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clairesblouse · 1 month ago

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so i've been busy, but i promise. i will be back with whispers of the sea in a few weeks. #soon

//File_001; [wedon'tshakehandshere].archive | RISING ECHOES. bucky barnes.

[WC; 2.1k] [PAIRING] Thunderbolts!Bucky Barnes x Mutant!Reader.

[SUMMARY]Mutants were never seen as people by society. For years, with their heads down, they resigned themselves to their place: living in the shadows, hidden, adapting to fear. Charles Xavier was one of the first to create security and research programs dedicated to mutants. Now, though somewhat tolerated in the world, the Mutant Protection & Integration Act (MPI) law presented before Congress, has once again put a spotlight on the marginalized. Not in a good way. Things got worse when classified information about mutant individuals was leaked through the well-known Thunderbolts’ black box, an organization closely tied to the government. And it doesn’t help when they’re the ones sent to handle the situation.

[CHECK MASTERLIST FOR SETTING AND WARNING]

Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters smelled like freshly cut grass. As it happened every Thursday afternoon, gardening was the activity of the day. It kept the students busy—hands in the dirt, heads out of trouble. The sun was high and steady, painting the mansion in gold, like the world outside wasn’t quietly falling apart. Children’s laughter and the distant voices of teens broke through the gentle silence of the afternoon. An almost perfect scene. Almost peaceful. Almost.

That calm didn’t fit what they were actually dealing with.The tensions were rising, louder and heavier by the day, and every time someone stepped in to “help,” they only made it worse. Promises turned intro discontent. Compassion led to disappointment. Diplomacy? Just a pretty word for control.

“They’re here.” Peter muttered, mouth full of peach. A buzz filled the air, and just like that, he was there again, as if he had never left.. He sounded like he couldn’t care less, like nothing ever really got to him. But she knew him. She’d seen him at his worst, been with him when everything went sideways. When the jokes stopped being funny and the silence hit harder than any punch. She knew the weight he carried. He was drained. Just like everyone else around here lately. Pretending they were fine because someone had to.

Nova glanced over her shoulder. Even though she couldn’t see the main entrance, she could feel it in the air, more than just a premonition. It wasn’t just in her mind, and it wasn’t only because Peter called it out first; it crawled through her nerves, prickling like static electricity under her skin. A pressure.

Her mutant senses sharpened that very moment, every shift in the air around her. Around everyone near her. That pressure wasn’t just discomfort, it was a warning. Like an invisible thread tugging at her spine, demanding attention before anything even appeared.

Beast peeked through the patio door, glasses a little crooked, face tired.

“Please don’t leave me alone for this.” he said in a voice caught somewhere between pleading and resigned.

The three adults began walking. They left the older teens in charge of the younger ones. A normal routine in any other context. But not at that moment, not when their greatest concern was keeping every young mutant under constant watch, fearing something might go wrong. Fearing they might fail to be there to protect them.

With every step, Nova felt a tightening deep in her chest. It wasn’t fear, or nervousness. It was profound fatigue. Exhaustion. That same tense atmosphere clung to her like a heavy cloak. She had no desire, none at all, to deal with these people. But Charles wasn’t present, and someone had to hold the house together. For now, that someone was them.

As they reached the front of the house, the six outsiders were stepping out of their large armored truck, lining up before them almost like a choreographed routine, something rehearsed. Fake. None of them seemed particularly interested in being there. She noticed it instantly. This wasn’t a friendly visit. It was a forced formality. And yet, what bothered her most wasn’t that. It wasn’t the lack of empathy radiating from them. It was the way their eyes lingered on Hank more than on her or Peter, a look caught somewhere between curiosity and judgment. As if they were trying to classify him, but couldn’t quite recognize who he was, or maybe, to them, what he even was.

A broad, tall man wearing a ridiculously flashy red suit was the first to speak.

“Wow… you must spend a fortune on shampoo.”

His voice rang out with fake charm, like he thought he’d just cracked the best joke ever. Nova blinked, stunned. She closed her eyes and sighed, barely holding back from opening her mouth, the sting of humiliation twisting in her gut. How long were they supposed to take this? To be treated like a joke for simply existing? The man let out an exaggerated laugh, clearly pleased with himself, while the blonde woman next to him sighed and looked away, clearly uncomfortable. Hank said nothing. Neither did Peter. And that silence spoke volumes.

“Don’t listen to him. He’s an embarrassment” muttered the woman closest to him, the edge of her accent sharpening every word.

The man snapped something in Russian, sharp and dismissive. Yelena snapped back in the same language, her tone sharp, fed up. Bucky Barnes stepped forward then, breaking the tension with a quiet gesture as he extended a hand.

“Bucky Barnes. I’m sorry about all this.”

Hank looked at the extended hand, then met his eyes. For the first time, he opened his mouth.

“We don’t shake hands here.”

Peter snorted, poorly disguising it as a quiet laugh. Nova didn’t need to look at him to know the exact smirk he was wearing, but she did anyway. A brief glance. The gesture didn’t go unnoticed.

Behind them, a group of children crossed the doorway, slowing to a halt as their eyes landed on the unfamiliar faces standing beside their teachers. Nova gave a small wave, calm but firm. The kids didn’t say a word. They didn’t need to. They ran off the moment they understood.

Barnes lowered his hand without a word, curling it into a fist. He didn’t push it. He understood this wasn’t about courtesy. They weren’t here to make friends, this was protocol. Diplomacy, even “Tech support,” as they liked to call it.

“Welcome to Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters,” Nova said, offering a dry smile that didn’t reach her eyes “we didn’t think we were important enough for the feds.”

She scanned their faces. Nothing. No flicker of empathy. No curiosity. Just cold professionalism wrapped in apathy. Like they were standing there out of obligation. Standing there because someone told them to.

And how many times had they already seen that face? That sterile, distant stare of the bureaucrat who shows up to deliver orders without knowing the land they’re standing on. Without knowing the names of the children who sleep behind those walls.

Nova felt it in her chest, tight in her throat, hot beneath her skin. That quiet, festering indignation. Their life was at risk. Their freedom.

Barnes began, carefully picking his words.

“This is strictly for gathering intel and finding ways to cooperate. We’re not here to cause more trouble-”

“-than the trouble that’s already happening.” she cut in.

For the second time, Bucky clenched his fist.

This time, Peter didn’t hold back a short laugh.

The school was magical, literally and figuratively. Sunlight poured through the tall windows in warm, bathing the halls in warm, gentle beams. The scent of aged wood and damp plants lingered in the air. It felt like a place suspended in time. But it was their time. Earned through effort. Through pain.

A few children darted past them. Nova reached out, her hand resting softly on the arm of one.

“Emma, could you please let the Cerebral Speleology class know that it’s canceled today? Have them return to their rooms right away, please.”

Emma looked back at the adults waiting, then returned her gaze to Nova.

“Yes, Ms. Nova.”

“Thanks, sweetie.”

And just like that, she was gone.

Nova loved teaching, it was the one thing that gave her life meaning, besides protecting the world. For years, she had wandered lost and alone, searching for answers. For years, she had wandered through shadows, lost and alone, searching for answers she couldn’t find. It wasn’t until Charles found her that she finally understood she wasn’t broken, just different.

Growing up in the ’70s, being pushed aside simply for existing had left deep scars. For so long, she wished she could disappear. But now, she had found something precious. A place to belong. A cause worth fighting for.

When they reached the meeting room, the door closed softly behind them. Most of the group settled quietly around the long table—everyone except Nova, Barnes, and a woman who had yet to speak. The woman’s gaze was distant, as if her thoughts were far away, lost in a place no one else could see. Mentally absent.

“Nova,” Barnes said.

His voice cut through the quiet like a sharp blade. Peter turned his head to look at her. It wasn’t a name she used every day, only when it truly mattered.

“The Winter Soldier,” she replied, her voice steady but distant. Bucky straightened his back “though I believe you don’t go by that name anymore”

“I don’t.”

“Good for you.”

Silence settled over the room.

Hank looked like he was about to speak, his fingers tapping nervously on the table. A buzz. Peter reappeared, another peach in hand, his eyes flickering between the strangers and his friends as if they were contestants on some ridiculous reality show.

“Are you going to explain how classified mutant data got hacked, transferred, and leaked through your black box?” Nova asked bluntly, no beating around the bush.

“It wasn’t us,” Barnes replied. “we think someone used an old Hydra source to connect archived files to a dormant cloud server. We’re working to clean up your mess now.”

A beat.

“Our mess?” Nova didn’t raise her voice. Peter choked on his fruit.

“Do you know what happens when stolen, classified data about mutants ends up in the hands of a federal black box, Congressman?” She took a step closer to the table “Kids disappear. Safehouses get burned. Homes like this. Our people die. Our future vanishes. So, with all due respect, I don’t believe this is ‘our’ fault.”

Barnes stared back, motionless. But he was listening.

“We’re not your enemies.”

“Then take a look at who’s above you. What system you’re part of.” She exhaled sharply through her nose “I thought you, more than anyone, would understand that.”

Bucky clenched his teeth, jaw tight with frustration. Every word felt like a reminder. Of who he was. Of what he had done. Valentina hadn’t warned him he’d have to endure being lectured by someone who barely knew him, as if he owed them an explanation for a past he had already paid dearly for.

Nova began circling the table. A blond man stood abruptly, his body tense, ready to challenge. She didn’t stop.

“They’re trained to eliminate us. Like we’re a plague.” She spat the words with venom, nodding toward the man in uniform, the one with the curved shield. The fake Captain “I’m not going to pretend that a new title erases that programming.”

The air grew thicker around them. It wasn’t just a feeling, it was physical. The atmosphere thickened and pressed down on their lungs. Magnetic waves seemed to pulse with her anger, vibrating through the room. No one dared to speak, the silence stretching longer with each passing second. The weight of unspoken words and rising tension settled heavily on every shoulder. Everyone felt heavier. More uncomfortable. Nobody dared speak.

Face to face with a congressman who, on camera, “defended” mutant rights, but now stood in their home, washing his hands of it all.

“If you don’t have anything useful to say, I suggest you leave.”

She cast one last glance at her friends and walked out of the room, fast. Because if she stayed, she might say something she’d regret. She didn’t even bother to say goodbye to the others. None of them were worth it.

She couldn’t let them wave a flag they didn’t truly represent. Couldn’t let them pretend to fight for a cause they didn’t live.

All she wanted was peace. Peace for mutants.

Her room was right next to Peter’s. At this point, they didn’t bother knocking anymore.

After all they had been through together, countless battles, painful mistakes, shared tears, it was pointless, almost meaningless. They knew each other’s presence was constant, a silent comfort in a world that often felt unstable.

Peter walked in, this time holding a donut.

“Fuck or kill, now.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” she replied without looking up.

“The congressman. Barnes.”

“I’m gonna put him to work. For real.”

“Oh you wanna fuck him. It turns you on.”

“Do you ever stop eating?” she finally said, glancing at him. He shook his head with an innocent smile.

“Thank my genes… but you didn’t answer me.”

Just hearing it irritated her.

“You’re delusional.” she said, sitting up abruptly “Did you not see how he acted today? He’s a total arrogant prick. Who does he think he is, coming in here pointing fingers when he’s the one who kil-”

“You think he’s hot. And you wanna fuck him.”

She sighed and flopped back onto the mattress.

“You’re impossible.”

“When you’ve got little baby congressmen crawling around, you’ll remember this. And I’ll say: I told you so.”

And the worst part? He always said that.

And he was almost always right.

She just hoped, prayed, that this time, he wasn’t.

#whispers of the sea #whispers of the sea smau

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clairesblouse · 5 months ago

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LOVER'S INTRODUCTION | T.N X READER

word count \ 4.5k | fuliffty fluffnut sandwiches | slash / theodore nott / wolfstar daughter!reader

in which you and theodore introduce each other to your families. at least, most of them

part one | part two

You and Theo had been dating for quite some time, a fact you sometimes forgot.

In all honesty, being with Theo felt like forever. Like you had just reconnected with a part of yourself that had been wandering around time and space just waiting to find you. He liked the things you like, and he disliked the things you disliked. Talking bad about politicians who wanted nothing more than to line their pockets with his father’s money was always a must whenever he took you to grand galas. Much like he always found it a must to take care of you after every full moon that took a toll on your body.

He had gone so far down his love for you that you had figured out he became an Animgaus, A black cat that was small and ducked well from your form, though you never had attacked him before. You also knew that your parents would be rather proud of his cunning, even if a certain one would brag about it being his idea first.

The two of you were sitting in the Astronomy Tower right now, no cigarettes or joints nearby. It was just a night for each other’s company, the only thing truly getting you high nowadays being the scent of his cologne near the crook of his neck.

“What’re you thinking about?” you asked him curiously.

He raised an eyebrow before laying his head against yours. “Introductions.”

“Introductions?” you giggled.

He smiled softly at the sound, wrapping his arm around your waist. “Yeah, introductions. Like, introducing you to people.”

“Like with your dad?” you deadpanned. Theo’s father was a rather rocky man, to say the least. He had tried to convince Theo to break up with you, right in front of you nonetheless. Though you felt your heart beating at the memory of him yelling words back at his father you’d never even thought could go so harshly together.

Theo smiled, though it was a solemn smile at best. A smile that meant serious business, one you saw more often nowadays than you liked to admit. “Like, to my friends. Mattheo and them.”

“Mattheo knows me, doesn’t he?” you asked quietly.

“Not Blaise, or Enzo.” he whispered. “Minnie doesn’t either. Not as my girlfriend, you know?”

You smiled quietly at him, kissing the side of his forehead as he spoke. Introductions were a rather scary topic, you’d been thinking about them just as much as he had been by the sounds of it. Ron and Hermione certainly weren’t happy about your relationship with Theo when you first told them about it, and Harry had been more so cautious than anything else. You couldn’t really blame any of them, but you also knew that Theo was a good guy.

“I’ve been thinking of introducing you to my friends too.” you whispered quietly.

Theo raised an eyebrow at that, looking over at you from where you sat beside him. “Really?” he asked you quietly.

You nodded, a small smile on your lips. “Yeah, just a little.”

He chuckled quietly at that, shrugging his shoulders as he looked out of the Astronomy Tower’s walls and to the sky. It was the night before a new moon, nothing more than a sliver of light left radiating in the sky. “With the amount of complaining I hear Ron do whenever I walk down the halls, I think he’d try to crucify me if you introduced us.”

“What complaining?” you asked confusedly.

Theo shrugged. “He complains a lot when I’m walking down the halls.” he stated again. “Really loudly. One time he said I was a manipulative prick and tried to shove me, but the shoving didn’t really work.”

You pouted quietly at that, leaning your head on his shoulder a bit better than before. “I’m sorry Theo.” you whispered quietly, smiling as his hand embraced yours. “I didn’t know he did that.”

“It’s not that big of a deal, amore mio.” Theo whispered to you. “I find it funny.”

“Course you find it funny.” you giggled softly at his words, rolling your eyes as you scooted closer. You were able to lay on his lap then, head resting against the ribs protecting the beating heart inside of his chest. Despite how nonchalant he liked to act around you, moments like these made you glad as you realized just how much he truly liked you. You were also contemplating whether you’d need to take him to Pompfrey with how fast his heart was beating.

“What’re you thinking about, principessa?” he asked quietly.

You looked up at him with a soft smile. “Minnie first?”

“Minnie first.” he chuckled quietly, lips catching yours in a kiss that lasted a lifetime.

“You’re late.”

Theo opened the door to McGonagall’s office with a soft huff, having ran to the other side of the building to try and make it on time.

The topic of meeting family and friends had been heavy on his mind ever since you two discussed it a couple weeks ago. It was a thought that haunted him everywhere. How would you react to hanging out with his friends? His family? Would you laugh along with their jokes? He could imagine you sitting on the couch with him, both basking in each other’s presence while Lorenzo and Pansy had their rap battles. His hands wandered to where he pictured your thighs being whenever he was with McGonagall, though they never reached them.

McGonagall had been the first to catch on. She organized the meeting arrangements before he could even tell her no.

“I had to get Y/N, Professor.” he whispered quietly, smiling to the side as he held the door open for you.

You had worn a different outfit than your usual uniform. A floral print dress with just the tiniest of flairs at the end, in a cut that was long and fit your body perfectly. You also had a matching ribbon for it tied to your wrist, a detail he absolutely adored.

“Hi there, Professor.” you said, albeit a bit awkwardly. McGonagall had heard much about you through Theo and through yourself, you had even told Theo that you two had some tea sessions on your own as well. With that in mind, they weren’t quite as often as his, and you certainly weren’t as close despite your parents adoring her.

“Y/N,” she hummed out, placing a cup of tea in front of the second seat. “Theo’s told me about you before.”

You chuckled quietly as he closed the door, a soft groan escaping his throat as he realized the path this conversation would be taking. “Oh, has he?”

“Very.” she said, a small yet noticeable smirk on her face.

“Why don’t we drink this tea?” Theo asked, his tone a bit breathless as he spoke. He really did not want this conversation to go down the route he was expecting McGonagall to take it, as ironic as it sounded. Sure, he had wanted this meeting to happen in the first place, but that did not mean that he wanted this meeting to be awkward for him. He didn’t want McGonagall to be talking about him like a mother would talk about baby photos.

“Distracting McGonagall now, are you?” you chuckled, turning your eyes to her. “Can you believe his audacity, ruining our conversation?”

“Truly a trifling man.” she said, humming quietly.

Theodore groaned quietly, resting his head in his hands as the both of you spoke.

It seemed quite tame at first. Pleasant introductions the both of you went through, questions about your parents both. While Theo appreciated Lupin while he was still a teacher, he had never learned much about his old professor past the material that he teached. He found it nice to hear about your fathers, even if he hadn’t met them on the terms he would be meeting them soon.

That thought had sent a shiver down his spine.

He’d be meeting your parents soon. Your parents, who you spoke so highly of that it made him fall in love with you all over again. You treated them with so much kindness and respect that he found it impossible not to like them, almost able to imagine them being his own dads for a change of scenery. But as much as you admired them, he knew they could still be dangerous. One was a werewolf with a litany of scars he couldn’t even imagine carrying half of, and the other was dangerous in a way he had yet to figure out. You were rather cautious of revealing things about your other father, all things considered. Theo had learned that he rode a bike and grew up in a strict environment, one that taught him how to fight early on as a child.

It was safe to say Theo didn’t want to fight either of your parents.

His fears, of any level, seemed to disappear the moment that you held onto his hands. He zoned back into the conversation, one that he immediately could tell was extremely awkward.

“He writes poetry about you, you know.” McGonagall said with a smirk, before her smile turned into something far more genuine and warm. Like a mother proud of her son. “It’s actually rather sweet. I’ve proofread a couple of them before.”

“Poetry?” you asked, looking over at Theo with a wide smile. What he wouldn’t give to see that smile plastered on your face any chance it could be. “I love poetry.”

“You’re a good muse.” he whispered, voice quiet and hoarse as he spoke.

You giggled and rolled your eyes, sitting up a bit higher in your chair. “Do you have any I could read?” you asked him and McGonagall both, a wide smile spreading on your face as he handed you a small booklet of trinkets he had gathered over the past few months.

There was poetry in there, most certainly. Words about worship and adoration scrawled over the coffee-stained pages of a booklet that was just barely larger than his hands. But there was more than just that. Photos of you that he had taken, photos of the both of you together. Drawings he had made of any part of your body he missed that day. Two pages straight had been dedicated to nothing more than your irises. Small trinkets that could be glued on as well, the pages stuffed with tiny sticks and leaves he had found on walks with you in late afternoons.

Suffice to say, there was quite a bit.

McGonagall smiled quite wide at the picture in front of her. Two of her favorite students were absolutely enamored with each other, one reading the journal that the other had dedicated to their name and honor. It was quite romantic, to say the least.

“Theodore.” she mused quietly, her voice only heard by him as you lost yourself in the journal’s pages.

“Yes, Professor?” he asked quietly.

She smiled quietly at the sight of you still reading, a blush covering your face the more words you absorbed.

He remembers writing the page you were reading right now, a poem he had written about how your legs looked like nebulas whenever they had bruised. He remembered your knee getting quite injured on a walk the both of you took, leaving a purplish blue splotch on your leg that he adored fully. He could see the speckles of stars hidden underneath your skin, could feel the cosmos underneath your fingertips when you caressed his hair after he attempted to kiss the bruise better.

“Please,” McGonagall said. “Do bring her around more often.”

Theo chuckled quietly at that, squeezing your thigh affectionately as you read. “I will.”

“When are we going to be able to meet your girl, Theo?” Pansy asked. There was a small but proud smirk pressed onto her mouth, like the grin of a vulture finding a pile of dead bodies.

Theo looked up from his book casually, raising an eyebrow. “What?”

“Your girlfriend!” Enzo whined. “Mattheo’s met her, hasn’t he?”

“She’s a sweetheart.” Mattheo bragged, his chest puffing up dramatically before he bursted out into a laugh. Theo looked at him and rolled his eyes, closing his book with a resounding huff as he looked to the door of the Slytherin Common Room.

“Why would it matter if we meet her or not?” Blaise asked. Theo wasn’t sure whether his voice was genuine or not though, all things considered.

Theo sighed quietly before looking at the three of them. “She’s coming tonight.”

“She is?” Enzo asked excitedly, him and Pansy clapping their hands together excitedly. He wasn’t quite sure why they were excited to meet a girl they knew nothing about. Though he supposed that, if it was you, he could reason it.

“That’s sugar!” Mattheo said out loud, a wide smirk on his face.

Pansy and Enzo were confused at his sentence, both of them turning around to look at whoever Mattheo was talking about.

And there you stood.

Theodore felt his heartbeat racing faster than the speed of life, looking at you with hearts in his eyes as he watched you walking over to him. You were wearing thermal tights and a mini black skirt, one of his sweaters wrapping your body in a loose cocoon of warmth. His Skytherin sweater, his Quidditch sweater with his name and number on the back of it.

Enzo whistled quietly as he saw you, and quickly received a book to the face.

“Amore mio,” he whispered, standing up and walking over to you as fast as he could. His veins itched rather loudly in his hands, thrumming underneath his skin to touch you. Those hands made their ways around your waist, a small smile gracing his lips as yours widened happily.

“Theo!” you said happily, kissing his lips before twirling happily. “Look, do you like it?”

Theo chuckled quietly, looking at you with a look on his life that not even the most talented of sculptures could illustrate well. “You look divine, principessa.”

You smiled before guiding him over to his friends again, letting him sit down with you on the small loveseat that he had saved for the both of you. Your head rested on his shoulder then, arms wrapping around his as you both relaxed fully.

“So,” Pansy said, with a small smirk on her face. “This is sugar, Matty?”

Theodore rolled his eyes with a soft sigh, not quite liking the nickname Mattheo gave you but not being able to disagree himself. You were as sweet as sugar, even sweeter than something like thaumatin. “This is Y/N.” Theo said to them both. “You’re not calling her sugar.”

“She’s sweet like it though.” Mattheo said, more like a genuine compliment than a flirtatious remark. “She made me a scarf, Pans!”

“That scarf with the snake head?” Pansy asked incredulously, looking over at you. “You can crochet?”

You looked at her with a small yet nervous smile, squeezing Theo’s hand as you nodded.

“That’s so cool!” Enzo said, who you could tell from his rather floppy hair. He had a wide smile on his face as he looked at you. “I’m learning how to knit.”

“They’re different, you know.” you muttered quietly. “Similar, but different.”

You and Enzo had started talking about knitting and crocheting then. Theodore gave you a blanket to cover your lap when you decided to sit criss cross, his arm wrapping around the back of your neck. His head rested on yours, your head resting on his shoulder as you talked to his friends.

You talked about knitting and crocheting with Enzo, and plants with Blaise. Pansy talked with you about schoolwork as she realized how smart you were. Mattheo filled you in with gossip on Pansy, Enzo and Blaise, much to their displeasure.

It was sweet.

Theo felt his heart melting every single time you talked, looking down at you to admire the way that your lips moved with every word that formed. It was beautiful, almost hypnotic in a sense.

“You’re beautiful.” he whispered to you, smiling gently as he spoke. The other four had started their own conversation on Quidditch scores, which left him alone with you in his own little world. “Did you know that?”

“You only tell me every single day.” you smiled softly, kissing his lips. “I love you.”

“Love you.” he whispered, caressing your shoulder lovingly. “Do you like them?”

You nodded with a soft smile, resting your head on his shoulder again. “I feel rather happy here.”

“Good,” he whispered. “That’s good.”

“Are you ready?” you asked Theo teasingly, hand on his as you walked down the street.

You were about to introduce him to your parents. Chances are that you were more nervous than he was, especially since he didn’t know about Pad’s innocence. You figured that Harry being in the dining room before you two walked in might help prove it, though it was still a hard thought to explain.

Theo, of course, was also just as nervous. He had gotten a present for the both of your parents, decided based on the facts that you had told him. You knew that they would love their presents, and you also knew that it would put him in their good graces.

“They’ll love you.” you promised him. “Promise.”

“I hope you’re right.” he whispered.

You walked closer to the house, which slowly opened up to the both of you the closer that you got to the front door. “Are you excited, at least?” you asked him.

Theo chuckled quietly, fidgeting with the two gifts that he currently had in his hands. A bottle of expensive red wine that he knew most Purebloods quite enjoyed, a symbol of peace for your father. As much as he quite liked to distance himself away from his past and his family, you knew that he still quite liked to indulge in the finer things in life. Remus, who Theo knew much better, would be gifted a first edition classic.

“They’ll love you.” you said again, kissing his cheek before opening the front door.

Harry was sitting at the table with Sirius and Remus, though you saw him and your parents before Theodore did. He was more focused on taking off his shoes and coat, unpacking the gifts with as neutral of an expression as he could create. You knew that the vibes of the house had probably set him off, as much as your parents tried to fix it up. It still had that nasty aura around it. One that used to choke you as a child.

“Dad, Pad!” you called out, leaning forward to take a hug from Remus first. Remus was standing near the doorway looking at Theo with an analytical eye, eyebrows raising curiously at the wine.

Sirius turned the corner next, a wide smile growing on his face as he recognized the wine. “Is that my favorite wine?” he asked incredulously, not noticing Theodore’s shocked face as he moved closer and grabbed it. “Dove, did you tell him about my favorite wine?”

“He guessed it.” you shrugged, smiling softly at Theodore.

You noticed the shocked expression on his face quite easily. For all he knew, the infamous yet supposed murderer of one of your best friend’s parents was currently standing right in front of him. Examining the wine that he had brought. He walked off quickly to pour a couple of glasses, which left you and Theodore staring at each other. “That’s my other dad.”

“Your other dad is Sirius Black?” he asked incredulously.

You nodded quietly, head barely moving as you fidgeted with your fingers. “Yeah.”

He looked at Remus and Sirius near the kitchen counter before looking at the dining table. Harry was sitting there, a curious expression on his face as he looked at Theo. You were sure that his mind was running laps around inside of his skull.

“So he’s innocent.” Theodore deadpanned, looking over at you.

You looked at him incredulously with a small smile on your face. Hopeful. “What?”

“Well, I figured that he wouldn’t be sitting here so casually in front of his parent’s supposed murderer.” Theo shrugged, still holding Remus’ gift in his hands. “And I know that the Ministry lies a bunch. So I assume that they lied about this too.”

“They did.” you whispered, sometimes quite shocked by his deduction abilities.

Theo nodded before moving into the dining room, placing Remus’ book down in front of his coffee cup. It had been wrapped in brown tissue paper, a small twine bow and a sticker on it. He sat down between you and Harry, his face a bit calmer than when he walked in.

“This is absolutely incredible.” Sirius said as he walked back into the dining room. "Was this aged?”

Theo looked at him with a small smile on his face. “Stole it from my dad.”

“I love him already.” Sirius said excitedly, clapping and setting down a glass in front of his and Remus’ seat before one in front of Theo. “I used to do that all the time too!”

“Padfoot,” Remus said incredulously, moving the glass from in front of Theo’s seat. You giggled quite loudly, remembering a conversation your dads had told you about similar to this. “He’s a kid, don’t give him alcohol.”

“Fine,” Sirius grumbled, taking a sip of alcohol. “More for me.”

Theodore chuckled quietly and smiled at Sirius before pointing to the book, looking up at his old Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. “For you, sir.”

“Oh.” Remus said surprised. “A book?”

“You mentioned wanting a signed copy back in Third Year.” Theo pointed out.

Remus looked up at him before opening the present rather excitedly. You were happy that he was happy, especially after the recent full moon and its spirit crushing effect. You hadn’t seen him smiling like this in quite a long time, though you chalked that up to also being at Hogwarts for such a long time.

“I love it.” he whispered quietly, looking at Theo. “Where did you get this?”

Theodore shrugged calmly. “My dad doesn’t need every one of his Galleons.”

You giggled softly at that, smiling as Sirius and Harry bursted out laughing much louder than you did. Remus was still staring at the book, calloused fingers caressing the signature.

They began talking about any topic under the sun that they could.

Sirius talked about being a Seeker, with Harry talking about his experience as well. Theodore talked about his position as a Chaser on the opposing spot, though they all bonded over their shared interest in the same professional teams. Theo even gave Harry some pointers that Chasers and Beaters look out for, which you hadn’t expected him to do.

Though you supposed he always loved a challenge.

Harry began talking about school too, complaining a bunch about Umbridge and her restrictions that she’d been placing. You had planned to join in before Theodore did, rolling his eyes as he spoke about her behavior with the Slytherins. He had been utterly convinced that she wanted to sleep with Malfoy’s dad, Lucius, though you always found the idea of them sleeping together hilarious in any context. “You don’t actually believe that, do you?”

“You haven’t seen the bedroom eyes she’s given that man.” Theo spat out, breath shaking almost as if he was genuinely traumatized from the sight. You couldn’t blame him.

Both Harry and Sirius’ face contorted in disgust at that. “Absolutely absurd.” Sirius said. “Why would anyone want to sleep with that ruffled peacock?”

“Money?” Theodore suggested, his tone more questioning than serious.

Harry shuddered rather loudly. “I don’t want to imagine those two going at it.”

“What do you think I’ve been doing for the past three months?” Theodore exclaimed, his voice shifting into a rather loud whine. “I didn’t even know something like bedroom eyes could be so sickened. Tarnished, even.”

“Remus, I’m never giving you bedroom eyes again.” Sirius said sternly, much to the spluttering sound of your father.

“Don’t talk about you guys in front of me!” you exclaimed, covering your ears and making a rather loud sound to block them. Harry joined in with you, his face contorting in even more disgust as the two of you started yelling. Theodore covered your ears with his hands as well, pulling you into a rather dramatic reenactment of a hug.

Remus couldn’t find it in him to stop laughing.

“Maybe I could meet your friends in a different setting.” Theodore suggested quietly. “Ron and Hermione.”

You looked over at Theodore with a slight furrow in your eyebrows, easily noticing the slight worry in his voice he was never able to hide around you. Usually, you two would tease and prod each other to no end.

But that was usually.

Right now, you knew that the mood was different. You could almost smell it in the air, the worry radiating off of his sweat. “What’s wrong, baby?”

“They don’t like me.” Theodore muttered quietly. “I don’t think they will for a long time.”

You shrugged simply. Ron and Hermione didn’t quite like him, and you weren’t going to lie to the poor boy and say that they did. That’d be nothing more than false promise. “Harry does.”

“Harry listens.” he retorted, his voice a rather pouty grumble.

You chuckled quietly and scooted a bit closer to him, resting your head on his shoulder. “He does.” you whispered, hand intertwining with yours. “You do know I don’t care about their opinion, right Teddy? You’re still my Teddy no matter what they think.”

“I know,” he whispered quietly. His lack of nicknames for you was rather concerning, it was something he liked to sweep into any sentimental moment between the two of you. “It’s just that, you know, sometimes I don’t know. You know?”

“I know.” you whispered. “But I don’t need them to approve.”

“You don’t?” he asked quietly. His voice was small when he spoke.

You smiled softly and kissed his cheek, looking him in the eyes as you spoke. “You’ve earned the approval from my parents and my brother. That’s more than enough for me.” you reminded him, squeezing his hand. “The only reason they don’t like you is because they’re judging you for what they think you are. If they weren’t ignorant and actually spent time with you, I know they would love you.”

Theodore chuckled quietly, his hands wrapping around your body as he kissed your forehead.

“Not my fault that they’re being silly.” you said, hugging him back just as eagerly.

“I love you.” he whispered into the courtyard. A courtyard which, luckily, hardly had anyone in it at the current moment. “You know that? That I love you?”

“I know Teddy.” you whispered quietly. Your lips touched his softly yet reverently, like a whole new form of religion the both of you made every time you touched. “I know.”

AUTHOR'S NOTE

hello everyone!!! sorry that i haven't posted in quite a bit of time, i've been trying to write through a rough patch of writer's block. (it comes in waves sometimes, so hopefully it goes away soon) i hope that you enjoyed this tho, and that you've all had fun while waiting for this second part!! if you guys want a third for the ron and hermione introduction, i'm planning on having them meet at the yule ball!

AS ALWAYS - please like, comment, and reblog!

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