#that fluffy headed nutter

[ilookatmyfingerilookatmylife]

the fact that this seemingly idiotic drug dealer managed to say both peace is a lie and absolution within thirty seconds and i just didn't fucking notice???

[yallthemwitches]

Inconspicuous and Warm

A little fluffy first date for @jilytoberfest Day 5, prompt “Get the car packed, throw me the keys. Run away with me.” 

We love when James is a cute sappy idiot~ AO3 link here!

Wear something inconspicuous and warm.

-J

Marlene looked at the note, turning it around as though new words would appear from a different angle. 

“Any thoughts?”

“Yeah, you’re going on a date with a nutter.”

Lily sat on her bed. She had been in a state of dressing and undressing for the past half hour, nearly trying on everything in her trunk that would be remotely considered either of the two adjectives written on the piece of paper. 

Lily threw another jumper into the heap of clothes on the floor. “It’s like he is trying to mess with me or something–”

“And what? Sabotage his own date? I mean, you have seen him since you said yes right? The bloke practically has heaven’s light bursting out of his ears he's so chuffed.”

Lily moved to the ground looking at all of her discarded clothing, feeling defeated. It felt so good to say yes to him, to watch his face completely twist into joy from the word, she couldn’t turn back now. 

She dug her hand through the pile and pulled out a muggle dress she usually only saved for holidays at home. Pulling it over her head, she lifted her arms to Marlene in an indulgent shrug. 

“I think it’s as inconspicuous and warm as it’s going to get.”

Merlene nodded.“He’s going to piss himself when he sees you in that.”

******

Marlene wasn’t too far off. As she approached him in front of the great hall, his eyes turned wide and glassy, like he was set in front of a moving piece of art.

“You look incredible–”

“Thanks. You look—like a muggle.”

It wasn’t completely out of the ordinary to see James in a muggle shirt, but today he was in full regalia, complete with brown suede jacket that Lily knew was currently the rage in muggle circles. 

“Remus helped me—though he didn’t love being my personal shopper.”

His eyes shifted from one side to the other, a hand twitched up to his hair and curled through the front strands before contracting in realization and falling back down to his side.

“You look good too–I’ll make sure to thank Remus for his efforts.”

“Yeah?” 

His eyes twinkled up at her, lips twisting into a grin. Lily felt her face flush again. He really did look good–so good in fact that she wondered if they could just call off the outing portion all together and cozy up near the common room fire….

“C’mon Potter,” she said, abandoning her own thought before getting too caught up, “time to go be inconspicuous and warm somewhere.”

James barked out a laugh but was clipped short by the sight of Lily’s outstretched hand. He carefully reached out and threaded their fingers together, a paragon of happiness. 

“Wow—I’ve always wanted to do this.” He kept looking down at their interlaced hands which hovered between them. 

Lily snorted, pulling him along into the crowds of students bustling towards Hogsmeade. His hand felt warm in hers, calloused but strong. He gave her a quick squeeze, almost like he was reminding himself that she was real flesh and blood beside him. With any other bloke it would have been annoying, but that was the unnerving part about him, he made everything bearable. 

“Woah, Evans, where do you think you’re going?”

James tugged her hand back as she continued to walk where the main doors and the stone path to Hogsmeade village began. Lily stopped, watching the throngs of students weave past them like an endless stream. 

“Uh, Hogsmeade? You know, the place you have asked me to go on a date with you since fifth year?”

“C’mon Evans, that’s not original!”

She gave him a scrutinizing glance. He was being serious. Maybe they were just going to bum around the castle—

James pulled her towards the diverging path towards the main gates. It was rare to ever go back to the main entrance unless leaving for school holidays. The path empty, Lily walked at a reluctant pace while James ushered her onwards, face growing ruddy by the cold wind coming off the lake. 

“James, if this involves any sort of rule breaking–”

“Indulge me.”

She snorted. “Something tells me this isn’t going to be the last time I hear you say that.”

James cocked his head to the side, flashing a cheeky grin. “Are you implying that there will be more dates after this one?”

“Depends on what kind of rule breaking we are doing,” she quipped.

“The kind you will like–I hope.”

They crossed past the lake and into the small wooded area that lined the barrier of the main gate. As the stone structure approached, James fished into his pockets, pulling out a hefty set of keys that seemed too bulky to be easily hidden in his jacket.

“Don’t be angry–I nicked them from Filch, but I promise to give them back.”

He looked sheepish as Lily gave him a warning glare. 

“Please, Lily–”

“Go on with it then, we are already here.”

He dropped her hand to search through the keys. With his hand gone, the cold rushed into her palm and she missed the comfort it brought to have a part of him against her. She realized that it had been keeping her stable, staving off the nerves that now rushed back into her stomach.

The gate clicked open. James tucked the keys back into his jacket, then reached back for her hand. Warmth spread into her at the reconnection.

Now officially off Hogwarts grounds, James stalled in front of the gate and air of nervousness shrouded him again. 

“Right–so. Before we get on with it I wanted to tell you something–”

She could feel his hand quivering in hers and she instinctively reached out her other arm to grasp onto his shoulder. 

“I…really like you Evans.”

She couldn’t help but laugh from the ridiculousness of it all.

 “Potter, you didn’t need to break us off of school grounds to tell me that.” His expression didn’t waver.

 “Evans—indulge me.”

“There’s that word again–” Lily teased and James flushed, pouting. 

“Ok, sorry, go on—you like me.”

“I like you,” he repeated, “So much. I want to know everything about you.” The wind ruffled some of her hair into her face and James used his free hand to brush it away, thumb lingering against her cheek.

“We’ve spent seven years in this bloody castle together and I still feel like I’m picking up bread crumbs of who you are, but every piece is brilliant.”

Lily felt herself going absolutely red. He was locked in, his gaze unwavering on hers despite the nervousness that jumped in his eyes. 

“There’s a whole part of you I don’t even know—but I want to. So, I thought–”

“Please don’t tell me you are proposing to me Potter.”

She was only half kidding. His gaze had been so intense, sincere. But instead of becoming bashful, he took it in stride, squeezing her hand.

“Don’t worry, that comes later,” a grin cut through the nervousness before he continued.

“I’ve wanted to do this for a long time. And it will mean a lot to do it with you.”

She felt his arm wrap around to the small of her back and he pulled her in tightly to his chest. He smelled like spice and woods, like an autumn day that echoed in some far off memory. Despite the nerves, the awkwardness of a first date, the compliance to rule breaking, she would have been perfectly happy if they stayed right there, swaying in the cold air, suspended from the rest of the world. 

“You ready?”

He didn’t wait for her to answer. The forest shifted around them, blurring into just refracted beams of color. She closed her eyes to not feel sick, focusing on the rise and fall of his chest. 

Noise. Lots of noise. Muggle noise. She took a deep breath, blinked open her eyes. A car rushed past, halting quickly as the light at the end of the block turned red. Men and women in muggle clothes rushed past them, perfectly oblivious to the embracing couple who had appeared just moments ago. 

James let her go with the exception of her hand, fingers still threaded from when they first left to the grounds. 

“Woah.”

He said it on instinct, like seeing a great wonder of the world. His head darted in all angles, trying to take in everything at once. All the awe that James directed at Muggle London, Lily directed at him. She had known she was a witch for seven years. Lived among friends who knew she was a muggleborn and came back to the muggle world every time she stepped out of school grounds. None of them, none of them, had ever once asked what life was like outside of those walls. Not until now. 

“Will you show it to me?” She hadn’t realized he had turned back to her. She could feel tears bubbling in her eyes, but blinked them away.   

“Yeah–definitely.”

He smiled, relieved. An excitement buzzed through him. It was infectious, like everything about him.

She pulled him down a side street, falling in step with crowds of muggles continuing their daily lives, hand warm in his. No longer distinguishable from the rest.

[ladylooch]

Blurb night!! Gimme fluffy Nico when you’re on your period and/or generally not feeling well

Yes! Blurb night! I’m going to pick sick for this one. I have a very sweet blurb about his support while you’re on your period here! Nico Hischier can do it all.

You’re awoken from your sickly slumber on your couch by a soft knock at the door. You look at the time, surprised to see it is already after 3pm . You had been drifting in and out of sleep since you returned home from your feeble attempt to go to work.

You close your eyes again, not expecting anyone so hoping whoever it is goes away. It’s probably you’re annoying neighbor wanting to complain again about the way you park your car. 

“Baby.” You hear Nico’s soft voice call to you.

He is not supposed to be here. You told him not to come over after your sickness wiped you out this morning. The team needs him. He can’t be getting sick.

“Neeks.” You croak as you open the door, keeping the chain latched. 

He thrusts your weakness, a chocolate milkshake, into the apartment. 

“This will make you better.” 

“You know I can take the milkshake and then still shut the door?"

“You could. But then you wouldn’t know what’s behind my back.” You contemplate. Ultimately he looks so cute, and desperate to care for you, that you let him into the danger zone. He gathers you into his body as soon as the door opens completely. He snuggles you into his chest. You sigh at his sweet touch, clutching at his back in comfort. 

“I’ve been worried about you since you told me you were leaving work. Could barely focus at the rink.” His words are mumbled into your hair.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” He insists, pulling back to look into your eyes. His gaze dips to your lips and you shake your head no. “I know. But I wanna.”

“Me too.” 

“Cheek?”

“Sure.” You agree, letting his lips work over the red, warmth. “What did you bring me?” You ask as he starts to wander down to your neck.

“Oh!” He shoots up excitedly. “You are going to be better in no time.” 

Nico excitedly pulls out every item in the bag while you suck up a bit of your chocolate milkshake. It’s so good and soothing to your throat. He has Emergen-C, sour punch straws, and nutter butters.

“Those are for you, Neeks.” You chuckle at the cookies, nudging his shoulder.

“Yes. Okay, they are, but…” He trails off, then pulls out the soup dumplings you love from Trader Joe's.

“Yes!” You squeal appreciatively. 

“And…” He trails off, pulling out the final two items which are a decongestant and Vick’s vapor rub.

“The good shit.” You giggle.

“Come here.” He murmurs, tugging you towards him by your pajama pants. You pull your crew neck sweatshirt down, whimpering in gratitude when he rubs the gel into your chest. Your eyes close, already feeling the menthol loosen some of the tightness beneath.

“I’m so glad you’re here.” You confess.

“Always wanna be where you are…” He trails off. Your hair is falling out of your scrunchie, so Nico tucks a large chunk behind your ear. A long blink has him chuckling at you again. “She's my sleepy girl today. Let’s go lay down, baby.”

“I want this though.” You insist of your milkshake, accepting his guiding hand to the couch. 

“You can have it. I’ll make sure it doesn’t spill when you fall asleep.”

Your last boyfriend refused to bring you cough medicine last time you were sick. Now, Nico Hischier holds your milkshake in front of your face and adjusts pillows around your head, so you can be comfortable and eat safely.

Life has a funny way of working out.

[sparatus]

👀 eyedbarls

send me a 👀 and i’ll post a snippet of art/writing that i never got around to finishing this year

hmm okay let's see what i got in here [spins wheel]

so @thetrashbagswasteland has been forcibly indoctrinating me into dr who and there's a specific quote from nine and rose that was just. quintessentially sparky and it spawned a whole one-shot with goyle and sparky and baby callie, i do want to finish it but i doubt it'll be before the end of the year unless a frenzy hits so here have this from the buildup:

--

Anita huffed and shook herself, stuffing her hands in her pockets. They'd been on the galactic stage for a little over a year already, but at the rate they were going, humanity would never get their embassy. The asari were nice enough, very welcoming, but the salarians liked to debate, and the turians...

Well. The less said about them, the better.

She took a deep breath as she walked, trying to push her brain into focusing on literally anything else. It really was a lovely park, if she was honest. The flowers lining the pathway were pretty, all sorts of colors and styles. Her mum would like the fluffy lavender ones, probably. Maybe she'd see if they could possibly grow on Earth, take some home for the garden. A fountain bubbled in a pond nearby, and she wondered if there were fish to feed. No ducks, of course, but a few small bird-like creatures were hopping around in the branches of one of the trees she passed, twittering amongst each other. There were even some bugs flitting about around the flowers, shiny jewel-tone things with wide wings gliding lazily between blossoms.

God, she’d love to have that kind of nonchalance about the universe at the moment.

Eager croaks and chattering that didn’t quite form themselves into words drew her attention. She wasn’t the only one interested in the insects, it seemed; a small, dull brown turian, clumps of fuzzy down still clinging stubbornly to its face and forearms, was a short way’s away, chasing the bugs with outstretched hands and jumping into the air to try and catch them. It didn't seem to be having much luck, but it didn't seem bothered. Little hands clapped shut on empty air, and a mad giggle filled the air as the fuzzball just tried again. Something in Anita's chest eased slightly watching it, the simple joy of the moment nearly infectious.

Until motion out of the corner of her eye drew her attention, and she turned to see the much bigger, dark brown adult male supervising from a bench who’d just adjusted his crossed legs and tipped his head to watch her.

She froze, some rabbity thing in the back of her head taking rapid-fire note of the exposed talons on the father's hands and feet. One of the navy officers who’d argued about the cease-fire, some know-it-all named Hackett, flashed into her mind’s eye, talking to her team before they left for the Citadel. Don't get between a turian and their chick, he’d warned the embassy party. You’ll be lucky to escape with your life. Some madwoman angry her son had been mortally wounded and her man captured had taken it out on Hackett's face, their Alliance attache had explained, and he’d been left under turian captivity until the exchange of prisoners after the cease-fire. She'd dismissed him as a nutter, shiny medals or no, but now the gnarly, angry red scar over his eye practically glowed against his pale skin in her memory as she stared back at the predator on the bench.

But then the bird turned away, and watched his chick again, and all the air in Anita's lungs escaped in a relieved sigh.

The path she was on made a lazy loop around the tall grasses the chick was playing in, towards the bench. She chewed on the inside of her lip as she kept walking, trying not to look anxious. Like prey. Deep breath. She couldn't keep walking for too long, she'd get too far from the Tower and get harangued about it later, but the bench the turian was on looked to be the only one nearby. She'd never much cared for sitting in grass back home, too prickly and too high a risk of bugs crawling up her clothes. Did aliens consider it rude to sit with a stranger? Would he get aggressive about her observing his daughter? Would her need for a break turn into a whole incident?

The bench was closer than planned. She swallowed as her feet stilled and her hand rested on the back of it. “Pardon me, d’you mind if I sit here? Just for a moment."

The turian turned his head slightly. Something about him looked dimly familiar, but then, dark brown seemed an awfully common color for the big birds, and she'd no idea how they kept the tattoos all straight. She’d been running up against the councilor's secretary nearly every day the past couple of weeks, and she still struggled to pick her out from a crowd. At this angle, the most striking thing about him was the off-white teeth peeking at her from behind his mandibles. A couple of them were missing, she thought.

One teal eye looked her up and down, then the turian puffed, flapped a mandible, and slid over a bit on the bench. All the breath in her lungs rushed out in a relieved sigh, and she plopped down like all her bones gave up at once. “Thank you, sorry, God, I just need a few to clear my head, then I’ll be on my way..."

The turian rumbled, but didn't turn to look at her this time. "Rough day, I take it.”

[mctwinkdom]

Okay so I don't know if you've heard of the song "Candyman" by Flyana Boss but it has been absolutely stuck in my head for the past week and the chorus for some reason SCREAMS mctwinks to me 💀 I just imagine Lando calling Oscar all these cheesy petnames like "my little gumdrop" and "my little nutter butter" and it just esclates to even more ridiculous ones like "my little snchookums bear" LMAO

I did not know this song but it was a very fun listen, thanks!

And I can picture that as well lol I think a LOT about Lando calling Oscar a "lil baby" and a "little snake". He would totally be the type to give sweet petnames that would get more and more cheesy/ridiculous. His little sweetheart, lil glazed donut and fluffy marshmallow koala bear 🫶

[whataboutmyfries]

oh I have a fluffy request! could you write an o’knutzy date night please? 🤍

Hey there nonnie! This is so freaking cute! I’m going to mush it up with @ninak803's request for a surprise date! I hope you don't mind, and I hope you enjoy it!

Characters by the brilliant @lumosinlove as always!

~

Logan and Finn walked into the house drenched and bone tired, shucking off their soggy shoes.

“Mon dieu, I’m so fucking sore”

“I know, me too. The weather sucks”

Logan helped finn peel his coat off, the both of them making a little puddly on the floor.

“Shower and then go find Nutter butter?”

“Oui, please”

They walked carefully across the hallway, muscles sore and shaking with every movement.

“How the fuck I managed to get myself dragged into this I’ll never know. Harzy you do this? For fun?!”

Finn threw an incredulous look over his shoulder. “Don’t tell me you didn’t enjoy that!”

Logan knocked their shoulders together, the squelch of their clothes dripping more water onto the floor. “Well now you know why we call you our little Poisson.”

Finn laughed as he pressed cold lips to Logan’s colder cheek, the smell of something mouth-watering wrapping around them both. Logan groaned.

“Oh my god Peanut’s made dinner.”

“Yes I did! Hurry up and get dry you two. I have something for you.”

“Nutty! As of right now, you are officially my favourite boyfriend. Finn, you can go now.”

Finn pouted as Logan skipped over to Leo to give him a noisy kiss.

“No fair! I’m just looking out for your health!”

Logan grinned affectionately as he grabbed Finn’s hand, walking both of them to the bathroom.

“I know, I know. I’m just kidding. I’ll make it up to you in the shower.”

Finn grinned. “Apology accepted. Let’s go.”

“Don't take too long, Dinner’s getting cold!” Leo peeked his head out the kitchen, narrowing his eyes at them. “Hurry up, yeah?”

“Give us 20 minutes, tops!”

~

Finn and Logan walked into the kitchen to find Leo putting the last of the dishes into the dishwasher. He looked up at the sound of their feet and gave them his thousand watt smile.

“There you are! Stay right there, okay? Give me a second”

He put the last plate into the dishwasher and dried off his hands, coming over to give them both a kiss, smiling as he did so. Finn grinned, poking a finger into Leo’s dimples

“Someone’s particularly happy today, what did you do?”

Leo pouted. “Why do you always think I’ve done something?”

Logan and Finn shared a look, and Logan cocked a brow.

Leo sighed, “Fine, I did do something, but it's a good something, I swear!”

Leo turned them both around by their shoulders, trailing his hand up their necks to cover their eyes. “No peeking. Grab my waist.”

Logan let out a shocked little gasp of laughter, doing as he was told. “Mon dieu, this is new.”

Leo kicked him with a socked foot. “It’s not like that, shut up.”

Logan laughed, squeezing Leo’s hip gently. “I know,I’m just kiddin mon amour.”

Leo huffed, tugging gently on his boyfriends’s shoulders to get them to stop. “Wait right here. And don’t open your eyes unless I say so, okay?”

“Whatever you say, sweetheart.”

“Okay, you can open them now.”

Finn and Logan opened their eyes to their living room, completely transformed. Soft yellow light illuminated the space; Finn’s eyes followed the fairy lights across the room to find a massive pile of pillows and blankets in front of the TV, looking suspiciously like….

“Cheri, is that a pillow fort?”

Leo smiled. “Yes. yes, it is.” He ducked his head, rubbing at his neck shyly. “I just thought— it’s been so long since the three of us got some time, just the three of us; and it’s been one hell of a week and I thought you two might enjoy a little date night? I made us all dinner and— yeah, surprise!”

Finn was across the room in two long strides, and he wrapped his arms around Leo, squeezing him tight. “Nutty, I love you so much you have no idea.”

Logan joined them. “You’re the love of my life, you are.”

Finn giggled, “What tremzy said.”

Leo wrapped his arms around the both of them, pressing a kiss to the top of the heads, one fiery red, the other chocolate brown.

“I love you both. So much.”

Logan tipped his head back to look Leo in the eye. “We’re watching love actually! I call dibs”

Finn groaned. “Looooooo, not again”

“Fine, first one on the couch gets to pick.”

Leo grinned. “Deal! As if you midgets could catch me. Threetwoone GO!”

“Hey—you little cheater!”

[talesfromsiteredacted]

Playdate

Rabbit brings her furry buddy to hang out with the Young Girl. 053 makes a new feline friend, and gets her own fluffy pal.

It's Friday afternoon, and I'm on my way to see 053. I've got Liam, my cat with me in a pet carrier. I'm halfway there when I run into a familiar face. I missed Watch, he's a funny guy, but can still get things done.

"Hey, Rabbit... what's with the pet bag?"

"Taking Liam for a visit. Thought 053 might like to meet my fluffy little nutter. She'll love him, how could she not? He's a sweet goofball."

"Kind of like you, huh? Evelyn is gonna be thrilled. Oh, speaking of, I have to go tend to 035 being his typical ceramic drama queen self, it's not likely I'll be able to see her. Would you kindly give her this? It's a plush cat toy. Which kinda looks like Liam now that I've gotten a look at him. He is a handsome boy, I'll admit." He hands me a medium sized box, wrapped in pink paper, topped with a purple bow.

"You know, you don't need to pull the Bioshock trick on me when it comes to Young Evelyn, I'm happy to visit her. And I'll let her know. Hey, who knows? Maybe you're lucky and 035 might just need a nap or something."

"Unlikely, but weirder things have happened. Thanks, Rabbit. Tell Evie I'll make it up to her with an ice cream party tomorrow. I'll even invite 682, heard he's fond of Rocky road."

"Gotta admit, discount Godzilla knows good ice cream. And Evie will love you for it."

"Dunno, Liam's pretty cute, keep bringing him for visits you may become her favorite Auntie, even take my place as her favorite staffer."

"Come on, Watch. Ice cream sundaes AND 682 back rides? No way I can top that. Besides, it's not a competition, I just want her to have some kind of normal here."

"Normal? You realize where we work, right?"

"You know what I mean. You'd better go, 035 hates waiting. Unless we're waiting on him. Also, would you kindly remind him he needs to keep his clothes on? Ain't nobody want to see him letting it all hang out." Watch laughs at this.

"Using my own tricks on me, huh? Alright. Give Evie a big hug from me."

"The biggest, Watch. I love Evie like she's my own niece. Yes, I know technically I'm an only child, but she's my niece nonetheless." We depart, and I head off to see Evie. I walk into her room, and nearly drop Liam when 053 hugged the stuffing out of me.

"Auntie Rabbit! I missed you." More hugs.

"Hiya Evie! I brought you a new friend to hang out with. Meet my buddy Liam. He's a bit daft, but adorable." I open the carrier, and take out my fluffy little knock-off Turkish Van. Evie squeals.

"He's so fluffy! Is he your cat?"

"Yeah, met my little buddy not long after I transferred here. I found him in one of the site dumpsters, stealing a slice of pizza. Took the little guy in, gave him a bath, and he's been with me since. He likes having his chin rubbed like that, keep going and he'll purr like a jet engine."

"He keeps bumping his head into my hand."

"Yeah, that's him hugging you." I take out the box. "Almost forgot, Watch sent this up with me. He's sorry he can't drop in, he's a bit overloaded with work. It's all boring grown-up stuff, so it's going to be a while. He's got a nice surprise for you tomorrow, though." I hand Evie the box, watching as Liam swats the bow. She opens the gift, and giggles.

"He got me my own Liam! I love him. He really does look like your kitty. He even has the black tail, just like the real Liam."

"Only this Liam won't steal your cheese."

"He steals cheese?"

"Don't most people? He thinks he's a person. And yes, cheese, the odd chip, blue freeze bars but only the blue ones, chicken, he's a food thief. He's not all fluff in the middle."

"He is a little chubby. But really sweet and funny."

"Yeah. He's a good boy."

Evie plays with both Liams, the live cat curling up in her lap. After a few minutes, my Liam starts snoring. He's happy, Evie is happy... mission accomplished.

[sail-on-silver-girl]

Sand -- Fluffbruary Day 8 (sand, quiet, colorful)

It was a perfect day for the beach. The temperate early autumn, mid-week day meant children were in school, adults at work, and tourists…well, wherever tourists go after their summer stampede. Sherlock and John had the beach practically to themselves. It was mercifully quiet, save for the sounds of the waves.

The case that drew them so far afield to Formby Beach outside Liverpool had seemed like an eight, but had topped out at a six, leaving Sherlock to solve it before they’d barely stepped out of the rental car. Nothing was calling them back to Baker Street, and the pirate in Sherlock couldn’t resist the call of the ocean.

He was basking in the barrage of colours—the bright blue sky dotted with pearl grey fluffs of clouds; the deep blue of waters of the Irish Sea with a scattering of white-capped waves; the green of the tall grasses emerging from the dunes, the rust of the Eurasian Red squirrel skittering about. But it was the vast stretch of sand that captured his attention.

Sherlock breathed deeply and allowed his eyes to close, committing the image and feeling to memory. He could feel the tug of a smile tug at the corner of his mouth.

“What?”

John had noticed. Of course John had notice. John noticed everything about Sherlock since they had become a couple. Sherlock opened his eyes to see John staring intently at him, as if he were trying to memorize Sherlock’s expression, just as Sherlock was memorizing the scene before him.

“Here’s a sight you don’t see every day. The great Sherlock Holmes, sitting quietly on a beach wiggling his toes in the sand.”

John’s feet were buried in the sand, while both pairs of their shoes lay abandoned on a nearby dune.

“Sand. Exactly what I was thinking.”

John’s face screwed up in those quizzical wrinkles that always made Sherlock’s breath catch.

“People look at the sand and see only one colour—beige. They don’t see. They think it’s boring, when, in fact, quite a combination of colors made possible by the quartz—silicon dioxide, actually. Feldspar. Mica. Sand is white, tan, green, even black or pink.

“Hawaii,” John supplied.

“Hawaii,” Sherlock nodded. If you add in the mineral content of the locale’s rocks and stone from the ocean… Calling it beige is an insult. One must see what’s beneath. A myriad of colour, of hidden possibilities, not simple at all, but nuanced. Deceiving appearance. A marvel.”

He turned his head and stared at his partner. “You are like the sand, John.”

John went still and quiet. He looked stunned, and his eyes were wet.

“What did I—? Did I—? Ah… I insulted you, didn’t I? “I didn’t mean—?”

John’s expression melted into a smile. “Oh, Sherlock,” he sighed. “Come here, you nutter.” John leaned in and tenderly kissed his love. Sherlock reciprocated with enthusiasm and scooted closer.

Their hands entwined in the sand. ----- As part of Fluffburary, I decided to give our boys some time off. I managed to work in all three prompt words, plus I added the word "fluffy" as a bonus. @fluffbruary @7-percent @jbaillier @anyawen @totallysilvergirl 

[fruitcoops]

could you imagine coops or oknutzy one of the boys has to get his wisdom teeth out and being silly and the other(s) take good care or them?

This mental image is pure brilliance. Give Leo Knut his teeth back 2k21. O’Knutzy credit goes to @lumosinlove!

TW for anesthesia, drowsiness, and temporary loss of memory (it’s fluffy, don’t worry!)

“Good morning, sunshine,” Finn said quietly as Leo blinked awake, looking drowsy as all hell.

“I have bunnies in my face,” he slurred around the cotton stuffed in his cheeks.

Logan brushed the sweat-damp curls off his forehead with a smile. “Do you?”

“Uh-huh.” Tears sprang to his eyes, making them shine bright blue. “Why are they there? I don’ wanna have bunnies in my face. They don’t belong there.”

“It’s not bunnies, Peanut,” Logan said, shushing him softly. “Just some cotton.”

“You have a funny accent.”

“So do you.”

Pure offense took over the previous tragic grief on Leo’s swollen face. “I do not. That’s rude. I talk perfectly normal.”

“Okay, baby,” Finn laughed. “Can you sit up so we can go home?”

Leo paused halfway through sitting up, then narrowed his eyes at them. “I don’ wanna go home with y’all.”

“…why not?” Finn asked, sharing a look with Logan.

“I can go home just fine on my own.” Leo jutted his chin out, though the effect was somewhat ruined by the roundness of his face. He glanced around the room and frowned. “Where ‘m I?”

Logan placed a hand on his back and helped him sit up the rest of the way, making sure he didn’t fall over. “The dentist’s office. You got your wisdom teeth out.”

“But I need my teeth,” he said sadly.

“You didn’t need those ones.”

“Teeth are really ‘portant. Teeth—teeth make sure you can eat, an’ chew, an’ a bunch of other stuff.” Leo stumbled a bit as he stood up and Finn took his other arm to guide him to the waiting wheelchair.

“Easy does it, Nutter Butter.”

Leo held on to his hand when he started to move away and looked up at him with huge, adoring eyes. “You’re really pretty.”

“Thanks,” Finn laughed.

“No, no, I mean really pretty,” Leo insisted. “I don’t even know who you are, but your hair is so fluffy and you’ve got nice eyes. Like—like chocolate. Or the deer from that one movie, the fuckin’…what’s his name, with the speckles and the bunny?”

“Bambi?” Logan suggested.

Leo shook his head. “No. No, the one with the friends and the mama deer. Simba! Simba. You have eyes like Simba.”

Finn took a second to stifle his laughter before petting Leo’s hair back. “Simba’s a lion, baby. Bambi is the deer.”

“Oh. Okay.” He looked over at Logan and raised his eyebrows, giving him a slow up-and-down look. “Woah.”

Logan glanced down at himself. “What?”

“Okay, okay, wait.” Leo shook his head and patted Finn on the arm. “You’re cute and I wanna kiss you all over your face, but he’s hot as fuck.”

Neither Finn or Logan could hold it in anymore—they burst out laughing. “Oh my fucking god,” Finn wheezed, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. “This is the best day ever.”

“Why’re you laughing?” Leo asked. His eyebrows pitched upward and he looked between them in total confusion. “It’s true.”

“You’re so sweet, Peanut.” Logan walked over and placed a kiss to his forehead; when he leaned back, Leo had gone bright pink.

“Did you just kiss me?” he asked softly.

“I do that a lot.”

Leo shook his head and stared at the floor. “But I don’t know you. I would remember if you gave me kisses.”

Logan crouched down in front of the wheelchair and made sure Leo’s gaze was focused on him before speaking. “I’m your boyfriend, Peanut.”

“Oh, no,” Leo whispered. “Oh, I’m so sorry.”

“For what?”

“I was flirting with the fuckin’—the Simba boy! I’m so sorry! You have pretty eyes, too.”

Logan pressed a kiss to the back of his hand, smiling. “Don’t worry, Finn’s your boyfriend, too.”

Leo’s eyes went wide. “I get two boyfriends?”

“You do.” Finn kissed his cheek and carefully steered the wheelchair down the hall toward the exit. “And we love you very much.”

“Wow,” Leo whispered, though it was fairly loud due to the gauze in his mouth. “That’s so cool. Nobody even knows I’m gay except my folks, though.”

“Uh.” Logan shared a look with Finn. “Most people know you’re gay, actually. We came out a few weeks ago.”

“We did? Why would we do that? I wanna play hockey.”

“Good news!” Finn transferred the wheelchair to Logan and held the door open. “You do play hockey, and you’re really fucking good at it. We play on the same team.”

“Really?” Leo perked up as they entered the parking lot. “That’s crazy.”

“It’s pretty cool,” Logan agreed. It was a bit difficult getting Leo buckled in when his limbs were still heavy from the anesthesia, but they managed to get everyone in the car injury-free. “Are you hungry?”

Leo sighed and began fiddling with the seatbelt clip. “Thirsty. Tired. I’m gonna take a nap now.”

“Okay, Peanut, you do that.” Finn looked back at him in the rearview mirror and smiled at Logan. “We’ll get some food in you and then give you medicine so your mouth feels better, yeah?”

“I want my teeth back,” Leo muttered as he leaned his head back against the seat. Within a few minutes, he was out cold.

[sugarandviolence]

Compliments of Mr. Meyer

It’s a knock on the door that wakes them. They’re stuck skin on skin and at first it doesn’t register, too much comfort in the form of warmth they hold between each other like a shared womb. The world outside doesn’t matter, nothing does yet. The first knock comes and misses Tyson’s subconscious. But the second rouses something. He’s mostly-awake, in that world between asleep and awake now, registering space, time, Sasha. His wife. 

After a long pause, propriety bidding hotel staff to wait in between such things, it comes again. A third knock, and this time Tyson is definitely awake, eyes open, though barely. He lifts his head from Sasha’s abdomen, both of them sprawled on the massive bed but it’s big enough, larger than a California king and would fit three more of them if they wanted it to. A good space to have. 

That third knock makes him wonder who could be at the door, because they certainly aren’t expecting any guests. No one even knows where they are right now. His eyes meet Sasha’s quarter open ones, a sleepy bird who is most likely not going to catch any worms today. “I’ll see who it is,” he rasps, gravel on gravel, before shuffling up for a forehead kiss, then inching off the bed, swimming through sheets as wide as an ocean. A wet spot somewhere in the middle still drying from not too many hours ago. The usual scenery, except now they’re married. Hell yeah, they’re married. 

Tyson walks the short distance to the narrow hall, their dim room backlit by a light from the bathroom which makes him catch his reflection in the long mirror on the wall opposite. He’s naked as the day he was born, dick out and everything. Probably best not to answer the door like this, honeymoon or no honeymoon. 

He opens the door a crack in a fluffy white bathrobe, his bedhead just as fluffy. Tyson grunts a greeting.

“Room service,” the small man standing before him says. 

“We didn’order anything,” he mumbles. He’s sure of it. Had they ordered and then passed out somehow? No, he remembers the last thing they did and it wasn’t that.

The man pulls out a card from his breast pocket. Reading the cue card. “Compliments of Mr. Meyer. For the newlyweds.”

“Oh.” Cliff, of course it’s Cliff, although he’s surprised it’s not Angela. Maybe it’s both, and the man forgot to read out her name off the card. “What time is it?” he asks, scratching the back of his head. 

The man lifts his wrist like an army salute, glances at his gold wristwatch. “Five P.M.” 

Tyson hesitates, not that there is anything to hesitate about, he’s just still half in the land of nod, one slipper in — albeit barefoot. He closes the door a notch and tilts his head back, calling out. “Babe, you decent?” He won’t let the guy in if she’s out and about, but a faint voice calls from the room and it’s fine. He swings open the door wide, allowing entry. The man, like a Vegas magician, reveals a long room service table he’s propped up against the side wall. 

“Ho-lee fuck,” Tyson intonates under his breath. The shit’s huge. A chocolate fountain in the middle of the table, running, gushing forth, reminding him of Willy Wonka on VHS as a child. It’s a good foot tall. Around it: strawberries by the mountain, grapes, melon balls, pineapple chunks, doughnut bites, marshmallows, Oreos, Nutter Butters, raspberries, pretzels, cheesecake bites, apple slices, bananas, popcorn. Anything a human has thought fit to dip in chocolate, and then some that probably shouldn’t be. Are those bacon strips? Celery? Tyson’s eyes catch all of this as the man pushes the tray past him and into the suite. He assumes that’s all, but the man conjures a bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice to top it all off. 

“When you want this to be taken away, just call to reception,” he instructs. 

“Sick. Thanks.” Really nothing more to say here because, what can you say? He’s just kind of staring in awe. Then the guy’s gone, the thick, automatic lock of the door clicking into place sounding like a dinner bell. “Fuck me,” he says, turning to Sasha. Definitely awake now but stunned, like someone hit him with a tranq dart. A laugh. “We got a chocolate fountain.” And already he’s debating what to dip into the warm, gushing liquid first — the food, or his wife. 

[onlydreamofmysoul]

Rules (Ficmas #9)

Hey guys! So today is the Winter Solstice (Side note; ‘solstice’ is one of my favourite words, I just love it so much) Anyways tonight there’s the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter which basically means they’re overlapping which makes them look like one really bright star. Which made me think about stars, which lead me to here. Welcome to fluffy zone my dudes.

Characters and their world by @lumosinlove

“Hey guys, did you hear about the meteor shower tonight?” James asked, peering over at Sirius and Remus.

“Yeah! We were gonna drive out a little bit and go watch it.” Remus said, lacing up his skates. “Do you want to come?”

James’ reply was muffled as he put on his jersey. “Yeah sounds good, we were all gonna go anyways so we might as well go together.”

Finn poked his head around, naked from the waist up. “Are you talking about the meteor shower?”

“Oui.” Sirius nodded, taping his socks. “You coming?”

Finn grinned. “Hey Nutter Butter!” He yelled across the locker room. “You get to see the stars tonight!”

Leo’s resulting smile was blinding, especially when Logan kissed him on the cheek on his way to the PT room. 

“Anyone else coming?” Remus asked, tall in his skates, the first ready as always. “We could make a thing of it, bring hot chocolate and blankets.”

“Aren’t you supposed to tell us not to drink hot chocolate rookie?” Talker chirped. “PT Remus really has died.”

“Hey!” Remus protested, smacking the underside of Thomas’ head while the other man just laughed. “I get to be the one to make my PT cry when they hear what we’ve been eating, not the other way around.”

“Yeah Walkie.” Sirius said in defence, wrapping an arm casually around Remus’ waist. “Let the man pretend he can break the rules in peace.”

“I can break the rules!” Remus claimed, leaning away from Sirius as he tried to make his point. 

“Oh really? What did we have for dinner last night?”

Remus frowned. “Brown rice and chicken but that’s just because it’s what we had in the house.”

“Who buys brown rice voluntarily?” Thomas cried and Sirius pointed at him in victory.

“Exactly! I’m sorry Remus, I love you but you can’t break the rules.”

Remus’ bottom lip jutted out as he pouted. “I’m gonna break the rules tonight just you wait and see.” He grumbled. Sirius just huffed a laugh and pulled him close for a quick kiss then pulled away, slapping his ass. 

“Allez, okay boys let’s go!” And with that, they all headed onto the ice.

“I can’t believe the whole team is coming.” Remus chucked in the passenger seat as they drove into the countryside a little. 

Sirius smiled at him, one hand on the wheel, the other on Remus’ thigh. “I know, je pensais que ce serait nous seuls,” He glanced back at Remus once more, “But it’s nice too, ouais?”

“Yeah,” Remus agreed. “Yeah it’s really nice.”

They pulled into a little car park where they all agreed they would meet, a couple of the team already there. Sirius went straight for the Potter’s jeep and lifted a giggling Harry out of his car seat and into the sweet night air. Remus smiled, pulling his coat tightly around himself as he followed him over.

“Hey Re,” Logan said, coming up to his side. Remus smiled and stopped, “Hey.”

“It’s really nice here, huh?”

Remus looked around, there was snow on the ground, but none falling - the sky was clear, not a cloud to be seen. The moon was full and something about that always made Remus smile. The air was crisp and clean and smelled like the perfect backdrop of a night for making memories.

“Yeah for sure.”

Logan nudged his side lightly with his elbow, looking at Finn chatting to Alex and Kasey while Leo was having a mini snowball fight with Regulus. 

“I know I already said thanks but, I don’t know sometimes there are nights like these and you just think ‘fuck, I am so goddamn lucky’, you now what I mean?”

Remus smiled and watched as Sirius threw Harry high into the air, catching him safely, kissing his cheek before doing it all over again. “Yeah, I really, really do.”

Logan looked at him out of the corner of his eye. “Fuck Loops, I’m not sure if I ever would have gotten here without you. I mean maybe I would have, but it would have taken a hell of a lot longer.”

Remus nodded. “Sometimes,” He said, “Sometimes I’m so happy now that it seems almost crazy to imagine a time where none of us even knew. When we all thought we were alone.”

He nodded to where the Dumais kids had joined the snowball fight and to Sirius and Harry and Finn chatting to his brother. “But look at us now, we couldn’t be alone if we tried.”

Logan bumped him again. “Look at us being such ridiculous saps.”

Remus burst out laughing, burning his hands in his coat pocket. Logan clapped him on the shoulder and wandered over to the snowball fight zone, sneaking up on Katie and surprising her by throwing her up into the air. Remus wandered over to Sirius’ side, grinning as Harry held out his arms to him. Remus stuck out his tongue at Sirius as Harry was transferred to his arms, a little bundle of warmth.

“Hey buddy,” He said softly, “Have you been a good little man for your mom? I bet you have, she’s only threatened to kill me once this week, that means she’s not as tired anymore.” He said this all in a cheerfully happy voice, the kind in which you could say absolutely anything to babies and they would smile and laugh.

Harry eventually got tired of them and returned to James, Lily talking to Celeste and Noelle a couple of cars over. Remus laughed as he watched Logan pull Leo in for a kiss, then stuff a handful of snow down Leo’s back, running away and hiding behind Finn as Leo charged after him.

Remus tilted his head back and stared at the sky for a moment. The more he looked, the more and more stars he could see. First there were only the brightest ones, but then they all started appearing, glittering and twinkling on a blanket of midnight blue. Remus gasped as a single star shot across the sky, leaving a trail of light and magic behind.

“Baby, look.” He breathed, unable to look away. Slowly, more and more stars shot across the sky in a glorious arc of incandescent light. Everyone had hushed as they all stared at the sky and now all you could hear was the occasional gasp or amazed comment from one of the kids.

“This is what loving you feels like.” Sirius murmured softly in his ear. “Gorgeous and rare and magical and so fucking enchanting.”

Remus’ heart fluttered like it always did even after all this time, leaning back into Sirius’ warmth and hoping Sirius would understand that he loved him just as much, an infinite amount. And then a little bit more.

Everyone was in such a happy daze afterwards that it wasn’t until Remus was at home in bed, with Sirius wrapped around him as he drifted to sleep, that he never did break those rules.

[lovemeleo]

Awake

So this is my first fic in a very long time and it is inspired by a few anon questions that were sent to @lumosinlove.

Thank you to the entire SW & C2C Discord for inspiring me to do get back into writing. I’m forever thankful for all of you. And thank you to the lovely amazing talented Hazel for creating such amazing characters and a fantastic fandom!  

So here it goes!

_______________________________________________

Leo did not want to get up. 

Rain pattered softly on the window next to their bed, and dark clouds covered where the sun should’ve been rising. It was a perfect morning to curl back into the blankets and his boys. And that’s exactly what he was planning to do. 

But the lips pressing soft kisses to his chest seemed to be making a valiant effort to wake him up...Maybe if he was very still- 

“I know you’re awake, Nut.” Logan mumbled as his lips moved up to the younger boy’s neck. He received a soft groan in reply, “No, ‘m not.” The way Leo leaned his head to show more of his neck said otherwise. 

An insistent hand slid down past the waistband of Leo’s boxers and wrapped around his already half-hard cock. He’s only human, and a very attractive man is all over him. Give him a break. Leo could feel the smirk being pressed into his neck, “You seem pretty awake to me, babe.”

A soft groan escaped his lips as he slowly opened his eyes, “You’re the worst, Tremzy,” Leo murmured, his hips pushing up off the bed into Logan’s slow moving hand. Logan paused his movements, raising an eyebrow up at the now very flushed man above him, “Qui, moi? That’s not a very nice thing to say when someone’s getting you off, Knutty.”

Leo let out a whine when he stopped, quickly pulling the smaller boy into a rough kiss, “I didn’t mean stop, ne t'arrête pas,” He mumbled into the kiss, grinding his hips up into Logan. Their movements soon woke the other occupant of their bed, his messy curls peeking out from the fluffy comforter, “Starting without me?” Finn pouted, the comforter falling around his waist as he sat up. 

Logan sat up, straddling Leo as he smiled at his other lovely boy, “Always welcome to join us, Harzy.” Leo reached over, tugging Finn to him and kissing him deeply. Finn smiled into the kiss, nipping at Leo’s lower lip as his hand came up to cup the younger boy’s jaw.

“Mon dieu, you guys are so hot.” Logan murmured, sliding off Leo’s body so he could pull off his boxers. He threw across the room, probably to be tripped over later, but that was a concern for future Logan. Finn laughed as he watched the boxers fly into the corner, “In a rush there, Lo?” He asked with a smile.

“Little bit, yeah.” Logan said with a huff, reaching to the nightstand and pulling out a bottle of lube before turning to the other boys, “So is someone going to fuck me or am I going to have to do it myself?” Leo cursed under his breath, snatching the bottle from his hand and pouring it onto his fingers, “Venez ici.” He growled softly, pulling on Logan’s hip until he was straddled over Leo’s body again. 

“Christ.” Finn muttered, his eyes wide at the quick turn of events as he climbed behind Logan to watch. Leo’s long finger traced over Logan’s rim, before slowly pushing in. Logan let out a loud moan, his head falling back as he ground down on Leo’s hand, “Gimme another.” Logan murmured, a flush moving its way down his chest. Leo quickly obliged, pushing another finger in alongside the first, and then another. 

Finn ran his fingers up Logan’s thighs, watching where he and Leo connected, “Fuck, babe, you look so good, riding Knutty’s fingers like that. You gonna ride his cock? Bet you’d ride him so well.” 

Logan let out a whine, “Please, I wanna.” His back arched as Leo crooked his fingers, blue eyes never leaving Logan’s face. “Well when you ask so nicely, sweetheart, how could I say no?” Leo said as he slowly pulled out his fingers, wiping them on the blanket to be cleaned later. 

Finn moved to kneel behind Logan, nipping softly at tanned shoulders as Logan lowered himself onto Leo’s waiting cock. Finn could sit and watch his boys all day, no matter what they were doing. But moments like this? He didn’t want to even blink. 

Leo’s hands clutch at the sheets as he fights to fuck up into Logan, letting him slowly get accustomed to the stretch. Logan slowly begins to roll his hips down, his head falling back onto Finn’s shoulder as he pulls him into a kiss. 

Leo couldn’t hold back anymore, his hips bucking up, causing Logan to fall forward, catching himself on Leo’s chest. Leo’s hands slid up from the bed, tracing their way up to Logan’s thighs as he fucked into him, “Feel so good, babe. God, I love you both so much,” Leo’s hands tightened their grip, fingertips digging in as Logan rolled his hips. “I’m not gonna last.” Logan moaned out, his hair falling over his face as Leo’s hips bucked up to meet his. 

Logan lost it when Finn reached around him and started stroking him in time with Leo’s thrusts. He came, spilling all over Finn’s hand and Leo’s chest. Between watching Finn jack Logan off and Logan clenching around him, Leo was a goner. His back arched off the bed as he finished, his grasp on Logan’s thighs tightening before he collapsed back onto the bed, breathing heavily. 

“You guys are so beautiful, jesus.” Finn murmured, holding Logan against his chest as he traced through the mess they made before licking it off his fingers. Logan’s dick made a valiant effort, twitching as he watched Finn suck his fingers clean, “Mon Dieu, Harzy, you’re gonna kill me.” Logan muttered, sprawling onto the clean spot on the bed. 

“Lay down, baby. Wanna suck you off, ‘kay?” Leo said as he sat up, pushing Finn into his spot. Finn smirked up at Leo, stretching out on the bed, “Never say no to that, Nutter Butter.” His cock was red and hard, dripping from the tip. Finn ran his fingers through Leo’s hair, watching as he moved to lay between the redhead’s legs.  Leo’s mouth watered at the sight, and he quickly leaned down, taking Finn into his mouth. 

Finn’s head fell back onto the pillow, mouth open in a silent scream as Leo’s tongue traced the large vein on the side of his cock. Logan rested his head on the pillow next to Finn, whispering into his ear, “Look at him, sucking you down like that, Harzy babe. He’s gorgeous, isn’t he?” He murmured, his finger coming to trace over Leo’s cheeks as he swallowed him down to the root. 

“Gonna cum, fuck.” Finn moaned out, tugging on Leo’s hair as a warning. Leo hummed around his cock, his eyes closed as his thumbs rubbed over Finn’s hips. Leo made eye contact with Finn and he quickly finished, letting out a string of curses as he came down Leo’s throat. 

Leo swallowed before resting his head down on Finn’s thigh, panting softly as he looked up at his boys. He still couldn’t believe how lucky he was. Finn smiled down at him, his cheeks still flushed as he pulled him up for a kiss, “Love you. Love you both.” He said, pressing a kiss to Logan’s head before getting up and grabbing a cloth to clean up.

After wiping down and grabbing a new non-lube covered blanket from the closet (thanks Knutty), they crawled back into bed, curling together again. In the middle of their afterglow cuddle puddle was a very smug Logan Tremblay. Leo watched Logan, his fingers intertwined in the smaller boy’s hair, “What’s the look for, Tremzy?” Logan smirked up at him, “Just thinking that if that’s what you can do while you’re sleeping, I can’t even imagine what you can do when you’re awake.” And if Logan’s smug grin was quickly smothered by a pillow, who was gonna tell?

[thatslikely]

Frosting On Your Nose - R.W.

Frosting On Your Nose- Ron Weasley x fem!reader

Warnings: marriage (to Ron), mentions of having a kid, food.

Word Count: 1.2k 

A/N: this has been an idea of mine forver, here it is. writing for ron is actually kinda fun! i’ve been feeling really bad about my writing lately, so I’m glad at least to churn something out. also I renamed Ron’s son because Hugo is not it

Taglist: @amourtentiaa @probably-peeves @anchoeritic @theweasleytwinsgirl

if you want to be added, send me an ask or dm!

“I can’t believe our Benny’s already turning one year old! Feels like he was born just yesterday, doesn’t it, love?” Ron asked you from across the messy, crumb-coated kitchen, his chiseled hands steadily whisking a muckle of creamy, vanilla frosting in a bowl. 

“Time really does fly when you’re having fun, I suppose,” you replied while carefully selecting a fistful of small food dye vials of various shades of the rainbow. The blank, white frosting will soon brilliantly decorate the rich chocolate cake cooling on the windowsill, basking in the sun’s lazy, late-afternoon rays.

Silence soon rose into the bright, cozy room like the soothing morning tide of the sea, calm and comfortable. Ron continued to rhythmically stir the batch of uncolored frosting while you had moved on to preparing various crystalline piping bags, selectively choosing each fine metal tip.

Inexorably, Ron soon removed the metal whisk from the bowl, long, red tongue out and ready to kitten-lick some of the deliciously sweet frosting off the whisk’s wired loops. “Ronnie, you better not be eating any of that frosting! It’s for Benny’s cake, remember,” you smoothly reminded the sweet-toothed redhead opposite you, not even needing to gaze at him to know what he had planned.

“I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about,” Ron denied innocently, placing the whisk back into the bowl inconspicuously. You ambled over to the tall ginger for a quick progress check, pleased to see that the frosting was now mixed to perfection, its texture silky smooth and ready for piping. You swiped your finger on the rim of the bowl, accumulating a dollop of the fluffy cream, before nonchalantly sticking it into your mouth with a pop. “Hey! You can have frosting, but I can’t, huh? That’s not fair.”

“Life’s not fair, Ronnie-kins. But I’ll let you have all the leftovers after the cake is done, deal?”

“Fine,” - he grumbled - “deal. Now what colours are we gonna frost this mouth-watering cake?” 

Countless rough sketches and outlines of adorable cakes filled the smudged papers of your notebook, the same one you doodled in since your Hogwarts days. You gingerly handed Ron the dog-eared bundle of bound papers, pointing at your favorite sketches and concepts, most of which included bright colours and childish smiley faces galore. The final design of the soon-to-be Benny’s first birthday cake was circular and slathered in white frosting, dotted with yellow and orange suns wearing wide-mouthed grins, which popped against frosted sky-blue ribbons. Little spherical sprinkles added miniature bursts of colour to the central letters of the cake which read, “Happy First Birthday Benny!” in flawless, fluid cursive writing.

“Wow, I didn’t know you had such a knack for drawing, sweetheart. Benny’s cake’ll look amazing, as long as you’re the one doing all those tiny details.” 

“You’re not that bad at sketching yourself. We’ll pipe it together, but I’ll be sure to do the lettering. Don’t think I didn’t see your awful handwriting back on all your old Divination homework.”

“It was only that bad because I hated the class! It always smelled like old-lady perfume and Trelawney was a nutter!” 

“She was better than Snape, at least.”

Ron gave you a concurring nod, his unkempt mop of ginger hair fluffing up and down with the movement. You suppressed a giggle at his charming, goofy grin you’d come to love before squeezing droplets of brilliantly-coloured food dye into the small basins of peaked, milky-white frosting. 

Ron gently clamped his large, vermillion-freckled hand over yours’, guiding your wrist in circular stirring motions to tint the heaps of icing. Ron’s chin rested on the crown of your head, his warm breath blowing strands of your hair to obscure your gorgeous, light-catching eyes. You paid no attention to the falling tresses of hair, instead you absorbed the familiar sensation of being held in Ron’s delicate arms; the knits and stitches of his homemade maroon sweater caressed your skin. 

Once the pigmented frosting was tightly wrapped in the metal-tipped piping bags, you daubed a thin crumb-coat onto the layered cake. When the coat had settled, cementing the loose specks of brown to the sponge, you smoothed on another layer of frosting, this time making it a silky, uncreased layer.

Soon enough, Ron was concentratedly piping an (uneven) border of blue around the base of the cake. Even though his strokes of frosting were messy, you admired his effort. His effort that was made quite prominent by the tip of his tongue poking out from his soft lips in focus, his minimally-blinking blue eyes glued to the slowly revolving cake.

“Honey, you did a splendid job. I’m so proud of you.” You pulled in a triumphant Ron for a tight, loving hug, twirling your fingers through his messy ginger hair. You were quick to notice little ivory specks of frosting was strewn through his fluffy locks. “How’d you manage to get frosting in your hair, silly?”

“It’s just part of the process of being a great baker, I guess.”

You both let out airy chuckles, your faces inching closer and closer. He finally pulled you by the hem of your apron into a sloppy, languid kiss, each succumbing to the familiar sensations of each other’s lips. The sensation you felt all those years ago after he confessed his love for you on a chilly night at Hogwarts, the sensation you felt dressed in a stunning sea of white on the day of your wedding, the sensation of his lips after looking at your son for the first time.

In quite a few minutes, after lingering kisses and tear-jerking memories came and went, you were back in the present, the clocks still ticking forward, finishing up the piping. You trimmed the sponge with varicoloured stripes and ribbons, meticulously spacing them out to perfection. 

After the last pinch of beads of sprinkles fell atop the cake like bittersweet summer rain, the cake was finally complete. It looked adorable, exactly like the baked goods that would be proudly displayed in the window of a bakery. Ron gave you a goofy high five (which was commonplace) in celebration; after your hands smacked together, he wrapped his fingers around your palm, your hand dwarfed by his’.

“You did a wonderful job, love. Everyone at his party’ll be dying to try a slice!” he praised, pulling you to his chest for a hug. 

You pulled back to glance up at his handsome face with doe eyes, his features illuminated by the golden, waning sunlight. Before you could give him a sweet reply and subsequent peck on his lips, he stated with a laugh, “Y/N, you have frosting on your nose.”

You retracted your hand from his sweater-clad chest, dipping your pointer finger into the leftover stash of glistening frosting before briskly smudging a streak of white across Ron’s sun-freckled nose, teasing, “now you do, too.”

“Oh, you’re in for it now!” Ron exclaimed mischievously, coating his hands into the bowl of sugary fluff, desperately attempting to slather your nose in white further. As the sunlight gradually faded away, and the moon elusively bathed your quaint house in pale beams, the evening was pin-drop silent and peaceful, except for the light, scampering footsteps and fearful giggling of you and your doting husband.

[ais-for-alex]

Come Dance With Me:

So I don’t remember if I actually posted this one on tumblr or not (I couldn’t seem to find it but tbh I also didn’t look to hard) anyway this is a fluffy little fic I wrote awhile ago about the cubs dancing to country music and it’s one of my favorites so I’m gonna share it again. As always characters belong to @lumosinlove 🥰

***

Finn shivered as he tried fitting the key into his front door, somehow the cold winter air had seemed to seep into his bones while he was out running errands. His fingers fumbled with the key numb from the biting air, he knew he should have worn gloves before he left that morning but he couldn’t be bothered to actually find a pair. When he finally slotted the key in and stepped into the apartment, warmth washed over him making him sigh in relief.

“Honeys I’m home!” he called out to Leo and Logan as he slipped out of his jacket and kicked off his sneakers.

“In here,” Leo’s voice called out from the kitchen. Finn felt a smile creep onto his face, as he padded farther into the apartment. Heading towards the kitchen he could smell the delicious aroma of Leo’s cooking and hear soft music issuing from their speakers. Finn paused leaning against the kitchen doorframe a bubble of warmth bloomed in his chest as he watched Leo sway to the rhythm while stirring a pot on the stove, listening to the soft sound of him humming to the music.

Suddenly Leo glanced over his shoulder and spotted Finn watching him, he grinned before flicking the burner to low and setting his spoon aside then turned and opened his arms in a warm invitation.

Finn couldn’t help but let himself be drawn into Leos warmth his long arms wrapping around him.

“Welcome back baby,” Leo said softly pressing a kiss into his red curls, there was a deeper twang in his voice than usual, it made Finns insides squirm. “Have fun at the DMV?” he asked jokingly.

Finn shuddered lightly and pulled away from Leo a grimace on his face as he leaned back against the counter, “I swear to god I was in that line for three hours just for the lady to hand me a form to sign, at this point I am fully convinced that place is literal hell.”

Leo rolled his eyes and chuckled before turning back to the stove.

“Watcha making?” Finn asked leaning over to peer into the pot the smell making his mouth water.

“Mmm, potato soup. I know, probably not the healthiest choice but it’s freezing outside and I felt like comfort food.”

“Hey, no complaints from me it looks amazing Nutty,” Leo smirked at that and sprinkled cheese into the pot.

“Where’s Lo?” Finn asked jumping up to fully sit on the counter he reached over and snagged piece of bacon from where Leo had left them to cool.

“Hey!” Leo said swatting at his hand, “those are for the soup.”

Finn simply grinned and munched happily on the crispy piece.

“Lo said he’s spending the night at Dumo’s. Apparently Katie got sent home from school sick and wouldn’t stop crying until he came over.”

“I guess it’s just you and me tonight then,” Finn said, watching as Leo covered the pot to let it simmer.

He turned to Finn with a soft look in his baby blue eyes before walking forward and slotting himself between Finns open thighs running his hands up them appreciatively.

“I guess so,” Leo leaned forward and caught Finns Lips in a kiss so sweet he felt like he would melt into a puddle right on the counter. Finn could feel the smile on Leo’s mouth as he slid his fingers into silky blond hair pulling him in closer, his legs wrapping around Leo’s waist.

Suddenly Leo pulled away with a gasp of surprise, leaving Finn to chase his lips, “Ah! I love this song!” Leo said happily as the music shifted to the opening notes of something new. He leaned forward again and pressed a chaste kiss to the corner of Finns mouth and whispered, “Come dance with me baby?”

Finn nodded grinning and slid down from the counter, “of course I will peanut butter.”

Leo led Finn out into the open center of the kitchen and wrapped an arm around his waist pulling him in close until they were nearly pressed together, his other hand holding Finns as they began to sway together moving in circles to the music. With a sigh Finn closed his eyes and pressed his face into Leo’s neck letting him lead him around their kitchen, he could feel the gentle vibrations as Leo began softly humming to the song.

Suddenly Leo’s voice deep with the twang of his southern accent was crooning in his ear the lyrics of a love song, “There's a difference between ‘miss ya’ and ‘I miss your face’ And there's a difference in ‘what's going on?’ and ‘baby, how was your day?’ Yeah, there's a hell of a difference in saying three words or kinda just meaning two, there's a difference in ‘love ya’ and ‘I love you’ And I wanna be the difference, yeah I do.”

Finn was filled with so much love for this man he felt like his heart would burst, he simply basked in the warmth of Leos palm on his lower back pressing him close, and the feeling of his strong heartbeat against his cheek.

***

Logan was completely content to be tucked under Finns arm as they laughed with the crowd, cheering as James got thrown from the mechanical bull. The flashing lights nearly blinding and the music so loud if felt like it was vibrating his bones.

The team was high with adrenaline from their win against Dallas Logan could feel it buzzing through his veins along with the alcohol from his rum and coke. Everything felt warm and happy and when Finn threw his head back laughing Logan couldn’t help but press his lips to the exposed column of his throat, loving the way he could feel him swallow each sip of his drink.

Somehow despite his height Leo had disappeared into the crowd not long after the team had arrived loud and raucous in celebration. Logan glanced around searching for his tall frame but all he could see was a flood of cowboy hats and denim.

“I’ma get a new drink!” Finn yelled over the music, he held up his glass that was now only filled with ice for emphasis.

Logan nodded and let Finns arm fall from his shoulders, he instead snagged his hand and let Finn lead him through the crowd in the direction of the bar.

“What can I get y’all?” the bartender asked.

“Dark and Stormy for me, want anything Lo?”

Glancing down into his half full glass he shook his head, “Nah, I’m good.”

Finn turned back to relay the info to the bartender, while Logan let his gaze wander over the crowd once again.

“Hey, have you seen Nut at all tonight?” he asked Finn.

“Hmm, he said he was going to the bathroom back when we first got here. Haven’t seen him since,” Finn replied taking his cocktail from the bartender. However, Logan didn’t hear him because his eyes had locked on to a tall figure.

“Lo?” Finn asked following his gaze then letting out a gasp at the sight. Leo had fallen into formation with a massive group of people all following the same steps to the music booming through the bar. Somewhere along the way Leo had acquired a cowboy hat that had blue turquoise stones on it, the smile on his face was wide and bright and made like he was laughing, the flashing lights turned his pale skin blue and pink. Logan watched transfixed as he danced thumbs tucked into his pockets not missing a step.

Suddenly Leos eyes found him standing at the bar with Finn watching and his smile turned sultry as he rolled his body to the beat seemingly putting on a show for his boys. Once the song ended Logan lost sight of Leo in the crowd once more. That is until he felt strong arms wrap around him the heat of Leos body pressed flush against his back.

“Did you like watching me, Tremz?” Leo whispered against the shell of his ear making Logan shiver in his arms, the twang of his accent more prominent than normal.

“Nice hat, Nutter Butter,” Finn said with a smirk leaning forward to catch Leo’s lips in a kiss over Logan’s shoulder. Logan could feel Leo still swaying to the beat of the music his body moving with him almost involuntarily.

“Thanks baby,” he said with a grin when Finn finally pulled away. The music had shifted to something slow and Logan could feel his body relaxing further into Leos arms letting him move him with the rhythm. “Come dance with me, Lo?” he asked leaning down to press a soft kiss behind his ear.

“Oui,” he said sighing at the feel of his lips, “yeah, let’s go.”

Finn grinned watching as they made their way onto the dancefloor amongst the other swaying couples.

Leo chuckled when rather than taking his hand Logan simply wrapped both his arms around Leo’s waist letting the taller man lead them around the floor in circles. Logan sighed and buried his face against Leo’s chest. The two seemed to get lost in the movements, lost in the warmth of each other’s arms, in the lights, in the music until Leo cupped a hand against Logan’s jaw tilting his face upwards to look at him.

Logan’s breath caught at the sight of Leos eyes darker in the dim lighting only the flashing blue and pink casting them in color.

“Don't matter where we've been. No, there ain't no better view. Then you in my arms with my eyes on you. With my eyes on you.” The lyrics fell from his lip only a moment before Leo pressed them against Logan’s.

***

Leo could hear the music pouring from their apartment before he even reached the door, the floor seemed to be vibrating with the bass and in all honesty, he had no idea how someone hadn’t complained about it yet. Slipping through the door Leo kicked off his shoes and plopped the grocery bags he was carrying down on the counter, leaving them to search for the source of the loud music.

The moment he stepped into the living room Leo nearly choked on his laugh at the sight of Finn and Logan. As the music continued to spill from the speakers Logan was passionately lip-syncing into the handle of a broom while Finn was rocking air guitar a dust rag clutched in one hand, he watched as they jammed out to the loud music his face pulling into a bright grin. Somehow neither of them noticed as he slipped into the room that is until he turned the music down just a bit.

“Nutty!” Finn shouted throwing his arms open wide and wrapping him in a tight hug.

Leo kissed his cheek, “what are you guys doing,” he asked amused.

“Well, we were trying to clean,” Logan said gesturing widely with his broom, “but apparently you’ve been holding out on us. Why is your country music so catchy? And why can’t I stop listening to it?”

Leo cackled at his words, “it’s all part of my nefarious plan.”

“What nefarious plan?” Finn asked incredulously.

“Oh wouldn’t you like to know,” Leo smirked.

“Plan or not,” Logan said turning the dial to turn the music back up, “this music slaps! Come dance with us Nutty!” Logan shouted with a grin holding his hands out for Leo to take.

Leo rolled his eyes but smiled and took his hand pulling Logan into a spin, Leo could Feel Finns hands on his hips as they moved to the beat. The three of them moved together limbs tangling as they stumbled around their apartment spinning and twisting to the booming music. They laughed at how absurd they must look but basked in how perfect the moment was anyway.

Leo pulled each of them in for a kiss letting his love pour into each of them through his smile and his lips. As the next song on the playlist began reverberating through their home Leo threw his head back and let the words fall from his lips, “If it's meant to be, it'll be, it'll be. Baby, just let it be. If it's meant to be, it'll be, it'll be. Baby, just let it be.”

Leo had every intention of simply letting life be, and if he spent the rest of it just dancing with the men currently pressed on either side of him he was pretty sure that would be as close to perfect as life would ever get.

Read on AO3

[calitraditionalism]

Arc Three: Chapter Eleven

(AO3 counterpart here.)

The silence continued into the dawn. No one got much sleep after Littlepaw’s vision. They were all afraid that they would be next.

Laurelclaw tried his best to stay positive, he really did. He pulled up as many hopeful, happy thoughts as he could while standing guard outside of Littlepaw’s den, ready to jump in and shake her out of another nightmare at the drop of a feather. Flyfang had tried to tell him to rest, but there was a silent understanding between the two that neither of them was going to sleep again when Littlepaw was at risk of falling back into whatever horrible space she had been in. Flyfang had conceded and gone into the den to be closer to her half-apprentice. When Laurelclaw glanced in occasionally, she was curled around Littlepaw’s tightly balled-up body, watching her with exhausted fear. He couldn’t blame her.

It wasn’t just that which made him fail to keep a happy image in his head. All of his happy images were of his family, the Plage – his mother, father, goofy deputy and snarky former mentor, among all the others, walking together, sharing jokes, watching the waves of the ocean rear and collapse, stretching their foam as far as it could go up the beach. The sense of companionship and confidence. Security in their strength as they stood together.

All of it suddenly felt so pointless, in the grand scheme of things. So temporary.

Laurelclaw fought against the dread that came with every reminder that his family was not going to a happy afterlife. He failed to keep it down. It soaked into his chest and stomach, sticking against the walls of his insides, making him sick. He shivered with nausea many times throughout the night.

The sun barely made it through the thick canopy above the makeshift camp. Laurelclaw hardly noticed it was daylight until Flyfang emerged from the den and shook out her fur. She wordlessly went off into the woods, tail dragging on the ground after her.

Everyone was awake and outside, sitting uncomfortably in silence, before Flyfang returned, carrying prey. Beetlefoot went with her to retrieve everything else she had caught, but there were still no words exchanged. They all formed a ring again and picked listlessly at their meals, nibbling without tasting.

Laurelclaw was absorbed in his own thoughts, but the tension eventually became too much to ignore. He followed his urge to say something.

“You know…” he started, and winced when everyone looked at him like he had shouted. “Imagining everyone’s reaction to all of this, it’s… it can be a little funny, I think.”

Silence. Every face was baffled. Laurelclaw internally berated himself and tried again.  

“It’s just me thinking about my mom, really,” he said while fighting off shakiness in his voice. “She’d- she would want to go to sleep and find StarClan and fight it to the death herself. She’d leap at the opportunity. But my dad, he’d run. He’d take the entire family with him – the whole Clan, probably – and flee as far as he could go. He was always a little timid like that.”

The silence calmed a little. Laurelclaw could see the others considering their own families.

“I think…” Flyfang’s eyes lifted up towards the treetops, contemplating. “I think the Marish would panic. My sisters, maybe they wouldn’t get it. They’d think it’s some monster from a story, something easy to beat on your way to becoming a hero. It’d be exciting for them.” Her voice lowered a little, tightened. “I’d prefer for them to think of it that way.”

Surprisingly, Beetlefoot spoke next. “I know the Fleet would all follow Redheart’s idea to get the entire Clan out of the Territory, if they could. Though everyone where I was born is… rather traditional. They prefer the aspects. But they still cling to them going to StarClan for their ‘good behavior’ and ‘righteous worship’. If they knew that all their praying and piousness meant nothing, they might just fling themselves into the river. Leap into the mouth of the beast. Get it over with as soon as possible.”

Laurelclaw looked at Beetlefoot, a little startled. It was the most he had ever said about himself. That tiny, weak cynicism in him remarked wryly about how of course it was unhappy and dour, coming from Beetlefoot. He told that part to hush and be nice.

“My mom wouldn’t believe it,” Littlepaw said, a bit muted and flat. She wasn’t looking at anyone. “She’d find every excuse under the sun to reason it away as a mistake or a lie.”

“Hard thing to convince anyone about,” Mistface said.

Laurelclaw couldn’t help some desperation in his voice. “Isn’t there anything we can do? We could warn everyone, right? Spread the word?”

Redheart sighed, more in a world-weary way than in annoyance with him (thankfully). “I’ve wanted to run around the Territory and tell everyone the truth so many times, Laurelclaw. But the Runagate’s been doing that for generations now, and they’ve barely gotten anywhere. We’re not the first ones to know about StarClan. We probably won’t be the last.”

“I don’t know how much we could do, anyway,” Greyleaf said. His claws were deeply sunk into the soft ground. “Who would believe a deputy on the run, and who would believe a healer, of all cats?”

“But Littlepaw-“ started Laurelclaw, but Redheart shook her head.

“She’s not a seer anymore,” she said. “And so many of our actual seers are fooled, StarClan can easily lie to them and call us insane. Littlepaw got lucky with the Runagate visiting her and StarClan trying to talk to her again, it seems.”

“‘Lucky’ is a real subjective word,” Mistface remarked. “Ain’t sure how lucky it is to see what y’all see.”

“About as lucky as bearing witness to a murder when no one else was around, I suppose,” Beetlefoot said darkly.

“You aren’t wrong.” Greyleaf looked down at his paws and carefully retracted his claws, grimacing. “It’s a stroke of incredible fortune that any of you believed us to begin with. I mean…” He looked to his brother. “You didn’t at first, right? Even you?”

Mistface gave him a non-smile. “Thought you might’ve been crazy for a minute, yes.”

“And he’s my brother.” Greyleaf turned back to everyone else. “The thing is that, yeah, you all believed us, but you’re a smaller group with at least relatively open minds, and it still took a second to win you over. Telling a much larger crowd, or a couple of strangers you’ve never spoken to before, that’s going to be a lot harder to convince.”

“That’s the trouble with all of us,” Darkpelt said suddenly. “I’ve noticed it in my line of work. Cats like to follow along with the crowd because it makes us feel more secure, like somehow more cats means more logical thinking and correct choices. And we cling to any line of security we can get. If you were told a horrible truth, and someone in your group said ‘that’s nonsense!’, you’d be inclined to believe them. It’s safer for your sanity.”

“Then how did we all believe it?” Flyfang, despite her words, did not sound argumentative. She looked more puzzled than anything.

Darkpelt shifted to tuck her front paws underneath her chest and she shut her eyes. Her tone became contemplative. “For me, at least, it just makes sense. I’ve always believed that nothing is impossible, given how real StarClan seemed all my life. And the connections between Redheart and Greyleaf, especially the nightmares, made me far too curious to just pass them off as insane and leave it at that.” She opened her eyes and turned her head in Flyfang’s direction. “Like I said the other day, they have a completely bonkers story that no one would expect to be believed, except a nutter. But a nutter wouldn’t also have the story make sense if one stops to think about the logistics of it.”

“And you believed based on that?” Mistface asked, eyes half-closed as he regarded her doubtfully. 

“Better reason than just a blood connection,” Darkpelt said, with a jaunty nod at him. “You’d believe Greyleaf if he told you he was Derecho in physical form.”

Mistface, surprisingly, did not react with his usual flat irritation. Rather, he looked amused. “It’d make more sense for him to be Gelid, with everything about Gelid’s inevitability, relating to what we know now.”

“You’d make a better Gelid than me,” Greyleaf said.

“Or Brume,” Beetlefoot muttered. “Slow and fluffy as you are.”

Mistface gave a breathy laugh, and with that the air of the ring loosened and relaxed. Appetites returned, everyone now eating properly and with a little more enjoyment of their food. It was quiet again for a while, until Beetlefoot spoke up, almost quiet enough that Laurelclaw didn't hear him.

“You know, Brume and Gelid used to be the same aspect,” he murmured.

Littlepaw perked up immediately. “I thought I heard something like that when I was a kit. Who were they?”

Speaking a little louder and, rather nicely, almost friendlier, Beetlefoot looked at Littlepaw. “They were called Rime. He was the aspect of ice and fog, once. He split into two a long time ago. The Brae still pray to him, though, as if he hasn’t been halved.”

“That doesn’t make much sense,” Flyfang said. “How could he still exist and be two different aspects at the same time?”

“Nothing the Brae do makes sense.” Beetlefoot shook his head. “They’re reclusive idiots.”

“Sounds like the Marish,” Flyfang said, almost nostalgically. “I had to peal out of there when they had their backs turned. They don’t want anyone leaving or coming in.”

Mistface swallowed a mouse tail. “Y’all got more problems in your families than they’re worth, if you ask me.”

“Your brother is on the run because he’s immune to a monster's visions,” Flyfang said, giving him a sarcastic head tilt. “Don’t you talk on family.”

“He’s kind of right, though,” Laurelclaw offered. “I love the Plage, but they can be a lot to handle. They all keep pushing me to be a patroller in the Fleet.”

Littlepaw lifted a paw to hide a smile. “They’ve met you, right?”

“I say the same thing.” Laurelclaw sighed a bit dramatically, for humor’s sake. “I’m just good at taking hits, that’s all.”

“You would not be a good patroller,” said Beetlefoot. “They’re all eager for a fight.” He paused, considering. “Though you cut an intimidating enough figure. You do have a chip in your ear.”

Laurelclaw lowered his head, a little embarrassed. “That was just an accident in my assessment.”

Littlepaw could not hide her smile now. “Have you been in a single real fight at all?”

“…No.” Laurelclaw’s ears (including the chipped one) started to burn, but Littlepaw’s laugh - quiet and small, but genuine - cooled them down again. Flyfang shook her head in mock disappointment. Even Redheart smiled.

There was a lull in the conversation again, but it was nice now – Laurelclaw could see everyone’s relief at the lightening of the mood as they exchanged friendly glances or started grooming their fur. Mistface and Greyleaf were talking in low voices to each other, and Greyleaf seemed calm for once.

“AH!”

A collective jump and the crew all looked at Darkpelt. She had shot up into a sitting position, her eyes huge even compared to her normal wide-eyed blind stare. Her tail stood straight up, fur sticking out like a fox’s.

“Something wrong?” Flyfang ventured when nothing was said.

“StarClan’s visions.” Darkpelt’s head twisted this way and that, like she was seeing something they couldn’t. “Greyleaf has been immune to them his whole life, and Littlepaw can see through the veil. ‘Through the veil’.” Her head turned in Redheart’s direction. “That’s what the Runagate told you. That was the specific wording.”

Redheart haltingly answered, confused. “It was, yes.”

“Littlepaw, Greyleaf, neither of you believe anymore, if you ever did.” Darkpelt looked between them. “As soon as you knew the truth, StarClan couldn’t work its magic on you.”

Littlepaw’s face fell. She seemed to be recalling the memory of her nightmare. “Yes. The field I always see was dead, and then it fell apart.”

“Is there a point to this?” Beetlefoot's head was craned a bit forward and his eyes were narrowed like Darkpelt’s were whenever she was concentrating.

“I don’t know yet.” Darkpelt lowered herself down again. “But it’s important. I can feel that. We have the veil and the knowledge of immunity. That’s all based on belief.” She squinted hard. “Belief. That’s going to be a factor. Keep that in your heads, everyone. We’re going to need to think.”

Laurelclaw didn’t know what to say. Thinking was not his strong suite to begin with, but this incredibly vague command to 'keep belief in his head' was already beyond him.

“Um…” He tilted his head, forgetting for a moment that Darkpelt couldn’t see him. “What does that factor into?”

“Haven’t the faintest,” Darkpelt said. “We’ll just have to wrack our noggins and see. Think hard, everyone. Think harder than you’ve ever thought in your lives. Our home and Clan depend on it.”

Redheart regarded Darkpelt with some puzzlement, but eventually she gave a small sigh. “We can do that. I hope this is going somewhere.”

“It is.” For the first time since they’d left the Clast, Darkpelt smiled broadly. “I promise.”

[halothenthehorns]

All in the Family

Chapter 125: Grawp

They'd finally got their wish for fresh air, the Marauders all glanced around to find themselves back in the Forbidden Forest even! Nobody else seemed particularly happy with these circumstances, oddly enough.

Regulus found himself in some long ropes thick as he was heavily pinning him down, Evans went to help Smith disentangle Longbottom from a gnarly bush, and his brother, Lupin, and Potter immediately cheered in excitement and went to the very end of the barriers' reach as they raced each other to find out where exactly in the massive Forest they were. It wasn't comforting that none immediately knew what could be in the vicinity, nor that it was so heavily dark only the barest of a high noon sun trickled in through the trees to light the ground.

Peter came jogging over to help get him out though, offering him a hand up, and then hefting one uneasily in his hand as he eyed the trees he'd been between.

"I don't like this," Peter told him quietly. "We've never seen anything like this in here."

"Maybe, it has to do with Hagrid?" Regulus struggled to offer something well out of his depths, he'd only been in here a handful of times with some older students on a dare. They'd come across gnomes, a few bowtruckles and alizors before a nearby roar in the gloom had made them all decide a tactical retreat was best. "He keeps all kinds of mad things in this forest, right?" Was Fluffy running around here somewhere still? Or that car? "Harry and him are close, maybe he's domesticating something new, would explain why he's always so injured."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Peter agreed, "actually it makes a lot of sense, if he found something on his way back from the giants. I wonder if that's why Madam Maxime-"

Peter stopped with a squeal of surprise as Potter appeared from behind the tree and grabbed at him, laughing raucously before trying to pull on his arm. "Come here Wormtail, you've got to see this! Remus thinks he found signs of a giant, in this forest, can you believe the nutter! Padfoot's actually agreeing with him, they're both mad!"

Peter looked back and beckoned for him to follow, but Regulus just watched as he was pulled a bit along to something in the dirt that had interested the lot. His brother had the book in hand now with a very smug expression as he told Grawp was sure to be the name of a giant, it didn't make much sense as a chapter title anyways.

Regulus certainly didn't think it was funny at all and was sure they were all joking, but he didn't laugh as he just kept watching. Potter was clearly trying to put the whole instance behind him as he jumped around laughing with abandon about the Weasley twins' stunt, and while Peter hovered and laughed along too, every time he made to take a step back towards him Potter grabbed him and asked some new question, and Peter looked so deliriously happy, he didn't even seem to register they kept interrupting his answer.

It was all as much of a show as Lily Evans was putting on, he was absolutely positive. The three of them were huddled very uneasily in this forest they had no familiarity in, she kept sweeping at her hair in that agitated way of hers and still had such a faraway look in her eyes from thoughts she couldn't escape it was a wonder the words weren't glitching out in Sirius's hands from her lack of focus even as she was visibly trying to participate in her friends' quiet whispered conversation.

Something had to give, they couldn't all keep pretending to go about as normal until they got out of this, could they?

Then Smith surprised them all by spontaneously yelling across the clearing, "oi! There's not an Erumpent in here, is there?"

"Err," Potter grinned awkwardly, but his brother said, "yeah, why?"

She grimaced, that clearly hadn't been the answer she was hoping for.

"Not this far out here," Potter supplied, watching Lupin mutter quietly for a moment before he patted a massive tree. "They're closer around in meadows with soft, short patches of grass."

"Fantastic," she sighed, edging a little closer so they weren't yelling quite as much. Longbottom took an automatic step with her like they were joined at the hip while Evans stayed in place with, one could almost say, an amused expression. "Err, you are joking about that giant, right?" She asked.

"Actually, Regulus made a point-" Peter began, but was cut off by Potter once more.

"Well, just because we've never seen one, doesn't mean it's not possible," he teased.

Smith and Longbottom were actually drawn into the argument though, now the five of them were all debating each other back and forth for the pros and cons of it all.

"Err, Prongs," Peter tried one last time, but he barely came up to his shoulder, and the gesture of even tapping him to get his attention probably came across far more childish than he really meant it to.

"Yeah, one sec Pete, I don't care how many books you've read Longbottom!"

Peter sighed and walked off, and James didn't stop him this time, he had more than enough attention now.

"You win some you lose some," Peter told him with a shrug as he went back to Regulus's side with a smile that for all the world was still trying to brush off the instance.

Regulus still had half a mind to go over there and kick that idiot in the shins along with his brother just for good measure. At least Lupin was looking back and forth and seemed to realize anything had happened. He couldn't seem to get Sirius's attention any better though, they were having so much fun sparring with these two new points of view.

Alice even stopped to take a step back to admire her work, even if it hadn't quite gone how she'd intended, and Frank barely noticed he was so involved now. She felt a little bad Pettigrew had gone off again, but that was nothing new, and this would be proof enough to her boyfriend he could get on with them just fine as they kept lobbing the merits of a giant living in this forest in total ease like they were all in an advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts class. The book hung in Sirius's hand almost as if he'd forgotten a Quidditch game had been mentioned coming up. Even Remus was still adding in, and Sirius kept parroting his points and nearly whacked his friend in the face several times he kept agreeing with him even if he remained arguably on the outskirts of the argument like she was letting herself drift off to be, smiling indulgently as well.

He didn't seem to mind, chuckling and catching her eye with a knowing look even as he still watched his last friend talking to Regulus once more with a concerned expression.

'Sorry,' she mouthed at him.

He just shrugged and made a 'what can you do,' gesture to the loud-mouthed idiots, now including her own boyfriend, and it was lovely to see him get so invested in this and not even seem to realize Lupin was an arm's length away.

"You baffle me," Regulus told Peter sincerely as he watched them with a hint of longing.

"I've been called thick plenty of times, that doesn't surprise me," Peter shrugged, leaning against a tree and hands deep in his pockets.

"No," Regulus frowned, "I meant, like, you can be plenty knowledgeable and I certainly listen to you when it came to Lupin, I don't understand why you don't make them see that."

Peter looked just as confused as him now. "I know how Moony works, he's not difficult, it's not remotely the same thing."

"You still don't think you're good enough to be friends with them though," Regulus deduced.

"I don't think they need me," Peter corrected with a heavy sigh, rather than admitting he was also right in some regards as well. His practical magic was leagues behind everyone's, even Regulus's he was sure. That memory had proved to him enough he'd be lucky to pass the most important of his OWLs next week.

Regulus shoved his hands in his pockets and couldn't think of anything to say back, he lived that feeling as well, Sirius had made it abundantly clear he didn't need him a long time ago.

"Well, we'll just see then!" Potter finally ended the argument of all things, his smug look even seemed just a touch less insufferable than usual even as he grandly pointed back at the book. "Go on then Sirius, tell them how right we are!"

His best friend was eager to do just this, while Frank shook his head in exasperation but hadn't been able to come up with a new point of attack anyways and they'd started repeating themselves a bit, best to get to the facts then.

"A few more bouts of that and Smith will have us all holding hands," Peter grinned.

"She's too nice to be an Auror, she'll get eaten alive by the first Death Eater she tries to haul in," Regulus huffed, still glaring a bit at Potter and his brother.

"Think that's why her and Longbottom made such a good team they were targeted?" Peter uneasily reminded, trying his best to not think up who had been in that party, like a certain Black cousin. "I'll bet you anything Longbottom's shrewd mind behind that wand can produce some nasty hexes, and she got them to confess on the spot." He laughed like it was supposed to be funny given the outcome.

That only served to remind Regulus of his own impending death in this future. He still remembered just as well as Peter who had done the deed to those two, his earlier fears of thinking no one would miss him suddenly had a garish light on them as he wondered if Bellatrix had targeted them in revenge? She'd been very chummy with him over the past holiday, those little hints of his future while she'd held her arm lovingly made a horrible amount of sense now as he realized she must already be a Death Eater, Mother and Father would be encouraging her to draw him in like Sirius never had.

He swallowed convulsively and fought back the childish urge to ask Peter to tell him it was all going to be okay, he didn't see how. According to Sirius himself it hadn't even been Aurors to do him in, but some lackey of the Dark Lord's, maybe even Bellatrix herself. He couldn't manage to do anything without someone hating him.

Peter seemed to realize his mistake all on his own, patting him gently on the back and whispering, "hey, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned that."

"Why not?" His voice cracked, he probably sounded like such a baby. "Everyone knows that's what's going to happen to me anyways."

"No it's not!" Peter looked horror struck now. "You said it yourself, we can change!"

"I don't see how!" He snapped, like a bitter child throwing a tantrum he was sure, still glaring at Potter. "I'm not like you, I don't get to go back to Gryffindor tower and be done with this when I get back, I don't know how to just fade off and go unnoticed to even be ignored by anyone! They all have expectations for me."

Maybe he could just run away from school and live in this forest until he was of age, surely Sirius and even Peter would love to show him how to do that. Maybe bring him out homework to do from time to time while he lived off berries and still show him magic if he ever crossed their mind.

"Regulus, I-" Peter tried, but was once again interrupted by the timely attention of his mates.

Sirius had been watching out of the corner of his eye and seen something happening between these two that didn't look all light fun anymore, and compulsively let himself pounce at the chance to see if he could be of help to smooth this over, he knew both well enough he was sure he could. "Merlin Wormtail, what kind of scary stories are you telling him about this place?" He laughed as he jogged over, Prongs barely noticing he was so smug about Hagrid bringing Hermione and Harry into here and his point was about to be proven.

"Shut up Sirius!" Peter's patience finally burst so loud everyone whipped around to look at him and he didn't even notice. "Merlin, can't you ever ignore me when I actually want you to!"

He put his hand on Regulus's shoulder and steered him away as far as they could go, blood pounding in his ears with such force he hadn't a care the scene he left behind, barely waiting until he was sure he was back out of hearing range before telling Regulus. "Hey, listen. Your arsehole friends don't get to tell you what to do any more than mine do! Or your parents, or anyone! You're the one who told me this future isn't set in stone, and I'll bloody move to another country to stop those idiots from dying if I have to! I won't be used like that again by You-Know-Who or anyone. There is going to be a way out of this for us Regulus!"

Regulus had never really thought himself much of an optimist before, and certainly wouldn't have pegged Peter for one before now, but he'd never let himself question much before to even have his own opinion for long, that's what had gotten Sirius into so much trouble in their youth. The idea of his future still terrified him, it wasn't the answer he so craved, but he finally came to the same conclusion he realized Peter had. Nobody was going to give it to them except themselves.

Peter wanted to still be friends with them, he just wasn't sure how he fit in anymore, if he ever had at all. Maybe it was a lost cause he should give up on, he told himself, it would certainly fix his own problem of not wanting James to die, not any of them, even if they did still annoy him, and it wasn't doing him any good to repress that feeling. He looked back and saw that Sirius had taken the book back from Prongs, an unsettling look on his face as he carelessly confirmed there was a giant tromping around in here, Hagrid's own half-brother.

To most it probably seemed uncaring, but Peter knew better, and he did feel guilty for apparently actually hurting Sirius's feelings for once. James and Remus looked just as unnerved, he tried not to feel too smug he'd caught them all so off guard, maybe they'd stop underestimating him now. Regulus stayed by him, chewing on his cheek in that way of his. He'd make a difference in somebody's life if it was the death of him.