “I’m a goalie. Sometimes we have less—”
“Kase,” Remus looked at him. “You’re twenty six years old. You do.”
Kasey groaned as Remus pressed his knee out to the side, loosening the muscle slowly. “Fuck.”
“We’ll do some strength training next practice, okay? We’ll make a schedule, I’ll work with you. And we have a day off tomorrow. I’ll send you some videos to do at home if you want, or you can rest.” Remus smiled a little. “Or Natalie can help you stretch.”
Kasey smiled and it seemed easier. “When you say stretch…”
Remus laughed. “That’s the point. Look, you will heal, but you also have to enjoy the rest of your life. Hockey’s everything, and not everything at the same time. I’m gonna give you some salve, okay? And then you’ll be good for the night. Rest.”
Kasey nodded. “How’s Cap doing?”
“He’s okay,” Remus said, warming up the muscle salve between his palms. “Wants to be out there with you guys.”
“We want him there,” Kasey sat up on his elbows and watched Remus’s hands. “What about baby Black?”
Remus snorted. “Good. I mean, happy he’s here. The whole Snake runaway thing is sort of up in the air. The Snakes have their lawyers on his ass about his contract, and Minnie thinks he might have to go public with some pretty horrific stories to prove that they breached it.”
“Horrific stories…”
Their eyes met somberly. “I know.”
“Jesus,” Kasey sighed as he sat up. He pushed his hair out of his face and looked down at his leg. “That feels better. I…I feel better.”
“Good. Try and stay off it as much as you can, okay? Nat loves you to death, don’t tell me she won’t get you what you need.”
“Oh, she will,” Kasey smiled and eased himself carefully off the table. “Thanks, Loops.”
“Bliz,” Remus said, and Kasey turned to look back. “You have time and life and everything else. Really.”
Kasey nodded. He smiled a serious sort of smile. “You’re right. I get in my head.”
“You’re a goalie. That’s part of the job.”
Kasey laughed, flipped him off, and closed the door behind him.
Sirius was waiting for him on one of the couches in the player’s lounge, eyes closed and beanie on his head. His shoulders looked broad in his dark winter coat and suit.
“Hi, handsome,” Remus said, leaning over Sirius with his hands resting against the back of the couch on either side of his head.
Sirius’ eyes opened and he smiled. “Salut.”
“Ready to go home?”
“Regulus says he’s out with Leo. Day off and all that,” Sirius tilted his chin up, silently asking. “House to ourselves.”
Remus pushed himself back upright. “Let’s go.”
~
“I’m glad Regulus had Leo,” Remus said as he stood in Sirius’ massive but mostly empty closet. He picked out one of Sirius’ t-shirts and sweatpants and pulled them on. “They’re both eighteen and both have a lot of pressure to deal with, even if it’s, you know, different pressure. It’s nice.”
“Yeah, I’m happy,” Sirius said as he came back into the bedroom from the bathroom. His torso looked lean in his his sweatpants, the bruising finally faded. "And thankful to Leo. He didn’t have to reach out, you know?” Sirius collapsed onto the bed with a smile, bouncing a little. “Now, let’s stop talking about my brother.”
“Nope, no bed yet. Come on.”
“Loops.”
“You want to play next week, you do this with me now. Let’s go.”
Sirius let Remus wrangle him downstairs and into the gym. Sirius put on some music and then Remus lay him out in just his sweatpants on a soft mat and led him through the breathing exercises and some of the light core work that was on his recovery plan. Sirius kept his eyes on Remus the entire time, the two of them laughing as his hands wandered to Remus’ hips. Remus had to admit that, now that Sirius wasn’t in pain, watching him spread out on the mat like this got him. His softly moving chest, his hard muscles, the shadowed curl of his hair on his temples. He let it get him, there in the privacy of Sirius’ basement. Sirius noticed.
He smiled the next time he raised up in a crunch, abs working, hands behind his head. “Maybe I could use some incentive.”
Remus raised an eyebrow from where he was by Sirius’ bent knees. “Oh?”
Sirius pushed up and held there until Remus bent so he could kiss Remus lightly, then lowered back down.
The next time he came up, he brought Remus down with him. He parted his knees so Remus could settle between them. Sirius’ chest was warm from the exercise, his heartbeat even. Remus sighed into his kisses.
“We should go easy, we have the party at Pascal’s tomorrow—”
“I’m perfect,” Sirius said, and rolled them gently so that Remus was on his back now, Sirius hovering over him. “I feel perfect. I want you so bad.”
It had been a bit of a challenge. They’d been on strict no-sex orders, given to them rather sheepishly by Sirius’ doctor while he was still in the hospital. It had been a lot of Remus trying to sneak a quick jack-off in the shower, trying not to make things harder on Sirius, only to come out of the shower to a glowering, turned-on boyfriend.
Getting the all clear had been spine-melting, and it had sort of been that way ever since. Still, sex was few and far in between. Regulus was in the house more often than not, and even if it was a big house, Remus didn’t think it was the best idea to invite him to stay only to sneak off to Sirius’ bedroom.
Regulus had received the message quickly though, and told them clearly enough when he would be out for a while.
Remus shuttered when Sirius’ hardening cock dragged across his own.
“Fuck, are we really doing this in the gym?” Remus panted out a laugh. He was already so turned on that it ached. His dick pressed insistently against the band of his sweatpants, and when Sirius next dragged his hips down, the loose fabric pulled away to expose the shiny head of his cock. Remus moaned. “Sirius, fuck…fuck, I—”
“No lube,” Sirius said. “Shit, I…”
Remus just pushed Sirius’ sweatpants down over his ass, making his cock fall free, bobbing and stiff, and tugged his own sweatpants down until his hips and thighs were exposed. Remus pushed their hips together, mouth open. It was plenty wet, Sirius cock already beginning to shine at the head.
Sirius fucked his hips forward steadily against Remus, the friction making him squeeze his eyes shut. Remus felt Sirius’ lips against his neck, and wrapped his arms around him. He felt sort of frantic with it, lazily happy with how much he loved this.
“Love you,” he murmured as Sirius pushed forward with a well-aimed thrust. “Fuck, baby, yeah…”
“Not bad for a core workout,” Sirius said into his skin.
Remus laughed, even as pleasure sparked at the edges of his vision. His cock felt heavy and sensitive against his stomach.
“Don’t overdo it,” Remus said. “Here.”
Remus pushed at Sirius’ shoulders until Sirius groaned and rolled onto his back.
“I’m fi—”
His complaints died on his tongue when Remus pressed up all along his side, cock trapped between them, and wrapped a hand around Sirius. He kept his strokes even and tight, running his fingers down over his full balls, the vein on the underside. Sirius was hot in his hand, precome thin and leaking over the back of Remus’ hand. Remus kissed Sirius, tongue sliding into his mouth, and more heat trickled over his fingers. Remus felt like he could come just like that. It was almost—surreal. He was so turned on, especially for not even having done that much. He had just been taking Sirius through his exercises one moment, and then Sirius had taken him between his thighs and he was done for.
“Re, let me,” Sirius breathed, and his fingers found his own cock for a moment before wrapping around Remus’ shoulders to reach behind him, rubbing over the swell of his ass.
Heat pooled in Remus stomach and made his hand stutter, gripping Sirius tighter. “Fuck, yes…”
Sirius’ fingers were soft and slow as they worked their way inside of Remus. It was a little dry, but Remus let his temple pitch forward onto Sirius’ chest as Sirius fingered him. He stroked Sirius slowly, dazed by the contrast between his own pale fingers and the darker, flushed skin of him. He wished he could see Sirius’ hand.
“There,” Remus gasped suddenly. “Ah—”
Sirius pressed him in gentle, slow strokes. It was different, being touched there and not his cock. Remus pushed into the feeling, his cock trapped and still between them. It wasn’t enough to do much except let Sirius’ fingers build a painfully slow pressure inside him. His eyes were lidded as he stroked Sirius’ cock until it was rock hard in his palm. He threw a leg over Sirius’ thighs so that Sirius could push into him deeper, finger curving against his prostate.
Remus just moaned.
“I’m gonna come soon, mon loup,” Sirius panted, hips straining up once, twice. “Loops—”
Remus sped up his hand, swiping his thumb over the swollen head, and then Sirius’ hips jerked. Come dripped lazily over Remus’ fingers, more and more of it, in thick white pulses. Remus’ dick throbbed at the sight, at Sirius’ fingers, tense from his orgasm, pressing hard inside of him. He squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them, gasping. His hand had stilled against the base of Sirius’ cock, and he could feel him pulsing there, cock throbbing through his orgasm. Sirius’ head had fallen back against the mat, his chest rising and falling quickly beneath Remus’ chest. It was a mess on his hips and Remus’ fingers.
“Fuck. Oh—” Sirius moaned as Remus started stroking him again. His cock strained valiantly, but it was spent and softening. “C’mere, Loops, fuck.”
Sirius turned into Remus, fingers twisting inside of him. It gave him a better angle, and when he moved next, he doubled down.
Remus could only hold onto his shoulders, pliant against the mat.
“Can you come like this, sweetheart?” Sirius said gently. “Just on my fingers?”
Remus already felt like he was coming. There was sweat on his temples and chest, and he felt Sirius’ kiss the salt away. His cock was taught against his stomach, an angry red now. Sirius stroked inside of him evenly, but in quicker time. Remus didn’t even have time to catch one breath before the next was stolen.
“I’m coming—” Remus said, but he knew he wasn’t. Not yet. But he was sure he was. He groaned and Sirius kissed his exposed throat, his back arched up, pressing down on him.
“C’mon, baby,” Sirius said. “Fuck, look at you.”
“I’m coming,” Remus said again, voice breaking, and the calloused pad of Sirius’ finger pressed against him hard, and then he really was. It tore out of him forever, spilling against Sirius’ tan skin. Sirius cradled Remus against him, saying soft things in French until Remus could open his eyes again. Sirius took Remus’ dick gently in his hand, easing a last shiver of pleasure from him. Remus smiled a little deliriously and curled closer to his warmth.
“Bath?” Sirius whispered.
“We gotta clean this,” Remus laughed. “Fuck, I feel like my brain is gone.”
“I’ll clean,” Sirius said, and tilted Remus’ head up for a kiss. “Go get the hot water going.”
That sounded fine to Remus.
~
Lily opened the door to Pascal’s house with Harry cradled in her arms.
“Sirius fucking Black I swear to god you triggered my labor.”
“You say that to me every time you see me.”
She stepped aside. “And will continue to do so.”
Remus stepped through the door first and took Harry from her, holding him close so that Sirius could press a kiss to one of his chubby cheeks. He wasn’t heavy, but Sirius wasn’t suppose to lift very much. Harry smiled at him and Remus watched as Sirius smiled back, murmuring in French.
“Where’s Regulus?” Lily asked.
Sirius shrugged, still making faces at Harry.
“Out with Leo,” Finn’s voice suddenly said. He was sitting on the couch with Logan tucked up against his side. “Yeah, uh-huh, Leo’s replacing us with your brother.”
Logan rolled his eyes. “That’s not true.”
Finn raised his eyebrows, as if to say he wasn’t so sure about that. Logan nudged his jaw with his nose until he pressed a light kiss to his lips. Remus smiled.
He could see the long road that was behind them and the long road ahead at the same time. It was better that way.
Most of the team was there. The living room had a huge banner that read Congratulations Logan! and beneath it a smaller one: for finally moving out of my basement! 
Sirius laughed hard. “I didn’t get one of these!”
Pascal shook his head from where he was playing cards with Sergei. “I knew you would leave eventually. This one, I wasn’t so sure.”
“Hey,” Logan groaned.
Remus laughed and snapped a picture of Sirius in front of it.
“Can I have that for my instagram?” James asked.
“Baby, too much instagram, okay, I love you so much, but…” Lily winced.
“But I have a baby now,” James stood to Remus’ other side, and then Remus had two fully grown hockey players making baby talk surrounding him. “That’s what instagram’s for. Isn’t it, my little lion?”
Harry laughed delightedly at his father.
Kasey and Natalie were sitting on the couch beside Logan and Finn. Natalie had Kasey sitting between her legs on the floor, fingers running through his hair as she talked to them. Kasey seemed to be talking very seriously about something with Katie, who seemed to be wearing three princess dresses at the same time. She was sitting in his lap and he was nodding along, responding whenever she waited for him to.
Remus handed Harry back to Lily when they went into the kitchen to get drinks. Celeste was in the kitchen with Anya, and Thomas seemed to be helping, too, along with Noelle.
When Sirius said he was surprised to see her, she waved him off, taking a sip of her wine. “I’m the resident Tremblay sister representative. We were all pretty worried about Lolo for a minute there, but…” she smiled. “If only we knew. Not one boy, but two. Plus,” she looked over at Thomas, who was focusing intently on what Celeste was saying and stirring on the stove. “I have my own reasons.”
“Talkie’s a good one,” Remus said. “You lucked out there.”
“Right?” Noelle laughed, then nodded at Sirius. “I’m really glad you’re okay.”
“Me too,” Remus and Sirius said at the same time.
Noelle laughed again, and then her expression became more mild. “And…” she looked towards the living room, where they could distinctly hear Logan’s laugh. “I know none of this was easy for you two, but I’m happy you were there for my brother. Maybe not in the way you wanted to be…in the way any of us wanted…but you showed him it was okay to be who he is. I think Finn would have gotten to him eventually but I think it would have taken a lot longer. I’m glad he’s happy now. And that’s largely thanks to you two.”
“The delicious smells of success,” Thomas suddenly sang out, slightly off-key. “Breathe in the delicious smells of success, hey, Christmas, come over here and look at this goodness.”
Noelle laughed. “Oh, I’m already looking at it.” She sent Remus and Sirius a last smile. “Anyway, I said my piece.”
Remus laughed as she returned to Thomas’ side, tucking herself against him.
“That was sweet,” he said and rubbed his hand gently over Sirius’ chest, sort of out of habit by now. He could feel the bandages there.
Sirius kissed Remus’ temple. “Yeah.”
“Sirius, mon cher,” Celeste kissed Sirius’ cheek when she came over from the stove. “You are okay? Of course you are, Remus is with you. No more big empty house and take out meals, oui?”
Sirius laughed. “Way to sell me out.”
Remus snorted. “Like everyone didn’t already know.”
Celeste laughed. “C’est vrai.” She sighed, patting Sirius’ chest, near his ribs. “I am still so angry about Grayback, honestly.”
“Aren’t we all,” Pascal said, coming over. Celeste wrapped an arm around him.
“You and me both,” Sirius said, taking a sip of his wine. “But it’s over. I have to let it be over or else I’ll go insane.”
“You’ll be back out there soon,” Pascal said.
Sirius smiled. “Only thanks to Loops.”
Remus rolled his eyes. “It’s you who does the hard part.”
Pascal laughed. “As if getting this boy to do what he’s told isn’t the hard part.”
Remus laughed. “Hm, true.”
“Celeste, the goodness looks ready to me,” Thomas called over from the stove.
Celeste laughed and leaned back towards the doorway to the living room.
“Dinner, everyone!” she called.
It only took a few moments for the kitchen to become crowded with people lining up with their plates.
“Hey,” Evgeni bee-lined between them for the wine bottle, but stopped on the way to give Remus a kiss on both cheeks. “Get Captain laid, no more grumpy.”
“Kuny,” Remus said.
Nado, behind him as always, cracked up. Sirius laughed, too.
“Merde, Kuns,” he said. “Subtle.”
“Very,” Regulus’ wry voice suddenly said from behind them as he and Leo entered the kitchen.
“Just in time!” Celeste said, handing them both plates. “Where have you boys been?”
Leo shrugged. “Just—hi, sweetheart,” he cut off as Finn wrapped his arms around his waist. “Just touring around Gryf. Got lunch.”
“Yeah, Sid’s is the best,” Regulus said.
Sirius spluttered mid way through serving himself dinner. “I told you that.”
“So?”
“So, you believe Leo and not me?”
Leo grinned. Regulus shrugged.
Remus spent most of dinner holding baby Harry and watching Sirius tickle his tummy while he laughed. James looked ready to cry at the sight. Lily took him back to be fed when they moved to sit around the living room with dessert, but Remus didn’t mind. He just leaned back into Sirius’ chest, happy with his team around him.
Logan looked red in the face from all the jokes implying why he was so eager to move in with Leo and Finn. Adele had stuck close to him all evening, sitting on his free side. Logan had his arm around her. Remus had overheard him assuring her that he’d be over to visit all the time, which he thought was unbearably sweet. Leo looked resigned and amused to the teasing, and Finn just looked thoroughly pleased, sitting between them with an arm around each.
Remus felt a kiss being placed on his neck.
“Maybe we could celebrate more than one move tonight,” Sirius said into Remus’ ear.
Remus held Sirius’ arms across his chest, turning to look at him. “What?”
Sirius just smiled and pulled Remus out of the living room and into the butler’s pantry of the kitchen. He took Remus’ hands in his warm ones. “You should move in with me.”
Remus took a slow breath in.
Sirius slid his hands up Remus’ forearms. “I want you to move in with me.”
“Baby…”
“Besides,” Sirius smiled. “Your mom will be coming to town soon with any luck,” Sirius knocked gently on the wooden cupboard behind Remus’ head with a smile. “Better not to disappoint her.”
Remus laughed, reaching up to press his hands to Sirius’ cheeks. “Better not.”
Sirius leaned down to nudge their noses together. “Live with me. You sort of already do, and I…I love it so much. I love having you near.”
Remus nodded. “Yes.” He kissed him once, and again, and again. “Yeah, I want to.”
Sirius smiled into their next kiss, and that was how Logan found them.
“Alors,” he said, hands up. “Sorry. Just got sent in for some more wine. God knows I need it.”
Remus flushed and laughed as Logan reached down for a bottle from the wine fridge.
“Carry on.”
“Oops,” Sirius snorted when they were alone again.
“I’ll have to get a car,” Remus mused as Sirius hugged him against his chest. Sirius lived just outside the city center. “No more subways and city walking from out here.”
“I’ll buy you whatever car you want.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Sirius squeezed him closer. “It’s what I said. I want to. What else do you want? Tell me.”
Remus smiled and tilted his chin up to look at him. “You.”
~
It had been hard, saying goodbye to Sirius for the short road trip to Vegas. It was strange going without him.
“Force him to keep doing his exercises,” Remus had told Regulus firmly.
“Will do,” Regulus saluted.
“Miss you already,” Sirius had said softly when he dropped Remus off at departures.
“Just a few days,” Remus kissed his across the seats, and then kissed his new star necklace. “They’ll win.”
“Shh,” Sirius laughed gently.
Remus just smiled. “You’ll see."
Remus was in the visitor’s PT room, making sure it was well-stocked. Just in case. Moody was already in there, leaning against the table and watching the pre-game. He greeted Remus with a nod, and Remus pulled out a box of supplies to sort through while listening.
“—first time the Lions will be on the ice with Fenrir Grayback who, as we all know, received a two game suspension after a hard hit on Lions Captain Sirius Black, breaking four of his ribs. We know that the Lions organization was especially not happy about the lack of severity shown by the League. I suppose we may see what the players have to say about this tonight. I expect the Lions will push especially hard for a win in honor of their wounded Captain—not to mention that winning this game would secure them a spot in this year’s Stanley Cup play-offs. Marc-André Fleury is back with his rainbow stick tape, his second time showing support for Black. It’s nice to see. Let’s take a look at who else we’re watching tonight. First, we’ll talk about Logan Tremblay…”
“One game,” Moody grumbled. “One game.”
“One game,” Remus repeated. “Sirius really wanted to be out there tonight.”
“I don’t think Grayback knows what’s coming for him now that he isn’t,” Moody laughed gruffly. “You saw those boys when he took Sirius out. They’re fresh out of a day-off now. Rested, furious, determined.” Moody tilted his head. “I feel good things in my leg.”
Remus laughed. “Well, thank God.”
Sirius was sitting with his brother on the large, leather couch in his TV den, anxious and waiting for the second period to resume. The commercials were muted and he was waiting for Regulus to work his way up towards saying whatever it was that he was holding back. Sirius could tell there was something.
“Your house is ridiculous,” Regulus said around his Chinese takeout—not for the first time.
“I was young,” Sirius said defensively. “I thought buying a house like this was, like, required.”
“Stupide,” Regulus snorted.
“—a nasty hit on Finn O’Hara by Ryan Reaves, but he seems okay,” the commentator said, replaying the hit, and Sirius tensed. He didn’t need a replay of that. They cut back to commercials again.
“Do you think they can actually force me to go back?” Regulus said suddenly.
When Sirius looked over he was poking mildly at his noodles.
“I won’t let them do that.”
Regulus rolled his eyes. “You’re Sirius Black, not God.”
“I won’t let them do that,” Sirius said again. “Tu comprends? I will not. And Minnie won’t either.”
“Maman says—”
Sirius sat up. “You’ve been talking to her?”
“I have to sometimes,” Regulus grumbled. “Legal stuff. Minnie’s always there.”
“It doesn’t matter what she says. She is—”
“Yes, I know what she is,” Regulus snapped. “I’ve been living with her—until a few months ago, in case you forgot.” He glowered around the room. “While you were in your big fancy house…”
Sirius blinked. “Reg…”
“I’m not—mad at you. I was, but I’m not. I mean, I’m doing what you did, aren’t I? Making a better life, damn the consequences?” Regulus sighed. “There are other Snakes who want out, you know.”
Sirius sat up. “Like…witnesses? Reg, you could compile a case.”
“They’re worried they’ll never get back into the League,” Regulus said. “I’m trying, but…I don’t know, Sirius.”
Sirius’ heart ached. He looked down at his chicken and rice. “I wish I could tell you what to do.”
Regulus looked at him, gray on gray, and nodded. “I know.” He glanced at the TV. “We’re back.”
Sirius secretly liked that. Looking at the Lions play with his brother, and hearing him say we.
“O’Hara didn’t need any help getting up, even if he looked a little rattled. Now, speaking from experience, I don’t know about you, Lee, but I was waiting for O’Hara’s line mate, Logan Tremblay to have something to say about it…Tremblay did not challenge Reaves, though.”
They were lining up for puck drop, James at the center against—
Grayback.
“You know, Dean, I think that’s a testament to these young Lions, really all the Lions. They call them the cubs, you know. You can tell how much they want this. They band together, they listen, they work…I think it’s pretty rare to see such fine communication in an entire team.”
Grayback won the face off.
“Fuck,” Regulus breathed.
Sirius wished he was there, standing beside Remus, on the bench, jumping the boards—anything. Instead, he was sitting on the couch, eating take-out. Helpless.
The entire first period, and the majority of this one had been back and forth. The score was still 0-0. They were fighting. Hard. Fenrir passed it to Tuch, who knocked it over to Engelland. Engelland took a hard shot, and Leo caught it in his glove.
“Another amazing save by Knut,” Dean said. “Rookie goal tender Leo Knut has blocked 29 shots in this game so far, most of them with his glove. I love seeing that sort of technique from the younger players, you know?”
“Absolutely Dean. And it looks to me like Coach Weasley is giving the Blizzard, Kasey Winter, a nice long rest as he looks ahead to hopefully a long and successful playoff run.”
Sirius leaned forward as play started up again. Evgeni barreled against Reaves and Fenrir, evading a two-on-one with a slick pass to Nado. It was hard hockey—it looked a little like play-off hockey. Brutal, hard-hitting, and determined.
It stayed like that until half way through the third.
“Fucking hell,” Regulus said. “How does this game still have no score?”
Sirius shook his head. His heart was in his throat. He had texted Remus at the second intermission.
Boys are fired as hell, Remus had said. Good feelings. They don’t even seem tired.
Harzy okay? he had said.
Yes. Then, a minute later. Boasting that you’re checking on him XD
That reassurance was the only thing keeping Sirius sane.
“We have to break their defense,” Sirius was half watching the battle on the ice and half running through plays in his mind. The clock read twelve minutes.
Sirius could have laughed. He pressed his necklace pendant between his palms, his steepled fingers against his mouth. He wasn’t religious. He just wanted this. For all of them.
Pascal’s line was out.
“Come on Dumo,” Sirius said.
Sirius watched Pascal and Fenrir line up for the face off with tense shoulders. He waited, and waited, and then the referee was straightening again, looking at Pascal and pointing away.
“Fuck,” Sirius cursed. “He’s kicking Dumo out of the circle.”
“I wonder what he said.”
Sirius silently begged Pascal to be careful.
Brady took Pascal’s place. He won the face off, and Sirius and Regulus shouted.
He passed it easily to Pascal, who dragged it along the boards.
“What’s he going so slow for?” Regulus demanded, fist hitting the couch.
Sirius only saw what was coming next because of the TV angle.
Pascal had his head down, and Fenrir was skating hard towards him on the ice.
Sirius and Regulus were on their feet in a second, shouting at the television. They couldn’t warn him.
Sirius couldn’t even breathe properly. It seemed to go on in slow motion, all of it. Pascal, his—his father, really, his protector. The man who had taken him right from under his mother’s grasp. Pascal who knew him better than anyone. Maybe even Remus.
Fenrir was obviously going in for the hit. He was probably confident that he could get away with it again. Just like he had with Remus. With Sirius. If he so much as touched Dumo—
But he underestimated Pascal Dumais just like had last time.
Pascal, puck on his stick, let Fenrir get closer, and closer, and then deked right. He spun on his right blade harshly and kicked off the boards like a goalie did on a goal post. The effect was that he went rocketing out of the way, right towards the Golden Knights’ goal, and Fenrir slammed into the boards with his own full-force.
The game didn’t pause for him. It only stopped when the goal lit up red as Pascal shot a clean line into the top left corner of the net.
Six minutes and three seconds remaining. 1-0, Lions. The Lions bench was on their feet, sticks banging against the boards as Pascal skated down for glove taps. The TV showed his familiar face, smiling. He looked into the camera for a moment, and Sirius swore Pascal was looking right at him.
He won’t get you again, the look said. Pascal tussled Remus’ hair with his glove. Or any of us.
Six minutes felt like six hours, longer and longer with each one of Leo’s saves. They showed his face during an offside whistle. He tilted his helmet up for some water. His blonde hair was darkened and drenched with sweat, but his blue eyes were fierce. He tapped his mask back down, and went back into a crouch. Sirius had never been so proud of Leo fucking Knut.
Shots were traded ferociously, the puck practically bouncing between the zones. Leo saved it with his blocker, a few bouncing off of his helmet, some dangerously close to his neck guard. He pushed off one post and dropped into a full split, the puck sliding snugly against his pad until he scooped it up like a hawk.
“Fucking hell, Leo,” Regulus mumbled.
“Right,” Sirius said. “Merde.”
Three minutes. James had four shots that very nearly went in. Logan had five close-calls. They were panting on the bench, squirting cold water down their necks, but they were keeping the score. They were protecting their lead.
Two minutes.
The Golden Knights pulled their goalie, the net was empty, and still no one scored again.
When the buzzer finally sounded, Sirius was breathing like he was on the ice, too.
The bench exploded, spilling out onto the ice. Finn threw his gloves into the air right before Logan crashed into him.
They had won the game with one goal, and three periods of sheer will-power.
Sirius hugged Regulus hard. He watched as his boys jumped on each other against the boards, knocking Leo’s helmet for his shut-out and grinning. They were clinched.
They were going to the playoffs.
411 notes · View notes
midnighttmarauder · 4 years ago
Text
Canis Major
Pairing: Sirius Black x Slytherin!reader
Summary: Reader is the only girl in school who seems to be able to keep up with Sirius’ flirting. When Sirius finds her stargazing one night, they find out that they have more in common than just their charm.
Warnings: none
***
Sirius didn’t know much about you. You were a mystery, not only to him, but to everyone at Hogwarts. All he knew was that you were a Slytherin, beyond beautiful, and witty enough to keep up with his flirty banter. It seemed as if every student knew your name and went out of their way to greet you in the halls. You were edgy, badass, and yet they all respected you. Sirius had once heard a third year gloating to his friends that you had smiled at him in the library.
You liked Sirius, even if you didn’t know much about him either. Your friends were notorious gossips, and they liked to share the rumours that milled about the school. Some of them were downright ridiculous, like the time that Sirius had allegedly fought off a grindylow in the Black Lake during a midnight swim. Others were more believable, like his affinity for peanut butter dog treats (though he adamantly denied it). Even though you often saw his brother Regulus around your common room, he never engaged in the gossip. In fact, unlike Sirius, he didn’t say much at all.
Sirius was a serial flirt. He flirted with every girl in your year, and sometimes it wasn’t even on purpose. He just couldn’t help being “naturally charming and irresistible”, as he had once told you. You didn’t mind the flirty banter. It was fun and kept you on your toes. And although you would never admit it, your stomach gave a strange flutter every time he looked your way.
“Today must be my lucky day,” Sirius said as he slid into the seat beside you.
“And why is that?” you asked.
“Because the only thing that could make me actually like this class is an empty seat beside the most beautiful girl in our year,” he replied, slinging his arm over the back of your chair.
“Binns is rather boring. Not to mention his voice is torture to listen to. But yours, I could listen to all day,” you said. The corner of Sirius’ lip lifted into a smirk as he ran his tongue across his teeth. He leaned in closer, his nose inches from your own, and you suddenly found it hard to think about anything but how badly you wanted to close the distance between you.
“Could you, love?” he muttered lowly. You willed yourself not to sound as breathless as you felt.
“Mhm. Your voice is smooth, like treacle. You don’t drone on like Binns. You actually speak with feeling. I bet that you could convince anyone to do anything because you sound so passionate all the time. And I’m sure your voice is wonderful in the morning,” you replied. Sirius’ pupils dilated as his gaze darted to your lips.
“Why don’t you find out?” he asked.
“You wish, Black,” you said, forcing yourself to pull away from his warmth with a wicked smile. Sirius laughed and dropped his head, shaking it slightly before he turned to face the front of the classroom. Professor Binns had floated to the chalkboard and was writing a series of dates.
“Maybe I do,” he whispered. You were just thinking of a witty comeback when Professor Binns began droning about the goblin wars.
***
The cool grass beneath you tickled your neck as you peered up at the starry sky. It was a warm night, warmer than it had been in a long time. An occasional breeze ruffled the trees in the Forbidden Forest. You sighed and crossed your ankles, allowing the sound to push away the troubles of the day. The Gryffindor quidditch team was practicing late that night, and you smiled smugly to yourself at the thought that it was probably because they had lost to Slytherin the week before. You could hear them faintly in the distance, but it was oddly soothing to know that you weren’t completely alone.
You never cared how much time you spent under the stars. There were nights that you would lie on the grass until the sun began to rise and the stars would disappear. On other nights, you would only stay until your eyelids drooped. But that night, you didn’t feel tired. Not when the thought of Sirius’ ridiculously handsome face so close to yours made your heart jump every time it crossed your mind.
A shooting star flew across the night sky as footsteps sounded in the grass behind you. You barely noticed them as your eyes traced the star, stopping only when it disappeared in the light of the moon.
“Did you see that?” Sirius asked. You jumped and pushed yourself up on your elbows, twisting your neck to look up at him.
“It’s rude to sneak up on people,” you replied. Sirius shot you an apologetic smile.
“I thought you’d have heard me. Or at least the team heading back inside. They’re a rowdy bunch,” he said as he jutted his chin at his teammates making their way back to the castle. You shrugged and lay back again, crossing your arms behind your head.
“Guess I was lost in thought,” you replied. Sirius, you supposed, took that as an invitation and lay beside you, his arm brushing against yours. He smelled like pine and the night air, and you could feel the warmth radiating off of him. “To answer your question, I did see the shooting star. Second one tonight.”
“Really? Must have missed the other one,” Sirius said.
“You were flying around at practice. I wouldn’t expect you to have seen it, or else you’d be a rubbish beater who keeps his eyes on the sky instead of on the bludgers,” you teased.
“Oh, so you’re keeping track of my whereabouts now, are you?” Sirius asked. A flare of heat shot into your face.
“Maybe. But how did you know I was out here? Keeping track of mine too?” you replied.
“’Course I am. Gotta keep my eye on the prize,” he said.
“I think you’re keeping your eye on the wrong prize. If I recall correctly, you were nearly hit by a stray bludger last week. One that you were supposed to beat away,” you said.
“To be fair, I was distracted by someone in the Slytherin stands. She was just so beautiful that I lost my focus. Maybe you know her. She’s got Y/H/C hair, she’s around your height, absolutely gorgeous. We have history of magic together. I’ve heard rumours that she likes to stargaze too,” Sirius replied. You laughed and rolled your eyes, though you knew he couldn’t see your face.
“I think I know her,” you muttered.
“I like to stargaze too, y’know. Cliché because my name comes from a constellation, I know, but I’ve always enjoyed it,” Sirius said.
“You’re not just saying that to try to impress me, are you?” you asked.
“You really think that was me trying to impress you? Oh love, you haven’t seen anything yet,” Sirius replied.
“Cocky git,” you muttered.
“I believe it’s called confidence,” Sirius retorted. You both laughed, the sound washing over you as a cool breeze raised goosebumps on your arms. As the moon travelled across the sky, the night grew colder, and you found yourself leaning into Sirius’ warmth. He didn’t seem to notice as you pressed your arm against his, the heat from his body seeping into your skin. Or if he noticed, he didn’t seem to mind.
“I try to come out here as much as I can while we’re at school. I live in London, so I barely get to see the stars back home. There are too many lights. But up here, I feel like I can see right into space. It puts things into perspective, y’know? When you think about it, your problems seem so small compared to this big world we live in. It’s stupid, but the stars are one of the only things that really make me feel safe,” you said. Sirius rolled onto his side to look at you and braced himself on his elbow.
“It’s not stupid. It’s quite beautiful, actually,” Sirius muttered. You felt his gaze burning into the side of your face.
“You think so?” you asked. You couldn’t bring yourself to meet his eyes, so you stared down at the scuffed toes of your shoes as you swung your ankles side to side.
“Yeah. I mean, I never thought about it that way. I can’t see the stars from my parent’s place either, but I never really cared. I guess I’ve been taking them for granted all these years,” he replied.
“Well, I’m glad I could share some of my endless wisdom,” you teased.
“You must know where all of the constellations are. Where’s mine?” Sirius asked.
“I’m disappointed that you don’t know that. Guess,” you replied.
“Fine,” Sirius said. He turned away to lie flat on his back and took a moment to observe the sky. You couldn’t help but watch him, the stars reflected in his eyes making the grey come alive. “Aha, there.” Sirius pointed at a star just below the moon.
“Nope,” you said, knocking his arm away and pointing at the Canis Major constellation. “See, that’s Canis Major over there and Sirius is right at the top. It’s the brightest star in the whole sky. But I can see why you thought that other one was Sirius. It is pretty bright, isn’t it?”
But when you rolled your head across the grass to look over at Sirius, he wasn’t looking at the sky. He was looking at you. There was something soft in his gaze that you had never seen before.
“What?” you whispered.
“All of these stars, yet you’re still the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” Sirius muttered.
“Oh, please, I know you’ve got better lines than that. You’re just being cheesy,” you said.
“I’m not. It’s the truth. I know we flirt all the time, and it’s not supposed to mean anything, but I mean it. I’ve meant all of it,” Sirius replied.
“Sirius-” You stopped as he sat up, pulling his knees to his chest and resting his elbows on his legs.
“I like you, Y/N. More than I’ve ever liked anyone. You’re special,” he said. You moved to sit beside him, resting your head on his shoulder. He leaned his head against yours as you reached to entwine your fingers with his.
“You’re special to me too,” you muttered.
“You’re not just saying that to try to impress me, are you?” he asked. Your laugh echoed into the night.
“Oh love, you haven’t seen anything yet.”
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bomber-base · 8 years ago
Text
[FANFIC] Baku Bomberman ST
Hey, kids! Do you like Bomberman? Do you like fanfic? Then you probably like Bomberman fanfic, right? What do you think about Bomberman fanfic that takes one look at canon, shakes its head solemnly, and intones “Not today”? Give me your thoughts on morally grey teenaged protagonists with no chill, all the daddy/mentor issues, and a secret stash of...
Aww, crap, I used this spiel on Bombermanga already. Ah. Um. Uhhhhhh.
...dammit. Your adobo-eating neighborhood Sora is unable to come up with an entirely original sales pitch for Bomber D. Rufi’s retelling of Bomberman 64: The Second Attack, and so she has no choice but to let the fanfic speak for itself. Here’s 51 -- count ‘em, folks, that’s five whole tens and one whole...one -- reasons for you to read Baku Bomberman ST. And by “reasons”, I mean “quotes that are probably mostly kinda funny pulled from each episode.” They’re practically the same thing, right?
***
EPISODE 1 SHIRO: I may not be overly particular about where my money comes from, but I certainly don’t want to work overly hard to get it.
EPISODE 2 SHIRO: If I don’t believe I’m in hell, then I’m not in hell.
EPISODE 3 BAELFAEL: Don’t be a filler episode! Hit me with all you’ve got!
EPISODE 4 LILITH: It’s my first time stealing a ship, but everyone’s gotta start somewhere, right?
EPISODE 5 ZONIHA: Also, thanks for the cookies, Bulzeeb. BULZEEB: I saw the note that came with those. They’re from a mysterious benefactor who happened to hear that you lost a friend. Do I look like the sort who’d care about that? ZONIHA: Oh, sorry. I just thought since these cookies were a B+ at best, they came from you. BULZEEB: WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOUR TASTEBUDS?! THOSE COOKIES ARE WORKS OF ART!
EPISODE 6 LILITH: No way! Daddy said there’s always gotta be at least one person you won’t steal from if you wanna be a good pirate! SHIRO: Oh, well, that’s a relief. Also, give me back my wallet.
EPISODE 7 SHIRO: Proving once again that bombs are nature’s solution to everything.
EPISODE 8 BEHEMOS: You dare mock me? SHIRO: It’s not so much like I dare to as much as it’s kind of like an inborn reflex. Like, y’know how some people smile when they’re nervous?
EPISODE 9 BULZEEB: Shadow powers. Are. Awesome. Make a note of it.
EPISODE 10 POMMY: That’s it! Bomberman should give Pommy his keys, myuu! He’s in no shape to drive!
EPISODE 11 POMMY: Bomberman needs to face facts! Being alive with no money is the same as being dead, myuu!
EPISODE 12 POMMY DRAGON: You know what Pommy Dragon thinks, myu? SHIRO: Just get the stupid third serving and quit looking for ways to set up food-based humor.
EPISODE 13 POMMY: That’s why Bomberman is unpopular! He smells like wet dog!
EPISODE 14 SIRIUS: Kid, heroes, heroism, altruism, and the like are crap. They talk about defending the weak and standing up against the unjust, but in reality a hero is nothing more than a guy whose vigilantism happens to be socially acceptable at the time.
EPISODE 15 MOLOK: Bombers are fascinating creatures, really; they strive to create when their very nature is linked to destruction. If there’s ever been a sadder existence, I haven’t seen it.
EPISODE 16 [nothing is said here because the entire chapter is pain and agony and tears]
EPISODE 17
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EPISODE 18 REGULUS: There are two things in the world I can’t stand. One is overly greasy supermarket baked goods. The other is cowardly brats who waste the gifts given to them.
EPISODE 19 ???: Tell me about it! What has that guy done other than make us look bad -- I mean, worse? Pirates steal for themselves! They aren’t supposed to give their finds to others!
EPISODE 20 ???: That would have been a day to die, huh? “We’ll remember him fondly for being crushed by falling debris before reaching the finish line.” I’m against taking lives if I can avoid it, but above all, I’m against dying uselessly.
EPISODE 21 RUKIFELLTH: I appreciate you not lying to my fac -- mind, but you aren’t the least bit convincing.
EPISODE 22 ???: I knew you were dumb, but crazy is a whole different matter.
EPISODE 23 ???: All right, now that I’ve got a pretty decent idea of what I’m going to say, the question becomes how much of it can I verify after I say it?
EPISODE 24 POMMY: Shiro had better get his act together! If he’s scared of his bombs, then he should just go home, myuu!
EPISODE 25 RUKIFELLTH: I’d rather die doing what I love than allow a love of life to kill me.
EPISODE 26 SHIRO: I thought about it, and honestly it would be the smarter idea, but who cares about being smart?
EPISODE 27 SHIRO: That was so much fun that I never want to do it again.
EPISODE 28 ???: C’mon, guys, Mistress Zoniha isn’t so bad. If you can just get past the part where she sees our existences as ineffectual toys for her entertainment, she’s actually pretty decent!
EPISODE 29 ZONIHA: If there’s one thing I take seriously it’s everyone’s right to party...and die. In some cases some people even get to do both!
EPISODE 30 BULZEEB: To decide to take a life takes strength as it does to save one. What your problem is is that you don’t even realize that you’re too weak to do either.
EPISODE 31 REGULUS: I had wondered where my cute little failure had ended up after getting his ass handed to him. Seems like you never learn, do you?
EPISODE 32 SIRIUS: The truth is, you may spill blood but it will never equal the gallons that pour from your own bleeding heart.
EPISODE 33 REGULUS: If you’re seeking revenge or suicide, let me know now and I’ll beat the mess out of you to save us both some time.
EPISODE 34 REGULUS: I can tell you’re the type to learn while in battle, aren’t you, huh? Truly the most dangerous type of warrior to be. You’ll constantly be at the edge of life and death, and your fights will never be conclusive victories. You walk upon a path of hell towards a greater hell. Are you ready for that, boy?
EPISODE 35 SHIRO: Y’know, you’ve actually succeeded in making me angry enough to forget I’m upset.
EPISODE 36 SHIRO: Bruh, do you know what it is you want? If you want me to be scared, I can try my best to accommodate you. If you want my money, then just take it and leave. You’re not getting both out of me.
EPISODE 37 SHIRO: My rep might have helped me get in here, but like any decent job interview, I’m going to have to make up the rest with experience and passion.
EPISODE 38 BULZEEB: Though I do think it’s just precious that you stayed up at night thinking of me.
EPISODE 39 SHIRO: Lils, I’m going to be honest. This is kind of something I need to freak out about. What the hell is going on with your eye?!
EPISODE 40 LILITH: Guys, we can talk about how it’s Bomberman’s fault later! I have to see Uncle Freddy!
EPISODE 41 SHIRO: Well, this went badly. I suppose that’s to be expected from a power given to me by that idiot.
EPISODE 42 ???: More like you’ve entered the God’s front yard and kicked his misbehaving dog in the balls. The problem is they’re the owners, but they don’t know why Fido has been a bad dog.
EPISODE 43 ASHTARTH: I think it’s quite remarkable that you can casually insult our creators.
EPISODE 44 ASHTARTH: Too soon. BAELFAEL: What? No one died. ASHTARTH: Your sense of humor did.
EPISODE 45 ZHAEL: A good mother has plenty on her mind, but a better one doesn’t let it show.
EPISODE 46 ???: I doubt the demon is gonna be cute’d to death.
EPISODE 47 SHIRO: She said pick my fights, and I pick all of them.
EPISODE 48 SHIRO: It’s die or die, and it might be petty but I want to die on my own terms!
EPISODE 49 POMMY: But Bomberman, what will you do, myu? SHIRO: I’ll do what I do best. A thing.
EPISODE 50 SHIRO: Just give me a minute to get my bearings so I can write up an invoice for my pain and suffering.
EPISODE 51 POMMY: In what circumstance is “May Eternal Slumber Come Swiftly to Me” a life-affirming song?!
***
Don’t forget to check out:
A knightly sorta Valentines, a side half-episode (episode 19.5, to be exact) about the failures of the male knights to figure out Valentine’s Day;
Breathing in darkness, the story of how Regulus came to be the Black Breath in the first place (should be read after reading episode 38); and
And thus time moves, the epilogue of Baku Bomberman ST! Fans of both the N64 games and the Jetters anime will probably get a special kick out of this one.
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