#we don’t even meet remus yet but don’t worry he’ll show up soon

[sayingyournames]

- sirius black / remus lupin -

it’s 2005 and Sirius black is trying to figure out his gender, his brother and his new crush - not necessarily in that order. (ft. trans sirius black, a neon pink motorola razr, karaoke bars and overuse of early 2000s pop hits.)

"When Sirius Black was in the third grade, his parents bought him a Hello Kitty boombox. Everything his parents bought for him between the time he was born and the last time he saw them was pink. Floral dresses, fluffy comforters with lace edges, even shiny patent leather mary janes in the palest powder pink. They tried really hard for all the wrong reasons - and it hadn’t made any difference, anyway, in the end."

read chapter one HERE

[blessednereid]

August

WC: <4100

Mentions: Sexual innuendos, cursing, slut-shaming, Affairs/Adultery, Lying, Deceit

A/N: It’s an AU, basically where James and Lily don’t end up together, and the War ends before they graduate. Snape and Peter don’t become death eaters IG but that doesn’t really matter later on. Unedited, but it’s the last day of August so I gotta get it in NOW.

Pairings: James Potter x Reader, James Potter x Lily Evans, (future) Lily Evans x Reader

~~~

Y/N

*

Salt air

*

You and your boyfriend of two months are sitting on the shoreline of the shared beach near your houses. You’ve lived in the same neighbourhood for as long as you can remember, but never really noticed each other until your formative years. And the chemistry was undeniable, which is what led you to that precise moment.

“Hey, James… What do you think is going to happen when we go away for school?” you ask meekly.

Being a Beauxbaton student is as luxurious as it sounds. You never have to put up with brutish and grotesque boys in pissing contests, and while there may be catty classmates, there’s no fighting over boys. No heartbreak. No major drama.

That being said, that didn’t mean that none of you had boyfriends. You all had your fair share of suitors from Durmstrang or Hogwarts or some other school in the country. And yours was James Potter.

He is the epitome of a perfect boyfriend. He remembers small dates, like the exact day your cat died, and knows exactly what you need.

You don’t think you’ve loved anyone as much as you’ve loved him.

And that’s precisely why you’re so afraid to lose him.

You knew that the long distance between you would be difficult. What started as a summer fling quickly became something more, and James changed from a friend who could make you laugh your guts out to the boy that makes your heart sing.

He has his arms wrapped around you like a comforting blanket, and you know exactly what he’s thinking. The distance isn’t going to change my love for you.

But he doesn’t realize that it’ll change the amount he can express. And that’s going to be frustrating. You’ve only been together for a little while. So how would this even work?

“We just have to trust each other, darling. I love you, and you love me. That’s all that matters.”

“But James-”

“No buts,” he states stoically. “Nothing is going to change this. You just need to trust me, trust that this is going to work.”

James

*

And the rust on your door

*

He had told you exactly what he meant. That he loved you, and that you could trust him. He knew that he loved you, and that love had taken root in the deepest part of his heart. So when he opened the door to Sirius, Remus, and Peter’s room, since he would not be staying here this year, he not only felt excitement for the new year but sheer happiness at the fact that he had found someone who loved him as unconditionally as he loved her. He did feel some remorse that he wouldn’t be staying with his gaggle of mates though.

“Mate, what’s that grin on your face for? Haven’t gotten in any trouble without us, have you?”

Apparently, James’ inner monologue reflected on his face because all his friends were made aware of the grin on his face.

“No, I just…”

He’d managed to keep the relationship a secret from Sirius that summer because you didn’t want the already confusing relationship to be found out by the Wizarding World. For reporters to make it more convoluted and twisted than it actually was.

“I’m just glad to be back,” he says, deciding he needs to discuss with you if he could tell his friends about your relationship just yet.

*

I never needed anything more

*

When he saw Lily in classes the next day, a pang swam through his chest. He didn’t see her yesterday on the train. He wasn’t focusing on that. But now he was. He noticed that her red hair had been cut short to her shoulders and that she appeared much more confident. Her school blouse had the first two buttons popped, showing just the slightest bit of rosy cleavage.

No.

He had promised you that you could trust him, and you could. He knew you could. He was going to be the man that you deserved. Lily was in the past. Lily was a speed bump on his path to finding true love with you.

But why did the way he felt about Lily now feel as strongly as it did before?

And it didn’t help any when she waltzed up to his desk and straightened her arms right in front of his face, pushing out her chest, and making his lust and sexual drive soar. He was sure it was evident. That he’d broken out in a sweat, but he attempted to play it off as cool as an Autumn day.

“Hello James,” she greeted. “How was your summer?”

He gulped. In front of his eyes was a woman, the woman that he had wanted so desperately. He didn’t know her intentions, but he knew his thoughts. And if you could see his thoughts, could hear them… he knew you wouldn’t be pleased. He knew you’d realize that you’d been right in not trusting him. “Summer was fine, Lily-flower. And you? Hang around with Snivelly, any?”

“No, we haven’t talked since the end of last year. But I’m thinking that this is more room for opportunity, to make new friends, see the light, you know?” she grinned and it lit up his heart.

“So, I was talking to Remus, and he told me that I should give you a chance to be one of those new friends,” but the way she said friends implied something more. “And at first, I objected, and then I realized, I never really gave you much light in my eyes. Do you think you could change that, Jamesie?”

And fuck, if that didn’t make his heart race a little.

Lily

*

Whispers of "Are you sure?"

*

Lily and James were kissing passionately and furiously as they stumbled into her bedroom. Since becoming head girl, she had gotten her own dorm room. James had also gotten one, but Lily didn’t want to see how messy that room was.

She moved her hands from in between their two bodies and picked up her wand to cast several different nonverbal charms.

When she was done, she pushed James down onto the bed and began tearing off her clothes. And then his. When she was done and they were lying beside each other he muttered a final “are you sure?” to her, and she nodded. He kissed her with ferocious passion until the kiss became something more.

This happened again, again, again.

*

"Never have I ever before"

*

When James left Lily’s room for the fourth time that month, she pressed two fingers to her lips in reaction to his goodbye kiss.

“I’ve never felt this way about James. About anyone,” she thought.

He made her feel alive, he made her grin, he made her giggle, and he made her heart flutter when he was around her. Of course, she knew this when she approached him. She just didn’t think it would escalate to this level so soon.

She wants to shout to the world the way she feels about him, the way he makes her feel. How he can take her breath away and make her feel like the most important and most special girl on the planet.

Like she was made just and entirely for him, and that the same applied for him to her.

She couldn’t stop her wild dreams, the ones of vivid love and passion, the ones where he would kiss her, take her hand, and profess his love in grand displays. Where he’d fight for her and never leave her.

Fantasy and delusion never left her mind when it came to him.

*

Your back beneath the sun

*

He and she both lie underneath the sun, soaking up its rays, sharing its warmth, staring at the clouds trying to make out certain shapes.

It was a sunny December day, which was rare, so they were getting as much out of it as they could.

“James, we should study,” she lightly approached the devastating topic. “It’s not like I really want to, but what kind of example are we setting as head boy and girl?”

“Well, If we go back up to our dorms, nobody will know if we’re studying or doing something else,” he said with a wriggle of eyebrows.

“No, James!” she laughs, and he joins her. His pearly teeth both ensnaring her mind and rendering her unable to focus on anything but him.

“When’s the next Hogsmeade trip?” he asked casually while he laid back down with his head facing the sky.

“Most likely before the holidays.”

She saw his face contort when she mentioned the Christmas break.

“James, what’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing, I’m just thinking about… the war.” His face was pale, and his face sour.

“I’m thinking of joining the order after I graduate, but it’s still scary, you know. I’m worried about my mum and dad.”

“Your parents are going to be fine, James,” she assured him, but she knew he would be fully relieved until the war was over and all death eaters were locked up.

*

Wishin' I could write my name on it

*

She was sitting with Remus in the library when he brought up James. Let the record show that he brought up James, not her.

“So, how is everything going with James?”

She sighed lightly. “It’s magic, Remus. Pun intended.”

He chuckled. “I’m glad you feel that way, Lily. Really, he’s a good guy once you get past that facade he puts on. I knew you’d like him.”

“Yes,” she says faintly. Doubts flood her head about his own feelings.

“What’s wrong, Lily?”

Her eyes turn down to her paper before reaching up again to meet his. “It’s silly, but… sometimes I wonder if he truly feels the same. I mean, most people don’t harbour feelings for one person for this long. What if all along it was just lust, and he’ll cast me away now that he’s satisfied that urge.”

“Lily, I promise you, James has had eyes for no one but you for many years. I highly doubt that it was lust, James isn’t like that.”

“You know,” she smiled. “You’re right. I just wish this didn’t have to be kept so hush-hush. The amount of girls I see fawning over him is grotesque.”

“So then ask him,” he pushed.

She took that as a challenge. “Alright. I will!”

*

The next time Lily saw James, they immediately rolled into bed and did what lovers do. But after that is when she posed the question.

“James, would we- will we ever be able to make this public?” she asked in a stern voice.

She saw thoughts swimming in his head for a moment.

“Lily,” he rolled onto his side. “We- I… This needs to be a secret for now. I mean, we are waist-deep into this war, and with my plans to go into the order, I can’t risk anyone coming after you.”

His logic made sense to her, and the wizarding world would get too caught up with the son of a prestigious wizard family being with a muggle-born in the middle of all of this.

He was right, she just had to swallow her jealousy for now.

*

Will you call when you’re back at school

*

The next week, there was a Hogsmeade trip, and despite them staying near the Marauders, really, it was a date for James and Lily. Or at least that’s what it felt like. An unofficial date.

They bought each other gifts to open over the holidays, kissed discreetly under mistletoes, and held hands while walking through the village.

When they went to get butterbeer for the rest of the group, there was a long but comfortable silence for a while.

“So what are you doing for the holidays?”

“Just going back home, maybe making some treats with my mum,” he said casually. “What about you?”

“Same as you, I guess. I’ll miss you, though.”

“I’ll miss you too.”

She tapped her foot absentmindedly as they waited. “What if I came with you?”

“What?” Panic flooded his face. “No, you couldn’t come with me, I’m afraid. My house is an Order safe place. If a death eater found it, you could be in danger.”

“You’re in danger just being there.”

“And you’re in danger by just breathing, Lily! That would be a double danger. I’m not risking that.”

She cringed at her sudden need to be close to him. “Right, sorry. It was a silly idea. A mindless thought.”

His face softened when he saw her embarrassment. “I’d love to bring you home, Lily, but it’s not safe.” But by now she could tell that he was lying, there was something more.

*

I remember thinkin' I had you

*

On the train back from London going to Hogwarts, Lily sat with Marlene and Dorcas, she hadn't seen them quite as much as she would’ve wanted since the school year started, and now was the perfect opportunity.

Lily felt remorse and guilt for not telling her friends about such a crucial part of her life, her relationship with James Potter, and truly she wanted to, but what if they judged her? And Marlene has had a reputation for having a loudmouth. What if she said something and word got out?

They conversed in idle gossip before an interesting topic was brought up. One that left Lily infuriated, and ready to murder a smug bastard.

“Have you heard about Potter and that Beauxbaton girl?”

Her eyes raised in curiosity and scorn. “What Beauxbaton girl?”

Dorcas revealed as much as she knew about you to Lily, your name, family, status in the Wizarding World. By the time she was done, Lily was struck with disbelief.

“And you’re sure they were kissing?” she said in response to Marlene’s information about the article in the Daily Prophet with a picture of them kissing.

“Yes!” she exclaimed.

“I have the article right here,” Dorcas mentioned.

“Way to bury the lead.”

“Oh shush,” she said and handed Lily the newspaper out of her bag.

She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. The man she had been with for the past four months was kissing another woman. With Tongue.

“Well, that’s fantastic for him,” she said sourly. “He must feel so proud to have gotten a pretty girlfriend after pining after me for so long. I wonder how long it’ll be before he tries pining after me again,”

“Who knows, maybe it is serious,” Dorcas proposed.

Lily growled. “I don’t think it’s that serious if he’s sleeping with another woman.”

Marlene’s eyes widened. “You don’t mean-”

“Excuse me, I’ll be right back,” she said before exiting the cabin of the train and heading to find James Potter.

“So,” she said when she reached his compartment. “How long have you been seeing her?”

James looked shocked to see her. “Lily, I can explain.”

“Can you? Please explain then. Is this why I couldn’t come with you? Why you had to keep us a secret James? For Godric’s sake, how long have you been seeing her?”

He gulped. “Since the summer.” Even Sirius looked shocked.

“I lived in your house, and you didn’t tell me, mate?”

“Not the time,” Peter chastised.

“Are you serious James? You spouted all of that you love me bullshit when you were with someone else?” Her eyes radiated anger. It was like staring into the mouth of an actively-fire-breathing dragon. “Does she know about me?”

“No, she doesn’t,” he admitted.

Lily said one more sentence before stalking away. “Well, you better tell her, or I will.”

*

But I can see us lost in the memory

*

Lily had no intention of telling you anything. She didn’t even know you. How would she send an owl to a total stranger and tell them that their boyfriend has been cheating on them with herself?

Lily never set out to be a homewrecker. But she didn’t even know she was wrecking a home, to begin with.

This was James’ fault, and he was going to own up to it.

Besides, It deserved to come from him. Lily knew how she felt about being told that she was the other woman from some outside source, and she didn’t want to do that to anyone at all.

But not even the sting of betrayal could mask the ever-flowing sadness that emanated from Lily. She truly believed he was in love. And maybe he was. Just not with her. And that was okay, but she didn’t deserve what she was put through.

Still, that doesn’t stop the fact that she, herself, was in love with him, and how is she supposed to ever get over that betrayal.

*

August slipped away into a moment in time- 'Cause it was never mine

*

Within the next few months, Lily had fallen into a rut. Her grades began slipping, her mood and cheeriness faltered. Even though the Wizarding World War had recently been won, with death-eaters being locked away, that didn’t change her mood, because she wasn’t in the mood to celebrate, to begin with. Her friends noticed her down-in-the-dumps aura, and despite knowing the cause, and how it wasn’t their fault, they couldn’t help but want to help her, to fix her.

But no one could repair the damage that James Potter caused to Lily but Lily herself. And that started with making amends.

“I have to send a follow-up letter to that girl. So I’ll ask you. Have you told her yet?” She cornered James in the library because, despite Head Boy and Head Girl duties, they didn’t see each other much. After all, he was avoiding her as much as she was avoiding him.

He gulped, “I haven’t. Lily, I can’t tell her. It would kill her, she was so worried about the distance and when she saw me at Christmas break, she was so happy. I don’t want to ruin that.”

“You should’ve thought about that before you started an affair with me, James. An affair I didn’t agree to. I didn’t want to be anybody's mistress. And she deserves to know, and I am going to send her a letter. Today! So if you don’t tell her, she will find out from me. I’ve given you months.”

“Lily, don’t do this. Please. I can’t tell her over an owl. It has to be in person.”

She faltered. He was right. His heart may have been in the wrong place, but his head is in the right one. Doing that, telling you over an owl could have devastating consequences. It was a discussion that had to be had in person.

“Easter Break. That is your chance, James Potter. After that, If you don’t I will.”

She turned on her heel and was about to leave the library when he grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

“Lily, you have to understand, I never meant to hurt you,” he said. “I have fancied you for so long, and when you finally reciprocated this year, I didn’t want to pass up that chance. I was wrong. You are so amazing, and I shouldn’t have done what I did, but please believe this. You deserve so much, and I couldn’t and could never give that to you, but when I did this, I never meant to hurt anyone. I didn’t think it would go this far.”

She scoffed. “Well, it did, James. You hurt me. You betrayed me, and you betrayed her. Neither of us deserved that, no matter what.”

*

And I can see us twisted in bedsheets

*

Guilt twisted in her stomach every time she thought of you. Jealousy was surely a stage at first, everything about you had her enchanted, your hair, your eyes, your glowing skin. She was enthralled, and she could see why James was too.

And then she remembered his nights in her dorm, on her bed. Tossing and turning with her, his lips on her mouth, and she didn’t feel envy. She felt regret and culpability. If she had pressed James harder about whether his feelings really were the same as before, if he’d really wanted to do this, maybe he wouldn’t have done it.

And then she wouldn’t be in this position, and you wouldn’t be about to come crash-landing on impact with this heavy, and taboo truth.

But this wasn’t about her, Lily realized. This was about you. And how you were going to feel once James told you what happened when the train meets the station, and that is all Lily can think of as she sits on her bed, staring out of her window. When her owl knocks on the window to deliver her mail, the headline of the Daily Prophet is what catches her eye. “The Prodigal son in an affair with a Muggleborn witch!” It goes on and on about how a secret inside source heard an argument between the two of them in the Hogwarts library.

There is no doubt that you have seen this, and James didn’t get to tell you. Lily didn’t get to apologize to you. This just got a whole lot worse, and Lily didn’t know how she was going to deal with the sudden turn of events.

James is the villain here, she reminded herself. James is in the wrong, but she knew that she was still an unwitting accomplice. And her gut wrenched as she pondered on that very true fact.

*

August slipped away like a bottle of wine

*

Lily had to get away from the wizarding world, so although she didn’t plan on going home for the Easter holiday, she had to now.

She was being shamed for her insidious relationship with James, by certain people, mostly Snape and his friends, that bastard. Most everyone was supportive, they realized she had no idea about your relationship, but she was still worried about what you’d say to James, but more about what’d you’d say about her.

Had James told you that she didn’t know? That he lied to both of you. Would you be mad at her either way?

Shame pulsed through her body, and she couldn’t imagine what her mother would say when she told her if she ever did.

Though when she got home, her mother instantly noticed that something was wrong.

Knowing she couldn’t take her mothers knowing stares and hard gaze, she instantly confessed to everything that happened over the semester. Her mother didn’t judge her for having premarital sex as Lily thought she would, but rather comforted her daughter and reassured her. “If James is a half-decent person, he will tell her that you did nothing wrong, and she won’t be mad at you, Lily dear.”

Her mother's reassurance helped, but her rose bush of worry wouldn’t be clear of its thorns until she spoke with you.

*

'Cause you were never mine

*

When the break was over, and Lily was about to board the train station to the red engine that is the Hogwarts Express, someone was waiting for her at the door to the train.

“My train doesn’t arrive until later,” you say plainly. “I wanted to get here earlier though, to speak with you.”

Lily feels like she’s breaking out in hives under your eyes, and it’s not a good feeling.

“James told me about how you didn’t know about me, how you wanted him to tell me sooner, didn’t want me to find out from tabloids like you did.” You smiled at her.

“It really hurt me when I found out. I didn’t want you to feel that way, but you still deserved to know. I’m just sorry you found out like that anyway.”

“James already boarded the train, but I wanted to let you know we’re no longer together if you still wanted to be with him,” you said meekly.

Lily’s eyes grew to the size of saucers. “Godric, no! He’s a git.”

You laughed.

“I know we may not be able to be friends, but maybe it’ll be better if we work through all of this together, all three of us,” Lily proposed.

“Yes, individually, dually, all together, doesn’t matter, it needs to be resolved.”

Lily sighed a breath of relief. “Somehow, I feel lighter.”

“Me too.”

As Lily was about to board the train, you called out to her. “Lily!”

She whipped her head to face you. “We can be friends if you’d like, you know.”

That made Lily smile, and honestly, it made her heart bloom with a vague, but familiar feeling.

[little-kat07]

Unrequited Roceit, endgame logince, and endgame dukeceit idea where Roman and Janus are a double dancing and singing act (think like the musical Chicago) and are in a relationship as well. Roman is just happy to have a career with the love of his life, while Janus is MUCH more interested in fame and money- with or without Roman.

Janus: The press LOVES us! My act is wonderful and the producers can’t ignore it for long.

Roman: You mean OUR act?

Janus: Right. OUR act.

Roman soon meets Logan, a Broadway director who offers them an audition for a play. Musicals and Theater isn’t usually what they do, but they need the money. During the audition-

Logan: *clapping* That was amazing!

Roman: *breathless* You really think so?

Logan: You are going to go far in the world with that kind of talent, Roman. We’ll see you at the first rehearsal.

Janus: Wait- what about me?

Logan: Janus... you were amazing. You have so much talent, and it really pains me to say it’s not what we’re looking for. I’m sure there are lots of other directors who-

Roman is PAINFULLY oblivious to the fact Janus doesn’t care about him, so he stands up for his ‘boyfriend’.

Roman: What? You can’t reject him! Logan, I’ve been by Janus’s side in our career for decades. Either you take both of us or neither.

Logan: I... I suppose we can find a role for Janus.

Roman and Janus travel from Atlanta to New York, where their career is supposed to start.

Logan can tell Janus doesn’t care about Roman, and is heartbroken that Roman would stand up for the snake so easily. But he’s not supposed to get involved with the personal affairs of actors, so he tries not to think about it too much. 

He has a hard time with that since during rehearsal, Roman won’t stop being so fucking adorable all the time.

Logan: Hold on, Roman, could you-

Roman: Okay okay so I know what you’re going to say but I DIDN’T MEAN TO RAISE THAT LAST NOTE, It just felt really right and I can totally stop, but I actually had a little riff on the end there I wanted to do if I could and I know it’s really confusing and I’m rambling but please?

Logan: ...I was going to say move a bit to the left, but go ahead.

Janus is VERY AWARE that Logan and Roman have chemistry, and normally he wouldn’t care since he doesn’t actually love Roman but this time, his ticket to fame and glory is riding on the fact that Roman stays with him, so he tries to intercept their relationship.

...at the very same time that Remus, (who is Logan’s brother in this AU and i’m so sorry to intrulogical shippers) wants Roman and Logan to get together. He has been waiting for Logan to find love for so long and he is NOT about to let some snake boi take away his brother’s happiness.

So, Janus and Remus have a huge, unspoken battle over getting Roman and Logan together OR keeping them apart. Remus sets them up to be alone together, Janus sabotages it or gets there at the exact time and drives Roman away. 

Janus: What is your PROBLEM?

Remus: What is MY deal? Uh, bitch, what is YOUR deal? 

Janus: My financial and social future depends on Roman and Logan staying apart. I need Roman to get me to fame. YOU need to stay out of it.

Remus: Logan is my brother who up until this point was lonely as fuck. I’m not letting you break his only chance at happiness. You don’t even LOVE Roman!

Janus: Can you not talk so loud? Someone is going to hear us.

Remus: Maybe I WANT THEM TO!

Janus: *puts a hand over Remus’s mouth* Keep quiet, rat.

Remus: *licks it*

Janus: EW!! EW EW EW- WHAT THE FUCK, REMUS?

Remus: *cackling*

Roman hears.

That’s really all you need to know- He was right outside when Remus and Janus had that conversation. He stormed back to his room of the hotel and waited for Janus to come back, where they broke up and Janus took his things and left.

This is where things get interesting...

Remus: *knocks on janus’s hotel room door* Uh... snake?

Janus: *muffled grumbling* *opens the door* Yes?

Remus: *trying to smother his worried feelings* Hey snake bitch! I noticed you haven’t tried to... sabatoge any of my plans lately.

Janus: Y e s.

Remus: ...and I was just wondering why? I-I mean I just feel like you’re planning something. What are you planning? 

Janus: ...your futile attempts at being aggressive amuse me. I’ll tell you.

Janus has been feeling strange lately. He tells Remus how he and Roman go together- They had been best friends in highschool, and Janus actually did like Roman once. They used to be an inseparable couple, it was only when Janus realized Roman had talent that could bring him glory, did he begin to stop caring. Now that they’ve broken up, it’s hard to say whether Janus MISSES Roman- because he doesn’t, not really, it’s not about Roman as a person. He missed the feeling of being cared for by someone, being held like fame and money didn’t matter, those little moments Janus missed so achingly much because he thought he would ALWAYS have them- and now he doesn’t, and he doesn’t know what to do with himself.

Remus: ...why did you tell me all that?

Janus: My life feels pretty shitty at the moment and I don’t see how spilling my guts to someone who’s already familiar with my less than pretty personality could bring me any lower.

Remus isn’t quite sure what to do with this information, he’s spent his entire time going up against Janus and hating him. Now he doesn’t see what he knew as Janus, he sees a confused and self-depreciating person- and he feels bad. But he knows he SHOULDN’T, he shouldn’t feel bad because Janus is the bad guy, Janus is the villain in the story-

But he isn’t anymore. This is what the villain looks like AFTER the fairytale, after the hero beats them- confused, lonely, and... crying?

oH my god, Janus is crying, do something, help him, holy fuck, nOoooOOO-

Meanwhile, Logan comforts Roman. 

Logan: ...I should have done something. I KNEW that snake was bad news. Now he-

Roman: I’m quitting.

Logan: I- what?

Roman: I’m quitting- Janus still has his role in the play, I don’t want to spend another second looking at him. He can have his fame and his money, I don’t care about revenge, I just wanna go home.

Logan: But- Roman, no- You have so much talent! You could show him up, get famous, spread your story in the papers and never have to deal with anything like that again-

Roman: I’m sorry, Logan- I’m not mad at him. I couldn’t care less about what happens to him- I’m going home.

Logan: Back to Atlanta??

Roman: Yeah... *sniffle* Atlanta. Or maybe Marietta, or somewhere in that area. Northern Georgia, basically- I don’t know how I can go back to Atlanta right now, not with all the memories and stuff.

Logan: But... Roman... what about me?

Roman: Huh?

Logan: I-I mean, what about everyone else? Virgil, Patton, and Remus- you’re just going to leave all of us behind? (he laughs, almost hysterically) how- how am I gonna find anyone on the face of the earth who can fit your role?

Roman: Oh, come on Lo. I’m sure anybody can fit my role in the play, it’s a simple character and-

Logan: N-Not that, Roman- Your role in our lives? How am I- How am I going to find anyone I love like I love you?

Cue crying confession, adorableness, all that Jazz. Logince pining FINALLY comes to a close- And the rest of the fic would focus more on the Dukeceit aspect.

Remus, at some point, comes to the glaring realization that he ENJOYED bickering and fighting with Janus. He almost stops BREATHING when he finds that, in fact, he likes JANUS. 

Like, Like-likes janus. (No, the L-word isn’t available yet sorry lmao)

Janus figures out pretty quickly that he likes Remus but he just came out of an awful relationship in which HE was the manipulative one, and he really isn’t in the mood to focus on romance right now. Partly for fear that he’ll hurt Remus like he hurt Roman, and partly because nOT EVERYTHING HAS TO REVOLVE AROUND ROMANCE, HE STILL HAS BILLS TO PAY AND JOBS TO WORK, YOU HEATHENS-

Anyway, we have a couple of chapters dedicates to healing the tear in Roman and Janus’s platonic relationship. Janus works hard to try and show Roman he can be trusted as just a friend. (When I say works hard I mean WORKS HARD. I mean, remember what he did? It’s gonna take some work to sift through this.) Eventually, Roman and Logan (newly dating) have a little talk about Janus’s attempts.

Logan: I just- I get that he’s trying to heal it, but... I don’t know. I think I’m just being protective because you two dated once and I thought, if you fell for him once... you might again. And then, he might hurt you again, or even WORSE, he won’t hurt you at all and I’ll have lost you to him permanently.

Roman: ...guess what?

Logan: What?

Roman: When I look at him, I feel nothing!!! :D

Logan: ...nothing?

Roman: *grinning* Nothing at all! Now that I look at him, he’s not even cute!

Logan and Roman continue to burst into laughter.

One day, this happens:

Roman and Remus: *being lovable chaotic idiots*

Logan: *sighs* Why do we love them?

Janus: No clue.

Logan: *eyebrow raise*

Janus: waIT WAIT Okay look I didn’t mean Roman, okay, I- I meant Remus, and- Wait no I- UGH! *slams head on table*

Logan: *smirks* You like my brother. I knew it.

Janus: I’m so sorry I keep falling for people you know.

A couple chapters dedicated to having funny group bonding time, until this happens-

Janus: *acting on stage* If only someone were to look at me with the eyes that Jeremiah does with Her, I might finally be complete and live on to learn to love. My heart-

Remus: *from the audience* I will!

Janus: *pauses and turns to look out* What?

Remus *waving frantically* I’ll look at you with eyes! I’m not sure how else I would look at you, so I’ll do the eyes!

Janus: ...What?

Remus: *groans* JUST DATE ME ALREADY!

Janus: *taken aback* Uh. Okay.

Remus: Wait, seriously?

Janus: Darling, just shut up, I’m doing a scene here...

Remus: :D

And they all lived. Happily ever after? Who knows. But they lived, and that was enough for them.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Do what you will with this idea! Tag me if you write or draw something though-

Reposts are appreciated!!!

[ninak803]

Elitist Nightmares

Another chapter is ready! Enjoy it. & read tags for CW.

@whataboutmyfries I don't know what to say... You're such an incredible good, nice, amazing bean!

Characters belong to @lumosinlove

@sunflowerfox87 here is a new Chapter!

Chapter 6

Remus

Remus walked up and down in his living room. He felt Leo’s eyes on him, following every step he took

The last few days, they had spent refining their plan and by now it was a pretty decent one. Sure, there still were variables, like Sirius himself, but they couldn't do much about it. They also didn't know when they would kick it off or how everything would work out in the end, but their plan couldn't get any better.

Remus sighed and sat down next to Leo.

“I went over it again and again. It's good as it is.” he said.

Leo nodded.

“You're nervous.” he stated.

Remus bit his lip; nervous was an understatement. He was supposed to trust a Black. Someone who was part of the family, who… No. His mind wouldn't go back to his own family. Not now, he still had work to do. He needed to stay calm.

“Yeah. I am. This is just not what I thought this mission would look like, not at all. I like to have control over things and now I have to trust Sirius Black to work with me.” Remus shook his head “I don't like it. I don't like him, I guess.”

“You don't like his family. And if he really is lying, you can still kill him.”

Remus laughed a little.

“You're right.”

They sat in silence for a while, Remus still thinking about everything he and Leo had talked about the last couple of hours. Remus rotated his shoulders a little to get rid of the tension in his muscles. It didn't work.

“You're going to work with O'Hara and Tremblay afterwards.” Remus said.

The younger one turned his head to look at him, something showing in his eyes. Curiosity, joy maybe, but definitely a bit of nervousness.

“They can teach you more. Both of them are pretty good at what they are doing. Usually. And I don't know what Dumbledore wants me to do next, I guess I'll have some time off, which would be good, considering that I have a houseguest by then.”

Leo nodded, a small smile on his lips.

“Yeah, sure. I don't mind. They both seemed… nice.”

Remus looked at him, then grinned a bit.

“Sure. You'll be doing fine with them.”

He took a sip from his coffee and scrunched his nose. It was cold by now and there was nothing worse than cold coffee, he sighed.

“Okay… You have the rest of the day off, Leo. I'm going to meet Sirius tonight and tell him about the details. I don't need you for that.”

“You sure? I could wait in the car, like the last time.”

Remus shook his head.

“No. I appreciate it, but no. You get some sleep tonight.”

---

It was the middle of the night as Remus sneaked through the Blacks mansion. He tried to not make any sound and listened very carefully if there was someone still awake who could notice him. He opened Sirius' bedroom door just a crack and slipped in. It was dark and Remus could hear Sirius soft, regular breaths. He was asleep. Well, not for very long anymore. Remus moved closer to his bed and looked at him; he was lying on his back, his mouth slightly ajar, his hair a mess around his head. He looked… calm. Remus hadn't seen him so relaxed before, he always seemed so stressed and restrained, but right now he seemed peaceful. Remus almost had a bad conscience that he would wake him up any moment. Just almost.

He touched Sirius' shoulder gently. When he didn't react, Remus shook him a bit. That did the trick. Sirius opened his eyes and almost jumped out of his bed when he noticed Remus. His hand moved up to his heart.

“Fuck you. You scared me. That's your way to get in touch with me? Scaring me to death?” Sirius said, his voice still heavy from sleeping.

Sirius sat upright, moved a hand through his hair.

“So what's up, Amber Eyes?”

That confused Remus a bit.

“Amber Eyes?” he asked.

Sirius just shrugged.

“Tell me why you're here.”

Remus sat down next to Sirius on his bed and nodded.

“Okay, so we came up with a plan, how we will handle this situation, but you have to cooperate, otherwise your death is inevitable.”

“Im fine with my death…” Sirius whispered, almost inaudible.

That and the sadness in his voice made Remus heart hurt. He swallowed.

“Well, we're going to fake your death, everyone is going to think you're dead. That'll work for my purposes. And until everything is solved, and we got rid of your parents, you're going to stay at my place. You can't stay at a hotel, people would recognize you.”

Remus looked at Sirius, who remained silent.

“I'll need your blood to prepare the crime scene. It has to be a lot of blood, so it'll be plausible. You'll feel dizzy for a while, but you'll survive. After that I'll bring you to my place and then we have to wait.”

Sirius still didn't say a word, he just looked at Remus with a look he didn't quite understand.

“I have to tell James and my brother.” Sirius then said.

Remus shook his head.

“No. You can't tell anyone. I'm sorry, but I don’t think your brother would lie to your parents about it, I think he couldn't do it.”

“I still have to tell James, though. He is about to lose his job, he has a wife and a child, he needs to know. Also, he is my best friend, he will blame himself for it, he'll think it was his fault. That'll destroy him. I can't let that happen. You want me to work with you? Then let me tell my best friend.” he sounded determined.

Remus sighed.

“You think you can trust him? He's loyal to you, not your parents? He won't sell us out?”

“No.” Sirius laughed a little “He will be happy to know I’m out of my parents' reach, to be honest. I do trust him.”

“Okay, I'll be back on Wednesday. Try to act unsuspicious until then. Oh, and you can't take anything with you… No clothes, no phone, nothing. Otherwise it would look like you had run away.”

Sirius nodded a little.

“Okay…”

Remus got up and looked at him.

“I'll see you on Wednesday then. Don't do anything stupid, Im still watching you, remember that.”

Then he silently made his way out of the house.

---

Sirius

He couldn't fall asleep that night again, too many thoughts occupying his mind.

“You look tired.” James said.

They were on their way to a meeting early in the morning.

“Can we talk later?” Sirius asked him.

James looked at him worriedly.

“ sure. Whenever you want to talk, I'm here. You know that.”

Sirius sighed and nodded. He had three days. Three days he had to act normal, though everything was far from normal.. So he acted normal, he attended the meetings of the day; he said his opinion on topics where no one actually cared what he thought. He ignored the angry looks from his parents. Perfectly normal.

Back home he went to his bedroom with James, who sat down on his bed. Sirius preferred to stay in the moment. He looked at James, who was waiting patiently until he found the courage to say what was on his mind all day. Sirius was sure he had already noticed the nervousness, James knew him better than anyone else.

Sirius sighed.

“Okay, you won't like what I'm telling you now, but promise me you'll listen first.”

James raised an eyebrow, looking confused.

“Okay? I promise, go on then.”

Sirius looked at his hands, fiddling them. He swallowed before he started speaking again.

“So a couple of days ago, this guy broke into my bedroom. He actually came to kill me. He had a knife and everything…” his hand moved up to his throat as he remembered.

Shock showed on James’s face as the realization sank in. He opened his mouth to say something but Sirius lifted his hand before he could start.

“Nothing happened, obviously. I'm good, don't worry. I don't know what made him change his mind, though. He came back yesterday with a plan and you won't like that either: We're going to fake my death and I'm going to hide somewhere, I don't know where yet. And I'm telling you this, so you don't blame yourself for it. this is going to be hell for you. My parents will investigate against you, obviously. You'll get fired, you have to find a new job, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, James…” he swallowed again.

James got up the moment he had finished talking.

“No. That's not going to happen. I won't let that happen. This shouldn't have happened in the first place!” he moved a hand through his hair in frustration.

“James, that's nothing to discuss. It is going to happen, even if you're not okay with it. I just wanted to let you know beforehand.”

James shook his head vigorously.

“It's my chance to get away from my parents, to get out of this hell of a life.” Sirius tried to argue, “Please, don't be angry.”

He looked at his best friend pleading, and James sighed.

“Promise me nothing is going to happen to you. And you have to contact me as soon as possible, I need to know you're okay and not actually dead. Fuck. I don't like this, I don't like this at all.”

Sirius smiled a little.

“I know you don’t. And I promise, I'll behave so no one has to shut my mouth and I'll be in touch.”

He pulled James in for a hug and he wished he never had to let go. He wasn't so sure if Remus would let him call James or write to him, but he was going to try it, anyway.

After a moment, he let go of his best friend reluctantly.

“When?” James asked.

“Soon.” was all Sirius told him.

---

Sirius was sitting on his bed dabbing on his freshly cut lip with a cloth, when the bedroom door opened and his brother stormed in.

“Why can't you just shut up for once in your life? It's like you want her to do this to you! Why do you have to provoke them all the time!” he shouted.

“I just told her what I was thinking.”

“Well then, don’t!”

Sirius shook his head, getting angry with his little brother. Who did he think he was?

“And then what? Just do as they tell me? No. I will not kiss their asses, I'm not you. I don't care what they say about me or what they do to me! And you shouldn’t either.”

Sirius got up and looked down at his brother, both of them angry now.

“I do care what's happening with you! But you know what? Maybe you're right. Maybe I shouldn't. You obviously don't care what consequences your behaviour might have for others! For me. You just care about yourself, you selfish asshole.” and with that Regulus left.

Sirius heard him go to his own bedroom, the door closing loudly.

He rolled his eyes. His brother was such a drama queen sometimes, so Sirius went after him, knocking on his door.

“Reggie, come on. Let me explain everything, without fighting.” he tried.

“No. I don't want to talk to you now. Maybe tomorrow, now fuck off.”

Sirius shook his head, swallowing. They won't be able to talk tomorrow. It was Wednesday already.

p.s. there will be more of Finn, Logan & Leo the following chapters, I promise!!

[anxiouslyfred]

Unofficial Bar Security

Summary: Remus likes fighting and has gotten known at his local bar as someone who will fight anyone with bigoted views. He just hopes that his marks don’t mean he’ll meet his soulmate by fighting them

warnings: sexism mentions, homophobia and racism mentions, bar fight

/\/\

Remus enjoyed fighting. He always had and it had only gotten worse when he realised how many bigoted self-absorbed bastards there were around, all to ready to lecture, insult or attack him because of the pride badges he wore, or just because he didn't care about wearing popular fashions.

When the bar he liked going to most often started doing specials and hosting events for Pride month or to support the Black Lives Matter movement, Remus was already on watch for anybody causing trouble. In fact he basically became a voluntary security guard given the owners and staff had assured him that any fights started because someone had been racist or queerphobic towards any labels wouldn't get him thrown out. That was basically permission given to Remus to insert himself into any situation he liked and get into additional fights.

The main reason he even thought curiously about getting into fights was that he was fairly sure however he met his soulmate was going to include him grabbing them. He could only hope that was a grab to get them out of a fight rather than starting one with them. It seemed likely given the lighter skin covered his hands and a line down his chest which no matter how many play fights Remus had instigated with his brother couldn't easily be used to attack, only capture and possibly defend as a body shield.

He had visions of meeting them in the bar, possibly someone getting harassed by the one racist group that refused to get the point that their views weren't welcome, and just grabbing them out of the way. There could even still be a fight once he got them out of the way, to show how skilled he is at them.

Remus dismissed the daydreams from his mind, taking another sip of his beer and glancing around the bar. The group of pests was back again, but they seemed to be being quiet for the time being. There were a few groups of teenagers from out of town, probably on a road trip together or something for the summer.

There was a fabulous fellow just waiting at the bar, and looking more than a little uncomfortable. They seemed a bit out of place, hunching into their hoodie and glancing around at the various groups cheering and laughing together. Remus  had to watch for a while, just taking in the lithe form and wary posture. Either this was someone who had been forced to come with their friends or had come out for some space from a bad situation.

Still Remus wouldn't mind on getting his hands on that bum, or offering to keep their company for a while. There was only so much control one could have while waiting for their soulmate and Remus would happily let it go for an adorable... fighter? While he'd been watching the person they must have heard something from the abuse gang and was already glaring and stepping over to them.

Just was the frantic gestures Remus had to move closer, ready to act whether to help or just get the person out of there was yet to be determined. The group had been in the bar longer than normal without causing trouble and tended to react worse the more alcohol they'd had, which could be very bad for the person Remus had been watching.

Whatever was being said was getting hissed too quietly for him to make out the words, but the reaction was obvious. The men that had been laughing together and judging everyone else had started off falling silent but now were all standing, scowling and trying to get out from the table in order to surround the person. Remus barely thought the instant one raised an empty bottle as though about to break it.

The noise of yelling and glass breaking broke out just as he grabbed the person, one hand aiming for their shoulder but hooking around the neck, the other for their bum as Remus pushed into them, the momentum taking them into a booth next to where the guys were getting out from.

“Security! These guys are attempting to attack us with a broken glass! They've been making racist and homophobic comments all evening too!” He turned to yell after checking the person hadn't hit anything in the action. There were battles Remus would love to fight, but the chances of someone completely uninvolved getting hurt with broken glass being used as a weapon was far too high. Plus hopefully if security got involved then the group would be banned forever this time.

From the faces now directed towards him it was obvious they all realised it too. He might be the volunteer unofficial security against bigoted people but as soon as he was calling for the people paid for the role, they weren't likely to be coming back again. Still Remus paid attention to what was happening, using his body to block the fascinating person behind him in case any of them tried anything now. The cameras in the place would show what had happened and his own reports that had been recorded after the previous few fights they'd had should be more than enough to identify them if they tried coming back.

Eventually though he turned back to face the person, hoodie now discarded to the side of them as they were trying to look at the side he'd tackled them from. “Are you okay? Sorry for tacking you, but those guys are some nasty work I've been trying to teach to be better with my fists for weeks. Didn't know what else to do when one raised the bottle.”

They startled, turning to him with a stunned expression, before raising their hand up to their neck. “Yeah, yeah, I'm good, I guess. Um, are your hands...?” They broke off, looking at Remus as though they were torn between finishing the question and ignoring it. Their actions had already made Remus realise that their neck now had a neon green hand print on it though.

Raising his hands up for them both to look he burst out laughing to see they'd turned violet, but just to be sure he was dragging his top and jacket off to look at the pale line on his chest, now a matching purple to his hands. “Oh my god! I actually did that trying to protect you! I mean I hoped, I hoped so much, cause body connections like that are kinda weird to get but with all the fights I've been in I was still worried.”

“I mean that's a better worry than I had. Everyone said one of these marks had to be a birthmark and if they could only see the neck that my soulmate is going to try to suffocate me the first time we touch.” Their voice was shaky, and they were watching Remus as though expecting some kind of bad reaction to his soulmate being them.

“Never. Besides that's like the least interesting way for someone to die. I've got books and books about how different deaths are interesting and suffocation just isn't that good.” he had calmed a little at the mention, reaching out to stroke over their neck for a moment before realising he still knew nothing about this person, and they knew nothing about him in return. “I'm Remus, by the way, and you are fascinatingly dark. He/him pronouns if you will. Can I know my soulmates name and pronouns, or even just whatever battle led you to telling those jerks off?”

“Virgil and  he/him too, currently. I'll let you know when they change. And those guys were making the girls close to where I was stood with the catcalling and jeers they made. I might not know them but nobody should have to hear the vile things they were talking about when they just wanted to have a night out.” Virgil nodded, tugging a pronoun wristband out from the sleeve of his top so it could be seen.

Remus snickered a little. “I have done the same before. Got standing permission to get into fights if people say hate filled things or encourage discrimination while I'm here.”

“What – what do you want to do now? About the soulmates thing, I mean?” Virgil asked, gaze following Remus's hands as he bounced them a bit.

That felt like a loaded question, and just from the way Virgil was shifting in his seat Remus could see he was anxious about the answer. There was a lot of pressure from society over how soulmates should act together, but it all felt pretty meaningless to him. “Get to know you preferably. I'm not jumping into settling down with a complete stranger no matter how cute your butt is, but we could practise fighting together? Message online or something?”

“Thank god. I did not want to jump into soulmates means we have to be joint at the hip thing either. It sounds socially exhausting just thinking about it.” Virgil sighed, giving the distinct impression that if Remus had wanted it he would have gone along with it all for his sake. “It does sound like fun to practise wrestling with you. Where do you train?”

Remus had always enjoyed fighting. He was just ecstatic to know that he didn't meet his soulmate by fighting them.

[d4rk3stn1ght]

My Love

Happy Holidays @missfay49 ! I was your gift giver this year for @sanderssidesgiftxchange and hope you enjoy your gift. Well the final one. I had some interesting ideas for yours with the list I was given and still have the drafts of them. Anyway enjoy!

Notes: Remus goes by it/its pronouns. Logan’s pronouns in this fic are star/stars. Janus goes by they/them. Roman’s just plain he/him

Ships: Roceit, background Intrulogical 

The masquerade ball, a perfect time for anyone to talk with the princes. The castle was alight with people from all over the kingdom attempting for his hand despite his disdain against things like this. He had actually fallen for someone but it would not fit with his parent’s agenda. So here he was beside his sibling, looking across the room of people. This was his scene but he has never felt so unwelcome. Girls in dresses fawning over him while closeted men watched him in awe. The straight jealous men glared at him as their girlfriends or wives watched with want. Prince Roman sighed heavily. 

His sibling was not fit for the throne so it was allowed to have the person it wanted, the royal scientist Dr. Logan Omair. Currently Logan was talking with a few other scientists but as soon as the ball truly started Remus would take star away to the labs to be given another experiment to try. Remus had become the doctor’s personal lab rat as long as it wouldn’t cause any physical damage or permanent disfiguration. Remus’ mask was black with dark green along with its outfit. It was wearing the ring to show it was currently unavailable.

Roman was jealous his sibling could have who it desired while he had to deal with the crowd of fake people. His own love would be killed for being here. They could change forms due to magic but were often referred to as the Dragon Witch. The one he was supposed to kill to maintain peace for generations to come. He sighed before spotting a familiar black and gold dress. It couldn’t be. The mask hid half of their face that was the same colors as the dress, elegant. He chuckled fondly at seeing them but refrained from moving just yet, even though his being screamed at him to go to them. They moved a gloved hand to their lips with a smile before heading out to the balcony. Roman nodded at the hint while looking towards his parents to have them begin the ball.

Once the announcement was made Roman dashed to the balcony where his love was waiting.

“Jan,” he spoke fondly at almost a whispers volume.

“Lovely to see you here my prince.”

“What are you doing here?” He moved his hands to take their’s.

“Are you complaining?” They tease gently.

“No, I’m just worried for you my dear,” Roman states sincerely.

“I know, but I can handle my own. Care to dance?”

“Only with you. Thank you for coming,” he moved to pull them into a gentle dance to the music flowing from inside.

“Of course. I couldn’t leave you here to fend for yourself against these hungry wolves,” they smile gently, “they would tear my poor handsome prince to shreds if I weren’t here.”

“I am not defensless!” Roman squaked indignatly at the insult.

“Here you are,” they state gently to ease the insult.

“No-”

“My dear you don’t have your sword and your guard is down.”

He sighed but pressed his forehead to theirs dejectedly, “I hate it when you’re right.”

“You love me anyway and I love you for everything you are,” they moved to press a soft kiss to his forehead.

Roman’s face tinted pink, “don’t start this tonight. I don’t want to be flustered or as red as my sash by the end of this evening.”

“I think you look dashing either way.”

“My love, please?”

“Perhaps some other time then?” They ask quietly.

“In my chambers or your place.”

“My how scandalous,” Janus teases in a laugh.

His face heats up as he almost yells, “not like that!”

“I’m only teasing, my sweet prince,” they move slightly closer to gently lay their head against his shoulder, “I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” Roman returns mournfully.

“I missed having you beside me and the sweet tender moments before you had to leave me again.”

“Yes… though should I tell my parents I have chosen then we can have that more often.”

“Yes, I will also get to meet this sibling of yours that you rant so often about.”

He groans, “oh no. Double the magical trouble.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Janus almost grins at the idea.

“Make it triple.”

“Excuse me?”

“Logan would want to know.”

“Star already does,” they hum before kissing his jaw affectionately.

“What?” He looks at them with pure confusion and shock.

“Star isn’t completely human either, my sunlight.”

“That would explain a lot…”

Janus chuckles slightly, “I wish we could go to the garden.”

“Soon. I promise.”

“You need to tell your parents,” they remind him.

“I know. I’m not excited to listen to the complaints that I didn’t dance with everyone,” he shudders at the thought.

“It’s polite though,” Janus points out.

“That doesn’t make it any better to deal with.”

“I know but at least try.”

“I will. I will try but I cannot promise anything.”

“Thank you.”

“Of course,” he moves one of their hands to his lips to gently kiss their knuckles. He sets it back in the form as he led the next dance.

“Don’t want to let go?” They tease again.

“I really don’t,” Roman admits, ”I prefer having you in my arms to admire as we talk about our future or even just dance together. I would rather stay here with you and be able to kiss you again and again until we’re breathless. I want to wake up with you in my arms and not have to worry about you being hurt or killed. I like this. I want this. I want you.”

“Shhhh my love,” they cup his face gently with the mask hiding most of the small blush, “I know. Soon you will have that and more. You will get to wake up every morning with me by your side. I love you and you have me. However, think of this like a game. I am the treasure at the end but you need to dance your way out.”

“Are you serious?” He looks at them with a stranger look.

“Is it working?”

“Yes. I will see you soon my dear but I’m sure my mother will be here soon to talk to you. Be careful please,” Roman tries to puppy eye Janus who only chuckles at it.

“I will. You go have fun. I will be right here awaiting your return,” they put a hand to their forehead, mocking the girls inside and laughing at the motion. 

“Thank you,” they state before walking to the smaller gazebo in the middle of the garden before exhaling slowly. Tonight had been very stressful for them and it was almost over. They sat on one of the benches and watched the breeze blow through the rose bush. The garden was beautiful, much better than anything Roman could’ve ever described. Their favorite flower growing nearby Roman’s made it seem all the more romantic to them. It couldn’t ever beat the privacy of the meadow but it definitely topped the wildflowers. They looked up to the sky with a peaceful smile. The stars seemed to shimmer even brighter tonight but that might be due to the love and hope their heart felt.

They shake their head before looking over the balcony with a gentle sigh. Janus startled slightly at someone leaning against it beside them. They stood up and looked at their new guest, “oh, apologies, your majesty.”

“No need dear. My son seemed happier to dance with you.”

“Yes, I’ve seen him quite often lately.”

“Is he unhappy?” She asks with concern.

“With you or your husband? No. He just dislikes the tradition,” they try to ease her worries

“Ah, he’s stated that. You must be Jan then.”

“Yes ma’am,” Janus stiffens slightly before relaxing. Queen Rosa wouldn’t know.

“It’s lovely to meet you finally. I’m sure he’ll tell us that you’re the one soon.”

“I told him to try and dance with a few others,” they shake their head with a sigh.

“He has his heart set on you dear.”

“I know and I am happy for such but I would think he would still be polite,” they sigh exasperatedly.

“He’s trying but most here don’t know how to dance,” the comment from the Queen made them both giggle.

“That is true. I was pulled into one by a male that seemed to have two left feet,” they wince at the memory. They’ll need to ice their feet later but so would Roman.

“Where did you learn to dance?”

“Your son taught me mostly but also books and other ways to learn.”

“Fast learner?”

“Of course. Not as fast as Dr. Omair however.”

“Yes, that boy can learn things within five minutes of seeing whatever it is,” she shakes her head fondly at the memory.

“It’s commendable.”

“Yes it is. If you need anything at all you can come to me.”

“Thank you for the offer.”

“You’re welcome. I’m sure you’d like to wait in the garden for him,” Queen Rosa teases them slightly.

“If you don’t mind,” they sheepishly say.

“Of course not. The guard will take you there,” she motions one over, “take good care of him for me?”

“Of course. Thank you for your blessing,” Janus curtseyed their goodbye to the Queen.

She gave a nod before walking back to her husband. Janus followed the guard through the castle. They muttered a spell to check on the thoughts of the guard that held no malice towards them. They didn’t know about Jan being the dragon witch just yet. The guard stopped at the edge of the garden and motioned them in.

Janus sighs softly. What was taking him so long? There weren't any shots or explosions. Were the people inside refusing to leave? What was going on? They started to mutter another spell when the garden gate opened. They whipped around with a dagger and held it up against someone’s throat.

“Yes, a surprise. Not bad I promise,” Roman quickly adds on when he noticed the worry.

“Roman?”

“Your reaction time is getting quicker,” he chuckles before pointing the dagger away from his throat, “sorry it took me so long.”

Jan gives a huff of a laugh before hugging him tightly, “you blocked my spell.”

“I know! I didn’t think I could do that!” Roman excitedly exclaimed.

“Why did you block me? I thought something happened,” Jan hesitantly admits in a mutter.

“I couldn’t let you ruin the surprise.”

“The surprise?” They looked up at him from where they were holding him.

“I’m sure it can wait a little bit longer.”

“It can,” he started swaying them side to side as he hummed the previous song. Janus started humming along as they closed their eyes. Roman’s heartbeat was quick but steady but it helped just listening. He was okay, nothing happened. They let themselves relax slowly. Their shoulders slowly lowered from their tense posture as Roman continued to hum softly.

“Feel better?” Roman asks softly after a while.

“Mhm,” Jan confirms, “you still have a lovely voice.”

“Well thank you my love.”

“You said you had a surprise for me.”

“Darn. I thought I gave you enough time to forget.”

“Not this time,” they tease tiredly.

“Alright but you gotta let go.”

“Not yet,” they tighten their grip.

“Jaaan,” he whines.

“No. Suffer,” Janus jokes.

“You’re so mean to me,” Roman playfully pouts.

“I am not,” they gently booped him with a sleepy giggle.

“You’re sleepy.”

“Yes, but I won’t sleep until you tell me what the surprise is,” Janus stubbornly says.

“Then let go.”

“Fine,” they hesitantly let go of their lover who immediately moved to one knee with the ring and a smile.

“Oh you-” Jan cuts themselves off.

“Janus, my love, my stars, my everything ever since that one fateful day where you saved me from another dragon’s attack I knew you were the one. You have been nothing but loyal and real. You never let my title get in the way and you helped me see that there is good. Thank you for being here with me and by my side ever since that day. And I would like to ask for your hand in marriage.”

Janus gave him a small teary smile, “of course I will marry you.”

Roman’s smile brightens as he slips the ring onto their finger and kisses them deeply that they happily return even when swept off their feet, not for the last time.

[lefaystrent]

Nursing Home au

Patton works at the nursing home as a registered nurse, because the man truly cares for people.

He oversees the activities of the rest of the nursing staff, and he’s always keeping them in high spirits.

There’s a vacancy for a nursing aide. Who could possibly fill that position?

It’s Virgil.

At first, Patton honestly doesn’t think Virgil should have been hired there.

Patton had seen Virgil during the hiring process, and his personality didn’t seem like a … good fit. Too closed-off and kinda gruff, and probably not a good bedside manner, right?

Plus there was that criminal record to consider …

But the nursing home administrator hires him anyway, and Virgil joins the staff.

Patton keeps a close eye on Virgil.

Yes he feels guilty, but even Patton isn’t free from prejudices.

Virgil goes about his work very meticulously.

He arrives five minutes early every day, without fail.

He never complains about the tasks he’s been given, just quietly accepts them in a way that makes Patton and the others wonder what he’s really thinking.

He doesn’t talk casually with the other staff much, giving short answers whenever prompted.

Patton worries about the staff’s morale as a team.

Surprisingly, he starts hearing a lot of praise about Virgil. Not from the other staff members, but from the patients themselves.

One of them, a man named Roman, sounds like he’s complaining about him.

“And then he started criticizing my favorite movies!”

“I’m so sorry sir, I’ll talk to him about that.”

“What are you talking about? Kid had some good points. I like him.”

Patton starts subtly bringing up Virgil in conversations while visiting with the patients. For some, he doesn’t even have to warm up to the subject. They stop him in the hallway.

“Patton hun, you know that new boy with the eye-makeup?”

“Yes ma’am, that would be Virgil.”

“He’s so sweet. He helped me with my phone, it’s one of those smart ones? It wasn’t working right, and he fixed it. He’s a smart boy.”

The biggest sign is when one patient—Logan Crofters, who’s a notorious nitpicker—actually voices his approval of Virgil.

“He’s not an idiot,” is all Logan says on the matter, which coming from him, it’s high praise.

Patton doesn’t really understand yet why the patients have taken such a liking to him, but he endeavors to try harder to see who Virgil really is. Mostly he’s glad that his first impression seems to be wrong.

Virgil, for his part, doesn’t understand why the patients like him either.

He just knows that they do.

One of them goes out of their way to call him over to ask for his opinion on what color scarf to knit for their granddaughter.

Another one makes a point to introduce him to their visiting family.

Lots of them seem to like to talk his ear off in general and give him life advice.

Virgil doesn’t really mind it. He’s not used to people wanting to talk to him so much, and to be honest he could use some of the advice.

And the stories they have to share are kinda wild.

He likes bantering with the one old dude, Roman.

“I’ll have you know I’ve killed many a dragon witch in my day.”

“Was this before or after you went senile?”

“Brat.”

“Old fart.”

And then there’s Logan, the elderly man in a wheelchair. He’s probably the smartest man Virgil has ever talked to.

“You’d be surprised how many people assume I’m stupid.”

“You’re in a wheelchair, not braindead dude.”

“Yes, but I am old and crippled, and many people cannot separate physical inadequacy from mentality.”

“Well most people are idiots.”

Logan shows off his dentures in a rare grin.

After those two, there’s Remus.

Even the other staff members warn Virgil in advance about him.

It takes Virgil a month into working there to realize that he’s Roman’s brother.

It really should have been obvious.

“Virgil, where would you bury a body?”

“Why bury it when you can just burn it? Or feed it to some pigs; they’ll eat anything.”

“… oh, I like you.”

Okay, not so obvious, because Remus is a crazy old coot. But he’s got a lot of ideas and grand stories like Roman, only darker themed.

Virgil is convinced Remus is fucking with him to get a reaction out of him.

“He only says all that to get a rise out of you,” Logan confirms.

Challenge accepted.

Virgil continues being a bomb ass nurse.

He’s always super self conscious around his superior, Patton.

He knows Patton is wary of him and Virgil is terrified of messing up in front of him.

Or messing up in general. Poor babe really is too hard on himself.

Even the patients worry about him from time to time.

“You getting enough sleep at night, son? Ya got bags under your eyes!”

“That’s makeup, sir. You know that’s my makeup.”

“Hahaha, but it was funny, right? But seriously, are you sleeping enough?”

And Virgil can’t count how many times they’ve thrown food at him.

“You’re too skinny. You need to eat more.”

“I already eat a lot. I’ve got a high metabolism.”

“Is that one of those social media sites?”

“Roman, if you don’t stop acting stupid—”

“Kidding! I have an Instagram after all. Which you should totally follow me, by the way.”

It’s like suddenly being adopted and Virgil is now the grandson to many old folk.

He’s not even surprised when someone tries to set him up with one of their grandchildren.

What does surprise him is that it’s Logan.

“You should meet my grandson, Remy. Judging from what I’ve observed of your personality, you two would be compatible.”

“Huh, that’s funny, Roman’s got a grandson named Remy too.”

“Yes, Remy is both our grandson.”

“Wait, what?”

“We used to be married, Roman and I. Didn’t you know he was my ex-husband?”

Somehow Virgil has missed that.

But he is so going to grill them for details, because Roman with Logan?

Roman jumps on board when Virgil brings it up.

“Yes! Remy! You would be perfect for him! I can’t believe I didn’t think of it first!”

Virgil laughs it off because they can’t be serious.

Of course, they’re very serious.

Virgil is doing his rounds when he walks into Roman’s room and a guy not too far off from his own age standing there in a leather jacket and shades.

“Oh, you are cute,” the guy says in a way that lets Virgil know that he’s clearly heard about Virgil before.

Roman is exceedingly proud.

Virgil officially meets Remy, the grandson.

It’s awkward.

By the end of it, Virgil apparently has a date after work that he swears he doesn’t remember agreeing to.

Remy’s waiting for him in the lobby.

“You ready for the night of your life, babe?”

“…”

“Wait, you’re walking the opposite direction. Come back.”

Virgil goes out to eat with Remy.

Remy actually apologizes for his grandfathers.

“They’re cool old gay dudes, but they can be really pushy. They’ve been complaining about me being single for like yeaaars. Um, maybe I like being single?”

“Do you?”

“Okay, a bitch is lonely, but gurl, I can find a man or whoever on my own, amirite?”

“Why’d you agree to this then?”

“’Cause you really are cute and seem cool. Plus can we just talk about your aesthetic for a sec? What products do you use on your hair? The purple dye is perf.”

It’s not really a date.

But Virgil might have made a friend out of it, at least.

Virgil finds himself talking about it the next day with Patton.

It just sort of happens.

“They set me up with their grandson.”

“Oh Remy? You’ve met him?”

“Yeah…”

“Well? How’d it go?”

“Uh … I’m not sure? Like, I’m pretty sure we established it wasn’t really a date. But I think we might …”

“Might what?”

“Be … friends?”

“That’s nice, Virgil,” Patton says in a way that Virgil can tell he means it.

Virgil shrugs. “Yeah, I don’t know what I’m gonna tell his granddads though. Their gonna jump on me as soon as they see me. God old people love to gossip more than teenagers.”

“Just try to let them down easy, okay? They really adore Remy and just want him to be happy.”

It’s the first conversation Virgil has with him that doesn’t make him nervous.

The days go by and Virgil is starting to feel like he’s really settling in.

He still doesn’t understand why the patients like him so much.

Not until Patton finally sheds some insight.

It’s a busy enough day, and then Remus has one of his episodes.

He’s screaming and the other staff members who are more experienced with dealing with him are trying to settle him down.

Virgil hears the commotion from down the hall and comes running into the day room where all the patients gather and visit or watch tv.

“He gets like this sometimes,” Logan tells him. Roman sits silently beside him holding his hand, lips pressed in a thin white line and eyes not looking away from the chaotic scene.

Remus is throwing things at the nurses, yelling something about how the lights are trying to eat him.

“It’s best to stay back, Virgil,” Logan tells him.

Virgil doesn’t listen.

He goes and turns off the lights.

There’s still enough sunlight filtering in through the windows, enough to see. But everyone looks around.

Virgil pushes through the other staff.

He nudges Patton aside who had been attempting to console him.

Patton wants to pull him back. Remus is in a vulnerable state of mind right now and it could be bad for either of them.

But Virgil leans in and starts talking in a low voice to Remus.

And … it’s working.

Remus’s screams taper off.

He doesn’t look any less confused or scared. Just subdued.

“I want to go,” he says, eyes looking through everyone there. “Want to go back to my room now. Want to go back.”

“Okay, we can go, Remus. Let’s go,” Virgil says and guides him out.

It’s a slow process, but they make it to his room, Patton hovering close the entire way.

They give Remus a mild sedative to help him relax.

When Virgil walks out of the room, Roman is standing there.

He doesn’t say anything to Virgil, but he claps a hand on his shoulder.

There’s gratitude glistening in his eyes.

Roman goes into the room.

Virgil leaves for the break room. He’s definitely earned a break.

Plus his hands are kind of shaking, but shhhhh, don’t tell anyone.

After a long time, Patton comes into the room.

He sits at the table with Virgil.

“He’ll be fine,” Patton assures him.

“I didn’t say I was worried for him.”

Patton smiles and shakes his head.

“They all love you, you know?” he surprises Virgil by saying. “The patients. You do a lot of good by them.”

Virgil shrugs. “I don’t see why. I’m just me. Just doing my job. Nothing special.”

“You treat them like people.”

Patton leans closer over the table. Virgil doesn’t look away.

“You listen to them. And you talk to them, like they’re people. And for them, these people who have lost a lot of their independence and are often left forgotten here by even their own families—that’s worth a lot.”

Virgil doesn’t know if he believes all that.

But it’s a nice thought.

[mycatshuman]

Fright Night But Make It Gay

Chapter 5 : Bitten

First | Last | Next | More

Pairings: Prinxeity, Intrological, moceit

Warnings: vampires bite, almost death, let me know if I missed anything

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"Damnit!" Remus growled as he pulled bbn at his hair. "He fucking got away!"

"Most likely they will be back in his house. We can go there," Logan explained as he drove back home. 

"We can't just storm into a vampires' house! He'll probably be waiting for us! He'll kill us as soon as we step into the house!" Remus yelled angrily. 

Patton winced. "But we don't know that for sure. He could have killed us when he grabbed Roman but he didn't."

Remus rolled his eyes. "Yeah, probably because he didn't want to get caught. He's probably luring us back into his hideout so he can suck all the blood from our bodies!" 

Patton's nose wrinkled in disgust. Janus groaned and buried his head in his hands. "Could you not describe these things in that much detail?" 

Remus frowned. "It's not even that much!" 

"Boys, enough." Patton sighed. "Let's just- give this guy a chance, okay? Roman really likes him." 

"But he's a vampire!" Remus exclaimed.

"Oh, yes. Do please burst my eardrums," Janus scowled as he plugged his ears. 

"Remus, please refrain from yelling. You're distracting me from driving," Logan said as he cast a quick glance to his boyfriend. Remus pouted. Logan sighed. "Look, I know you're worried about your brother. But we tried to get ahold of Peter Vincent and that didn't work. I think it's only fair to give this option a try." 

"But what if he-" 

"Remus, he has lived next to us for nearly a month now and Roman has spent multiple hours over there. This vampire has had plenty of opportunities to kill us for our blood. But he hasn't. He has chased after us because we took his boyfriend but he has not once tried to hurt us. He has not tried to cause an accident with us and he has shown no malice towards us. We should give him a chance." 

Remus crossed his arms. "But he could be acting." 

Logan sighed. "Yes, that's true but with the encounters we have had with him today, I believe he is harmless."

Remus' eyes blew wide. "HARMLESS?!?! HES A FUCKING VAMPIRE!"

"And there went my hearing," Janus groaned. There was no convincing Remus it seemed.

---------------

Roman happily cuddled Virgil in the vampires bedroom as they waited for his roommates to show back up. He nuzzled his nose into Virgil's neck while humming. "Virgil?" 

His boyfriend turned to face him. "Hhm?" 

Roman pressed a kiss to his boyfriends' neck. "Can you please bite me?" He whined. 

Virgil let out a shuddering breath. "Roman, stooooop." 

Roman grinned against the other's skin. "I don't hear a no." 

Virgil whined, his face red as he buried his face into his boyfriend's hair. "What if we get caught?" 

Roman's grin widened. "We can be quick. Just a quick bite and then we make out a bit before they get here."

Virgil groaned. "Your offer is very tempting….but," Virgil closed his eyes with a sigh. "Are you sure you're ready? I don't want to hurt you."

Roman sat up and positioned himself on Virgil's lap and stared down at the vampire seriously. "Virgil, I am 100% ready. If you asked me to marry you, right now, I would tell you that I'm ready. I'm ready, Virgil. I trust you. And I'm ready to prove it." 

Virgil blinked away tears. "Roman-" he choked. 

Roman took Virgil's face in his hands. "I love you, Virgil." He leaned forward and rested his forehead against the others'.

Virgil sighed. "Roman, I-" He stopped. It was silent for a few moments.

"It's okay. I understand if you're not there or you're not ready to say it yet. It's okay." 

Virgil shook his head. "No, that's not it. It's just- I didn't expect this. I love you, too." He smiled. "You're still sure you're ready?" 

Roman nodded. "Yes, Stormcloud, I'm ready." 

Virgil laughed softly and pressed a quick kiss to the others lips. "Where-" he flushed red with embarrassment. Relax, Virgil. You're just asking your boyfriend where he wants you to bite him. Virgil's blush deepened. That didn't make it any better! Oh my Selene this is too intimate! I'm going to die from this! 

Roman looked at Virgil smugly. "What was that?" He asked innocently. 

"Fuck you! You know what I'm trying to ask!" 

Roman paused and tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Hhm, I'm not quite sure I do. Could you help me out?" Virgil growled and opened his mouth to speak only for Roman to chuckle deeply and lean closer to him. "I think you know exactly where I want you to bite me. Here, let me help you." He laid his head on Virgil's shoulder revealing his neck for Virgil to bite. 

Virgil whined. "You're gonna be the death of me, Roman." 

Roman grinned. "You love me." 

Virgil sighed. "Yeah, I do." He held Roman' hand and leaned forward. Pressing a gentle kiss to the others neck he said, "Are you ready my Prince?" 

Roman suppressed a shudder. "Yeah," he said breathlessly.  

Virgil leaned forward and gently pierced the skin before beginning to draw in the red substance. Roman felt dizzy in all the right ways. He let go of Virgil's hand and wrapped his arms around the other as if that would hold him there. Virgil sighed and nuzzled the other's neck with his nose before licking the wound to reseal it. Roman giggled and let the other pull him into his embrace as he leaned back on the bed. 

They were silent for a few moments. Virgil slowly twisted his fingers through Roman's hair, playing with it to keep himself from panicking that he had somehow messed up and Roman didn't like him anymore. He tried to push those thoughts out of his head. "How are you feeling, Darling?" 

Roman smiled lazily. "Like I'm in heaven."

Virgil snorted. "Wow, even with a little bit of blood loss you're still a raging sap." 

Roman's smile widened into a grin. He pushed himself up and straddled Virgil's waist. "I believe I was promised a make out session." Virgil giggled and Roman swooped down to press their lips together, effectively stifling the vampire's laughter. Roman grinned. "You're so fucking adorable." 

Virgil smiled brightly up at him. "Not as adorable as you." 

"Why you-!" Roman exclaimed and tackled Virgil with more kisses. 

---------------

Remus pouted with his arms crossed as Logan reached forward and pressed the doorbell. The resulting sound rang out loudly throughout the house. The sound ended and the four young adults stood in an awkward silence for a few moments. 

"It's such a lovely house!" Patton exclaimed brightly in an attempt to break the icy tension that had settled between them all. Remus huffed. Janus rolled his eyes but held his tongue. Then the door opened. Remus gasped. 

"Roman! You're okay!" He grabbed his brother's arm and tried to pull him with him so they could run. Roman didn't budge. 

"Of course, I'm okay." He yanked his arm out of his brother's grip and stepped back. "Come on in. We have to talk." 

Remus frowned. "I don't understand. If he's threatening you or hurting you, then why haven't you told me? We can help!" 

Roman sighed. "I've already told you before Remus, he's not a monster. Come on and see for yourself." Remus folded his arms over his chest and stayed put.  Roman rolled his eyes. "Seriously?" 

Patton and Janus shared a glance before stepping forward and going inside. Logan watched Remus for a few moments before following them. Finally, Remus followed them after letting out a frustrated sigh. Roman closed the door once they all were inside and smiled uneasily at them. "Thank you. It really means a lot to me that you're willing to give him a chance." His brother scoffed. He sighed. "Follow me." 

Roman led the others into the living room where they found Virgil sitting on the floor and sorting through boxes. He looked up with a cautious smile. "Hello, its-" he paused and glanced at his position before jumping up and dusting imaginary dirt off his clothes. It was different actually talking to Roman's family considering all that had happened that day. But he still wanted to make a good impression on them. It was almost like he was meeting Roman's parents and that caused his anxiety to spike. "It's nice to meet you." 

Remus, Logan, and Janus stayed quiet while Patton smiled and responded. "It's nice to finally meet you! I'm Patton!" He held out a hand for Virgil to shake but Remus yanked it back. Patton frowned at him as hurt flashed across Virgil's eyes. It's not like he did anything wrong. 

Roman let out a frustrated sigh. "Come on, Remus. Give Virgil a chance and stop acting like he's a monster." Virgil flinched at the word and his boyfriend came over to him concerned. 

Remus let out a loud laugh. "You have got to be kidding me!" He flung a hand at Virgil. "He kidnapped you not even three hours ago!" 

Roman stared at his brother in shock. "No! He didn't! I left with him!" 

Remus opened his mouth to reply only to freeze as he noticed a fresh bite mark on his brother. He snapped with a growl and pulled out a dagger he had hidden on him when he first found out his brother was dating a vampire. He rushed propelled himself forward and buried the blade into Virgil's chest. He pulled it back out as he stepped back. 

Everyone froze. Virgil frowned as he looked down to find blood soaking through his shirt. He quickly became well aware that he hadn't had any blood since yesterday evening, aside from the small bit he took from Roman not too long ago. He didn't have enough blood at that moment to heal a wound of this size. He dropped to his knees. 

"Virgil!" Roman exclaimed and dropped down beside him. He pushed him back to lean against the couch as he inspected the wound only to blanch at the amount of blood soaking through the others shirt. "Oh my God! No! Wha?! Virgil what do I do?!?!?!" He pressed down on the wound as Virgil winced. 

"Remus! What the Fuck!" Janus yelled behind them as he pulled Patton into his embrace so the other could bury his face in his chest. 

Remus stared down at Virgil unsure. "I-I don't-" 

Virgil let out a ragged breath as Logan stepped forward with a towel he had found in the bathroom and handed it to Roman. "Here, press this down on the wound. I'll call the ambulance." 

"No!" Virgil shouted. 

Everyone stopped to stare at him. "I-stormcloud? Wha?" 

Virg coughed. "I-in my fridge downstairs, I need blood." He paused to draw in more breath. "I don't have enough to heal properly." 

Roman's eyes blew wide as Logan immediately ran to get the blood. "But, you just had some! I thought you were taking enough! Wha? Why didn't you take more?" 

"Didn't want to take too much." 

Roman frowned and stayed silent as Logan ran back in and handed him the blog bag. He handed it to Virgil as he quickly bit into it and sucked down the blood. He kept an eye on the wound and watched it close slowly. Virgil sat up slowly and inspected his chest to make sure the wound was gone. Then Roman slapped him. Virgil blinked. "Don't ever do that again!" He instantly latched onto Virgil and buried his face in the other's neck. "I was so scared, stormcloud." Tears began to fall from his eyes. "I thought you were going to die." 

Virgil's eyes softened as he looked at Roman. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again. I promise, my dear." 

Remus stood off to the side awkwardly. After a few moments Roman reluctantly sat up and took a deep breath before turning to Remus with a death glare. He stayed silent. Remus looked down and let out a breath. "I'm sorry, Roman. I should have listened to you and given him a chance." He turned to Virgil. "I'm sorry, Virgil. I shouldn't have stabbed you." 

Virgil bit his lip. "It's okay, I forgive you." 

Roman shook his head. "I'm very upset with you right now. I can't forgive you yet. But I accept you apology." He buried his face back into Virgil's neck. 

Virgil cleared his throat and stood up with Roman in his arms. "We're going to go lay down." He looked between the four humans before him and then back at the blood left on the floor. He bit his lip. "Um, if you could clean that up, please. I'd really appreciate it. I can order pizza later or whatever y'all want just give us a bit to nap." He smiled at them and left the room with Roman. 

The four men looked at each other. Janus asked, "Did that just happen?" 

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FNBMIG Taglist: @lehuka123

All: @misery-killed-me @superwholocked-for-life @mirror2thespirit @aroundofapplesauce @lyditist @little-euro-girl @unicornofdarknessstuff @maryann-draws @odette-ssbu

[halothenthehorns]

TLTNL- EXCESS OF PHLEGM

"Remus, can I speak to you." James snapped before Harry could even think of passing the book along, his tone in no way implying that as a question.

Remus got to his feet slowly and dragged his feet to the hallway, he'd been expecting this, and was almost happy at the delay Lily caused.

"James, I can fight my own battles," she snapped at him, eyeing Remus with more worry than anything as he trudged off. Considering everything that had been going on, it hadn't even crossed her mind to hold any of his comments against him.

"I'm not daft enough to think otherwise," James agreed, flicking his eyes to her and smiling for a moment before going for the stairs himself. "I'd still like a word with him."

Sirius followed as well, and Lily and Harry exchanged wary looks before going into the kitchen and prepping an early lunch.

He may have been expecting it, but Remus was no more pleased to be hearing from these two than they clearly were trying to ask him what his problem was. He hadn't meant to make it so plain there at the end, and bitterly regretted he had such a hard time hiding his emotions around here.

The two exchanged a look before James launched off, "What has gotten into you lately? Picking fights with Lily? Snapping at everyone for the stupidest things? I'm sorry Dumbledore's been acting like a prat lately with everything going on in Harry's time, but you're driving me nuts Moony!"

Remus almost wanted to smile. Prongs had left him perfectly open to either vent about this lesser, though still pressing agitation on his life, or correct him. He considered the first for several moments before finally stating, "Acting a prat? James the man's gone off the world and left the lot of us to rot! The best part is, he's pretending like he hasn't!"

Sirius watched him steadily beat out his rant, and wished he could say more. He couldn't though. He knew Remus looked up to Dumbledore, his idol. To hear of all the things he'd done would be hardest of all on him, like Harry realizing the true nature of the Marauders last year. The difference was they couldn't Floo Dumbledore, ask him to make them feel better about ruining Harry's life, their life.

  When Remus was finally done he slumped back against the wall, looking utterly exhausted, but finally one of the lines creasing his face faded away for getting it all out.

"I know Moony," was all Sirius could think to say.

"You should really chat with Harry," the look on James' face made it perfectly clear of the double in there. Of course he could just mean Remus could go to Harry and talk to him about Dumbledore, only those two had such a close connection to the Headmaster and could understand each other...or anything else, like they needed to.

Remus didn't disagree, but he was almost afraid to as well. Afraid that he'd say the wrong thing to him, again. Terrified Harry's promise was wrong, that he vanished from that teenager's life, or worse, that he stayed and only made things worse like he was now. He couldn't bring himself to say this to either of the people he most wanted to though, because they had more of a connection to Harry than he'd ever had a claim to. He wouldn't put anything more in between any of them, this was a problem he had to deal with on his own.

They came back in to find Harry and Lily having a lively discussion about Slughorn.

"I mean, who decides to turn down a job by faking being attacked?"

"Obviously Dumbledore wasn't there to take no for an answer, I can see Slughorn doing something so drastic," Lily said peaceably as she stirred a pan on the stove.

Harry was at the table cutting up some vegetables, by hand of all things, and didn't even seem to notice their entrance with his back to the hallway. He was just as busy keeping Hickory from stealing carrots from his pile as he was chatting with his mother.

"How did Dumbledore even know where Slughorn was, he was on the run and hiding from Death Eaters? And of all things, how did Dumbledore know he was a chair? And how did Dumbledore know he was faking all that? He never even told me why we were there at midnight, I wouldn't want someone popping in on me at that time either."

"I can't begin to imagine what goes through either of those men's minds," Lily sighed with exasperation, dumping the sauce into a pot and giving it a sharp crack with her wand, causing some red wine to start pouring into the mixture as well.

"The least surprising part was that he tore the house apart in less than two minutes, and how he was still trying to put details up as we were walking in-" Harry froze as he went to pass the vegetables to her and saw the others. He didn't even seem sure what expression to make, so settled for an uneasy smile, eyes still flickering to Remus and away just as much as the other two now, guilt heaviest of all he couldn't do anything right by anyone.

"You think he'll ever run out of questions?" Sirius asked as he plopped himself into the chair nearest Harry and kicked his feet back on the table, leaning the chair back.

Easily breaking all tension when Harry gave an already knowing smile, and didn't have to wait for the show his godfather had started.

Lily didn't even glance over her shoulder, merely sent a tripping hex instead and causing him to topple over.

Sirius made several colorful statements as he got himself back to his feet and then harangued Lily about her enforcing such archaic rules. The other three were too busy laughing at them all through the meal to even consider such things as awkwardness, especially as they all got so easily pulled into it themselves.

They went back to reading with the first bit of pleasantness they had all day, and Remus didn't even consider it as he took the book from Harry to begin. He knew he'd have to confront the larger problem, soon, but for now he'd take the blessing of his friend doing what he always did, giving him more time.

Harry and Dumbledore approached the back door of the Burrow, which was surrounded by the familiar litter of old Wellington boots and rusty cauldrons; Harry could hear the soft clucking of sleepy chickens coming from a distant shed. Dumbledore knocked three times and Harry saw sudden movement behind the kitchen window.

Mrs. Weasley's voice could neverosly be heard telling them to declare themselves.

As soon as Dumbledore said who it was, the door opened to reveal her.

She greeted them with surprise, Dumbledore had warned they wouldn't be here until morning, but Dumbledore explained Slughorn had been more persuadable than expected.

"He didn't even want them there!" James balked. "What in the world was his plan involving till sunrise?"

"I'm, grateful, we didn't have to find out," Lily said slowly and not as if she really meant it, it certainly would have been fascinating to hear of more of his other plans that didn't involve Harry being such an enticing return.

Then he greeted Nymphadora.

"Tonks is back!" Sirius cheered at once.

"I can't wait to hear what she was up to," Remus agreed with a cheerful smirk, clearly not able to kick that good mood out now that Sirius had put it in here.

Harry looked around and saw that Mrs. Weasley was not alone, despite the lateness of the hour. A young witch with a pale, heart-shaped face and mousy brown hair was sitting at the table clutching a large mug between her hands.

"What happened to her pink hair?" James pouted. "I liked that."

"Maybe she just got back from business and hasn't even realized she'd like to change it back," Lily shrugged.

Harry thought she looked drawn, even ill, and there was something forced in her smile.

All of them frowned in concern for that. None of them even knew her that well, not even Harry really, but she'd been a little bright spot all of the last book and it was genuinely depressing to hear of even more sobering things going on in this future to someone they so normally would have called cheerful.

Certainly her appearance was less colorful than usual without her customary shade of bubble-gum-pink hair.

She quickly excused herself, thanking Molly for the tea and sympathy.

"Sympathy for what?" Lily muttered, catching on that word and wishing to pull the girl aside herself and have a friendly chat if she could.

Dumbledore asked her not to leave on his account, but she really insisted she couldn't stay,while not meeting his eyes.

"Oooh, what kind of tiff is going on there," Sirius demanded with a touch more interest than was called for. He'd really liked hearing of Tonks and if Dumbledore was yet another obstacle in another person's life, he'd really start struggling not to start acting like Moony earlier and gripe at this mans every doing.

Molly invited her to dinner this weekend, Mad-Eye and Remus would be there.

Sirius let out a righteous bark at once, before jabbing his finger into Moony's face, "aha! You are coming back around, so I don't want to hear another word out of you whining about this!"

"Is this only when I'm in the actual chapter, or just in general you don't want to hear me, because frankly I won't be accommodating either," Remus said with such a stupid smile in place it ruined his sarcasm. He'd honestly convinced himself so much that he'd fall back out of Harry's life without another mention, coming over for a dinner was the best news he'd yet heard.

Harry smiled along with the others for this, but he had a funny feeling in place as he kept that smile. He suddenly wondered if it wasn't Dumbledore, but someone else Tonks was trying to

avoid. Mad-Eye seemed the most likely of those two, being fellow Aurors...right? What could they be fighting about though? Then he pushed the whole thing off, telling himself to stop thinking about things so much, it was likely nothing at all Tonks couldn't work out for herself.

Insisting otherwise, Tonks hurried past Dumbledore and Harry into the yard; a few paces beyond the doorstep, she turned on the spot and vanished into thin air.

"The apparition spot was out by the broom-shed?" Harry questioned.

"You can have it two separate places, the entrance and the departure," Lily explained.

Harry noticed that Mrs. Weasley looked troubled.

Dumbledore chose to leave as well, parting with Harry and telling Molly ‘your servant,'* before following Tonks, vanishing at precisely the same spot. Mrs. Weasley closed the door on the empty yard and then steered Harry by the shoulders into the full glow of the lantern on the table to examine his appearance.

Molly turned to Harry and first noted how much he'd already grown since she'd last seen him, then asked if he was hungry. Harry agreed he was starving.

Lily made a little tisking noise of disapproval, well remembering Harry saying how little he'd eaten before now and it was his own doing that time. At least he hadn't carried that in here.

As Harry sat down, a furry ginger cat with a squashed face lumped onto his knees and settled there, purring.

"Crookshanks is back!" Sirius cheered with just as much enthusiasm as he had for Tonks, at least a cat couldn't depress him!

"Are you going to do that for everyone who turns up at the Burrow?" James asked curiously.

"I might," Sirius sniffed.

Harry asked Hermione was here as well while happily tickling Crookshanks behind the ,ears.**

Mrs. Weasley agreed she'd arrived the day before yesterday, rapping a large iron pot with her wand.

"Err," Lily couldn't help but say with some general concern. "I know I brought this up your last Christmas, but does Hermione ever spend time with her parents?"

Harry merely shrugged. He'd just been happy to spend the majority of his holiday with both of his friends, he hadn't questioned it farther than that. Ron had sometimes to ask a question about Muggles in general, but Hermione never really spoke about her parents, well, anymore than he did the Dursleys.

It bounced onto the stove with a loud clang and began to bubble at once while she continued everyone else was in bed.

She tapped the pot again; it rose into the air, flew toward Harry, and tipped over; Mrs. Weasley slid a bowl nearly beneath it just in time to catch the stream of thick, steaming onion soup.

James couldn't help but make a little humming noise, that was one of his favorite dishes.

She waved her wand over her shoulder; a loaf of bread and a knife soared gracefully onto the table; as the loaf sliced itself and the soup pot dropped back onto the stove, Mrs.

Weasley sat down opposite him.

She asked him about Slughorn, but Harry had his mouth mostly full of soup and merely nodded. She went on to explain he'd taught her and Arthur,

"I didn't know that," Lily blinked in surprise.

"Kind of fascinating, when you realize how many life spans teachers influence," Remus muttered for himself.

and had been at Hogwarts at least as long as Dumbledore. How had Harry liked him?

Harry shrugged and gave a noncommittal jerk of the head.

She agreed she understood that, he could be charming, but wasn't to everyone's taste. He'd never even given Arthur the time of day, hadn't seen him as much of a highflier.

"Shows how good Slughorn's stupid talent really is," James scoffed.

Just went to show even Slughorn made mistakes. She didn't know if Ron had told him yet, but Arthur had been promoted!

James was the only one not immiedly happy at this, and that was just because he was still making a funny face at having said the same thing as Molly. This was genuinely wonderful news! The man had deserved it long before now!

It could not have been clearer that Mrs. Weasley had been bursting to say this.

"Well I can't really blame her," Lily agreed cheerfully, "I'd be just as bad if my husband even bothered to get a job." James widened his eyes with a look of pure innocence while the couple exchanged a loving smile knowing they would indeed be just as proud, James had certainly not shut up to the only three people who would listen any time she did...well anything.

Harry had at that moment swallowed a large amount of hot soup, searing the inside of his throat, which possibly lead Mrs. Weasley to think his tears of pain were for this.

Sirius did start snickering hysterically at this.

She went on to explain Scrimgeour had opened several new offices to help recent circumstances, and Arthur was now heading the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects.

"Much more of a mouthful than his old title," James said in surprise.

"Sounds to me like he's dealing with all kinds of things now, not just Muggle Artifacts, so I'm sure he's more than pleased," Remus agreed.

It was a big job, he had ten people reporting to him now!

Sirius let out a low whistle in surprise, and further concurrence.

Harry asked what exactly that was, and she explained he helped manage artifacts that people kept trying to pass off as real items to protect, when in fact they were more often than not cursed things for a quick buck. He was more busy than ever, and it was silly to miss his Muggle rubbish.

Sirius had been reading with more interest than anything, up until the very end, where he couldn't help but snicker.

"Honestly, it's as if the man can't have a hobby," James agreed lightly.

Mrs. Weasley ended her speech with a stern look, as if it had been Harry suggesting that it was natural to miss spark plugs.

"You mean it's not?" Sirius demanded. "What on Earth has my life come to!"

"More spark plugs, apparently, and I can't disagree you need them to the head," Remus smirked.

"Thank you Moony," Sirius nodded along, "that's just what I wanted to hear."

Harry asked if he was still at work, and she uneasily agreed he was, and in fact running late.

She glanced to her clock, which showed all nine Weasleys on each hand, all of which were pointed to mortal peril.

James had to fight very hard against a surprised snort of laughter, and only just managed it from the fear stopping his breath short. What did that mean?! Was it because Harry was there? Surely not!

She noticed his staring and told it had been like that since You-Know-Who had been out in the open.

Lily tried to release a breath like that was somehow reliving news, but it wasn't all that convincing, they all had the same expression in place like they'd been thinking the same thing.

She couldn't check if it was only her family, she didn't know anyone else with a clock like it- She cut off in surprise as they watched Arthur's hand moved to traveling, and moments later, home.

She moved to the backdoor, but kept it shut to make sure it was him.

He agreed it was, but pointed out he'd say the same if he were a Death Eater. She still needed to ask the question.

"At least some families practice that," Remus gave a surprised laugh.

"Just because we don't do it at every door doesn't make us lax," Sirius rolled his eyes at him.

Remus failed to point out the Order seemed to disagree after losing another of its members.

After some exasperation she asked him what his dearest ambition was, and his response was to learn how airplanes stayed up.

Lily couldn't help a surprised giggle at that, finding more each passing time he spoke how much fun Arthur would likely have interrogating a Muggle if he had more of a chance.

She made to open the door for him, but apparently he was holding the other knob, as he refused to let it go until he asked what did she like to be called when they were alone?

All three boys made little ugh noises of entirely not wanting to know that, and Harry even almost went so far as to plug his ears before Sirius just got it done with.

Even by the dim light of the lantern Harry could tell that Mrs. Weasley had turned bright red; he himself felt suddenly warm around the ears and neck, and hastily gulped soup, clattering his spoon as loudly as he could against the bowl. It did nothing to help him hear the answer.

Lily offered a reluctant smile amidst all of the boys muttering how much they hadn't wanted to know that, "well, I'll give the man credit, no Death Eater would likely think to ask such a thing."

"Doesn't mean we wanted to know," Harry stated, as red faced in here as he was then.

"They're not meant for you to know, Arthur doesn't know you're there yet," James reminded.

"Then I'll happily pretend like I never found out," Sirius grumbled before moving on loudly.

He finally allowed the door to be open, Mrs. Weasley saying in exasperation she didn't know why he insisted on going through that every time he came home. If he were a Death Eater, he would have just blown down the door, not bother impersonating anyone.

"The point of it is to think up questions and answers they wouldn't think to ask in that scenario," Lily wisely endowed to Harry's suddenly uneasy look.

He nodded, but the thought hadn't been what if Mr. Weasley was right, it was the act itself he couldn't shake off. He didn't want to imagine what he would have told someone to save the life of another being tortured, the idea was too horrible to consider even as he forced his mind to ignore the echoing screams from a memory he hoped he was misunderstanding.

Arthur reminded as a Ministry employe, he needed to set an example for their kids. Plus, what if he really had been a Death Eater.

"His kids are all apparently asleep, who's he setting an example for?" Sirius snorted.

"And Merlin help those two if Molly answers that around their kids too," James agreed.

He smelt the onion soup then and looked hopefully towards the table, where he finally spotted Harry.

The two greeted each other cheerfully before he went into some details about work, like someone selling Metamorph-Medals. A thousand disguises for ten Galleons!

"A shame we can't really have something like that," Harry muttered, it would make his Transfiguration classes a lot more smooth he was sure.

All that really happened when they were put on was turning orange and sprouting tentacles, as if St. Mungo's didn't have enough to be getting on with.

Lily scoffed in further disgust of people, depressed this was more news than something she'd had plenty of time fixing herself on her time off.

Mrs. Weasley hesitantly said that sounded like the kind of thing the twins would do.

"They would never," James defended at once. "Even in school they knew when not to mess around."

Lily just rolled her eyes at him. Molly was just being a concerned mother, and Lily could think of several instances where they'd been idiots, and practical idiots.

Arthur at once said they were doing no such thing, they knew better.

Molly caught Harry yawning then and sent him off to bed,

"Aww," Sirius muttered in genuine disappointment, he was rather enjoying hearing about Arthur's job.

he'd be staying in the twins room.

"Why?" Remus asked in concern at once.

Harry asked where they were.

"Oh, I meant what's wrong with Ron's room, but that works too," Remus muttered.

She told they were sleeping above their shop in Diagon Alley, they apparently needed to with how busy they were.

All of them beamed at the thought, though unsurprised. This was by far the best thing a Potter had ever invested in!

She really hadn't approved at first,

"Didn't approve," Sirius repeated with an eye roll, finding that far too low brow for her trashing their things and telling them at every opportunity what wasted potential they were.

but they did seem to have a flair for business.

Harry called a goodnight to Mr. Weasley as he followed Molly upstairs, glancing one more time at the clock, all nine hands now back to mortal peril.

Lily couldn't help nibbling at her lip again, glancing fearfully at Harry and away with more questions for this poor family that she knew he couldn't answer.

Fred and George's bedroom was on the second floor.

James couldn't help but to start bouncing eagerly in anticipation, he'd been wanting to hear details about the twins room since he'd first heard of Ron's!

Mrs. Weasley pointed her wand at a lamp on the bedside table and it ignited at once, bathing the room in a pleasant golden glow. Though a large vase of flowers had been placed on a desk in front of the small window, their perfume could not disguise the lingering smell of what Harry thought was gunpowder.

"A memorable entrance indeed," Sirius blinked in surprise before they all started snickering.

A considerable amount of floor space was devoted to a vast number of unmarked, sealed cardboard boxes, amongst which stood Harry's school trunk. The room looked as though it was being used as a temporary warehouse.

"It probably is," Remus agreed.

Hedwig hooted happily at Harry from her perch on top of a large wardrobe, then took off through the window; Harry knew she had been waiting to see him before going hunting.

"Aww," Lily cooed, smiling over at their own bright orange screech owl, Click, who more often than not chose to live off of the owl treats than hunt.

Harry bade Mrs. Weasley good night, put on pajamas, and got into one of the beds. There was something hard inside the pillowcase. He groped inside it and pulled out a sticky purple-and-orange sweet, which he recognized as a Puking Pastille.

"Hopefully not a sign of the rest of this book," James muttered, remembering several nauseating times already from Harry's past.

Smiling to himself, he rolled over and was instantly asleep.

Seconds later, or so it seemed to Harry, he was awakened by what sounded like cannon fire as the door burst open.

"I think Ginny realized he was there," Sirius couldn't help but tease, though the tiny little girl fawning over Harry had been replaced with the formidable fifteen year old telling his godson he wasn't leaving without her in that forest in his mind, so the joke held no weight.

"Be fair, Hermione's been known to attack hug him as well," James chuckled while Harry ignored them both.

Sitting bolt upright, he heard the rasp of the curtains being pulled back: The dazzling sunlight seemed to poke him hard in both eyes. Shielding them with one hand, he groped hopelessly for his glasses with the other.

He blurrily demanded what was going on, while a loud voice shouted they hadn't known he was here so early! Then Harry got a sharp blow to his head.

A girl reprimanded Ron not to hit him.

"Honestly, this really is a kind awakening, you don't want to know how these two have gotten me out of a bed," Remus rolled his eyes at Harry's face, a mix of pleased at his friends again and severe agitation with such an abrupt awakening.

Harry's hand found his glasses and he shoved them on, though the light was so bright he could hardly see anyway. A long, looming shadow quivered .in front of him for a moment; he blinked and Ron Weasley came into focus, grinning down at him.

They asked how he was, and Harry said never better while rubbing the top of his head.

"A much kinder response than I've ever given," Sirius chuckled.

Harry asked what time it was, and Ron said just past noon, their mum had only just told them he was here.

Hermione asked how it had been with the Muggles, had they treated him okay?

"Just brushing right past he's hardly gone to bed then," Lily shook her head, but found that a relevant enough question she didn't blame Hermione. They hadn't exactly been keeping better hours around here anyways.

Harry said same as usual, he hadn't really spent much time there thankfully.

Hermione, was scrutinizing Harry as though he was sickening for something. He thought he knew what was behind this, and as he had no wish to discuss Sirius's death or any other miserable subject at the moment,

"I can not blame you," Sirius said extra loudly to emphasize he wanted the same.

asked if he'd missed breakfast?

Ron promised a tray was coming up for him, then asked what he'd really been up to.

Harry didn't get it, and Ron told him to stop messing around, he'd been with Dumbledore!

"That always sounds far more exciting than it turns out to be," Lily shook her head.

Harry told that they'd only been getting a teacher out of retirement, and Ron looked disappointed as he began they'd thought- then Hermione gave him a warning look and he finished they'd thought it would be that.

"Well he's gotten much better at that picking up on things," James laughed.

"Getting a teacher out of retirement would be top of my list of things I thought you'd be doing too," Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Why'd Hermione want him not to ask about that though?" Remus was surprised. "Harry's never not told them what he's been up to.

"Maybe Hermione thinks that's a sensitive topic too," Lily rolled her eyes.

It made sense they'd need a new Defense teacher, what had he been like?

"It's nice to have more foreknowledge than the teenagers for once," Sirius laughed hard at that one.

"Technically we only know they're wrong about their assumption, not who the new Defense teacher is," Remus pointed out.

"Must you ruin all my fun?" Sirius rolled his eyes.

Harry said he looked a bit like a walrus, and he used to be Head of Slytherin.

"About sums him up as far as I'm concerned," James agreed.

Then he asked Hermione if something was wrong?

She was watching him as though expecting strange symptoms to manifest themselves at any moment. She rearranged her features hastily in an unconvincing smile.

"What is her problem this morning?" Sirius asked in exasperation.

"Harry's interrupting her and Ron's room the past three weeks?" Remus offered under his breath, causing Sirius to both snort and smile innocently, and Remus to hurry on before explaining the joke. Neither thought Harry would find it funny.

She said no of course not! Then quickly asked what kind of teacher he'd be?

Harry just said couldn't be worse than Umbridge.

"He's got me there," Sirius sighed, and there used to be a time Slughorn was his least favorite teacher, but Snape had already trumped that, now the man seemed like a blessing after that frosted catnip.

A voice from the doorway interrupted there was certainly someone worse than Umbridge.

"I find that hard to agree," Lily said at once with a disparaging look at her sons right hand.

Ron's younger sister slouched into the room, looking irritable, but still gave Harry a hi.

"That's certainly a contrast than glowing like the sun upon first meeting you," James smiled slightly, though it was just a bit saddening to hear of this girl's growing up more than he'd got to witness his own son doing so.

Ron asked what her problem was, and she shouted she was being driven mad!

Hermione sympathetically asked what had been done now?

Ginny returned she kept being spoken to like she was three!

Hermione agreed she was so full of herself.

"This is just rude, playing the pronoun game right in front of us," Sirius grumbled as this conversation just kept carrying on.

"I'm not sure who they could even be talking about," Remus agreed, "doesn't seem like Molly."

"Certainly not Tonks, who's the only other girl we've seen over there," James agreed, completely baffled.

"Maybe it's still someone new," Lily shrugged as she waved them on.

Harry was astonished to hear Hermione talking about Mrs. Weasley like this and could not blame Ron for saying angrily they needed to lay off for five seconds.

"Ron joining in on this just made it more interesting," Sirius didn't try very hard to fight off a smirk.

Ginny snapped of course he'd defend her, he couldn't get enough of her!

This seemed an odd comment to make about Ron's mother.

Harry scowled at their collective snorts and grumbled they all thought themselves so smart, he had just woken up!

He had just asked who they were speaking of when again someone came in the door.

Harry instinctively yanked the bedcovers up to his chin so hard that Hermione and Ginny slid off the bed onto the floor.

"They kind of deserved it after your morning," James chuckled.

A young woman was standing in the doorway, a woman of such breathtaking beauty that the room seemed to have become strangely airless. She was tall and willowy with long blonde hair and appeared to emanate a faint, silvery glow. To complete this vision of perfection, she was carrying a heavily laden breakfast tray.

"Err," most of them muttered, as this cleared up nothing. Harry wasn't being of much help, still blinking spastically as if he had a bright light in his eyes. Sirius though well remembered a girl of this description, and the next line only magnified that expression.

A girl in a thick French accent greeted ˜Arry, it had been too long!

"Oh, it's Fleur!" Remus yelped.

James let out a surprised whistle as this registered, "wow, her and Bill must be getting on really well for her to already be hanging around his house this much."

Lily was still rolling her eyes at Sirius for not just telling them this when he'd realized it.

As she swept over the threshold toward him, Mrs. Weasley was revealed, bobbing along in her wake, looking rather cross. Pointing out there was no need for this, she was doing it herself.

Flure said it was no problem, she'd wanted to come see him! Gabrielle would be so delighted about this as well.

"Merlin, how many people do they have crammed into that house?" Lily asked with some concern for this declaration.

"Bill and her are likely just there visiting with her, I doubt they're staying there," James shrugged.

Harry asked she was here to.

Flure corrected next summer, when the- then she stopped in surprise he didn't know.

"How could he know, he's literally just awoken," Remus reminded, clearly still far more against this than anything.

Her great blue eyes widened and she looked reproachfully at Mrs. Weasley, who said they hadn't a chance to tell him yet.

"She doesn't seem particularly excited for it," Lily noticed, a few things popping to mind.

Fleur turned back to Harry, swinging her silvery sheet of hair so that it whipped Mrs. Weasley across the face.

"Endearing," Sirius snickered.

Announcing her and Bill were to be married!

"Ah, well I was right," James smirked.

"Wonder what's got Molly so wound up about it," Sirius shrugged without much concern.

"Her first baby's starting his own family, I'm sure she's going through all sorts of things," Lily told, eyeing Harry's ring with something very acute to how Molly would be feeling, while unable to stop a pleased little smile of her own for these circumstances.

Harry just said oh blankly. He could not help noticing how Mrs. Weasley, Hermione, and Ginny were all determinedly avoiding one another's gaze.

Lily couldn't help but understand those girls, she hadn't thought much of Fleur either until Harry had gotten to know her a bit better.

He congratulated her, and she swooped down upon him and kissed him on each cheek while continuing Bill was very busy with his job for now so he invited her over here to get to know his family, though there wasn't much to do unless you liked cooking and chickens.

"Should I be worried she thinks things are going to be more exciting with him around?" Remus went wide eyed with some genuine concern for that.

"She met Harry when he entered the tournament he shouldn't, I can't blame her," Sirius reminded without any enthusiasm.

She waved him goodbye and bid him enjoy his breakfast before leaving.

Ginny whispered as soon as she left Mum hated her.

Molly snapped at once she did not, she just thought they were rushing into this engagement!

"Well I can't say a word," Lily muttered with a gleaming smile. She never would have thought herself the kind to marry right after school and have a family started, and Bill would be about that same age. She wouldn't change her life for anything though, and would of course caution her own child not to do the same.

Ron pointed out they knew each other for a year, still staring groggily at the door.

"I think someone's still got a Veela infatuation," Sirius said wisely.

Molly said that certainly wasn't long enough! People were doing this across the country, all this uncertainty with You-Know-Who! It was the same last time, people eloping left, right, and center.

"Yes. And?" James asked with an unconcerned smirk as he fought the compulsion to go over to his wife just to take her hand.

"Prongs, you are not the example to be setting for anyone," Remus scoffed.

"Oh, and you are?" Sirius challenged.

"You're all idiots, so I don't know what you're comparing," Lily reminded.

Ginny reminded as well as her own parents, and Molly went slightly red before pointing out they were made for each other.

"Right," James drew out the word defiantly, Molly had just turned herself into a bit of a hypocrite, again.

Whereas Bill and Fleur didn't have a thing in common. He was down to earth and hard working, where as she-

Was a cow, Ginny happily inserted. He loved adventure and glamour, probably why he fell for Phlegm.

They all snorted in surprise, that having been the last thing they'd expect Ginny to call anyone.

Mrs. Weasley snapped at her daughter not to call her that as Harry and Hermione laughed.

"I don't see where she gets off telling Ginny that," Harry said a bit defensively, "she was just bad mouthing Fleur as well."

"Do as I say, not as I do," Sirius shrugged.

She went back downstairs then, while Ron was still shaking his head like he was punch-drunk.

Harry asked didn't he get used to it with her over here so much?

Ron agreed mostly, but not when she just jumped out like that.

"It's the Yule Ball all over again," Remus snickered.

"I do hope Fleur's told Bill about that exciting tale," Sirius agreed.

Hermione furiously called him pathetic, striding away from Ron as far as she could go and turning to face him with her arms folded once she had reached the wall.

"Never mind, they're still squabbling, and ignoring the fun side of acting like a married couple," Remus muttered.

Ginny protested he couldn't want her around forever? Mum was going to find a way to stop it.

"Oh, she wouldn't go that far," Lily disagreed. "She may not approve, and I'm sure she's told Bill as much, but I can't imagine her standing in his way like that."

"I can," James scowled, well remembering her harshness of the twins, and his own best mate last time she'd been around.

Harry asked how she'd managed that, and Hermione explained she kept trying to have Tonks around, like she hoped Bill would fall for her instead.

Ginny agreed she'd much rather have her in the family.

"Yeah, I can see it," Sirius grinned.

Harry just laughed, having an odd feeling this was in fact the exact opposite of what was going on, but not quite far off either?

Ron didn't buy it, no bloke in his right mind would fancy Tonks when Fleur was around.

"Oh now that's not fair," Remus frowned for that. "I've much more enjoyed hearing about her than some pretty French girl."

"Got to agree with Moony on that one, she'd be much more fun to have around," Sirius nodded.

Tonks is okay-looking when she wasn't doing stupid things to her hair and her nose,

"I thought that was when she was at her best," Remus snipped.

"Go for the girl with a sense of humor," James agreed, very purposely looking to his wife who was snickering along.

Hermione agreed Tonks was even more intelligent, being an Auror.

Harry contradicted Fleur had been in the Triwizard Tournament, that had to take some brains.

"Intelligence wasn't a factor for that Harry," Sirius snorted in surprise.

"Plus, she came in last," James agreed.

"Oh stop, the lot of you, we're not having a contest over this," Lily fought to straighten her face and scold.

Hermione snapped not him as well!

Ginny scornfully asked if he liked the way she said ˜Arry?

Harry, now regretting having spoken at all, tried to say Phlegm, err, Fleur-

"Apparently Ginny's nickname was catchier than I first thought," Sirius snickered.

but Ginny just interrupted she wanted Tonks in the family.

Ron pointed out she hadn't been much fun lately, acting more like Moaning Myrtle the past few times she'd been around.

"Do they know something about that?" Lily asked, her concern for this returning at once.

"Let's find out," Sirius agreed.

Hermione snapped that wasn't fair, she still hadn't gotten over it! He was her cousin!

Sirius blanched in surprised, that had not been the answer he'd been expecting!

"Nah, surely that's not it," James tried to say casually, though the hitch in his voice made that anything but. He couldn't even continue, but looked away from everyone, despising his mind for reliving those last few moments all over again.

Sirius muttered a bit at Hermione still managing to bring this up before pressing on for the fifth time already about this.

Harry's heart sank. They had arrived at Sirius. He picked up a fork and began shoveling scrambled eggs into his mouth, hoping to deflect any invitation to join in this part of the conversation.

"Food has been known to solve many a problem," Remus agreed while trying to examine his nails and ignoring the ringing in his ears.

Ron scoffed that was ridiculous, they'd barely known each other, he'd been in Azkaban half her life and their families never met.

"Close enough to the truth," Lily whispered, watching Sirius' face drain of all color for being further reminded of this. He'd probably spent more time laughing about Tonks in here than he ever had with her.

Hermione snapped that wasn't the point, she thought it was her own fault he'd died.

Harry asked how Tonks would work that out despite himself.

"Yeah, I thought I took the blame for everything," Sirius happily falsified his voice to mock Harry's when trying to say that. For some reason his godson didn't appreciate the attempt.

Hermione reminded she'd been the last one fighting Bellatrix before it happened.

Ron said that was stupid, but Hermione reminded it was survivors guilt. She'd heard Lupin had tired to talk her around,

Harry couldn't help making a funny noise at that, though he wasn't sure what it was. Not quite laughter for Hermione's assumption.

but she'd been really down, having trouble with her Metamorphosing!

"Her what?" They yelped in genuine concern.

She hadn't been changing her appearance at will, probably shock.

"Now I'm really convinced something's wrong, and it's not me," Sirius' frown turned heavier than ever for his poor little cousins health.

"I'm sure that's the first time you've ever said that," Remus tried to playfully snip, but it fell flat. If it wasn't having to hear about Sirius, it was some other travesty happening in this future, and Tonks really was a light they could have used right now.

Harry was surprised that could happen, but Hermione said she was sure it could if one was really depressed.

"I can see it," Lily murmured uneasily. "Magic can have an affect on your state of mind, so I suppose the physical aspects would also be a bit touched."

"Whatever it is, I hope someone's trying to help," Remus huffed, still more worried than anything he wasn't being of any good to the Order even if he was clearly still around in some way.

Molly popped back in to ask Ginny to come help her with lunch.

"No, the conversation can't go on without her!" James dramatically wailed, causing the others a fresh burst of laughter for theatrics at least.

Ginny protested she was talking! Mrs. Weasley wouldn't hear it and said now! Ginny huffed she just didn't want to be alone with Phlegm, then swung her long red hair around in a very good imitation of Fleur and pranced across the room with her arms held aloft like a ballerina.

"A sight to behold I'm sure," Sirius forced a chipper mood again as well to go along with Prongs while Harry genuinely gave an affectionate smile for the show.

Harry took advantage of the temporary silence to eat more breakfast.

"A worthy cause," Remus chucked.

Hermione was peering into Fred and George's boxes, though every now and then she cast sideways looks at Harry. Ron, who was now helping himself to Harry's toast, was still gazing dreamily at the door.

She pulled a small telescope out of one and asked what it was.

Ron cautioned to be careful, though he wasn't sure. If Fred and George had left it behind, probably meant it wasn't ready for the shop.

"We all know what their last tests were like," Lily agreed with a small smile.

Speaking of his brothers, Harry asked if Percy had come around yet?

Lily perked up the most for this answer, the others were clearly still far more disgusted he'd even done such a thing.

Ron said nope.

Harry was shocked, Voldemort was back in the open now, he had to admit his parents were right.

"Clearly that's not enough for him to admit he was wrong of all things!" Siris snapped.

Hermione said Dumbledore had offered something along the lines of it was easier to forgive others for being wrong than right.

Ron agreed that was the mental sort of thing he'd say.

Harry conversationally put in he'd be taking private lessons with him this year.

Ron choked on a bit of toast and Hermione gasped, both shocked he'd kept that quiet!

"When exactly was he supposed to insert that into the conversation? When he was getting socked in the head, or Ron was drooling over Fleur?" James chuckled, though he knew he would have been just as bad if that had been dropped at any time.

Ron at once wondered where he, his voice tailed away. Harry saw him and Hermione exchange looks.

"Well they've clearly been having conversations without you again," Sirius pouted.

"Been doing that last year as well, and I'd be happy for them, if it weren't about me," Harry sighed.

Harry laid down his knife and fork, his heart beating rather fast considering that all he was doing was sitting in bed. Dumbledore had said to do it. ... Why not now?

"Because it would have been nice to go a whole five minutes without thinking about it," James sighed unhappily, but didn't begrudge Harry getting this out of the way either rather than dwelling on it his own some more.

He fixed his eyes on his fork, which was gleaming in the sunlight streaming into his lap, and began explaining those lessons had something to do with that prophecy.

Neither Ron nor Hermione spoke. Harry had the impression that both had frozen. He continued, still speaking to his fork,

"It's only polite, you should involve the utensils for all they do," Sirius nodded along while Remus gave him a light smack before he continued him on.

they knew the one, from the Department of Mysteries.

"Not a lot of other prophecies you could be referring to," James muttered agreement.

Hermione whispered it had been smashed, while Ron tried to interrupt the Daily Prophet had said, but Hermione shushed him.

"Hermione's allowed to interrupt but he's not?" Lily gave a halfhearted giggle.

Harry agreed he'd read those articles, and the prophet had it right, then he quoted the last lines for them, neither could live while the other survived.

"Is that really the only part your grasped on?" Lily demanded, wringing her own hands in an effort not to hold her son closer. "You've had experience with at least one other, surely you know not to take them at such face value!"

Harry couldn't bring himself to look at her, fight back, or contradict at all. He wished there were some other interpretation he was missing, but it all felt so inevitable it merely ate away at him what they'd think of him when it came to pass.

The three of them gazed at one another in silence for a moment. Then there was a loud bang and Hermione vanished behind a puff of black smoke.

Sirius startled a bit, before he burst out laughing. "Well, I guess we know what that," he went back and checked what exactly it was Hermione was holding, "telescope did!"

"The opposite of helped you to see, I like it," James chuckled in agreement.

The boys rushed to her in surprise, but she was already stepping out of the smoke, waving a hand in front of her face now with a black eye, gasping it had punched her!

"Oh, even better!" Remus yelped in surprise, still snickering delightedly at the gag.

Sure enough, they now saw a tiny fist on a long spring protruding from the end of the telescope.

Ron, who was plainly trying not to laugh,

No one was bothering with that in here.

promised her his mum could fix that.

Hermione said not to worry about that now,

"Sure she wouldn't have said that under any other circumstances," Lily snorted.

while rushing to Harry's side. They'd wondered if it was something like this, after all Lucius had said,

"It's no wonder the Prophet put this together, apparently everyone just knew this was going to happen," Harry sighed.

"Not if you don't want it to!" James reminded so forcefully Harry had to remind himself not to jump. "You can make your future whatever you want it to be!"

Harry glanced at him then, at all of them, and it really hit him why they were all so against this prophecy. Not because of his destiny being entwined with Voldemort, but because they refused to believe it was so inevitable Harry would be the one to do it. They just wanted him to have his own future, not be forced into this like Voldemort had done to them so many years ago, or so soon from now. He held tight to that knowledge, actually smiling as he promised, "Well, I'm sure you'll see to it it never gets this far."

"Absolutely," Lily agreed with all the confidence in the world.

She whispered if he was scared?

He admitted he had been, but now it felt like he'd always known he was going to face him at the end.

Sirius had to bite hard at his tongue to convince himself not to tell Harry that didn't have to define him, least of all allow someone else to tell him so! If he chose never to face Voldemort again he'd tear away anyone who tried to stop him.

Ron eagerly jumped on the topic of Dumbledore's lessons, saying he wouldn't be doing that if he thought Harry didn't have a chance.

"As eloquent as ever that one," Remus frowned more for the way he phrased it than disagreeing.

Hermione agreed he was probably going to learn powerful countercurses and anti-jinxes.

"I wouldn't really think so," Lily tugged at her hair in thought. "Voldemort is one of the most knowledgeable wizards there is, it must be how he's gotten as far as he has in his conquest. Not just anyone can come back from what he did after all, so it should be something more along the lines of other ways to defeat him than outright spells."

"Your idea has merits, but teaching him how to turn those statues into impervious shields wouldn't go awry either," James decided.

Harry did not really listen. A warmth was spreading through him that had nothing to do with the sunlight; a tight obstruction in his chest seemed to be dissolving. He knew that Ron and Hermione were more shocked than they were letting on, but the mere fact that they were still there on either side of him, speaking bracing words of comfort, not shrinking from him as though he were contaminated or dangerous, was worth more than he could ever tell them.

Lily sighed lovingly for her son, still as oblivious as he was at eleven. No one had thought this for a second anymore than they'd believed Ron and Hermione would take his cloak back at Fluffy's door. The smile on his face still showed otherwise, if not double more so because of those around him now.

She finished a bit anxious at least he knew of one class he'd be taking this year, wondering aloud when their OWL results would show up.

Harry distractedly said some time today, and Hermione shrieked!

"I think Hermione actually just had kittens," Sirius chuckled at such a reaction.

"To be fair, this is the most important moment of her life," Remus lightly mocked.

She leapt to her feet and darted down the stairs at once. When Harry arrived ten minutes later, fully dressed and carrying his empty breakfast tray, it was to find Hermione sitting at the kitchen table in great agitation, while Mrs. Weasley tried to lessen her resemblance to half a panda.

"A memorable depiction I shall never forget," James snickered.

Muttering to herself as she examined a text how her bruise wouldn't budge, she'd never come across this before!

Ginny agreed it was probably part of the twins trick so it wouldn't come off.

"I'd trust her on that," Sirius said a little to knowingly, and Harry wasn't sure he wanted to know when his godfather had tired much the same thing on anyone else.

Hermione squeaked it had to! She couldn't look like this forever!

Mrs. Weasley soothed they'd figure out something, while Fleur inserted Bill had told her how amusing Fred and George were.

"I'm guessing Bill wasn't on the end of many of their pranks then," Lily smiled.

"Or he actually does find them funny and can laugh along," James pointed out.

Hermione snapped she could hardly breathe from laughing at it!

"Those twins really should consider themselves lucky they aren't there for this," Sirius said while still unable to wipe away a smile for this imagined carnage. "We'd have an epic war about the house, considering this is the first time she's fallen victim to them personally."

"It's a miracle it never happened in school," Remus agreed.

She jumped up and started walking round and round the kitchen, twisting her fingers together and pleading with Mrs. Weasley she was sure no owls had come this morning?

Molly promised she'd have noticed, while Hermione barely heard her, still muttering about how she knew she'd messed up Ancient Runes, she'd certainly made one serious mistranslation.

"I never had the class, so I don't know what she's on about," Sirius went wide eyed with innocent curiosity.

"Because I missed this," Lily told him blandly while he continued on, high on his own cleverness.

And her Defense Against the Dark Arts practical was no good at all. She thought Transfiguration went all right at the time, but looking back-

"She O'd everything," James stated as if noticing the weather.

"She can't be entirely perfect, she might have gotten an E in Defense, especially if she's freezed again." Remus said fairly.

Ron barked at her to shut it, she'd be walking away with eleven Outstanding Owls.

Hermione wailed she had failed everything!

"Nah, then we'd know she got Malfoy's," Sirius said brightly.

Harry asked what happened if that were true, and Hermione told you were to have a meeting with Professor McGonagall, she'd asked at the end of last term.

"Whom I'm sure laughed hysterically first," Lily shook her head affectionately.

"Though I don't think any student has ever failed every single OWL," James properly explained. "You do need to revisit with your head of house to further discuss your career options though, if you've happened to not get a grade that didn't align with your path."

"Or you can have the option to retake it, and have to pay to do so, same as if you needed an OWL grade for a course you didn't take," Remus told.

Harry nodded, as he considered all of this, knowing no grade in the world would get him into a class with Snape again...but maybe Slughorn? He certainly didn't feel very worried about his future as an Auror still hanging.

Harry's stomach squirmed. He wished he had eaten less breakfast.

Fleur chose to explain that at Beauxbatons, they took those grades after six years, not five,

"I can see both sides to that," Lily said curiously. "If you wait until your sixth year, then you've an extra year to study for the classes you really want to excel in-"

"But there's no year in between taking two major exams for your life," James happily butted in with the other side.

"Well Fleur always thought her school was better, so I'm sure she'd be happy to rebuttal," Sirius shrugged, not wanting to hear either, just happy he'd never have to take another test again.

Fleur's words were drowned in a scream. Hermione was pointing through the kitchen window. Three black specks were clearly visible in the sky, growing larger all the time.

Harry was rubbing at his ear but looking a little grey, while the others all lit up with so much excitement to hear this they couldn't even laugh at Hermione's overreaction.

The three students huddled worriedly around the window as the birds descended, Mrs. Weasley having to squeeze past them to get the window open where they each landed in front of their carriers.

Harry moved forward. The letter addressed to him was tied to the leg of the owl in the middle. He untied it with fumbling fingers. To his left, Ron was trying to detach his own results; to his right, Hermione's hands were shaking so much she was making her whole owl tremble.

"I'm sure the poor birds have had worse done to them, like being vomited on," Sirius said slyly.

"I regret ever telling you that," Remus grumbled.

Nobody in the kitchen spoke. At last, Harry managed to detach the envelope. He slit it open quickly and unfolded the parchment inside.

Ordinary Wizarding Level Results

Pass Grades

Outstanding (O)

Exceeds Expectations (E)

Acceptable (A)

Fail Grades

Poor (P)

Dreadful (D)

Troll (T)

Sirius honestly skipped right past all of that nonsense, they already knew that.

Harry James Potter has achieved:

Astronomy A

Care of Magical Creatures E

Charms E

Defense Against the Dark Arts O

Divination P

Herbology E

History of Magic D

Potions E

Transfiguration E

"Congratulations!" James cheered while Lily did a little whoop of joy for him. Harry honestly found it hard to believe he'd done so well, much better than he ever would have given himself credit for in all the classes that mattered.

"Looks like McGonagall's Auror training is going to be completely unneeded, you managed all that yourself!" Sirius bounced happily in place.

"I'm still stunned stupid he got an E in Potions! It's hard to believe he learned anything in that class!" Remus looked struck dumb.

"Gee, thanks," Harry laughed lightly, though he didn't at all disagree.

Harry read the parchment through several times, his breathing becoming easier with each reading. It was all right: He had always known that he would fail Divination, and he had had no chance of passing History of Magic, given that he had collapsed halfway through the examination,

"Nobody cares about that class anyways," James waved off at once, fighting back the compulsion to scream some more at the mention of that particular exam.

but he had passed everything else! He ran his finger down the grades . . . he had passed well in Transfiguration and Herbology, he had even exceeded expectations at Potions! And best of all, he had achieved "Outstanding" at Defense Against the Dark Arts!

"No surprise there!" Sirius puffed up his chest. "He's been a natural at that from the start!"

"You did extremely well, you should hear that no matter how unsurprising it is," Lily told him gently as well as a rebuke to Sirius, who simply grinned in agreement rather than replying to her.

"Will you tell me what grades you got now?" James quickly asked her, batting his eyes pleadingly.

She just raised her brows at him in disbelief. "What makes you think I remember them all so many years later? I'm not as conceited as you lot, constantly lording over-"

"I'm guessing O in Potions, Herbology, and Charms, and at least an E in everything else," Sirius said loudly around her.

She blushed faintly, and had to take some niggling from Harry before finally admitting, " Well he wasn't wrong about the first three, but I got an A in my Ancient Runes and Transfiguration..."

"And," James happily prompted when it was clear she was refraining from saying something else.

She released a blistering noise before finishing, "and a T in my History of Magic. I was so busy studying for everything else, and it just sort of fell through the cracks there at the end-"

"Is that all?" Harry chuckled. "You did as well as I did Mum."

"Doesn't make it any more fun to remember," she huffed with a gleaming smile.

"Can't wait for your NEWT results now," Sirius said cheerfully before going on.

He looked around. Hermione had her back to him and her head bent, but Ron was looking delighted, noting he'd only failed Divination and History of Magic, and who cared about those! They swapped papers, Harry glanced down Ron's grades: There were no "Outstandings" there. ***

"Really?" Sirius said in honest surprise. "You'd think he'd have aced some class, I know he'd gotten on just as well in Care of Magical Creatures as Harry, what with his dragon keeper of a brother giving him some extra knowledge."

"Ron never took his classes to heart though, I'm sure he didn't even try his hardest, like others," Remus said pointedly to Sirius' careless shrug.

Mrs. Weasley praised her youngest son when she saw his results, telling those seven owls was more than Fred and George had gotten together!

"Still on that eh?" Sirius rolled his eyes.

"I don't want to hear it from the lot of you who stopped to recount yours," Lily snipped, "and then demanded mine."

Ginny tentatively called for Hermione, who still hadn't moved.

"Maybe she actually didn't get an O in everything," James went wide eyed in concern.

"I think I'll faint from shock," Sirius began fanning himself for a moment.

Hermione said in a small voice she hadn't done bad.

"Or she's just embarrassed she made such a big deal out of it and actually doesn't want to show off," Remus shook his head.

Ron walked over and snatched her paper away, then laughed she was actually disappointed she'd only gotten an Exceeds Expectations in her Defense Against the Dark Arts OWL.

"Wow," James mouthed theatrically.

"She's actually disappointed in herself," Sirius scratched at his temple for this reaction.

"She did admit Harry's beat her out in previous DA exams, I'm not too surprised about this one," Remus shrugged with an extra, though still tentative, smile at Harry, who returned it at once.

He looked down at her, half-amused, half-exasperated. Then declared them all N.W.E.T students, and asked his mum for more sausages.

"The proper response!" Sirius burst out laughing.

Harry looked back down at his results. They were as good as he could have hoped for. He felt just one tiny twinge of regret. . . . This was the end of his ambition to become an Auror. He had not secured the required Potions grade. He had known all along that he wouldn't, but he still felt a sinking in his stomach as he looked again at that small black E.

"I wish Dumbledore had told you what position Slughorn was coming back for now," Lily clucked her tongue sadly for that frown he was easily hiding now at knowing better. "Would save you a summer of stressing over this."

"At least McGonagall will set him straight at the beginning of the year," James reminded cheerfully.

It was odd, really, seeing that it had been a Death Eater in disguise who had first told Harry he would make a good Auror,

"Yeah, the irony of that has crossed me several times," James gave a heavy sigh.

"Doesn't make it any less appropriate given how your life's gone," Sirius pointed out.

but somehow the idea had taken hold of him, and he couldn't really think of anything else he would like to be. Moreover, it had seemed the right destiny for him since he had heard the prophecy a few weeks ago. . . . Neither can live while the other survives. . . .Wouldn't he be living up to the prophecy, and giving himself the best chance of survival, if he joined those highly trained wizards whose job it was to find and kill Voldemort?

The four around him made faces at this again being brought up, but now that Harry felt he better understood where they were coming from, he easily brushed past their concern as he happily watched his mother grab the book to continue.

HPHPHPHP

*This was a really weird line to me when I first read it, and I had to google if that was an actual saying or I just got some odd copy. Turns out it's an older way to say goodbye, especially to a lady. The more you know.

**I'm really not sure why Hermione was here for this summer holiday. She could have met up with them in Diagon Alley if she really needed to, but even then she wasn't essential to what goes on there. Why not have her spend the majority of the summer with her parents like she'd done before? I'll go more into this in the next book with their last mention, but still.

***I am genuinely insulted by this, Ron couldn't get one Outstanding? In Care of Creatures or something? She did for the other two, Hermione was obvious but still, Ron could have outshone Harry in one class, or at least have it be mentioned he got a higher grade than him in something.

[turning-the-frigging-frogs-gay]

Underneath The Spotlight- A Sanders Sides Fic

Chapter 6- Virgil’s Worst Nightmare

(Read chapter 1 here!)

Read here on ao3!!

Warnings for this chapter: slight panic, crying, cursing

A/N: This chapter is not nearly as angsty as the title makes it sound, it’s more of an exaggeration/me not having very creative chapter names. This chapter is my attempt at comedy lol

The show had been kicked off, and the opening number had gone absolutely perfectly. Full of energy and hardly able to wait to get back on stage, the boys returned to the dressing room while talking excitedly. Patton, however, didn’t have much time for chit-chat. He always volunteered to help with the youngest performers on stage, he was great at looking after them and they really enjoyed his company. The dance school always liked to have the youngest dancers perform as early in the show as possible so they didn’t get tired, meaning it was always Patton’s first job after opening the show. He loved looking after the kids, but there was always one catch- it usually entailed wearing what most people would deem an extremely embarrassing costume. But not for Patton, especially not this time, he loved his pastel blue bunny onesie! The themes of the younger children’s dances were always cute and innocent, this time being no exception. As soon as he was ready, he exited the dressing room and went backstage to meet with the children, only to be met instead with some bad news...

He came stumbling back into the dressing room, repressing tears of panic.

“I can’t believe this is happening!” he said, sinking down into a chair in shock. “One of the girls was supposed to help me look after the kids but she’s gotten sick. We only have a few minutes to find someone else, and there’s like 20 kids, I can’t do this on my own, I just can’t, I-“ as Patton broke down, Janus was quickly by his side, drying his tears and doing his best to save the emotional boy’s makeup. He attempted to hold his hand... or, rather, the paw of his bunny onesie.

“Patton, it’s going to be alright, just look at me-“

“Janus, I appreciate this but I really don’t have time. I came here in a panic, what I really need is to go and talk to the teacher about what we’re going to do.”

Patton left the room, and Janus staring after him in concern, only to return about thirty seconds later.

“Um, Virgil, Mr Picani wants to talk to you,” he said, fidgeting on the spot as he talked.

Virgil didn’t have a dance for a while, so had been relaxing for a bit, and was intending to change into his next costume in a few minutes. However, he knew Patton’s situation was time-sensitive, so, despite wondering what the hell the teacher could want, he didn’t hesitate to spring up and follow Patton into the corridor, where Emile, the teacher, was waiting for them and holding... a bright pink bunny onesie that matched Patton’s? What?

“Ah, Virgil, perfect timing! Am I right in assuming you don’t have a dance for a while?”

“Yes, you are, but I-“

“Perfect! Now I’m sure you’re aware of the situation with Patton. I really apologise for not giving you prior warning, but this is kinda our only option right now.” He held out the onesie. “Could you change into this really quickly and then go and help Patton with the kids on stage? The choreography is so simple and the kids know it well, you’ll be able to follow it easily, we really just need someone else to make sure the little ones know where they’re going- you know how it’s the first show for a lot of them.”

Virgil was at a loss for words. “And you’re sure I’m the only one who can do this?” was all he could seem to say.

Emile winced. “Pretty much, yeah. If I’m correct, all of your other friends are in dances pretty soon afterwards and we wouldn’t want to risk them missing those, however yours isn’t for ages yet.”

Virgil knew Remus also didn’t have a dance for a while, and was going to inquire about why he hadn’t been chosen, yet he knew time was being lost so decided to let it go. He nodded to Mr Picani and took the onesie back into the dressing room.

“I’ll meet you in a few minutes, Pat,” he grumbled, not sure if he meant it or not.

“Virgil, what’s that you’re holding?”

“It’s so... pink.”

“Oh my god, is that a matching onesie with Patton’s?”

“Wait, did Picani ask you to fill in?”

“You seriously have to wear that?!”

“I can’t believe this!” Virgil blurted out. “They’ve chosen me to fill in for the other assistant, apparently I’m the only one who could possibly do it or something! Ugh, I can’t wear this, I’m not good with kids, what do I do?!”

“The only thing you can do,” Roman shrugged. “Your best.”

“Yeah, hate to break it to ya, Virge, but I think you’re just gonna have to suck it up and do it,” Remus remarked.

“Nuh-uh, no way, it’s not happening, guys.”

“Virge, you have to do it! This is what being a dancer is all about! Flexibility, both literally and metaphorically. Things come up, and you just have to roll with it.” said Roman.

“Yeah!” Remus said. He took the onesie from Virgil and unzipped it for him. “You can just wear this over what you’re wearing now,” he said.

Virgil took the costume and reluctantly began to put it on. “Hey, trash man, why aren’t you the one doing this? You don’t have a dance for ages either,” he said, as he struggled to push his arms into the bunny paws.

“Oh, I can think of several reasons,” Janus said.

“Yeah, where to start,” said Remus. “I’m awful with the kids, last time I was around them I taught them to say ‘shit’, I’m pretty sure they’re all terrified of me and call me ‘scary rat boy’ or ‘the Prince’s mean brother’ and I don’t think I’d even fit into the costume anyway! So, despite being an awkward emo disaster, you’re definitely the favourable candidate here!”

“It is not as bad as you may believe it is,” Logan stated, while looking Virgil up and down. “I really doubt anyone will recognise you.” He glanced at the TV, displaying the performance currently happening on stage. “You should really go now, you’re on in two minutes.”

“You’re doing a good thing, Virgil,” Roman reminded him.

“Indeed,” Janus agreed. “Just do your best. For Patton.”

Virgil nodded, causing the pink bunny ears to flap, turned (drawing attention to the white, fluffy tail) and quickly left the dressing room. By this point, the twins were laughing out loud at the ridiculousness of Virgil’s situation, but Janus was staring into space, wide-eyed and shuddering slightly.

“What is the matter?” Logan asked him.

All Janus was able to respond with was a terrified whisper of, “that could’ve been me...”

Virgil found Patton almost immediately, he was busy calming the excited youngsters (and putting on a facade of calm himself) as he handed out their props.

“Does everyone have one?” he asked, checking to see if they all had everything they needed.

“Yes, Patton!” they chorused, amid the excited giggling. Virgil approached them.

“Thank goodness, you made it!” Patton said, visibly sighing with relief.

“Who’s this?” a little girl asked.

“Oh, right!” said Patton. “Everyone, this is Virgil! Ella couldn’t be here, so everyone who normally would dance on her side of the stage, you’re going to be with Virgil instead!”

“Hi, Virgil!” most of the children chorused, although Patton spotted a few seeming uneasy due to the last-minute change.

“Don’t be worried, guys, Virgil has been my friend for a very long time and he is so nice and fun- he’ll look after you all, I promise.” Patton whispered into Virgil’s ear. “We should take them into the wings now.” He nodded back. “Alright then, everyone! Time to go and stand by the stage! If you normally go with me, come over here! Everyone else, go with Virgil. Good luck! You’re all going to do so well!”

In the wings, Virgil mentally prepared himself. He just had to look after these kids- easy enough, right? He could do this. As they stood, about to go on stage, two of the more extroverted children were already holding his hands. He looked across to where he could see Patton on the other side of the stage, and followed his lead for when to come on. The dance was awkward and he had no idea what was going on half of the time- Virgil knew right then and there that he would never be able to look back upon it without cringing. He was extremely glad when it was over, and he was able to go back to the dressing room and hide away in shame. There, he was met by snickering faces- of course they’d been watching on the TV. Although they were true friends and always there for him when it counted, Janus, Remus and Roman would never pass up an opportunity to laugh at the embarrassing situations Virgil managed to get himself into at dance.

“Great job, Virge!” said Remus. “You make a great bunny rabbit.”

“Not awkward at all,” Janus drawled sarcastically.

Patton returned a few seconds later, and collided into Virgil, hugging him tight.

“Thank you, thank you Virgil! You were there when I most needed you, I couldn’t have done it without you, thank you thank you thank you-“

That had been one of the most embarrassing experiences of Virgil’s life, but it had all been worth it to help one of his oldest friends.

Taglist:

@sophiexwrites

Next chapter

[sanderssidesfanfiction]

Royal Growing Pains - Chapter Twenty

Warnings: Homophobia, transphobia, misgendering, sympathetic Deceit

Royal Growing Pains Tag

The worst bad thing about the rest of the dance practice was that Roman’s mother was there, so everyone had to deadname him. The second worst thing was that he was constantly getting criticised by his mother on his dance moves. The most irritating thing of the whole experience was that Damien seemed to do everything Logan was teaching them near-effortlessly, while Roman struggled to keep up.

They took a quick break after half an hour of dancing and Damien checked his phone, before immediately laughing. “Your brother is interrogating me,” he said in a low voice, showing Roman his phone.

Roman looked at all the questions Remus had spammed in the group chat before rolling his eyes and pulling out his own phone. re, cut it out. damien and i don’t even get our phones while we’re doing dance practice. and i don’t think damien wants to answer all those questions

Damien huffed and started typing, and Roman saw his message a moment later. that’s a blatant lie, i can and will answer any questions you have. later. when i’m not about to die from a broken neck dancing

please, your dancing is FAR better than mine, Roman shot back.

you two are SERIOUSLY having this conversation while standing next to each other, aren’t you? Remus asked.

Damien turned red and Roman choked on his laughter. you know me too well, re

of course i do, you’re my baby brother Remus replied.

“He’s older by two minutes!” Roman muttered indignantly, and texted as much.

Damien snickered. “If this is what you’re like when you get to interact with your brother, I’ll have to ask him around frequently. I enjoy when you’re full of life like this.”

“I’m ‘full of life’? As opposed to, what, dead inside?” Roman asked.

“I mean...the first time I saw you my first impression was that you were either about to pass out or just work on autopilot for an indeterminable amount of time,” Damien said with a shrug. “So dead inside applies.”

Roman snorted. “Honey, you haven’t seen me dead inside until I’ve had to spend a full day in meetings with Remus. That’s an experience I would never wish upon my worst enemy.”

“Really? Who would you wish it on, if not your worst enemy?” Damien asked.

Roman stared Damien dead in the eye and said with complete sincerity, “My parents.”

Damien howled with laughter, nearly falling over as his legs shook. “Oh, God,” he wheezed. “I was not prepared!”

“Clearly not,” Roman said, starting to giggle.

“I need—I need the bathroom. I’ll be right back,” Damien said, staggering away, still laughing.

Roman turned as Logan started clapping. “I have never seen anyone make Damien laugh that hard before two in the morning, bravo,” he said, completely deadpan.

“I nearly made him pee himself, didn’t I?” Roman asked knowingly.

Logan just arched an eyebrow and said, “What do you think?”

Roman giggled and walked over to Logan. “While he’s gone, I don’t suppose you could be my dance partner and show me something Damien doesn’t know yet?”

“I can be your dance partner,” Logan agreed. “But learning new steps might be a bit too ambitious for the two minutes he’s gone.”

“Can we try anyway?” Roman asked.

“Yeah, of course,” Logan said, helping Roman get in position. “Okay, now the very first thing you’re going to want to do is to keep your feet flat on the floor, or you risk the danger of twisting something...”

Roman nodded along as Logan walked him through the steps of a dance Roman had never heard of before. Roman did a lot of looking at his feet as they ran through it once, then again as it went twice. The third time, Logan forced Roman to keep his head up and they went through all the steps just in time for Damien to walk back in the room. “Hey!” he exclaimed indignantly. “Logan, you cannot just steal my fiancé!”

“Oh, but I can,” Logan said, smirking. “And I think she prefers dancing with me over you.”

Damien made an affronted noise as Roman laughed. “I like dancing with both of you,” he said, looking between them. “No need to make this a competition for my heart. Love triangles are overrated, anyway.”

“True, polyamory is far more ideal,” Logan agreed in a voice just this side of too soft for Roman’s mother to hear.

“Speaking from experience?” Roman asked as Damien walked over.

“No comment,” Logan said with a small smirk.

Damien sighed. “How much longer are we going to go through dance practice?” he asked.

“I can hold you both reasonably for another hour,” Logan said. “And then Her Highness has a meeting with the King.”

“I have a what?” Roman asked, voice shrill in shock.

Logan blinked. “Had no one told you? The king wanted to talk with you, one on one before the wedding.”

“Oh, great!” Roman said, hysteria rising in his chest. “That’s going to go over perfectly, I’m sure!”

“My dear, you’ll be fine,” Damien laughed. “My father and I have similar senses of humor and similar temperaments. You get on fine with me, I’m sure my father will find you a delight.”

“That does not make me feel any better,” Roman said simply. “You and I have also had disagreements as well.”

Damien sighed. “Well, my father said that whenever he planned on talking to you, I was not allowed in the room. Apparently I could influence your answers and make you be dishonest in order to spare my feelings, or something of that ilk. Something tells me the conversation won’t be about you, but me.”

“That doesn’t help!” Roman exclaimed, heart hammering in his chest. Would he have to tell the King that he liked Damien? What would the King do? How would he react? “If the conversation is about you, then what if I’m accused of being a poor influence? What if he says I’m not fit to stay here?”

“‘What if’ questions will get you nowhere but in trouble, my dear,” Damien advised. “Try to breathe.”

Roman made a distressed noise and Damien sighed. “My father has spoken to you all of maybe three or four times, my dear. He simply wants to know you better. And probably your thoughts on the whole situation here. He likes knowledge, and likes to know every view on a situation. Your perspective is one he hasn’t heard before. Please, just give yourself some room to breathe and relax. You’ll do fine,” Damien assured.

With great effort, Roman took in a shaky breath. “I’m not ready for that,” he said. “I’m not ready. Let’s just...let’s just dance. I need to take my mind off of that.”

Damien nodded and he and Roman danced for a while. Roman was shaky at first, but every time his hands started to tremble too hard Damien would give them a reassuring squeeze. Slowly, Roman was able to let go of his worries and just enjoy dancing for a while. But of course, all too soon, that had to come to an end.

Just as Roman was laughing at Damien twirling him, Virgil came into the room and said, “His Majesty wishes to speak to the princess.”

Roman’s stomach sank, not only at being misgendered but at the fact that the hour had passed so quickly. Damien gave Roman a soft smile. “You’ll do wonderfully, my dear. Just remember to be yourself, all right?”

Roman swallowed and nodded, even as his hands shook and his legs felt like jelly as he walked over to Virgil. To his credit, Virgil placed a reassuring hand on Roman’s shoulder. “I’m not ready for this,” Roman said simply as they walked out of the ballroom. “I’m not ready.”

Virgil sighed. “You’ll do fine, Roman. I know you haven’t spoken with the King much, but he’s nothing if not fair. He’ll give you a chance to explain whatever has been rattling around in your head if you ask for it.”

“I’m still not ready,” Roman repeated.

Virgil sighed, and turned to face Roman fully. “Roman, what are you worried about? Be honest. Because the king isn’t transphobic, he isn’t homophobic, and he takes secrets to his grave. There’s no reason for you to freak out over those things, at least.”

Roman sighed. “I just...he’s going to be my father-in-law. I want to give him a good impression,” he shrugged and mumbled, “I want him to think I’m worthy of marrying Damien.”

Virgil blinked. “Roman, the King won’t judge you on whether or not you’re ‘worthy’ of being married to his son. He already agreed to this whole ordeal, he wouldn’t have done that if he thought you would hurt Damien.”

Roman shifted on his feet and was about to protest when a voice said, “Ah, Virgil. I’ll take him from here.”

Turning, Roman paled. The King was there, looking at both of them. Virgil nodded and gave Roman one last, “You’ll be fine,” as he left.

“Come with me, Roman,” the King said.

Roman’s heart leapt into his throat as he complied, following the King down the halls to a study. The King sat down in one of the chairs in the study, and he gestured for Roman to sit in the chair across from him. “Please, have a seat.”

With his heart hammering in his chest, Roman sat down. “So...what did you want to talk to me about?” Roman asked.

The King offered Roman a small smile. “Relax, Roman, you’re not in trouble,” he said. “I just wanted to get to know you a little better and know what you felt about the situation we’ve all found ourselves in.”

“O-oh,” Roman said. “I mean, it’s okay, I guess.”

“Okay?” the King laughed. “Roman, you told your parents you were transgender and they promptly tried to marry you off to make you their ‘daughter’ again. Most people I know would not describe that as ‘okay.’”

Roman took a breath and nodded. “Yeah, yeah, I guess you’re right,” he said softly.

The King leaned forward. “Roman, I want your honest opinion,” he said, not unkindly. “I talked to Damien. He said you didn’t want to be used as a chess piece, or a mold for your mother to live through. Where’s the man who holds that righteous indignation, who’s independent, who’s not afraid to tell people that he won’t sit down and shut up?”

“My mother is killing him,” Roman said honestly. “Slowly but surely, he’s dying.”

The King nodded in understanding. “I want to know what you think, son. Don’t be afraid of judgement here. Tell me what you think, and I promise it will never leave these walls if you don’t want them to.”

Roman leaned back into his chair and shook his head, laughing. “You want to know the most pathetic thing about this whole ordeal?” he asked. “I told myself I wouldn’t catch feelings. I told myself the second I got the chance, I’d file for a divorce and run away and never look back to my old life. And what do I do? I catch feelings! Because I’m a hopeless gay man who sees any shred of affection as reason for attraction and I fall hopelessly in love with anyone who treats me like someone who deserves to be respected.”

The King just sat there in silence, looking at Roman expectantly.

“And I know, I know I shouldn’t call myself pathetic, but that’s how I feel!” Roman exclaimed. “And I always do this! Anyone shows me attention that’s positive, and they’re not related to me and I feel affection for them! Usually, it goes away with time, or something happens that makes it fade faster, but no, everything Damien does makes it grow stronger! He makes sure I’m validated, and that I know my own worth, and he checks on me to make sure that I’m feeling all right and...and I love him for it, and I know I can never tell him. Because he doesn’t want to be married. At least, he doesn’t want to be married to me. He wanted the chance to be married to someone he truly loved, and I took that from him—”

“—Roman, that isn’t something that you took from him,” the King interrupted. “You didn’t go up to your parents and insist that you be married off. Your parents are the ones who came up with the idea. Blame them. I know that Damien in part blamed his mother and myself for the whole arrangement. What I haven’t told him yet is that your parents were threatening war if you didn’t get married to someone. It didn’t matter who, but if no one agreed, then they would start a war and make sure that everyone was dragged into it. We were their last hope. And, because we didn’t want to start a war with people who have a frankly appalling amount of money going into their military, we agreed. But your parents are the ones to blame here, not you.”

Roman buried his head in his hands with a groan. “I wish I could say I was surprised about their threats,” he said. “I really wish I could. But sadly, I’m not. They’re always like this. They threatened to send me home if I didn’t say I was wrong in how I felt. And you can’t fake how you feel, you know? That’s something that you can’t simply wave away and suddenly feel different. It’s real and it hurts to be told, ‘you’re not allowed to feel this way, because we don’t want you to.’ Like, do you really hate your own son so much? That you’d try to kill him? Just to keep your daughter?”

The King sighed. “I wish I could make sense of things for you, son. But the fact of the matter is that some people are just cruel. And nothing we can do will ever change that fact.”

Roman miserably nodded. “So that’s how I feel, I guess. Trapped, pathetic, and hopelessly crushing. Does that tell you all you need to know?”

“Well, I would appreciate being able to talk to you more, but that does give me a basis on what to talk about,” the King said. “Tell me a little more about why you like my son?”

“I mean...he’s kind, and funny, and he does his best to make sure that I’m okay even when things kinda suck and we’re trapped doing whatever to make sure my mother is happy. He’s just...honestly, he’s the kind of guy I’d crush on even if I weren’t doomed to be married by the end of the week. He’s cute, too. Like, when he smiles and laughs at something I say, he just sorta does this thing, where his eyes light up and if he tries to hide his laughter he can’t do it the whole way, and he just kinda shakes and it’s the most adorable thing,” Roman rambled. “It’s really fun to get to see. And he’s smart, he’s so smart, he told me he has an interest in philosophy? And one day I have plans to get him to rant to me about it in great detail so I can see the passion in his eyes and watch as he gets excited over it. I really want to know more about him. I want to...I mean, I want to know everything, but I’ll settle for learning whatever I can for the next week until my parents are out of the picture, you know? Once they’re gone, I can learn absolutely anything I want.”

“What would you want to know?” the King asked.

Roman shrugged with a sheepish grin. “Honestly, I’m not really sure,” he admitted. “Half of the fun is realizing you never would have thought to ask stuff but now you have all these new questions to ask because there’s a whole side to someone you never realized existed.”

“Ah, you’re one of those types,” the King said with a grin. “My wife is much the same, you and her will get along.”

Roman felt relief start to trickle through him. The King being relaxed and kind was starting to get Roman to relax as well. “So do you have anything else to ask me?”

“Well, I was going to ask you how you felt about my son, but you answered those questions for me,” the King said. “Once it became clear that you genuinely liked him, I wanted to make sure you would never intentionally hurt him, but I can see clearly that you very much care for him. Hurting him would never be your intention.”

“Yeah, of course not,” Roman said. “I’d never want to hurt Damien.”

“Then we’ll have no problems,” the King said with a grin. “The two of you can get married, and get to know each other better. I have no doubt that both of you have the potential to really love each other, given the time to get to know each other.”

Roman offered a small smile back. “I really hope so,” he admitted softly. “That would be amazing.”

The King nodded knowingly. “Would you like to talk more before dinner, or would you rather go find my son and talk to him?”

Roman considered. On one hand, he did want to talk to Damien more. On the other, he also needed some time away from his mother, and his mother would inevitably find him if he were with Damien. And now he was calm being around the King, so he didn’t have to worry about a panic attack or dysphoria here. “Why don’t we talk some more?” Roman proposed. “We can always see the others at dinner.”

The King gave Roman a genuinely delighted smile. “Excellent!” he said. “What do you want to talk about?”

Roman shrugged. “I don’t know. Any and everything, I suppose.”

“I can work with that,” the King said.

Tag List: @lunareclipse-13@sanders-sides-crofters@blushy-gigglee-mess@wannacrymetoo@kaytikitty@magicalspacepanunicorn@bootsinthesun@pricklyfish777@flowersanddinosaurs@leiasolo77@birdybabybird@enby-phoenix@luna--28@justagaygoose@the-prince-and-the-emo@fandomsandanythingelse@randommuffinyt@snekky-boi@thesoftestlittlepuffballwegot@twilight-trix@abby5577@escalatingtoofast@friendlyfacestabbing@remus-is-stinky@foggybanditdreampeanut@ghostskull300@sprinklestheditty@canvas-the-florist@askthesnake@samuel-the-gay@determination-saved@juicy-cashew@demidork84@why-should-i-tell-youu2@nerd-in-space@aphriteblack@loganpatton@lilbeanblr@kittyboof8@irish-newzealand-idian-dutch@sanders-trash-4ever@hamilspntrash@swords-and-kittens@phantomfander@narniasfinestavengingsociopath@rjmeta@ambersky0319@anni-cat-flower@idosanderssidespromptssometimes@nafsbluebery@redisawerewolf23@voidvirgil@msu82@angstyfanfiction

[batskulldrag]

Phoenix by Fallout Boy

I’m gonna post chapter three wicked early. I’ll make a chapter list and link tehm alll together as soon as I figure out how.

Abuse mentions. 

Chapter Three: Young Volcanos by Fall Out Boy

               What are you doing!? Don’t show weakness! Virgil’s thoughts screamed at him.

               No, I’m warm and safe. A different thought argued.

               You don’t know him! What if everybody is like Dad!?

               Then I’m already screwed!

               He’ll use this against you!

               How?

               You think I know? I don’t think like them!

               Maybe he doesn’t either!

               You put your guard back up this instant!

               Let me enjoy this…

               Virgil ignored his louder instincts for the time being and pressed his head further into Patton’s shoulder. It was a nice feeling, and sure he probably couldn’t trust this guy, but he was going to enjoy feeling like this while he could. Patton seemed like a nice guy, and he smelled like butter. And everything else smelled like hand sanitizer, and it was cold because it was a hospital. But Patton was all warm.

               Besides, even if he was going to do anything, he couldn’t with witnesses hanging around and security cameras everywhere. Maybe this was ok. Maybe this was normal. Virgil let himself slide down lower and rested his head on Patton’s lap.

               “Ya getting sleepy there, kiddo?” Patton cooed, still stroking his hair.

               “No, I’m ok.” Virgil mumbled. This was nice. He wanted to stay here.

               “Ok.”

               Virgil became aware of Patton’s heartbeat it was going fast. Was he nervous too? That was weird. Why was he worried?

               Virgil sighed. Both Patton and Thomas were probably waiting for him to say something. Hell, they were probably expecting him start belting songs from Annie or jump up and click his heels. It’s not everyday someone gets pulled out of hell and sent somewhere better, so they were probably looking for a more mood fitting reaction than lying down and taking a nap. One more minute.

               “So, what happens now?” Virgil asked, keeping his head on Patton’s lap. One more minute.

               “Well, Patton has already signed all the forms and the background check should be coming back tomorrow.” Thomas answered, for whatever reason he looked really content. “So, as soon as you’re discharged you can go home with him.”  

               “When can I be discharged?” He was trying not to sound too eager. If they knew he wanted something they could probably use that to toy with him.

               “I’m afraid that’s up to your doctors.”

               “Ok.” That made sense.

               “But when you do get out, we’ll have your room all ready.” Patton chirped at him. “And you’ll need to tell me what all your favorite foods are so I can make them.”

               What an odd thing to say. I guess I should get up. One more minute.

               “Ok.” He mumbled.

               “Oh, and do you have any allergies or eating restrictions. Like vegetarian or vegan and the like?”

               “No.” One more minute.

               “As for right now.” Thomas sounded hesitant, was he going to kick Patton out? “Your doctors and I need to document your bruises. And if you want to you can make a statement for prosecution.”

               “Right now?” Virgil sighed, no more hitting reality’s snooze bar. He slowly pulled himself back up.

               “It is better we do it sooner rather than later.” Thomas sighed. “Patton can stay if you’d like him to.”

               “Good idea, I was hoping for an even bigger group of people to see me in my underwear.” Virgil sneered, rubbing his arm. Despite his will he also felt his face going red. Damnit.

               “I know it’s uncomfortable, but it’s kind of a necessary evil.”

               Virgil sighed and glanced at Patton. He might as well stay. This was as good a test to see if he was weird as any. Right? Yeah, he could be a serial killer, or this could be his kink or something like that. Best to know what he was going to get himself into. Just that. That and no other reason.

               “I mean, he can stay if he wants to.” Virgil mumbled impassively. “It’s a free country, he can do whatever.”

               “I’ll give you your privacy.” Patton replied, ruffling his hair. “I’ll come back in when they’re done kiddo.”

               Patton stood up and took a few steps towards the door. Virgil’s heart sank. Patton abruptly stopped and turned around.

               Are you gonna stay?

               “I almost forgot to give you this.” Patton said happily. “this should help you ‘bear’ your stay here.”

               Patton gleefully produced a stuffed bear and gently set in his mummified hands. As the toy stared derpilly up at him he got the joke and impulsively smiled. Then he saw the pun written across the bear and let out a laugh. Double whammy with the dad jokes. He glanced at Patton and saw that the older man was beaming (bee-ming?), clearly enthralled that Virgil liked the joke.

               “He’s cool.” Virgil tried to play it off. “Thanks.”

               “You’re welcome.” Patton turned back to the door. “I’ll be right out here if you need me. Ok?”

               “Ok.”

               Patton closed the door behind him only to reappear in the window and wave enthusiastically at him. He mouthed out the words I’ll be right here and gave a thumbs up. Virgil waved in return and fought back another smile. Patton was a funny guy and so far, he seemed pretty cool.

                                                                               #             #             #

               Patton shook his arms to get the relief tinglies to calm down. Everything seemed to go well. Virgil didn’t hate him, and he even liked dad jokes. And he liked the bear. So far things were going well.

               He saw them close the blinds in Virgil’s room so that no one in the hallway could peep in on him. They must have started cataloging his bruises. Patton hoped his brother had a mean cellmate. He made a mental note to look up a few legal things when he got home.

               While waiting Patton sent Logan a quick text to let him know everything was going ok on his end and to ask what was going on in the outside world.

                                                                               #             #             #

               Logan set another casserole dish on top of the stove. He had to shove aside the other three dishes, the two pies and the pot of soup. Both Patton’s library friends and all their neighbors had been at it for hours.

               “How many friends does Patton have?” Roman exclaimed, walking into the kitchen with a Tupperware of pasta. “And why are they all old ladies?”

               “Some of them are just parents whose kids were in his class.” Logan sighed. “He’s a lot of kids’ favorite teacher.”

               “Is the fridge full?”

               “Yes, just set the pasta on the table.”

               “Any updates on the news?” Roman set the dish down exhaustedly.

               “No, not yet.” Logan looked at his phone. “Patton texted. He says that Virgil’s fine, and seems excited to come live with us. And of course, he wants to know how we are.”

               “Drowning in food and tired of small talk.” Roman switched into a frail voice. “It was so brave of you to rescue that boy. It’s so good of you three to take that boy in like this. It’s about time Patton and Logan adopted a kid.” He changed back. “I never thought I would get sick of praise. I feel like Jack Skellington.”

               “Minus the kidnapping I hope.”

               “You’re the one with the kid now.” Roman jabbed, eating the pasta straight from the dish with his hands.

               “Roman, get a plate.” Logan began.

               They were interrupted by a knock at the door.

               “If that’s Barbra from next door I’m calling the police.” Roman stood up dramatically.

               “It’s my turn to deal with callers,” Logan walked towards the hallway. “But if it is her, I’m getting you.”

               “Let’s set her up with my brother the next time we know where he is.” Roman laughed. “She’ll never speak to us again.”

               “Neither will Remus.”

               Logan could still hear Roman laughing when he got to the front door. He glanced through the peephole to see if it was indeed well-wishers. He instead saw several smartly dressed people bearing cameras and tape recorders rather than food. With few other options he turned out the lights in the front room and went back into the kitchen.

               Roman was taking inventory when he got back.

               “Say Lo-bot, how much of this could we take to the homeless shelter?” He asked casually. “I don’t want to be disrespectful or ungrateful, but this is a lot. The freezer is full, the refrigerator is full, and the oven is full. It would be more disrespectful to let this go to waste when the less fortunate could have it.”  

               “We will discuss that later,” Logan took the car keys off the rack. “But it is a good idea.”

               “Where are you going?” Roman squinted at him.

               “I’m going to pick Patton up from the hospital.”

               “Who was at the door?”

               “Reporters have found us. I’m all for the first amendment, but I do not wasn’t to be harassed in my own home. So, I’m leaving.”

               “But won’t they go away if we talk to them?”

               “Yes, but then they, and all others will think it’s okay to show up at people’s houses.”

               Roman looked around.

               “We could ask them in for dinner.” He laughed.

               “But we won’t.”

                                                                               #             #             #

               Patton sat at the foot of the bed while Virgil sat across from him at the head. Virgil was sitting cross-legged with his casted foot poking out from under the blanket and the bear in his lap. Patton clicked his heels together; it was very quiet.

               “You’re not much of a talker.” Patton teased.

               “My throat hurts.” Virgil answered.

               “Oh, right. Sorry.”

               WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!!!!!

               “So, you’re really my dad’s brother?” Virgil asked skeptically.

               “Yeah, he’s about three years older than me.”

               “And you’re related?”

               “Yep, people used to mistake us for twins. Until I had to get glasses.”

               Virgil coughed and tapped the bear on the nose a few times.

               “This isn’t actually my first time meeting you.” Patton started. “My mom and I kind of did a lot of the raising when you were a baby.”

               “Is that stuff dad said true?”

               “No.” Patton dropped his shoulders. “It’s not. Our mother was wonderful and supportive. She even took Logan in after-” He stopped himself. “No, it’s not true. He was the homophobe.”

               “Yeah, I never really believed the pseudo-rape story.” Virgil shifted his feet. “Dad always seemed more like a predatory animal. And maybe that was a front, but if it was it was flawless.”

               “I think Payton said something about being with her for posterity.” Patton rubbed his arm. “She was really pretty and was a cheer leader in high school. And a lot of guys wanted to be with her. So, it was like a triumph for him.”

               “He told you?” Virgil coughed.

               “No. I just kind of figured. He did say he was gonna marry her, you know when we found out about you.”

               “Why?”

               “Because.” Patton mimicked his brother’s tone. “Children need a mommy and a daddy. And I have to accept my mistakes.” Patton switched back. “I never really believed him.”

               Virgil shivered and looked down into his lap. Through his bangs Patton could see him biting his lip.

               “I’m sorry.” Patton said quickly, but softly. “I shouldn’t have brought that up. I should have known that would hit too close to home for you. I’m sorry.”

               Virgil looked at him quizzically and his eyes darted around the room. He seemed utterly baffled. Still looking like the world had just flipped over Virgil crawled over and put his head back into Patton’s lap.

               “Are you ok, Kiddo?”

               “Yeah,” He sounded stunned. “I’m fine. I-I just need to pull my thoughts together.”

               “I get what you mean.” Patton tried to lighten the mood. “I never think straight, just ask my husband.”

               Virgil laughed very softly.

               “We’re gonna have to get that laugh stronger.” Patton teased, stroking his hair. “As soon as your throat is better, we’ll have you practice.”

               “Practice?”

               “Practice laughing, ya goof!”

               “I’m dreaming, aren’t I?” Virgil said in a strained voice.

               “No, you’re wide awake.” Patton soothed. “And I can prove it. Your throat hurts, doesn’t it?”

               “Like I swallowed a bag of razors.”

               “Well, you can’t feel pain in dreams. And you can only feel one emotion at a time in them.”

               “Really?”

               “Yeppers, if you’re having a happy dream, you’re happy in the dream and nothing else. Same for all the other types of dreams. And they’re never this elaborate.”

               “I guess not.” Virgil yawned.

               “And you can’t get tired in a dream, now can you?” Patton asked, booping the younger man on the nose. “And you can’t learn something you don’t know in a dream, because it’s in your mind. And you don’t know what you don’t know.”

               “So, this is real?” He yawned again. “It’s not a dream or an act or something.”

               “Nope, it’s as real as that sore throat of yours.”

               “Ok.” Virgil sighed, his eyes fluttering closed. “You can keep talking if you want.”

               “Maybe I’d better go until you’re feeling better.” Patton brushed his fingers through Virgil’s hair. It was starting to feel like he hadn’t showered, which was fair.

               “Can you stay until I fall asleep?” Virgil mumbled, halfway asleep already.

               “Of course, I can.”

                                                                               #             #             #

               Patton paced into the waiting room. Logan had texted him saying he was coming to pick him up. He thought that was a bit unnecessary, but it would be nice to not have to take the bus.

               “Maybe Logan missed me.” Patton said to himself with a coy smile. “I guess we’ll have to pick up dinner on the way back.”

               Patton slid into one of the uncomfortable chairs that normally furnished all waiting rooms. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Maybe he’d just tune out for a minute.

               “In other news we have conformation that the destruction of former mayoral candidate Payton Foster’s home last night was in fact arson. Traces of accelerant were found inside the house, leaving Mr. Foster himself as the prime suspect. Police believe he was attempting to destroy evidence of previous crimes for which he had been accused. His teenage son is reported to have escaped the fire with minor injury thanks to the actions of a heroic stranger. That’s quite the Disney convince, eh, Garbo?”

               Patton glanced wearily at the TV as the reporter’s counterpart took over.

               “But he’s not so strange anymore now Malloy. We did figure who he is. Seems that drama teacher slash community theater star Roman Lupine has gotten tired of the stage and is out there looking for drama in real life. That may suit Mr. Lupine, but I think here on Garbo and Malloy we would just stick to playing fictional heroes.”

               Patton started looking for a remote to change the channel or just flat out turn this thing off. The publicity was bad enough, but he hated these guys’ banter. How did they even get this job?

               “And of course, we all recognize Mr. Lupine from his press infiltration over a week ago.” Malloy droned.

               “Speaking of the ShareBook incident, most of our sources believe that Foster’s brother will be taking custody of his son.” Garbo, who was aptly named countered. “But so far no one has been able to get a hold of any of them.”

               “Well let’s hope Mr. Foster and his husband are prepared for their new son coming out as straight.” Malloy swung for the obvious joke.

               The two trash goblins laughed like they were those guys from the Muppets and they mercifully changed the subject.

               “Next up on Garbo and Malloy, Garbo and Malloy go dumpster diving.”

               “Don’t come back.” Patton pleaded as he finally found the remote and shut the TV off. “And Thomas already told that joke.”

               He slid back into a chair and sighed hard. How could anyone joke or bant about this? It was a little like saying Anne Frank was bad at hide and seek, it wasn’t funny. It was just tasteless. And were they making fun of Roman?

               “Excuse me, I’m looking for a patient by the name of Foster.” Someone interrupted his brooding and worsened his mood.

               “Are you family?” The receptionist countered.

               “No, I’m with the press, I’d like to see if he or his current guardians are willing to do an interview.”

               “Come back tomorrow.”

               Not willing to do that, Patton his behind a chair until he was sure this man was gone.

                                                                               #             #             #

               The car ride home was saturated in a tense quiet for the first few minutes. With a look they all communicated exactly what they knew to one another. Unfortunately, they all knew a lot of the same things. Both Patton and Logan had at least fifty unchecked messages on their phones and Roman was in the back seat agitatedly sending out explanations to every single person in his contact list.

               “How has everyone in Florida found out about this so quickly?” Roman sighed from his spot on the back. “One of my students texted me somehow knowing that I was in the hospital last night. I have never been so fed up with the age of information.”

               “They were talking about you on Garbo and Malloy.” Patton added in a barely audible mumble.

               “Were they reviewing the play?”

               “No, they were talking about the fire.”

               “Those two discuss current events?” Logan interrupted, sounding absolutely dumbfounded.

               “Not very well.” Patton sighed. “They were making fun of Roman.”

               “Oh, of course that were!” Roman barked. He then slid into a mimic of one of the reporters. “Next up on Garbage and Malloy, Garbage and Malloy let a child burn to death in a fire, ‘cause people who try to help are just attention seekers. hA ha Ha HA.”

               “Several of your friends from work brought us food and expressions of good luck.” Logan added, evidently trying to change the subject.

               “Aww, that’s sweet.” Patton melted into his seat. “All this talk of my brother was starting to make me doubt humanity.”

               “Well,” Logan sighed. “I certainly hope you’re hungry.”

               A question bounced back and forth between Logan and Roman. Well, more like the question. And the question took turns resting in their brains and mouths but remained unspoken.

               “Patton,” Logan sighed, tightening his grip on the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white.  “Did Payton actually…” He couldn’t say it.

               “Yes.” Patton gagged on the words, they tasted vile. “He did.”

               With that the silence returned.

[miguel-manbemel]

Aspects & Fanfics Ep. 33: Who Dares Enter the Library!?

Here comes a new episode of this fanfic inspired on Sanders Sides by Thomas Sanders and Joan S. It is the first episode after “Selfishness v. Selflessness Redux”. I had this episode finished since last Wednesday. I didn’t want to release it yet as I wanted to get over with the Eurovision thing first. But in the meantime, the episode was released and [SPOILER ALERT, DONT READ FURTHER UNTIL YOU’VE WATCHED THE SANDERS SIDES EPISODE] we got Deceit’s name in it. Of course I wanted to include it in the fanfic as soon as possible, and it was fortunate that this episode features a scene where I could fit in the revelation more organically, and I added an extra scene featuring that revelation. As you know if you’ve followed the story for some time, it’s been ages since this fic got away from canon. It only follows the canon up to Embarrasing Phases, then later a little bit of Selfishness v. Selflessness part 1 was retconned in the story. But the rest is completely ignored in this story, if something canon had to be added, like Remus, it was added with an alternate fanon storyline totally different from canon. That means that Deceit’s name revelation won’t be a mimic of the canon, it just wouldn’t have fit in. I hope I could make justice to the revelation in this alternate universe. And with this said, let’s go with the episode, which I hope you enjoy. Until next time.

SYNOPSIS: Since Logan said goodbye to Patton, he hasn’t shown up in the Mind Palace. That was three weeks ago and Thomas has started showing signs of losing his capacity for logical thinking, and he’s also started losing pieces of knowledge that he had well learnt and secured in his mind. Deducing that Logan’s physical integrity may be compromised, Patton has to break his promise to Logan and tell them what happened, and they all will have to follow him through the front door in Logan’s room to wherever he’s gone, to check if he’s all right and rescue him if he needs to.

WARNING: There’s a slight horror scene featuring a chase by a monstrous creature. Lots of romantic logicality and dukeceit. There’s also a scene where one of the main characters is on the verge of death.

EPISODE INDEX

[Thomas is in the kitchen, cooking something]

THOMAS: Okay… Oof… if only I remembered where was the recipe for these pancakes… I think for one person it was… eleven eggs, one cup of flour and eighty tablespoons of sugar?

[Thomas adds these measures into a bowl, then tries to mix it but the resulting syrup becomes impossible to work with]

THOMAS: I guess it wasn’t. And I was thinking on going on MasterChef to boost my popularity… Gordon Ramsey would bake me if he saw my cooking expertise right now…

[intro sequence]

THOMAS: And what’s weird is that I was going so great with my cooking learning, and I suddenly lost it. Maybe it’s stress or something, I don’t know… But what I know is that Patton would kill me if he saw this mess… [face of realization] Wait, maybe Patton can lend me a hand. He’s become a top chef with breakfast cooking. I hope he can help me, I’m gonna need it if I want a proper breakfast. Patton! Patton, could you come here, please?

PATTON: [rising up] Hi, Thomas. How may I… [noticing the mess in the kitchen] what… is going on here, kiddo? Did the blender go crazy or something? Or are you trying to blend in with the kitchen, somehow? Cause you’re covered in… whatever you were trying to make.

THOMAS: I know, sorry, I made a mess in the kitchen and I need your help.

PATTON: But Thomas, I thought you were becoming an expert on cooking, especially… pancakes? Is that what you were trying to make? But… kiddo, you already have plenty of experience with pancakes, you make them at least twice a week. You should already know this recipe by heart.

THOMAS: I know, Patton. After so many times making them, one would think that I would have learned how to make them. But for some reason, I can’t, Patton. I’ve just turn into a mess of a cook.

PATTON: Well, I can help you with the recipe if you want.

THOMAS: That’s exactly why I called you, Patton, any help is appreciated with these pancakes.

[Roman, Virgil and Chris rise up]

ROMAN: Did someone say pancakes?

THOMAS: Morning, guys.

VIRGIL: May we join in, Thomas? We haven’t had breakfast yet and I’m in the mood for a family gathering.

CHRIS: Me too. Besides, I never tried pancakes before.

THOMAS: Well, you’re in for a treat, then, Chris. I love them with any kind of topping, but the best is motor oil without a doubt.

[All the Sides look at Thomas with a face of disgust]

ROMAN: Thomas, are you okay? What you have just said doesn’t make any sense. Motor oil on pancakes? That’s disgusting!

CHRIS: Not to mention poisonous. It sounds as if Remus had suddenly possessed you… Yuk.

THOMAS: What? It totally makes sense to me. The most logical topping for pancakes is grease oil pancakes. Everybody knows that.

PATTON: Um… no, kiddo, you’re obviously wrong and that is not… [face of realization] logical… at all… [low voice] Oh no…

VIRGIL: Is there something wrong, dad?

THOMAS: Yes, Patton, what’s the matter?

PATTON: I… I had promised Logan that I wouldn’t tell you but…

VIRGIL: Speaking about Logan, where is he? I haven’t seen him in ages.

PATTON: Neither did I, son. Neither did I… For the past three weeks I haven’t seen him. And he made me promise I wouldn’t tell you, but… something’s wrong with him, I can feel it. I have to break my promise and I hope he’ll forgive me.

CHRIS: What is going on, granddad?

THOMAS: Yes, where is Logan?

PATTON: He wouldn’t tell me, Thomas. The last time I saw him, he was so concerned, so worried… He told me he had to go somewhere and he had no choice. He made me promise that I wouldn’t tell you and that I wouldn’t follow him, if you had heard how seriously he ordered me not to do that… Then… he gave me a kiss, a kiss that was full of angst and despair, as if he knew there was a chance that was gonna be his last chance to kiss me forever. Then he left through the front door of his room and locked the door behind him. I’ve been tempted to break my promise myself several times, but the door is locked, so I couldn’t open it without asking for your help, and I couldn’t tell you, so… I’ve been so worried ever since. Concern would have kept me awake every night. I only fall asleep because you do, Thomas. But despite sleeping every night, that hasn’t given me peace, cause I’ve been having horrible nightmares all these nights. Nightmares where Logan calls for my help and I don’t pay attention to him.

THOMAS: [a little angry] No wonder you’re having nightmares! You should have told me, Patton. Logan should have told me he was going away. Of course it’s so hard for me to follow recipes and perform logical judgments. My sense of logic is out of reach.

PATTON: That’s what scares me the most. He told me he was entering autopilot mode so that you wouldn’t have any problems in that regard. Something must have happened to him if not even autopilot can keep your logical functions intact.

ROMAN: Maybe we should go after him. Maybe he needs our help.

PATTON: [nervous with a face of full angst] But he was strict about that. He didn’t want us to go after him, no matter if he took a long time to come back. I really wish to do as you say, Roman, but what if, by doing so, we put Logan, or us, in danger? I… I don’t know what to do. God help me, I don’t know what’s right or wrong anymore!

[Virgil hugs Patton]

VIRGIL: Worrying is my job, dad. Please calm down.

PATTON: I’m sorry, Virgil, it’s just that… he could be in danger because I waited too long to call for help, and on the other hand, I’m also betraying his trust because I told you and I’m willing to go after him when I promised him not to do so. Whatever I do, it makes me feel guilty, and it’s a horrible feeling.

VIRGIL: I’m so sorry you’ve had to go through this all alone, dad. But you’re not alone anymore, so please, calm down. Breath like I taught you… remember, 4, 7, 8…

PATTON: Okay… thanks son.

ROMAN: Okay, while Patton does the breathing exercise, I think it’s time for an emergency meeting. We should call the others.

THOMAS: You’re right. Logan, Deceit, Remus, Honesty, could you come here please!?

[they all rise up, except Remus who pops up and of course Logan who doesn’t show up at all]

PATTON: [after breathing out for eight seconds and before breathing in for four seconds] Why did you call Logan? Obviously he’s not gonna answer.

THOMAS: I know, sorry, it’s the habit. I always call Logan in a meeting like this. It’s so weird having to tackle an emergency without him.

DECEIT: Where is Logan? What is going on here?

ROMAN: [motor mouth] In short, Logan is gone, we don’t know where he’s gone other than he’s gone through the front door in his room and he asked Patton not to tell us, forbidding him and us to follow him. But now Thomas is losing his sense of logic and now we think Logan could be in danger, so we’re pondering the possibility of following him to wherever he’s gone despite the fact that he seriously instructed Patton not to do so. [takes a deep breath] Is that clear?

DECEIT: Sort… sort of… I think… When did Logan go away?

PATTON: It was the very same night you two started dating.

REMUS: Three weeks ago, then? What could Nerdyman be doing out there for so long? I mean, I’ve had long wild parties in my life just like anybody else, but that’s the wildest party I’ve ever heard about!

HONESTY: Whatever it is, it is important or dangerous enough that he didn’t want us to mess about with it.

PATTON: I myself don’t care about the danger on myself. I just wanna go with him and check that he’s okay. But I don’ have the heart to ask you to follow me.

THOMAS: Of course we’re going with you, Patton. We all care about Logan too and certainly we’re not leaving you alone anymore.

CHRIS: Logan is my someday-to-be-grandfather-in-law. He’s my family just as much as you are, so you can count on my sword and shield to assist you, granddad.

ROMAN: Same on my part, Patton, my samurai sword is at your service.

VIRGIL: And I’m not leaving you either dad. We’re doing this together.

HONESTY: Logan risked his life in order to find a way to save mine. Of course I’m willing to return him the favor if he needs me.

DECEIT: He speaks for both of us, right Remus?

REMUS: [a little hesitant] Well… [after Deceit frowns at him] Of course, if it’s important to you, it’s important to me. Count on my Morningstar to assist you, Catboy.

PATTON: [a little emotional] Thank you so much, my wonderful kiddos. I love you all so much.

THOMAS: Of course. Now, enough talking. You said he left through the front door in his room, so let’s go to his room now…

PATTON: First, eat something, Thomas, you didn’t even make your breakfast and you can’t go anywhere with an empty stomach. [pulling them out] Here, I just made some cookies. I have cookies for everyone. It’s the only thing I’ve been doing for the past three weeks since it was the only way I could distract my mind.

THOMAS: [grabbing some cookies] Thank you so much, Patton. I’ll eat them on the way.

PATTON: Also, take these paper towels and clean yourself a bit. It’s impractical to go on a mission like that.

THOMAS: Thanks, dad… Now, if you’re ready… [waits, but Patton doesn’t interrupt him anymore] Okay, let’s go, guys.

[The gang sinks down, then they rise up in Logan’s room]

THOMAS: Well, here we are… wow, I’m starting to feel back to normal right now, all my knowledge of recipes has suddenly returned to my head. And I’m feeling so stupid right now over making such foolish mistakes with the pancakes…

HONESTY: Maybe it’s because now you’re physically closer to Logan and his influence reaches you better from his room.

THOMAS: Maybe… Okay, so, we need to go through the front door. [Thomas goes to the door and tries to open it, but it’s locked. He looks through the peephole] I can’t… I can’t see anything other than a weird indigo light, like some sort of bright fog… What the heck is out there?

PATTON: I don’t know, Thomas. None of us know what lies ahead of the others’ front doors, except Roman’s and Remus’ which is of course Sandersia.

THOMAS: So each of you have a different place outside of your front door? What do you guys have?

PATTON: I don’t think it’s the right moment to ask, Thomas. Let’s focus on Logan’s door for the time being.

THOMAS: Okay… Well, the door is locked, as you said, Patton. How do we open it?

PATTON: We cannot, Thomas. You, as the Mind Palace’s owner, are the only one who can summon a key that can unlock this door.

THOMAS: But I usually can’t summon things. That’s a thing usually only you, the Sides, can do.

PATTON: This thing in particular, you certainly can. Just imagine it in your hand and wish for it to be there with faith and conviction, and the key will come to you.

THOMAS: Okay, I’ll try…

[Thomas rises his palm, then grimaces as he looks at it, as if he was struggling, his face even goes red. In a matter of seconds, a small key appears on his hand]

THOMAS: [happy] It worked! I did it!

REMUS: Yes, you did it, but… next time, Thomas, there’s no need for you to put a face as if you were constipated on the toilet. I enjoyed the view, though, it was funny.

THOMAS: [frowning at Remus] Thanks, Remus, I’ll remember next time… Okay, time to open the door. I hope this key really works.

[Thomas inserts the key in the keyhole, then turns it and the door unlocks perfectly]

THOMAS: Yep, it worked. Let’s go, then…

[Thomas opens the door. Outside, he can only see the same indigo bright fog, although he sees a point of light in a distance]

THOMAS: That looks like a lighthouse of some kind in the middle of this fog… Okay, guys, that light seems important, so we’ll go straight there. It’s impossible to see in this fog, so don’t spread out, I don’t want anyone getting lost, got it?

PATTON: Got it, Thomas… But how will we get back?

THOMAS: We’ll leave the door wide open, so that the light inside can help us find it on the way back, although I hope we have Logan to guide us back when that moment comes.

[Thomas and the Sides get through the door. Then they all walk in a line towards the light. As they get closer, they realize the light comes from a huge dark building, tall and wide beyond view]

THOMAS: What… what is this place? It’s huge, I can’t see where it ends. Look, the light is just over a door… and there’s a sign on it. It reads… “Library”. Library? This is a library? What kind of library, and why didn’t Logan ever mention it?

[Thomas tries to open the door. It opens easily, and they’re greeted with a view of huge, endless shelves full of books in all directions. Thomas and the Sides enter the building]

THOMAS: So… so many books, but what’s in them?

[A huge tempest-tongue-like voice with a robotic touch, like the autotune or Cher effect, is heard]

VOICE: WHO DARES ENTER THE LIBRARY!?

THOMAS: Who… who’s there?

VOICE: I’m the Librarian and you are trespassing! This place is forbidden to you, so begone right now!

ROMAN: Forbidden? There are no forbidden places for Thomas. He’s the owner of the whole Mind Palace, whoever you are!

LIBRARIAN: FOOLS! Thomas especially shouldn’t be here! This place is dangerous for him, much more for all the rest of you! Begone, now!

THOMAS: I refuse to leave until you show yourself! Let us see you!

[A dark figure appears walking on top of one of the selves. At first they don’t recognize him, then Patton’s face lightens up]

PATTON: Logan! Is that you, Logan!? Thank God you’re fine, I was so worried!

[but Logan doesn’t answer. Soon Patton’s happiness turns into horror when they can see his face clearly. His eyes are two bright burning lights of an indigo color, and his skin is pail and gray. It’s like he’s become a mixture of his human form and his robot-puppet form]

THOMAS: Logan, what happened to you?

LIBRARIAN: I told you I’m the Librarian. I’m the owner of this place and this is my sanctuary of knowledge. Do not touch any of the books for all the knowledge of whatever has happened in your life, as well as your plans for the future, is written in these pages, and if you damage just one single book, you could be destroying invaluable knowledge from your own mind, with disastrous consequences. So, once again, begone.

THOMAS: If you’re not Logan, then where is he?

LIBRARIAN: Logan is part of me, he always was, and forever will be.

PATTON: What do you mean? Where is he?

LIBRARIAN: Logan and I are two faces of the same coin. We’ve always existed together. He always calls me when he needs some kind of knowledge or fact in your mundane conversations and I provide it from inside of him. Who do you think that gave him the power to inspect your memories by touching you? It was me. I’ve been watching him, witnessing how he’s been degrading himself little by little, seeing how much your emotional mess of a world has corrupted him. Now, he even thinks he’s in love. So disgusting. But I’ll take care of cleaning him up from these useless distracting thoughts. Under my control, he’ll turn back into what he always should have been, the clean emotionless logical aspect of Thomas, the only way he can be useful to anyone.

PATTON: Don’t you dare!

THOMAS: Who gave you the right to decide in someone else’s place what is good or bad for them?

LIBRARIAN: I know Logan better than anyone else. I know what’s best for him and I’ll make him do it even in spite of him if I must.

THOMAS: Seems you don’t know him so well if you want to push him back into his old life of denying his emotions. I won’t let you do this. The brain must always be connected with feelings.

LIBRARIAN: What an abhorrent aberration! Brains and feelings must never mix up. It’s disgusting and I won’t let it happen!

PATTON: Why don’t you let Logan speak for himself!? We want to speak to the real Logan, right now!

LIBRARIAN: Well, I guess I can let you say your last words to him… Be quick, though, every second I’m in touch with these feelings makes me sick.

[the lights in Logan’s eyes disappear and Logan looks at the others]

LOGAN: Patton, guys, what are you doing here? I told you not to follow me! I didn’t want you to see me like this!

PATTON: I know, Logan, but I had to, Thomas was getting affected by your absence, cause your autopilot is switching off. Please don’t be mad at me.

LOGAN: It’s okay, I understand, and I’m not mad at you, but this is too dangerous for you! I didn’t want you to go through this! This is a fight I should have done on my own!

THOMAS: If you knew this could happen, why did you come here in the first place?

LOGAN: I had no choice, I have to come here at least once a year to upload my new knowledge into the library, or else I would get overloaded and incapable of getting new content for you, and also your logical functions would be compromised if my memory bank got overflown. But I knew that here the Librarian that’s always been inside of me would be heightened to a point where he could take control of my whole self, and I always knew he wasn’t happy I started a relationship with Patton. I could feel him rebelling against it inside of me, and I knew he’d take his chance when I had to come here. I tried to fight him, but here, he’s too strong. I may be losing the fight… but he’s not in full control yet, though. I’m still fighting him. Although since you’re here, I could use some help from you, guys.

THOMAS: How can we help you?

LOGAN: You must… [his eyes start glowing faintly and Logan starts struggling to speak] …you must find the indigo book… it’s the only book in this library… that can help me right now…

THOMAS: The indigo book? But this place is huge, how can we find it among all these millions of books?

LOGAN: [still struggling, as the lights flicker in his eyes] Find… the catalog in the center of the Library… it will tell you… where the indigo book lies… you’ll find everything you need to know in its pages… Hurry up, please… I don’t know how long I can resist… Help… me… Patton… I… lov…

[the lights start glowing as bright as before and he stops struggling]

LIBRARIAN: Why do you insist on making this more difficult for yourself and your friends? I’m doing this for your own good, Logan! Stop fighting me! [to Thomas and the others] And you, don’t you dare listening to his words. I won’t let you get to the catalog! I’ll stop you by force if I have to!

THOMAS: It will not be so easy for you. [whistles as if calling a pet dog] Remus?

REMUS: [excited smile, would have wiggled his tail if he had one] Yes, Thomas?

THOMAS: Do you wanna have fun?

REMUS: [hopping] I’m always ready for fun!

THOMAS: [as if he was telling a dog to fetch a toy] Then go get him! But don’t overdo it. Remember that it’s still Logan’s body, don’t cause him any permanent damages.

REMUS: [pulls out his Morningstar and jumps off-screen towards the Librarian] Yeeeha!

THOMAS: Good boy! The rest of you, come with me. We need to get to the center of the Library and check the catalog while Remus distracts him. Let’s go!

DECEIT: Be careful, Rem!

REMUS: [off-screen singsongy voice, the sound of the Morningstar is heard bumping on something several times] Okay, sweetheart!

[Thomas and the Sides run away into the Library, going through the corridor past shelves and shelves]

ROMAN: This is so huge. How far is the center anyway?

PATTON: I’m not used to run for so long… I can barely breath.

VIRGIL: Keep going, dad… We don’t know for how long Remus will be able to keep the Librarian distracted. Maybe he’s started chasing us already.

THOMAS: If the center was too far away, Logan wouldn’t have sent us into this mission. He knows it’s possible, so we must keep going, guys.

DECEIT: It’s easier said than done, though…

[a voice is heard around the whole building]

LIBRARIAN: I command you to come back immediately! Or else I’ll make you pay for this, like your stupid green guy has just paid!

DECEIT: What? What has he done to Remus!?

HONESTY: You don’t wanna know, Dee! Keep running or you’ll go through the same fate, whatever it is! We’ll think about that later! He’s obviously chasing us right now, and who knows how fast he runs!

THOMAS: Look, guys! There’s a round room over there! Maybe that’s the center!

[Thomas and the Sides reach to that room. It has a round shape and many corridors like the one they came from end there. In the center, there’s a table with a huge folder. Thomas approaches the folder, trying to recover breath after the long run. The other Sides stand on the entrance of the corridor they came from]

THOMAS: This must be the catalog Logan talked about… Now what?

PATTON: Open that folder and look inside.

[Thomas opens the folder and reads the first page]

THOMAS: It’s an alphabetical index with the topics that are inside these books, with coordinates to find them.

PATTON: Then search for the indigo book Logan mentioned.

ROMAN: [pulling out his samurai sword] We’ll cover you up while you’re searching, Thomas. Hurry!

CHRIS: [pulling out his sword] I was waiting for the day where I would fight alongside you, father.

ROMAN: So did I, son, it will be an honor to share this battle with you.

[Thomas turns to letter I for indigo. Thomas keeps browsing through the different topics starting with letter I until he reaches the key word]

THOMAS: Here it is… but there are still several topics containing the word indigo… let’s see…

ROMAN: There he comes… [horrified, looking at what approaches them, which is not featured on screen] my goodness gracious… what’s that thing!?

CHRIS: It looks like a horrible creature… like one of those Eldritch abominations that appear in horror stories… Is that monster the Librarian!?

ROMAN: Whoever or whatever that is… we must buy Thomas some time… Let’s go get him!

CHRIS: I’m right with you, father!

[Roman and Chris charge towards the creature, sounds of fighting are heard off-screen]

THOMAS: Indigo book! There it is! Patton, grab some of that paper and that pencil to write the coordinates. Ready? Corridor R… Side C… Block P… Shelf F… Book R… Page M… Page? Why marking a specific page from a book in a catalog? Oh, whatever… Did you write it down, Patton?

PATTON: Yes, Thomas, everything.

[Thomas and Patton look around the room]

THOMAS: You see? Each corridor has a plate with a letter identifying it, and each side of the corridor has another letter identifying it… Here, this is corridor R. The left side has a C and the right side has a B, so it has to be on the left side of this corridor. Let’s go, Patton, before it’s too late.

VIRGIL: I’m going with you too, just in case you need protection. [to the other Sides] Guys, hold on as much as you can.

HONESTY: We’ll try, Virge. Now go.

[Thomas, Patton and Virgil enter corridor R, looking at the left side of the shelves. Every few shelves there’s a letter, starting with B, only omitting vowels]

PATTON: These must be the blocks. We must get to block P, so let’s get moving. If there are no vowels, it is the twelfth block.

[Thomas, Patton and Virgil run through the different blocks. After some running, they get to the block with the letter P]

THOMAS: Okay, the indigo book must be around here. My, there are so many books in this block…

PATTON: It’s good we got all the letters from the catalog to find it faster. It was shelf F. The lowest shelf is B, so it’s the fourth shelf starting from the bottom. And it’s the R book. Each book has a label on the spine with a letter on it. Again, no vowels. B… C… D… F… G…

[Honesty reaches them running]

HONESTY: Guys, you better hurry! Deceit asked me to go warn you when Roman and Chris started getting exhausted. The creature is too strong and they’re running out of strength to fight.

THOMAS: We almost have it, Hon…

[A huge yell is heard from the distance, then they hear ferocious beastly growling sounds approaching them]

HONESTY: That was Dee! The creature must have defeated them! And now it is heading this way! Hurry up!

PATTON: P… Q… Here it is, R!

[Patton picks up the book from the shelf and gives it to Thomas. At that precise point, the growling suddenly stops and there is a tense silence]

HONESTY: Where… where did that thing go? He was almost here!

VIRGIL: This silence is even worse than the beastly sounds…

THOMAS: Maybe it’s because I got the book and he’s afraid to damage something important for him if he attacks us upfront. Look, there are several bookmarks in the book, each with different letters. Again, no vowels… What is it with this place and vowels? What letter was it, Patton?

PATTON: It was M.

LIBRARIAN: [from the top of the shelf they got the book from] Stop right where you are! Don’t open that book! You’re gonna doom us all!

THOMAS: I hope you don’t expect us to believe you, Librarian. I bet the only one to be doomed by the book is you!

VIRGIL: You, monster! What have you done with our friends!?

LIBRARIAN: I didn’t kill them if that’s what you’re thinking! I just rendered them unconscious and expelled them out of the Library back into Logan’s room!

VIRGIL: Yeah, right, and you needed to turn into a beast just to do that!

LIBRARIAN: I was just trying to scare you out of here, I don’t want you to mess everything up!

THOMAS: Here it is. Bookmark M.

[Thomas opens the book]

LIBRARIAN: [distressed] I said don’t do that!

THOMAS: Or else, what? You’ll turn into a beast again and “scare” us all? Go ahead and try, if you don’t care about ruining any of the books, that is.

LIBRARIAN: Fine… suit yourself. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

[Thomas reads the page. Then, he shows a face of shock]

LIBRARIAN: I warned you.

PATTON: What’s the matter, Thomas? What’s in that page?

THOMAS: Patton… we can’t do this… it’s too dangerous.

PATTON: [snatching the book from Thomas’ hands] Let me see this! [Patton reads aloud] Should the Logical Side lose control of the Librarian, the only way he can regain control back is for the Light Master to force him into total inhibition until all signs of life are gone from him, then bringing him back to life. It acts as a reset action that would restore him back to normal. During inhibition, if the Logical Side didn’t put himself in autopilot mode beforehand, Thomas could lose his logical thinking capacities and become completely demented until inhibition is reverted. Autopilot prevents this from happening. Fair warning though that if not performed correctly or inside the window time of five minutes after total inhibition, the Logical Side would perish permanently. Should that happen, a brand new Logical Side, completely unrelated to the old one, would immediately be generated from the Mind Palace Core to assume Thomas’ logical functions. [Patton looks at Thomas with a face of horror] This… is so dangerous… Logan could literally die.

THOMAS: And I don’t know how to do this. Logan was the one who advised me on how to use my Light Master powers and I can’t count on him to help me. Without him, I’m lost. And I don’t have the heart to put him in danger.

LIBRARIAN: Give it up. If you try to do this, you’ll kill Logan. Let me take care of him. I assure you I will treat him right in this Library. He won’t even miss you when you’re gone and he’ll be fine, as long as I tell him what is fine for him.

PATTON: Falsehood! [Thomas and the Sides look at Patton in shock after hearing Logan’s trademark word on Patton’s lips] With you controlling him, he would be nothing but your slave! If you really cared about Logan, you would let him live his life the way he wants, with me, with all of us! Because we’re the ones who would really treat him right, just by letting him be himself. You just want to mold him to your own idea of what Logan should be, no matter how shoehorned that idea may be. It’s that fake Logan you care about, not the real one. You’re just jealous of his happiness because you can’t understand feelings at all! You’ll never be able to understand love or hate, happiness or sadness, and because of that, you will always be inferior to Logan! No matter how powerful you think you are, without emotions, you are nothing! Thomas, we must do this.

THOMAS: Patton, are you sure? We could kill him! It’s too big of a risk!

PATTON: While he’s the slave of that thing, he’s as good as dead anyway, eternally suffering after his yoke. This creature is even worse than the Dark Master himself. At least the Dark Master had a basic understanding of feelings, even if he used it for evil. I will not have Logan going through that hell. We must set him free, one way… or another, however painful it may be.

THOMAS: But I don’t know if I can do this.

PATTON: Thomas, I have faith in you. You have already learned enough of your Light Master powers to do a great deal of things and you’ve become really powerful. Maybe you don’t believe in yourself in that regard, but I do believe in you. Just enter Light Master mode and you’ll know what to do. I’m rooting for you, kiddo.

[Patton gives a father-like kiss on the forehead to Thomas and the brightest comforting smile he can come up with given the circumstances. Thomas gives a slightly emotional smile to Patton]

THOMAS: Okay, I’ll do everything I can. It’s good that Logan had entered autopilot mode beforehand. At least he had the vision to do that.

PATTON: Or maybe his intuition told him this could happen and he wanted to be ready. Which is a proof that even Logan has faith in you. He knew that you have what it takes to save him. If you don’t want to trust me, trust him.

THOMAS: [sighs and closes his eyes] Okay… [opens his eyes, they’re now blue] Then let’s do this.

LIBRARIAN: No, I demand you to…

THOMAS: Be quiet, Librarian! I’m the one who demands you to release Logan, right now! This is your only warning, leave him in peace or be ready for the consequences!

LIBRARIAN: Never! He’s mine now! You don’t have what it takes! I’m not afraid of you and I’ll never set Logan free!

THOMAS: You asked for this, then. I said, get out of him, now!

[Thomas points at the Librarian and it’s as if an invisible hand pulls from him and throws him down from the top of the shelf, falling on the ground]

THOMAS: Get out of Logan’s body, right now!

[the Librarian’s body starts shaking violently]

PATTON: The power of Patton compels you!

[everyone looks at Patton]

PATTON: Sorry, I got carried away…

[Thomas keeps pointing at the Librarian. His violent convulsions slowly start getting weaker]

LIBRARIAN: Stop! I’m getting weak… I’m losing myself… I don’t wanna go… Please… I beg… [singing weakly, his voice slowly gets weaker and weaker] Daisy… Daisy… Give me your answer do… I'm half crazy… All for the love of…

[the singing and the convulsions stop, then, the bright eyes slowly turn off and Logan’s skin loses it’s gray silvery tone, to be replaced by white pail. Logan looks weakly to Thomas with a peaceful expression, he mouths a “thank you” without strength to emit any sound, then he gets still with that same expression of peace looking at Thomas, as if he had just died]

PATTON: Logan!

[Patton jumps to Logan’s body]

PATTON: He’s cold as marble stone! I think he’s dead! Now, you have to revive him, quickly! Five minutes starting now!

[Thomas starts struggling. For the next two minutes, nothing happens]

VIRGIL: Oh, God, I hope he can do it…

PATTON: He can do it! Come on, Thomas! Logan, if you can hear me somehow, fight to come back! Please, don’t leave me!

[Thomas still struggles. Then, a white spark comes from his hand and lands on Logan’s chest. He has a violent convulsion. His skin recovers some color for a second, then reverts back to pail]

PATTON: Something happened there. You can do this, Thomas. How long do we have left?

HONESTY: [looking at his phone] Less than two minutes.

[Thomas struggles even harder. A spark bigger than the previous one jumps from his hand and hits Logan. He has another violent convulsion. He breaths for a second, but then stops breathing again]

PATTON: Let me help you, Thomas. Perhaps the energy of two can be strong enough to bring him back.

[Patton kisses Logan’s forehead, then approaches Thomas, touches his shoulder and concentrates. A light blue aura surrounds both of them. Thomas emits another spark, this one of a light blue color and dramatically stronger than the previous ones which impacts on Logan. This time, he starts having continuous convulsions, as if he was being electrified]

PATTON: Come on, Logan. Fight for me… Don’t leave me alone…

[the convulsions keep going for two minutes, then he stops shaking. There are no visible signs of life from him]

PATTON: Lo… Logan?

HONESTY: The time is up. The five minutes are gone.

[Patton looks at Logan with a face of horror and tears start falling down his cheeks]

PATTON: This can’t be! Logan!

[Patton runs to Logan and holds to him, crying]

THOMAS: [Also crying, his eyes have turned back to brown] I’m sorry, Patton. I swear that I tried my best…

[then suddenly, Logan starts coughing and struggling to breath, and Patton quickly retreats. The coughing stops and Logan opens his eyes weakly, then notices Patton next to him. Patton is too stunned to react]

LOGAN: [weak voice] I was… I was being dragged into the Mind Palace’s Core light… when an angel approached me… an angel with a blue polo shirt, a gray cat hoodie around his shoulders and a bright heart that shone into his chest, so full of love it was overwhelmingly heartwarming, it could compete with the Core itself in brightness… He told me he still needed me and grabbed me back…

[Patton starts laughing and crying like a baby at the same time, not able to say anything coherent, then hugs Logan, who weakly hugs him back]

VIRGIL: [crying emotional, his tears are black due to the eyeshadow] Thank goodness… Thank goodness…

LOGAN: [his voice is a little stronger, but still weak] Thank you, Thomas. I owe you my life… I knew if I lost control, only you could save me.

THOMAS: It was my pleasure, but I didn’t do all the work. I couldn’t have done this without Patton’s help. He’s the one who has really saved you.

LOGAN: I love you so much, Patton… When I was subjugated, the thing I feared most was for that love to get corrupted and lost… it was the only thing I didn’t want to lose, your love and the capacity to love. I didn’t want to turn back to what I was before… not ever…

[Logan tries to get up, but he finds it hard]

THOMAS: Hey, relax, buddy. Are you sure you can get up? You have just returned from death. Maybe you should rest for a while.

LOGAN: I don’t want to get up, I…

[with some difficulty, Logan first sits down, then puts himself on his knees and grabs Patton’s hands]

LOGAN: Patton, you are the man of my life. I don’t want to live my life with anyone else but you.

PATTON: Goodness…

LOGAN: I’m sorry I didn’t have time to get an aurum ring with a piece of a pure carbon crystal on it, but I hope my feelings for you are equally valuable for this proposal. Will you marry me?

[Patton smiles widely, a smile that could compete with the sun in brightness]

PATTON: Of course I will, Logan. Of course I will!

[Patton kisses Logan, then they both hug. Logan seems to lose stability due to the effort so he holds on Patton]

LOGAN: I’m so happy now. I’m sad I’m not strong enough to show you right now, but I am…

PATTON: Don’t worry, my heart can show happiness enough for two. Now, rest. Here, lie on my shoulder.

[Logan lies on Patton’s shoulder while Patton pets his hand sweetly]

HONESTY: [to Thomas, whispering] Hey, you, the chemical engineer… What did Logan say he wanted his ring to be made of?

THOMAS: [emotional] A ring made of gold with a diamond on it, of course… I’m so happy for you two…

VIRGIL: Okay, guys. It will be best if we get out of here now.

LOGAN: You don’t need to worry anymore, Virgil. The Librarian as you knew him no longer exists, he’s been, sort of… formatted, and now I’m the one controlling him. He won’t be a cause for trouble anymore and this place is safe again.

VIRGIL: Glad to hear that… but still, we should go back to your room right now. I wanna check that the others are fine.

[Virgil summons a wheelchair]

VIRGIL: Here, obviously I wouldn’t make you walk all the way there in your condition, sit on that and dad can carry you.

LOGAN: Sounds good. And don’t worry too much, Virge. I saw everything the Librarian did and he didn’t kill the Sides. At least in that regard, he was true. But you’re right, we should check they’re in good shape, so let’s go.

[Patton and Virgil help Logan stand up and sit on the chair]

PATTON: Are you comfy here, my love?

LOGAN: If you’re by my side, I’ll be comfy anywhere.

PATTON: I didn’t know you could be so romantic.

LOGAN: Now I have no hindrance to express my feelings. But don’t get too accustomed to it. At work, I’ll still be wearing my necktie of seriousness, cause Thomas will need me to be serious.

PATTON: That’s fair. I’ll get to enjoy the sweet version of you all by myself.

VIRGIL: Are we ready to go?

THOMAS: Just a second, guys, let me replace the indigo book where it was.

[Thomas puts the book on the shelf. He notices a piece of paper that has fallen on the floor]

THOMAS: What’s this?

LOGAN: Thomas, don’t read that. It is a piece of knowledge that could get damaged if you manipulate it. Just put it back on its shelf.

THOMAS: I don’t think it could do any harm, it’s just a little note…

[Thomas reads the note]

THOMAS: Oh… wow…

VIRGIL: What is it?

THOMAS: It is a note that apparently belongs to the indigo book. It must have fallen when we got the book in a hurry. It’s an appendix related to the process we’ve just followed and some secondary effects related to Logan.

LOGAN: [sighs] I didn’t want you to read that cause I didn’t want you to worry about me. But I said that knowledge can’t hurt you and I’ll stand by it. Tell the others.

THOMAS: It says that, should the process be performed, the Librarian’s reset will mean that the Logical Side will lose his capacity of examining other Sides’ memories or transmitting his own memories to other Sides through touch.

LOGAN: Yes, I lost my capacity of examining you. But… it’s okay. It was a price I was willing to pay. A small price, indeed, for my freedom to love.

THOMAS: It also says that, in time, these abilities would progressively return to the Logical Side, but it’s unknown how long it would take for him to get to same level he had prior to the reset, it could range from days to years. Also, intuition may be temporally compromised to a degree, although this effect is expected wear off faster. All the rest of his cognitive functions will remain intact. I’m sorry, Logan.

LOGAN: It’s okay, Thomas. Don’t worry. At least it seems it won’t be permanent. And besides, if I couldn’t count on my hands anymore to help, I’ll use what I’ve always used best, my brains. We’ll be fine.

THOMAS: Okay. I hope so.

LOGAN: Now, let’s go home. We have a wedding to start preparing, right?

PATTON: Right. And this time, there will be no Dark Masters to spoil it.

VIRGIL: I hope so.

[Thomas puts the note inside the indigo book, then they all head back to the front door through a shorter path, guided by Logan. When they reach the door, they realize that the door has changed and now looks like Thomas’ front door. After opening, they discover it does indeed lead straight into Logan’s room, and the fog they had to cross earlier is gone. In Logan’s room, they find Roman, Chris, Deceit and Remus lying down on the couch, unconscious]

VIRGIL: Guys! Are you okay?

[Virgil runs to attend his husband and son. Roman is the first to wake up, but he pretends to stay asleep, putting his lips on kiss position, like waiting for Virgil to kiss him and wake him up]

VIRGIL: [sighs with a smile of relief] You, royal dork. [kisses him] Okay, done, I gave you a true love’s kiss to wake you up, sleeping handsome. Happy?

ROMAN: Your kisses will always make me happy, my love… [he rises up and shows an expression of pain] Ow, my head.

VIRGIL: Are you okay?

ROMAN: Everything hurts… but I’ll survive. I’m sorry I couldn’t do more.

VIRGIL: You’ve done more than enough, Roman. Look who’s here with us thanks to your bravery.

ROMAN: Oh, Logan… Are you okay?

LOGAN: I’m okay. Thanks to you all, guys. I’m sorry I made you go through this.

ROMAN: It’s okay, that’s what fam’s for, right?

[slowly, the rest of the Sides wake up too]

REMUS: That guy took me by surprise… he suddenly turned into this beast and without fair warning he hit me and… I don’t remember anything else. If I had known, I would have released my tentacles to match theirs.

DECEIT: That creature was not terrifying at all…

LOGAN: It won’t cause any more trouble, thankfully. Now, since you were out when it happened, I want to announce to you all the news.

CHRIS: What news?

LOGAN: I have asked Patton to marry me, and he said yes.

CHRIS: [his face lightens up] Really!? I’m so happy! At last I’m gonna be able to call you grandfather for real!

LOGAN: And I’ll be proud to have you as grandson, boy.

REMUS: Um… Can I say something?

THOMAS: Wow, it’s the first time you ask for permission to say something, are you sure you didn’t get badly hurt by that beast? Okay, I was kidding, go ahead.

REMUS: I know that this is your moment and all that jazz, Logan, but, you’re planning a wedding and I thought that… it would be a shame to waste a ceremony just on one couple, when you can use it to join two couples, right?

DECEIT: Remus? What are you trying to say?

REMUS: I was thinking that… it would be great if we could kill to birds with one stone…

THOMAS: Of course Remus would be the first Side to use that saying…

REMUS: …and you married me the same day Logan and Patton married, in the same ceremony, a double wedding. If you accept me, of course, and if Logan and Patton don’t disagree.

DECEIT: But we’ve been dating only for three weeks. You didn’t even ask me to marry you, Remus, and you’re planning our wedding already?

REMUS: Well, it was just an idea that flashed through my head, and you know that I always say what goes through my head like that, especially when I really want to say it. So… what do you say, Dee? Will you marry me?

DECEIT: I… I don’t know… I mean, to be honest, we barely know each other. You don’t even know my name and…

REMUS: Well, that has an easy remedy. My name is Remus Sanders. What is your name?

DECEIT: [nervous smile] Wow… It’s been ages since I last shared my name… You remember well, right Virge?

VIRGIL: How could I forget? You opened yourself to me and trusted me your name. I wish I could have been able to correspond that act of trust.

DECEIT: But you have. You’ve kept the secret all these years and I thank you for that.

V

IRGIL: I did not even used it when we were both alone. It felt to me like profaning something sacred, you know?

DECEIT: Well, it’s not like you couldn’t have used my name in private with me. I’m no deity for my name to be revered as such. After all, that’s what I revealed it to you for.

VIRGIL: Okay, but still, your name inspired me such sensation, like I could break something if I spoke it aloud. Back then, I didn’t understand myself why… Now I think I do. You trusted me your feelings with that name and I didn’t want to break that trust in any way. I wish I would have understood earlier these feelings behind that revelation, Dee. Maybe things could have been different between us.

DECEIT: It’s not your fault, and besides, [looking at Remus] that’s probably how it was meant to be, after all. [sighs] Still, though, back then you were my only friend in the Dark Realm, the only one with whom I felt comfortable enough to share that secret. But when you were so oblivious about my feelings for you, in a way, I felt heartbroken, and I decided to hide my name ever since, because it reminded me of that moment. And that’s silly because you can’t run away from feelings just by avoiding using your own name, that’s stupid… Eventually, I had to face these feelings anyway, with our without my name in the equation.

VIRGIL: I’m so sorry I made you feel that way…

DECEIT: And now that Remus has asked me that question… I suddenly realized that I really wanted to answer it. In fact, I suddenly realized that I don’t have any reason to hide my name anymore. If there was a time where I felt belittled and useless and thought that I had to put a shield around myself to act all tough, hiding my true self from the others… that time has been gone for a long time now. I’m among friends now and I really want to break whatever is left from that shield and be myself. So, I’m gonna share my name with all of you, guys.

[everyone looks at Deceit in expectation. Deceit sighs, then takes a deep breath and speaks]

DECEIT: My name is Janus.

[there’s a silence in the room. Then they all smile at him]

THOMAS: It’s an honor to meet you… Janus.

JANUS: Wow, it feels so weird… it’s both a sensation of relief and ickiness… I don’t know if I’ll be able to get used to you calling me by my real name.

VIRGIL: Yeah, I know the feeling…

THOMAS: We’ll call you however you want. Your name is Janus, but you will always be our Dee in our hearts. I like your name, by the way.

JANUS: [smiles emotional] Thank you, Thomas.

HONESTY: If I may speak…

JANUS: Oh, are you going to…?

HONESTY: Yes. I’ve always known your name too, Janus, at least since we got unlocked from each other. Not surprising bearing in mind we share the same memories and for a long time the same body. I never revealed your name cause I knew how much it meant to you, and in solidarity with you, I also avoided revealing mine. It’s curious that even when we didn’t know about each other, I still didn’t want to reveal my name. Maybe back then you had an influence on me of some kind, who knows. The point is, that now that you’ve shared your name, I also want to share mine.

ROMAN: Oooh, what a day of revelations…

THOMAS: Roman, sush! Go ahead, Hon.

HONESTY: [with a posh British accent] Well, ladies and gentlemen…

ROMAN: What ladies…?

HONESTY: It is an honor to announce to all my beloved family members that my name…

[again, everyone looks at Honesty in expectation]

HONESTY: My name is Ian.

[everyone looks at Ian]

VIRGIL: I like that name.

THOMAS: Nice to meet you too, Ian.

IAN: Thanks, guys.

LOGAN: Oh, I think I understand the logic behind your names…

THOMAS: What?

LOGAN: Ian and Janus have been sharing the same body for a long time. They’ve been a Side with two faces. There is a deity in the Roman pantheon whose name is Janus, a two faced god that took charge of beginnings and endings, transitions and passages, and presided war and peace. That explains a lot of Janus’ name. And Ian… could very well be based on Ianos, the Greek version of the Latin Janus. It makes sense that, being the same Side in origin, they also share the same name origin, even if it came out in a different form for each.

IAN: Hadn’t thought about that. I only thought it looked cool to have a name so associated to British culture. Ian Flemming, creator of James Bond; Ian Chesterton, one of the Doctor’s first companions in Doctor Who; Ian McKellen, one of the best British actors and worldwide actors in general ever…

JANUS: Yes, it’s a cool name. I’m glad that we both share a name in a way, brother.

IAN: I’m glad too.

REMUS: Well, now that the introductions are over… Janus, I’m still waiting for an answer.

JANUS: [beat] Well, I told you that I don’t like weddings, remember?

REMUS: But you were lying… [voice of concern] right?

[Janus chuckles]

JANUS: Of course I was lying, you fool. I’ll be happy to marry you. What do I have to lose, anyway?

REMUS: Wheee! [Remus grabs Janus and spins around with him in his arms, they both laugh. Then Remus kisses Janus] I knew proposing was a good idea!

PATTON: As for marrying together… it’s okay by me, if Logan is not against it.

LOGAN: No, I’m not against it. It’s a family gathering after all, and you were right. It will be good to save resources and perform a single ceremony to wed two couples at once. So I’m okay with it too. It will make it even more special for us.

JANUS: Thank you guys.

ROMAN: I’m happy for all of you. And look at this, I’m gaining two new family members. Logan becomes my father-in-law and Deceit… I mean, Janus, becomes my brother-in-law. How much happy can a prince get?

[they all start congratulating the couples, while Thomas looks at the camera]

THOMAS: Well, all’s well that ends well. Until next time, take it easy, guys, gals and non binary pals. Peace out!

[ending card]

[days have passed. Roman is in the royal castle of Sandersia, talking to his brother Roland]

ROMAN: …and this is all that happened.

ROLAND: Wow, Roman. You get adventures even without looking for them. I hope Logan is okay.

ROMAN: I would say that it’s the adventures who get us, but yes, you’re right, and Logan is much better now after these few days of rest… So, I was thinking if we could use the royal castle to perform the weddings.

ROLAND: [nervous] Oh, well… I don’t know if it’s a good idea. Of course, you’re the royal prince and your word would be my command but, still, I don’t think it’s a good idea.

ROMAN: Why? When I married we used the royal castle and, except for the Dark Master crashing the wedding, everything went just fine.

ROLAND: That’s different, you are the Royal Prince of Sandersia, therefore your wedding was a royal wedding. It was more than appropriate to perform it in the royal castle. But your friends are not royalty per se. It would be against protocol.

ROMAN: Well, Remus is my brother, and a duke, that’s nobility at least, and Patton is my husband’s father, he could be considered consort royalty too.

ROLAND: As I said, your word is my command and I’m just a regent prince… I’ll obey your instructions now and always.

ROMAN: Something makes you uncomfortable and I think it’s not protocol related. What’s wrong? Forget that I’m the Royal Prince of Sandersia and all that pompous stuff and speak to me, from brother to brother. Give me your real opinion and what you really want.

ROLAND: Well…

ROMAN: Come on, I’m your brother. You can trust me anything that bothers you and your honest opinion is important to me.

ROLAND: Okay… I’ll be honest with you, and I’m sorry. I have no problem to perform Patton and Logan’s wedding here… but I despise the idea of performing Remus’ wedding in this castle. I don’t wanna do that if I have a choice.

ROMAN: Oh… I should have known it was related to that.

ROLAND: I still don’t understand how you could have let him get so integrated in your group. Have you all forgotten that he tried to kill me? Does nobody care about my safety or about how I feel now?

ROMAN: I really understand your concern, and of course we care about you. You’re my brother, for Ethel Merman’s sake, how could I not care about you? But Remus is not the same as he used to be back when he did that. I’m sure he regrets having done all of that, and he doesn’t have any ill will against you anymore. I really wish you would give him a chance.

ROLAND: I don’t trust him. And being so unpredictable, Janus – was that Deceit’s name, you said? - shouldn’t trust him either. Who can tell that he won’t have another face-heel turn at any moment? He could turn against you at the slightest chance. He’s just like that, and I fear about your safety, just as much as I scared to death about mine. He scares me and I can’t help feeling that way, and if you had gone through what I went through, you would be too.

ROMAN: You’re saying this because you haven’t witnessed everything we’ve gone through with him. I’m telling you he’s really changed. If only you would give him a chance to prove it to you. Please, he’s my brother, Roland, just as much as you are. Couldn’t you do this… for me?

ROLAND: Wait, no, don’t look at me with the puppy face…

[Roman starts whining like a puppy with an over the top pouty face. Roland can’t help chuckling a bit]

ROLAND: That was a cheap shot.

ROMAN: [smiling like a kid] But did it work?

ROLAND: You already know it worked, it always did when you wanted to play with my toys when we were kids… [sighs] Okay… If he really means so much to you… I’m going to give him a chance to prove himself. But let it be known, I do this for you and not for him.

ROMAN: I love you, brother. What do you have in mind?

ROLAND: He will come over to this castle for a week. He can bring Janus if he wants. In fact I wouldn’t mind if all of you came here for the week, for a little vacation, if you’re not busy, of course. I will then have the chance to get to know him, and if I’m pleased with what I see, I’ll accept that he marries Janus here with Logan and Patton. Will that make you happy?

ROMAN: You have no idea, Roland. Thank you so much. You won’t regret this, you’ll see.

ROLAND: I’m regretting it already… I hope for your own happiness that he doesn’t mess everything up during that week.

ROLAND: He won’t. You’ll get to like him too, you’ll see.

ROLAND: I hope so, Roman. I hope so…

[goldenmessenger]

TS Actor AU: Eye of the Storm

Summary: In New York City, Patton has some big plans, and Virgil's got his back. Logan is oblivious. But very quickly the night changes into something none of them expected.

Takes place at roughly the same time as IronWoman359's "I've Got You Brother" and my "Aftermath"

Read on Ao3 here.

A/N: Hey everyone! It’s Em, back with more Actor AU! This is #4 from my ideas list, where we get to see what was going on in NYC with our other boys during Remus’s disastrous interview. I’m very happy with how parts of this turned out. And this is a whopper, my longest one yet at 6026 words. Never written quite this much in one go, so I hope you guys like it! 

Next, more of Thomas and Virgil figuring out their relationship, then we get to meet the kids! Or some of them, at least.

As usual, let me know if you want to be added to the taglist!

Content Warnings: Panic, tempers, irrational thoughts

*************************************

Patton paced back and forth in Virgil’s hotel room, nervous energy filling every fiber of his being. What if something went wrong? What if he screwed up? What if Logan disliked it so much that he never wanted to see him again or— 

“Take a breath, Pop Star.” Virgil’s voice broke through the haze of anxiety weighing Patton down. “You’re going to wear a hole in the carpet. You’ve gone over every step of this, it’ll be perfect.”

“You sure?” Patton said, flopping down on the bed next to Virgil. “What-what if I forget what I want to say, or I trip and break my nose, or I trip and break Logan’s nose—”

“Breathe, Pat.” Virgil said, maintaining his calm tone. “You’re grinding again.”

Patton inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly. Virgil placed his hands gently on his friend’s shoulder. 

“You and Logan might not have been together very long, but I can tell that he loves you so much. Even if things do go wrong tonight, he’ll still think it’s all perfect, because you’re there with him.” Virgil said. “And you guys have already adopted two kids together, and that’s one of the biggest steps you can take as a couple. What’s one more?”

Patton smiled thankfully at Virgil, then stood up.

“He’s probably going to be ready to go soon.” Patton said, looking at the door that connected Virgil’s hotel room to his and Logan’s. Patton turned back to Virgil. “How do I look?” He asked, feeling nervous again.

Patton had picked out a light blue floral sundress, with a skirt that was higher in the front than the back, and was wearing a pair of light brown flats with them. Virgil had done his makeup, light on the foundation so as not to hide Patton’s freckles, which Logan adored, and with glittery silver eyeshadow. The lipstick was simple as well, a nice rosy pink. Patton’s curly hair, which he always kept shoulder-length when not filming the show, had been pulled back into a simple side braid.

“You look gorgeous, Pat.” Virgil said firmly. “And I know Logan will agree.”

“Know Logan will agree with what?”

Virgil and Patton both turned to find Logan standing right next to the door between the rooms. Patton’s jaw dropped. Logan was wearing white slacks and black shoes, but the star of the otherwise simple outfit was his top. It was a off the shoulder button-up top that was dark blue, but glittered like a sky full of stars.

“I was just telling Pat that you’d think he looks absolutely gorgeous.” Virgil said, grinning at his lovebird friends.

“Virgil is absolutely correct, Patton.” Logan said. “You look absolutely stunning.”

“So do you.” Patton said, beaming at his boyfriend.

Virgil pretended to gag at how cute the two were, but they both knew he was only joking.

“You two better shoo,” Virgil said, “Pat has a pretty full date planned, and I don’t think you’ll want to miss any of it.”

“What are your plans while we’re gone?” Logan asked.

“Gonna watch Remus’s interview when it airs, go to bed. This is his first one for the show, after all. Gotta show some support.” Virgil said, then frowned. “I wasn’t kidding about the shooing guys, we’ve got free time right now, but we’ve got an absolutely hectic day of interviews tomorrow. You’ll both want your sleep.”

“Don’t worry, Virge!” Patton said cheerily. “You’ll barely even notice we’re gone!’

Virgil smiled. 

“I doubt that. Now go. I’m gonna FaceTime my boyfriend so I’m not feeling like a third wheel.”

*************************************

“That was quite a well-done show.” Logan said, and Patton smiled up at him, doing his best to contain the nervousness that had come back with a vengeance.

The evening had gone very well. Dinner was at a rather expensive steakhouse where Patton had gotten them reservations, and then they had gone to watch the musical Hadestown, where they had perfect seats right in the middle of the orchestra.

And now they were in the car, with their driver taking them back to the hotel. Or, at least, that’s where Logan thought they were going. Patton’s hand tightened around the object in his pocket. It was going to work, Virgil was right, there was no reason to be nervous. 

And yet, Patton still was.

“The effects were spectacular and I was quite impressed with all of the actors.” Logan continued, not seeming to have noticed Patton’s nerves. “Though the ending was very sad. It was certainly foolish of Orpheus to turn around like that—”

The car stopped suddenly, and Logan blinked in surprise.

“This isn’t the hotel.” He said, bemused.

“No, it’s not.” Despite his nervousness, Patton couldn’t help but let a smile spread across his face. “Come on Lo, let’s go inside.”

*************************************

The Hayden Planetarium and the museum that contained it were usually closed by this time of night, but the management had been more than happy to let Patton use it once he explained his plan (and, of course, offered the museum a not insignificant donation).

Patton led Logan to the planetarium. When they entered, the ‘sky’ lit up, filling with stars.

“Patton,” Logan said, “what is all of this?”

“Well,” Patton said, stepping backward into the planetarium, “I wanted to do this with a sky of stars above us, but since we’re in the middle of a city, I thought that this would be a close second.”

“Do what?” Logan questioned, and Patton smiled and took Logan’s hands in his.

“Logan Clarke, two years ago today you decided to throw all caution to the wind and ask me out, and I will never stop being glad that you did.” Patton paused for a breath, suddenly distracted by his phone buzzing in his back pocket. Then Logan smiled at him, and gestured for Patton to continue, and Patton forgot all about his phone.

“I love you more than almost anything else in the entire world,”

“Almost?” Logan questioned teasingly and Patton grinned back.

“Yeah, you’re tied with the kids.” Patton said, and Logan laughed. Feeling a new surge of courage and love burst through him, Patton decided to ditch the rest of his speech. He didn’t need it. Letting go of Logan’s hands and pulling out the small box that had been burning a hole in his pocket for the last three months, Patton went down on one knee. He was vaguely aware of his phone buzzing again, but he ignored it. Whoever it was could wait.

“Logan Clarke, will you marry me?”

Logan smiled a big smile, the kind Patton had only seen on his face three times. First, when Logan had asked him out, the second when they had decided to move in together, and the third when the adoption papers for their children had been finalized.

“Yes.” Logan said softly, then pulled Patton up to his feet and the couple kissed. Patton pulled back and took the ring out of the box.

“I think you’ll be wanting this.” Patton said with a smile. “I was going to go for a custom ring, but I consulted the kids, and Piper and Hazel both thought that you’d like this.”

The ring hadn’t been very expensive as engagement rings go, but Patton knew that Logan wouldn’t want anything huge. Logan was a huge fan of Lord of the Rings, and so the kids had convinced Patton to buy a replica of Aragorn and Arwen’s engagement ring. From the smile on Logan’s face as Patton slipped it on his finger, Patton knew that he had made the right choice.

The couple kissed again, arms entwining around each other.

Suddenly, Patton’s phone buzzed again.

“Is that your phone?” Logan asked.

“Yeah,” Patton frowned. “That’s the third or fourth time it’s buzzed in the last several minutes. I should probably check it and make sure that it’s not Dot and Larry calling about the girls.”

Reluctantly, the two pulled apart and Patton pulled his phone out.

5 Missed Calls From: ‘Dark Strange Son’

“Five missed calls from Virgil?” Logan said.

“Yeah, he knew I was going to propose, maybe he was just excited to hear how it went?” Patton suggested. But as soon as he said it, both he and Logan frowned.

“That’s not really like Virgil.” Logan said. “Maybe Roman or Thomas, but not Virgil. He would’ve waited for us to call him.”

“That’s a fair point—” Patton began, and suddenly Logan’s phone began to buzz. Logan immediately pulled it out.

Incoming call from: ‘Virgil Matthew Bailey’

Logan instantly picked it up and put it on speakerphone.

“Virgil, what’s going on?”

“Thank goodness I finally got ahold of you.” Virgil’s voice burst through in a panicked rush. Patton and Logan both exchanged worried looks. They both knew Virgil well enough to tell when the younger man was on the edge of a panic attack.

“I’m really sorry to interrupt your date, but you guys need to come back to the hotel room now. Remus’s interview—it’s hard to explain—”

“No need.” Logan said promptly. “We’ll be right there.”

*************************************

They’d watched the interview on their phones on the way back to the hotel.

Logan couldn’t say that he blamed Remus for losing his temper. In the early days of Season One, when the prying questions seemed to come at Roman every other interview, Logan had stormed out of quite a few interviews himself, sometimes dragging Roman out with him. So Logan couldn’t say he’d behave any differently from Remus.

The whole ride home, Patton was curled into Logan’s side, all too quiet. Logan knew that was a bad sign. Where Virgil’s anxiety could be louder, with panicked rambling and hyperventilating, Patton’s was very quiet. He would shut down, trapped under the swirling chaos of his own thoughts. Most people wouldn’t even realize that Patton wasn’t ok, because he would fly under the radar. 

Logan wasn’t most people. 

He knew his boyfriend’s—his fiancé’s tells very well. Patton wouldn’t want to talk right now, and the best Logan could do was be here for Patton until he was ready to talk.

Logan began to mentally prepare himself for their arrival at the hotel. As long as at least one of them was calm, Virgil and Patton were pretty good at grounding each other. But if they were both freaking out, then they would feed into each other’s panic and escalate it. Logan’s job was to be the calm mediator between the two. Or at least, to do his best.

Finally, their car arrived at the hotel. Logan and Patton were upstairs as quickly as their legs would take them. 

When they entered Virgil’s hotel room, Logan could already tell that Virgil had worked himself into a state. There was an abandoned plate of food on the coffee table that looked like it hadn’t been touched. So it looks like Virgil hasn’t eaten. Since lunch, I’m guessing. That’s not a great sign.

Logan was about to talk things over with both of them when his phone rang. It was Thomas. Logan stepped to the side as Patton and Virgil sat on the bed, silent.

“Salutations, Thomas. I presume you’re calling about the interview?” “Yeah, it’s a bit of a mess, isn’t it. How are Pat and Virge holding up?” Thomas asked. Logan wasn’t offended that his friend didn’t ask about him, as both men knew that while Logan was worried, he’d be fine. Patton and Virgil on the other hand….

“They’re pretty quiet right now,” Logan said, “which is worrying me a little. But I think they’re doing ok.”

“That’s good.” Thomas said. “Keep an eye on Virgil for me, will you? I know he gets really worked up about this sort of thing, and it can be hard to help him to calm down. I’d be there myself but—”

“I understand.” Logan said. Thomas had been meant to be in NYC with them, but something had come up with one of the Studio’s other shows, so Thomas had stayed back to help Joan take care of it.

“Thanks Logan. Tell him I’ll call when I can, and let them both know that I’ve already got the PR department working on how to spin this.”

“I will.” Logan promised. Logan began to be vaguely aware that Virgil and Patton were talking, but he stayed focused on Thomas.

“Thank you. Also, I wanted to check in with you, as it’s likely that your interviews tomorrow will probably bring up what happened with Remus tonight. So I recommend that the three of you come up with a game plan on how to handle it.”

“I’ll discuss it with the others as soon as I’m done talking to you—” Logan paused, suddenly catching a snippet of Virgil and Patton’s conversation.

“I’ve been looking up last second flights online in case Dillon’s private jet can’t take us for some reason. The soonest doesn’t leave until tomorrow morning.” Virgil said, barely looking at Patton, focused on the laptop screen in front of him.

“Morning isn’t soon enough!” Patton said emphatically. “I’m sure Captain Benson could get the jet ready in a couple of hours if I gave him the heads up.”

“Logan, you still there?” Thomas asked. “You trailed off for a second.”

“Thomas,” Logan said. “I’m afraid I’ll have to cut our conversation short, as it sounds like you brother and my boyfriend are about to make a rather rash decision.” Logan heard Thomas sigh heavily.

“They want to come back to LA, don’t they?”

“Yes, it would seem so.” Logan confirmed.

“Well, I’ll let you go so you can try to talk them down. Tell Virgil that, as his brother, I understand where he’s coming from, and that he’s just worried about his boyfriend. However, as his boss, I need the three of you to stay in New York. It will only make the bad press worse if you three abandon interviews to come back.”

 “I’ll tell him.” Logan promised, and the conversation ended. He turned to Patton and Virgil, who seemed to have heard at least Logan’s half of the end of the conversation.

“We’re not making a rash decision.” Patton said, indignant. Virgil nodded in agreement. 

“It’s simple facts.” Virgil said, tone leaving no room for disagreement. “We need to get back to LA as soon as possible.”

“I know both of you are worried about Roman and Remus,” Logan said, “but we have a commitment to go to those interviews tomorrow. We can’t just abandon that.”

“To hell with interviews!” Virgil said, angry. “I couldn’t care less about what the media thinks.”

“Roman and Remus need us Logan,” Patton said, pleading, “we need to be there.” “I know that this is stressful for both of you,” Logan said, keeping his voice calm, “but panicking isn’t going to help anyone.”

“But—” Patton began, but Logan interrupted. 

“Have either of you actually tried to call Roman or Remus? Or even Dillon?” Logan asked. Patton shifted in his seat and Virgil wouldn’t look at Logan.

“....No.” Patton admitted finally. Virgil stayed silent, which was answer enough.

“First of all, this isn’t the first time, or the last, that the twins will have to handle bad press. Second, I just got off of the phone with Thomas, and he says that they’ve got it handled. He also said we need to stay here for now.”

Patton and Virgil remained silent. Patton looked like he was about to burst into tears, but Virgil looked downright mutinous. Logan sensed they still weren’t convinced. He was beginning to get a little frustrated. Why was it so hard to convince two grown men to make a sensible decision?

“I’m sure that while Roman and Remus would both appreciate your support, they would agree with me that for now, you both need to stay here.” Logan stated, which finally got a reaction out of Virgil, who shot to his feet.

“You don’t know that!” Virgil argued. “You haven’t even talked to them, how would you know what they want us to do?”

“Neither have you.” Logan reminded Virgil, but it came out more forcefully than he would’ve liked. Logan stopped. He felt like he was on the edge of losing his temper, and that wouldn’t help anybody if he did. Logan took a deep breath to try to ground himself, then an idea occurred to him.

An obvious one, in retrospect. 

“There’s an easy solution to this.” Logan said.

“And what would that be?” Virgil demanded, rather petulantly. “Because I don’t see one.”

“Don’t be mean, Virge.” Patton chided. “At least hear Logan out.”

“Oh, so now you’re siding with your boyfriend over me, huh?” Virgil demanded.

“I-I, no, I’m not siding with him—” Patton began to stammer, and Logan realized he needed to take control over the situation before it spiraled out of control again.

“The simple solution,” Logan interjected. “Is that we call Roman and Remus, and wait to make a decision until we are aware that our drastic action is needed. Does that sound satisfactory to you both?” 

Silence. Eventually both men gave their begrudging assent to Logan’s plan.

“Good. I’ll make the call, and while I do that, you two need to take care of yourselves.”

When both men began to utter protests, Logan cut them off.

“Virgil, I saw the plate of food on the counter, it looked like it hadn’t been touched. Have you even eaten a thing since lunch?”

“...no.” Virgil mumbled guiltily.

“What?” Patton said in shock. Logan could almost see Patton’s mothering instincts redirect from the absent Roman and Remus to Virgil as this new information registered. “Virgil, it’s past midnight now,that was nearly 10 hours ago!”

“Fine, fine, I’ll eat.” Virgil grumbled. “But I’m just doing it so you’ll leave me alone, not cause I’m actually hungry.” Patton looked like he was about to argue with Virgil on that, so Logan cut in.

“And both of you need to drink some water. Since Virgil forgot to eat, I doubt he’s drank much either. And, Pat, I know you’ve had nothing but soda to drink since dinner. Maybe that will help both of you to destress a bit.”

“There you go again with that extremist water agenda.” Virgil muttered, but he was already headed over to the kitchenette, Patton on his heels.

Logan watched them for a second, then picked up his phone, and found Dillon’s number.

*************************************

It was about two in the morning. Logan had been trying on and off to reach Roman, Remus, or Dillon. No luck yet.

Virgil and Patton were both collapsed on the couch. The three of them had migrated to Logan and Patton’s room, which, unlike Virgil’s, was a full suite (Virgil had been offered one, but he opted for a smaller room as he didn’t think he needed all of that space). Patton and Virgil had been watching cartoons while Logan made the call. They both seemed to have calmed down quite a bit, but were still quiet and on edge. Both men looked like they were nearly asleep, but both were fighting to stay awake to hear if Logan would have any success.

Logan was exhausted as well, but he couldn’t sleep. He needed to make sure everything was ok. He told himself it was to reassure Patton and Virgil, but he knew that on some level, he needed it too. Logan shifted in the armchair he sat in, trying to get more comfortable. He looked over at his friend and his fiancé, and silently prayed he could get them some answers soon.

Finally, Logan tried to call Dillon once more. This time, it worked, and Dillon picked up the phone. 

“Salutations, Dillon,” Logan said, “So you know, you’re on speakerphone.” Out of the corner of his eye, Logan saw both Patton and Virgil perk up from where they sat on the couch, instantly awake and listening intently.

“Logan, hello.” Dillon replied, matching Logan’s formal tone. Despite the tone, Dillon sounded as exhausted as Logan felt. “I’m guessing you’re calling about Remus’s interview tonight?”

“Yes, I am.” Logan said. “It was mutually agreed that out of Patton, Virgil, and myself that I would be the best candidate to call at the moment.” Logan heard Dillon sigh heavily, and clearly the kids were rubbing off on Logan, because Logan’s distinct thought was ‘mood’.

“Let me guess, Patton and Virgil have both gotten themselves into an anxious frenzy over the interview?”

Logan saw that Patton’s expression had become rather sheepish. Dillon knew him all too well.

“Yes, they’re pretty worked up about it.” Logan admitted. “Virgil is this close to buying a plane ticket to flying out of New York City first thing tomorrow to be by his boyfriend’s side, or getting the private jet to take us back. And Patton isn’t far behind. But I convinced them that we should communicate with one of you first, and make sure that it’s needed.”

Patton and Virgil were hanging on every word that was spoken, waiting to hear something that would reassure them, or prove them right.

“Tell them that while the gesture is appreciated, it’s unnecessary.” Dillon reassured Logan. “Roman and Remus are both doing fine. They talked about it, and now they’ve fallen asleep on the couch. I’d wake them up to talk to you, but I think that they both needed the rest. You should all finish the round of interviews up there, and we’ll be fine until you return.”

“That’s good to hear—” Logan agreed, but Patton interrupted.

“Tell Dill to take some photos, that sounds adorable!” Patton gushed. Virgil shrugged in agreement.

“Patton is demanding photographic evidence of this occurrence.” Logan informed his friend, smiling a little.

“I’ll send it once we finish talking here.”

“Splendid.” Logan said.

“Tell him I said thank you.” Patton told Logan. Logan nodded.

“Patton says to thank you for the photo in advance.” Logan said, passing on the message. Then Virgil finally spoke.

“Could you ask Dillon to have Roman call if he gets the chance?” Virgil asked nervously, wringing his hands.

“I will.” Logan promised, and returned to Dillon. 

“If he’s feeling up to it in the morning, however, would you mind having Roman call himself? I think both Patton and Virgil would feel a little better if they were to hear from him. If he isn’t, however, I believe hearing from Remus would suffice.” “I’ll ask as soon as they wake up.” Dillon promised.

“Good.” Logan said briefly. He was about to continue, but Patton stood up.

“It sounds like we’ve decided on staying then.” Patton said, matter of fact. Virgil made a face.

“Maybe you guys have,” Virgil muttered, “I’m still not sold on it.”

“Oh, don’t be such a Grumpy Gus.” Patton said, frowning.

“I’m not being grumpy, I’m just worried.” Virgil insisted, folding his arms. Logan sensed the beginning of an argument brewing, so he decided to cut in before it got worse.

“Why don’t you both get some sleep?” Logan suggested. “I think we’re all feeling rather stressed, and we do have a full day tomorrow.” Virgil looked like he was going to argue, then shrugged.

“Fine.” Virgil grumbled. “Sounds like you guys have made the decision for me anyways.” Patton stood up.

“Come on V,” Patton said, “I’ll make us some tea to make up for calling you a Grumpy Gus, how does that sound?”

“Logan, are you still there?” Dillon’s voice came through the phone, slightly startling Logan, who had briefly forgotten that Dillon was still on the line. 

“Yes, sorry about that.” Logan apologized, feeling embarrassed about leaving Dillon waiting like that. “Patton has just dragged Virgil off into his hotel room. I managed to convince them they both need to get some sleep, as it’s rather late here.” 

“Right, it’s almost 3:00 in the morning there, isn’t it? Shouldn’t you be getting to bed too?”

“Yes, you are right about that.” Logan paused, then something occurred to him, “I did want to talk to you without the two of them present.” 

“What about?”  Logan sighed. So this is how they were playing this. He’d just have to be blunt.

“You’ve been very calm through our whole conversation,” Logan said gently, “which is unusual for you. Which means you’re plotting again.” “What? Me?” Dillon said, as innocently as he could manage, though Logan knew that they both knew that Dillon was full of crap. “I don’t plot. I do.” 

“You can’t get revenge on every reporter who asks a question that you don’t like.” Logan scolded.

“It’s more than just not liking the question and you know it, Logan.” Dillon argued. “Besides, I wouldn’t call it revenge. I’m simply going to use my status as one of Hollywood’s A-List celebrities to get an appearance on several of Osborne’s rival shows, as well as…  encouraging… my fellow stars to do the same. Maybe it won’t affect him at all, or maybe he’ll happen to get low ratings for a little bit. Maybe it’ll give him some time to think about why you shouldn’t ask invasive questions.” Logan groaned, but he knew that there was no stopping Dillon once he was set on a plan of action. And as Dillon’s plans of revenge usually went, this was actually fairly mild.

“Alright, I know I can’t stop you,” Logan conceded, “but as your friend, I’m asking you to be careful. The PR department already is going to have to do a lot of work to smooth things over after Remus stormed out. And his reaction tonight is only going to attract those who seek out drama. What I’m saying is that the last thing we need right now is a repeat of the Wine Incident from the Season Two interviews.” There was silence on Dillon’s end of the line, which let Logan know that his words had hit their mark. They didn’t talk about the Wine Incident.

“You’re right, I did go too far back then.” Dillon admitted, and Logan had to hold back a snort. ‘Too far’ was putting it somewhat mildly.

“But you don’t need to worry too much,” Dillon continued, “Remus is calm for now, but tensions are still high. I think I’m going to have my hands full with keeping him from decking any reporters who get nosy.”

“That’s good to hear.” Logan replied. Unexpectedly, he yawned. It caught him off guard, and for the first time it really began to sink in just how late it was. Dillon clearly heard the yawn too, from his next reply.

“You should get to bed.” Dillon suggested. “I hear you have a long day of interviews tomorrow.”

“Yes, you’re right.” Logan agreed. Another time, he might have argued that he would be fine, but he was too tired to. Though there was one more thing Logan needed to take care of. “If you need to talk about any of this, though, I’m here for you.”

“Me?” Dillon said in surprise. “I’m fine. Roman and Remus are the ones having to deal with their painful past being dragged back into the media’s line of fire.” “Dillon.” Logan said, not unkindly. “You may not be as entangled in it all as the two of them are, but I know it affects you. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Remus is your husband, and Roman is practically your brother. And you’ve been there for both of them through a lot of the harder moments. Remus often tells me that he doesn’t think he would’ve made it through college alive without you. You’re just as invested in all of this. I know that if Patton was involved in something like this, it would affect me as well.”

What Logan didn’t say was, I know where you’re coming from. You and I, we’re problem solvers. We’re good at being emotional stabilizers for others. We’re good at taking on all of the problems of those we love, and being their constant. What we aren’t good at is letting people do that for us.

“You’re right.” Dillon admitted, and Logan smiled. There was a time nearly two decades ago that Dillon wouldn’t have admitted that so willingly. “I shouldn’t bottle up my feelings. I’ve told Pat that enough times and I’d be a hypocrite if I didn’t take my own advice. I am fine right now; I’ll let you know if that changes.”

“Good.” Logan said, and hoped his tone got across how much he truly cared. For Dillon, and all the rest. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Logan saw Patton perched on the edge of the couch next to him. His fiance was dressed in his pajamas, and had two cups of tea in his hands. Patton smiled at Logan, and Logan realized that Patton was probably waiting for him. Logan saw the clock as well. It was already 3:00 in the morning.

“I should be off to bed.” Logan told Dillon.  “Please tell Roman and Remus we called, and we’re all here for them. For all of you.”

“I will.” Dillon promised, and the conversation ended. Logan hung up the phone, and turned to Patton, who pressed a mug of tea into his hand.

“Come on Lo,” Patton said, “Let’s get some rest.”

*************************************

Light streamed into the quiet hotel room. Not a single sound entered Logan’s ears except for the soft breathing of his fiance. Patton was snuggled into Logan’s side, arms wrapped around him. Everything was calm and peaceful compared to the panic of last night.

Or, this morning, to be more accurate.

Patton had been out as soon as his head hit the pillow, but Logan hadn’t been able to fall asleep for at least another hour. Actually, he couldn’t remember if he even had fallen asleep. But he must have, right? Logan would remember if he hadn’t.

Logan looked over Patton’s shoulder and saw that the clock on the nightstand currently read 9:01. Oh no. They’d totally overslept. Their first interview was supposed to be at 10:00, and they were told to be there by 8:00. Logan began to get up in a panic, accidentally jostling Patton awake.

“Lo?” Patton mumbled sleepily. “What’s going on?”

“It’s 9:00, and we’re supposed to already be at the television studio by now, and it’s a 20 minute drive without traffic, but this is NYC, so there will be traffic, and we still need to get dressed and—” Patton gently set a hand on Logan’s arm, which halted Logan’s rambling in its tracks.

“It’s fine, Lo.” Patton said calmingly.

“How can it be fine?” Logan demanded. “We can’t afford to be late, not after the bad press we’re likely to get from Remus’s interview last night, and this will look bad on us and the studio—”

“Lo.” Patton interrupted again. Patton sat up, and gently took Logan’s hands in his, and pulled Logan down so that he was sitting on the bed next to Patton. “It’s ok, honey. Thomas called about two hours ago. He’s had the PR department rearrange our interviews for today, so we don’t have to be at the first one until one. We can relax for a little longer.”

Logan felt his panic slowly fade, and leaned his forehead against Patton’s, letting Patton wrap his arms around him. Logan was so tired. Now that he knew that he didn’t need to rush out, he wanted to just fall asleep. But first, Logan needed to ask Patton something.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” Logan murmured softly, pulling back and looking Patton directly in his eyes. Patton smiled.

“I thought about it, but I knew that you were still awake after I fell asleep, so you got even less sleep than Virgil and I did.” Patton said. “Virgil and I both agreed that we should let you sleep.”

“I’m fine.” Logan protested mildly. “I’ve gotten by on less sleep before.” 

“That doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.” Patton chided. “And I knew that if I woke you up then, you wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep.”

“It wouldn’t have been on purpose.” Logan mumbled.

“I know, honey. I knew that you can’t fall asleep during the day, but you would have been exhausted and irritable. You did such a good job of taking care of Virgil and I last night, so now let us take care of you. You can’t help anyone if you run yourself ragged, isn’t that what you always tell me?”

“You have a point.” Logan admitted.

“Besides,” Patton said with a smile, “I thought it might be nice to spend a lazy morning with my fiance.”

Logan’s eyes widened as he remembered, and he looked down at his hand. The silver ring with its two snakes entwined together sparkled in the light, the emerald eyes gleaming.

“I completely forgot about that.” Logan murmured in wonder. “With all the craziness last night, it slipped my mind.” “Mine too.” Patton said softly. “And I was the one who planned it.” 

Both men were lying back against the pillows now, Logan leaning into Patton’s side. They sat in silence for a bit, both looking at the ring on Logan’s hand.

“We’ll have to get you a ring too.” Logan said. “Maybe before we announce it.”

“When are we going to announce it?” Patton said softly. “I mean, with everything that’s happening right now.” Logan shrugged.

“Maybe we should wait until everything gets a little quieter, and everyone’s not so on edge.” Logan suggested. “Right now we need to focus on getting everything to calm down.”

“Yeah, I was kinda thinking the same thing.” Patton said. 

“But I think we’re headed in the right direction.” Logan said. “Dillon’s a lot calmer than he was the last time this happened. So, at least we don’t have to worry about another Wine Incident.”

“Thank goodness.” Patton said, shuddering. “That was a total mess to deal with.” “Figuratively and literally.” Logan agreed.

“It kinda looked like a scene from Carrie,” Patton recalled, “I’m not even sure where he got ahold of all of that wine so quickly.”

“It’s a good thing for the world that your brother is on the side of good.” Logan chuckled softly. “Otherwise, we’d all be in trouble.”

“Very true.” Patton agreed.

The two of them sat in silence again, but it was the comfortable kind. The kind you can only attain when with someone who you love and trust unconditionally, and who you know returns it. The silence was interrupted by the loud rumbling of Logan’s stomach.

“Sounds like someone’s hungry.” Patton said with a smile. “I haven’t eaten either, so why don’t we order room service?”

“Sounds like a plan.” Logan replied. “Then we can think about beginning to get ready for the interview.”

“We could,” Patton said, slowly, “but we still have a lot of time to fill before the interview…”

“I could think of a few things we could do to fill that time, darling.” Logan said suggestively, catching on to what Patton was suggesting.

Patton smiled back at Logan, and then leaned forward and kissed him gently on the lips. Patton pulled back, and stood up.

“I’ll go get the room service menu, I think it got left in the living room.”

As Patton left, Logan smiled. He honestly didn’t know how on earth he got as lucky to end up with someone as wonderful as Patton. Logan didn’t know what he would do without him.

Patton was his center, his driving force. His calm in the middle of the storm.

 In a couple hours, they would need to get ready for the interview.

In a couple hours, they would need to talk to Virgil and review the document that Thomas had forwarded to them that outlined how they should handle any questions about Remus’s interview last night.

In a few hours, they would have to navigate an interview carefully and calmly, and refuse to rise to any bait that might be sent their way.

But for now, Logan and Patton could let things be calm, and take refuge in each other in the eye of a slowly gathering storm.

*************************************

Taglist:

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@dreaming-about-kittens

@ro-arts-blog

[siriuslyblack12]

chapter 6

Remus woke with a start, his alarm ringing loudly through the room. The sound brought him abruptly from a deep sleep, his mind not quite conscious as he saw a text notification.

 Pads: morning handsome ;))

 Moons: morning

 Pads: can I walk you to school?

 Images from the day before flashed through his mind and he briefly thought he was dreaming. It wasn’t the memory of Sirius’s lips on his own that delighted him the most, though of course that did, rather the emotion and beating of his heart. He was truly happy; having to pinch himself to contain it.

 Moons: are you outside my house??

 Pads: …

Pads: ofc

 Smiling to himself, he rolled over into the sheets and groaned softly, bones crackling as he stretched. It took him a fair few minutes to work up the energy to get out of bed, another few to get in the shower and brush his teeth followed by another few to pick an outfit – though it was still the quickest he’d ever gotten ready. He couldn’t help but be excited.

 Remus hurried down the stairs, his arms still searching for the holes in his sweatshirt, distracted by every buzz of his phone. His dad would have already left for work, leaving his mother alone in the living room. Throwing his bag over his shoulder, he tried his best to sneak past her rather unsuccessfully.

 “Where are you going in such a hurry, darling? Not even saying goodbye.”

 Remus winced and turned to his mother, “I’m sorry, I’m meeting someone.”

 “It’s quite alright,” She smiled brightly. “It might be a good idea to tie your shoes though.”

As looked down he saw that his shoes were in fact untied, which he fixed and rose to kiss her cheek. “And tell Sirius to put on his jacket, the poor boy looks freezing.”

 “I will-“ He paused after registering what she had said. “How did you know it was Sirius?” Does she know something? I wasn’t ready to tell her yet, this is bad.

 “He’s been standing there for half an hour.”

 Remus nodded and sighed, “Of course he has. I’ll see you later.”

 “Have a nice day!”

  With a final goodbye to his mum, he left the house with a skip in his step, slowing it as he approached Sirius. The two smiled giddily at each other, walking side by side until they were out of sight of the house, strangely silent.

 “So… did you-, are you-,” Remus stuttered. “Where’s James?”

 Sirius took his hands out of his pockets. “At school by now, most likely. He’s really excited by the way.”

 “Excited about what?”

 “You know, this. Us,” He gestured between them, earning a blush from Remus. They fell back into silence and subconsciously walked closer together, hand brushing slightly. “And I had swimming again, being the captain gives me a lot to live up to.”

 Remus questioned him, prompting him to continue. “Every year Coach chooses a new team captain to help everything stay in order, it’s mainly running drills and training younger swimmers. I get a free t-shirt, so that’s a bonus.”

 “I thought you said your coach hates you,” He supplied knowingly.

 “He does! That’s what was weird about it.”

 Remus hummed, feeling courageous enough to deliberately rush his fingers against Sirius’s hands. The contact sent jolts of electricity through his blood. “Well, Captain, I can’t see why that’d be.”

 Sirius bumped into his shoulder in mock offence, “Oi! I did not come here to be insulted, this is slander!”

 “And what exactly did you come here for?”

 “I mean, I’d love to give this a go,” He said hopefully. “If that’s what you want, of course.”

 Remus thought for a moment, chewing at his lip lightly. “As in, like, boyfriends?”

 “Yeah, I guess. Boyfriends.” Sirius tried out the new word, nodding to show his approval.

 Remus was nowhere near as cool and collected as the long-haired boy, and so struggled to keep his calm, “Cool, yeah, that’s cool, that’s awesome.”

 “It’s a long time coming, I’d say.”

 That was completely true on Remus’s part, and he cringed remembering what was just a few days ago. He remembered first laying his eyes upon the scraggy boy, his hair at that point being tame and cut short, and the strange desire to be his friend. He remembered denying his feeling for years out of fear, thinking that being afraid of yourself was normal. He remembered having to leave the room every time a girl so much as spoke to Sirius, crying into his pillow at night because he thought he would never have the chance to speak to him in that way.

 It was also true on Sirius’s part. He remembered the confusion he felt as the boys and even a few girls around him expressed their attraction to girls, not seeing what they were talking about. He remembered his fascination with how Remus’s tawny hair fell onto his forehead, or was covered by a beanie. He remembered standing bravely in front of him family and confronting what he was feeling, yet he hadn’t been brave enough to back ever since.

 James let out a girlish squeal as they showed up to school hand in hand.

  ~~

  “Hey Moony, can I see your answers? I won’t copy them or anything, I just really need to see them before next lesson.” Peter said, leaning over Sirius to peer at Remus’s paper.

 “It sounds like you’re going to copy him.”

 “I’m not! I swear!”

 James chimed in, “If you want to copy him you could just ask, I’m sure he’d let you.”

 “I don’t want to copy him!” Peter practically shouted, thanking Remus profusely as he pushed his finished worksheet towards the boy, only doing it because he secretly felt sorry for him.

 The sixth form common room was busy with chatter at this time of day. Hectic, yes, but in a peaceful sort of way. Remus glanced out of the window to see orange leaves falling from the trees, a similar coloured October hue in the sky. September had slipped through his fingers rapidly, running away as the next month came. Autumn had always been his favourite season. As he moved his eyes from the window to the boy beside him, it took him a moment to take his boyfriend’s (he still hasn’t taken that in) smile, his fingers tracing patterns on Remus’s knee. It had only been a week, but what a week it had been.

 “Hey.”

 He pressed his lips together in a smile, “Hi.”

 Sirius’s fingers stilled, tightening as his eyes darkened, those caramel brown eyes that he’d spent countless nights thinking about and imagining. Now he knew that the pupils dilated after a long kiss and that they darkened, like now, when he was being mischievous. “So, I heard that the store cupboard was left open…”

 “And this is relevant to me how?” Remus had a feeling he knew exactly what was going on, but was elated when he felt Sirius grab his hand, dragging him up out of his chair. “You’ll see.”

 With a few protests from Peter, and a startling shout of “Use protection!” from James, he was pulled into said dark cupboard. Sirius flicked the lights on and paused for a second, faces inches away from each other as he breathed out a question of if it was okay, to which Remus responded by crashing their lips together.

 It was even more amazing than he remembered. This time his hands went straight to the other’s hair, carding their way through before settling on the nape of his neck the same time as Sirius’s hands found his hips. Sighing gently, he felt as if he was is heaven: and truthfully he wouldn’t mind if he was dead if this is what he got.

 Sirius caught his bottom lip between his teeth and spoke quietly, “I’m sorry, I’ve been wanting to do that since this morning.”

 Remus laughed slightly, “You don’t need to apologise for kissing me like that” Before leaning forward to peck Sirius’s lips again.

 “Kissing my boyfriend.” He reminded, earning another laugh. It still felt so surreal to hear that, and he couldn’t get enough of it. “Speaking of that, I want to take you out.”

 “Huh?” Remus chased his mouth, the two kissing for another few minutes before Sirius could answer the question.

 Sirius finally broke away and placed a hand on the other’s shoulder to keep him from distracting him again, knowing that as soon as their lips met everything would melt out of his mind. “Like, to the cinema or something, you deserve a proper first date Moons. Are you free tomorrow night?”

 “I thought you had a gala tomorrow night?” Remus said, looping his arms around Sirius’s neck.

 He paused to think, “Then you can come to the gala. You don’t have to be there the whole time, just for my last race. Then we can go catch that new Will Smith movie.” Biting the inside of his cheek, he continued. “I’ve always wanted you to see me swim.”

 Remus nodded enthusiastically, “Absolutely. I’d love that.”

 “Then it’s a date!”

 Suddenly, as they leaned back towards each other for another kiss, the door was swung open by James. “As much as I hate to interrupt, because I really do, Peter needs your help with his homework.”

 Sirius groaned, “Can’t it wait?”

 “Unfortunately not, Pads, however I can assure you that I will give you as much time as you want to snog Moony in the future.” He replied cheerily, followed by an exasperated protest from both boys. As soon as he walked back away from the door, leaving it wide open, Remus leaned forward for one last brief kiss.

 “Tomorrow night, gala, a movie.” He said.

 Sirius smiled against his lips, “I can’t wait.”

  ~~

  Most of the rest of Sirius’s day was spent staring longingly at the back of Remus’s head, jittering with the thought of a first date. The fact that that was something he could now do was exciting by itself, new and overdue. More than once did someone have to snap their fingers in front of his face to bring him back to reality. The worst of it was that now at tomorrow’s gala not only did he have to worry about impressing his coach and team, but impressing Remus too.

 He’ll be proud of me no matter what, he’s kind like that.

 But what if he’s not?

 “Oi, Black, help me out here,” Marlene said from over the experiment splayed out on the table before them. The two always paired together for chemistry, though they weren’t as close as other people in their friend group. Sirius blamed the fact that they didn’t get much of a chance to interact, considering they were both constantly surrounded by others.

 He put his hands up in surrender, “Alright, but keep in mind that last time we did a practical I set my notebook on fire. We weren’t even using fire.”

 “Maybe you shouldn’t help then…” Marlene warned with caution. She didn’t think her heart could handle another Sirius Black Catastrophe.

 Nodding silently, he reached inside of his pocket for a pen and began to aimlessly flick it, his mind elsewhere. He watched as Marlene worked hard, the most focused he’d ever seen her, as she mixed some chemicals or other into a beaker. He had no idea what was going on, but would most likely still pass the class. Remus used to tell him that it was so annoying how he could get an A without even opening a book. My boyfriend used to tell me that.

 “Penny for your thoughts?” Marlene offered, hands still busy.

 Sirius laughed, “What was your first date with Dorcas like?”

 Marlene raised her eyes to look at him, eyebrows shooting up into her hairline, and smirked. “We never really had an official first date, to be honest.” She admitted, “We’d been going out to that Mexican Restaurant she likes for a while before we were dating, and one night, my face stuffed with a burrito, she asked me out.”

 “And then what? You combusted on the spot?”

 “As much as I deny it, yes,” She chuckled playfully. “Why do you ask?”

 Sirius tried to bite back a smile but couldn’t quite hold his glee back. Just thinking about it made him excited, “I may or may not have asked a certain someone out on a date tomorrow night. And I may or may not be nervous as shit.”

 Marlene doubled over in teasing laughter that only became harder as Sirius folded his arms across his chest and pouted, “Hey! I’m allowed to be nervous!”

 “Of course you are, and I’m allowed to make fun of you for it,” Her gaze softened as Sirius shifted slightly, still ducking his head and smiling. “What’s your plan for this date then, Black? You going to give him flowers and have him home by 10?”

 Sirius let his head back and groaned, “Fuck off! He’s coming to see my race then we’re going to the cinema, nothing too big.”

 The experiment lay unattended to on their table as Marlene leaned over to him on her elbows, which considering the bubbling of the chemicals was not the best idea. “Ah yes, because watching you swim is so romantic.”

 “It might be!” He defended hopelessly.

 She sighed, “To be fair, I can’t really judge. Just be yourself, be kind, be charming, be exciting-“

 “That’s a lot of different things to be, McKinnon.”

 “All I’m saying is to just have fun. He’s already head over heels for you, so it’s not like you have to win him over or anything, I’m sure you’ll do just fine.” Marlene said. She wasn’t the best at giving heartfelt advice, but in that moment she was trying her best. He deserves it, she thought.

 Sirius scrunched up his nose, in mock disgust. “Being nice doesn’t really suit you,” She grinned, teeth showing, as soon as he said it. “But thanks, I appreciate it.”

 “Yeah, yeah… you can go back to being a little shit now.”

 “Thank god, I don’t know how much longer I could’ve lasted.”

  ~~

  Remus waded through the crowd, finding any gap he could just to get to the front. The heat of the swimming pool was almost suffocating, but it was worth it. He was finally watching Sirius do what he was good at. He was finally seeing a part of him that he usually kept hidden from people, yet it was something that defined him. But for all the build up he had given, it wasn’t exactly the magical experience he’d expected. He just hoped he’d gotten there in time.

 A long whistle sounded, signalling for silence. A voice over the PA system made itself clear, “This is the final call for the Men’s 15 and over, 200 metre freestyle final. Take your place behind the blocks.”

 Entranced, he watched as half a dozen boys, all about the same age as him, made what must have been last minute adjustments to themselves. They all stretched out their broad shoulders and prepared themselves for what was to come. Remus had absolutely no idea what was to come, and so scanned the group for a certain brown-eyed boy. When he did finally find Sirius, he was looking right back at him, long hair tucked into a cap and the shortest speedo he’d ever seen. Remus could have sworn he winked at him before placing his goggles over his nose.

 How can someone look so hot and so adorable at the same time?

 The whistle made 3 short sounds and the boys were stepping onto the block, placing one foot behind the other and holding on for dear life. Even from his distance he could see the muscles in Sirius’s jaw working overtime, face devoid of humour.

 “Take your marks,” Someone shouted, followed by a noise Remus didn’t quite recognise and suddenly the boys were in the water. He was taken aback by how quickly it was all happening. Every single one of them kicked and pulled and did everything they could to get ahead, yet they were seemingly unable to beat the figure he now recognise was Sirius. It was astonishing just how in his element he was, not stopping for something as insignificant as a breath.

 He cupped his hands around his face and cheered, “Gwed Sirius! You can do this!”

 The moment was so intense, but he couldn’t help but be brought out of it a face. A face with an almost identical structure to Sirius’s but paler and more ill-looking, bonier and thinner. Shorter hair fell into the boys eyes as he too shouted in support.

 Regulus.

 Why is he here?

 And out of nowhere it was over, Sirius was crashing into the wall and pumping his fist into the air. No one else had even come close. As he ripped his hat and goggles off his eyes found Remus’s once again and his triumph only grew. The crowd, along with Regulus and Remus, erupted into glee, a few stray members of other teams sulking at the immense support. High off of his win, Sirius felt as if he was flying when he re-entered the changing room, teammates jumping him.

 Frank Longbottom spoke from atop of his shoulders, “Mate, you beat the team record!”

 “I did what?” Sirius said disbelievingly. As soon as he’d gotten his time he’d disappeared, not bothering to check the technicalities of it.

 “That was incredible!” Fabian applauded, gushing slightly. “How did you it?”

 Remus, he thought. I did it for Remus.

  Time went on uneventfully as Sirius packed as quickly and as soundly as possible, knowing who was waiting for him. In his mind the only person in the entire building who really mattered was Remus; as cheesy and sappy as it sounded. Whilst they’d only been dating for a little over a week, they’d been friends for years, meaning the awkward phase was skipped over.

 “Pads, you were amazing!” Remus said, wrapping him into a tight hug. “I knew you were good, but I didn’t know you were that good.”

 “I’m flattered, Rem,” Sirius teased.

 He made sound in the back of his throat, arms tightening. “You know what I mean.”

 “I do.”

 Frank Longbottom came up behind the pair, not surprising considering they were in the middle of the foyer, and clasped Sirius on the back, “Who’s this?”

 They looked at each other, then at Frank in short intervals before smiling widely. They hadn’t discussed how they were going to deal with this part of the relationship. The coming out, the PDA, the public front, none of that seemed to matter as Sirius grabbed the freckled boy’s hand and said proudly, “Frank, this is my boyfriend Remus. Re, this is Frank, the best backstroke swimmer I have ever seen.”

 “Nice to meet you,” Remus greeted politely.

 “That’s a fucking lie and you know it, Cap.” He said simply, stretching his arms above his head. “I’m glad he’s finally got someone to keep him in line, the man’s crazy. You probably know that by now though, huh?”

 He tried not to laugh as Sirius punched the boy’s shoulder playfully, “Yeah, I know.”

 They stayed to talk for another few moments, joking around and meeting a few other members of his team, until Remus saw Sirius’s head snap in another direction and jaw tense. He immediately started rubbing his thumb across the back of his hand, moving closer into the warmth of his space. As he turned his own head to see what had drawn his attention his sympathy grew and worst dreads were met: Regulus.

 “Can… can we go now?” Sirius said, panic dripping from his voice. “We don’t want to miss the movie. Please.”

 “Is that what you want?” Remus whispered into his hair.

 Sirius tore his eyes away from his brother and back to the boy by his side, searching his eyes for any kind of comfort or guidance. He was conflicted. One part of him desperately wanted to talk to Regulus, to ask him how he’s doing and if he needed anything. He wanted to be a good older brother, looking out for him and caring for him and giving him everything he needed. But there was another part of him holding him back, the part of him that held all the trauma of his childhood. The part of him that left the house and hadn’t thought about it since.

 “I-, I can’t do it right now, Re. I… can we go?” He pleaded, hoping he wouldn’t push it further.

 “Of course we can, c’mon.”

  It was only a few hours later in the cinema, lights dimmed and a mindless movie playing when Remus could give the boy the comfort he truly needed. Sirius had fallen asleep on his shoulder, as expected considering how hard he’d worked at the gala before, with his boyfriends’ arms around him. It was all silent touches and gestures but for now it was all he could do. He, of course, wouldn’t push him to say anything, but that didn’t stop him from wanting the boy to open up. Perhaps one day he would, but for now all he could do was comfort him in the only ways he could.

[blankdblank]

Ridikulus Pt 3

@long-cosmos-overhead​, @partoftheminfamily​, @alishlieb

From the Hollow to your first class you went and remained guiding the students through their usual lessons after knowing that Narcissa was helping Draco watch over Teddy and Em. Fred and George headed your place in the flying rounds through the week and to force herself out of reach of fawning relatives Ginny started coming to join you for RoR club at noon. Each day her mood seemed to fluctuate while all your dreams when you could manage to sleep were centered around your blonde duo.

Saturday however brought you from your night curled up in the nursery keeping watch over Em and Teddy between lingering stares up at the wall of windows revealing the starry night. Still the stars standing for Remus and your father shimmered showing that they were alive but still not close enough. Numbly you endured without sleep and held up the façade of calm and ease while internally you screamed and sobbed hoping that you could trust yourself to get your people through this. It was clear, there were those still furious at all they had suffered at your call to flee, those among the Order who were slowly coming around to the fact that you were forced to have sided with Grindelwald and set him free so you could survive. Though carefully placed meetings with them at their request answered their questions and calmed their worries on your intentions for having done so. Dumbledore would surely never forget or understand how he had pushed you to do it. It seemed all that was left was to gain your own forgiveness for your methods.

…

Blinking in the warm early sunrise you glanced around the camp before your head turned at Dennis’ wand pointed at your left, your lips parted at the giant scar coated wolf sniffing around the pulsing barrier around your camp with a mangled and scarred metal clad sneering creature muttering in some foreign tongue. The Dwarves all clutched their weapons then dropped them at the boy’s clear stating of “Ridikulus!”

A whirling whisp passed over their figures before the creature riding the wolf exploded into a pile of candy and pieces of paper as the wolf turned into a small yipping puppy looking around curiously before trotting away. Lowering their weapons the Dwarves all looked at you as your body relaxed as you softly said, “Huh..” Turning your head to face Dennis you said, “Well done Dennis.”

Fred chuckled patting him on the shoulder, “Easy enough way to deal with,”

George, “Whatever those were.”

Thorin, “That was a Warg with an orc rider.”

Again you nodded and replied, “Hmm. Easy enough to handle and for all the students to manage if needed.”

Dwalin, still aching from his loss of contact with the small child he cradled through the night asked, “That spell..”

You met his eyes, “We have a creature called a Boggart, it takes the form of whatever you fear. You think of something funny about it, say Ridikulus and laugh at it’s shifting into what you imagined. Laughter is it’s greatest weakness, drives it away.”

Thorin, “And it won’t turn back?” You shrugged, “Comforting.”

You smirked at him, “We don’t know everything about our world just as you don’t about yours. How do you fight them, these Orcs and Wargs?” They all raised their weapons and you nodded again then glanced at Dennis, “We’ll stick to our shifting spells for the students. Only use force when necessary.”

Thorin nodded in agreement as Balin replied, “Very understandable. Best not force the bairns into that task when a flick of the wrist will do just as well.”

.

Slowly the men watched your bruises and swollen left leg heal, even with the aid of your potions and tonics revealing just how exhausted you had truly been upon your arrival. All joining around you aiding in your tending the children between traded shifts of flight as they accepted your offer of sitting in on a few of your lessons with the first years, the only classes with enough spare seats allowing them to join between similar offers from a few other Professors as well. Then in the night returning to aiding in your nightly shift of patrols on the halls with the prefects as a certain restless infant left one of the fiercest of the group completely defenseless as he cradled her sleeping form against his chest through his gentle humming at his Brother’s side.

All returning your protection and aid to their quest with whatever duties they could claim as you learned each other. Working tirelessly and relaxing in your already firm friendship before collapsing into a sleeping pile on the lone large mattress you’d added to the infant’s room to be there when needed and allowing little Melody, or Lulu as Dwalin called her for the shortened Khuzdul translation of her name, her chosen security blanket.

…

Clearly a shout sounded from the mouth of a tear stained child surrounded by others you had separated her from due to their bickering with Minerva and Trelawney’s help, “This is all your fault!! We never asked you to do this! To hide us! You should have just left us alone!” She jerked her hand from her friend’s grip as she stepped away from you in your frozen stance with your emotionless yet soft gaze at her while the Company eased into the doorway from the nursery curiously, “My Parents are dead because of your plan!” Tears rolled down her cheek yet again as her lip quivered through her spitting out, “You’re just as bad as they were! Just another heartless Death Eater!” On her heel she turned and raced away as shocked expressions rippled through the crowd all glancing between you and the girls little Sister Becca who walked to you with fists curling in front of her eyes as her face curled in grief.

Between her sobs against your shoulder after your crouching down to hold her she mumbled out, “Mummy said to stay with you. I told Gemma Mummy knew you would keep us safe. Gemma didn’t mean it!”

Along the wall the men clearly caught your momentary slip of a near unbearable pain in your eyes before it slipped away behind your mask once again. You locked eyes with the calmed child, wiping her cheeks gently, “I know it hurts, and I can’t promise you’ll see them again, but I will do everything I can to protect what they loved the most. Gemma is hurting, if she, or anyone here needs to hate me to grieve their losses, let them.”

With another quivering lip she replied, “But-…”

Your thumb claimed another of her tears, “Anger is expected in grief, and easier to release with someone nearby to pin it on. If anyone is angry with me, or hates me, let them. It will pass. Fighting does nothing to ease our pain in times like these. Do you understand?” She nodded with a sniffle stirring a soft smile from you, “Good. Now I believe it should be time for your candy club meeting correct?” She nodded after a wide eyed glance at the clock on the wall then raced off after flashing you another smile. Leaving you to rise in the dispersing crowd in Minerva’s comforting pat on your shoulder after Trelawney’s offer for tea she would put on for you both in her office. Trembling hands had you sliding them into your pockets and walk to the same grassy hill to look over the lands and swaying forest once again as the sun shone above you brightly while the world thundered around your rain soaked camp around the barrier guarded carriage.

Wordlessly the Company all gathered around you to hear you ask, “How am I supposed to tell a four year old that I’m glad they will never see their parents again. That they should be glad as well, because, yes, they’re orphans, but their children possibly won’t be. How do I get them to understand that?”

Balin gently rested his hand on your shoulder, “They’ll understand when they’re older. The other older bairns know. The little ones will come around.”

Gandalf joined you, “You said it quite masterfully.” He leaned forward spotting Kreacher popping up and passing Teddy to you stirring a smile from you at his sleeping body snuggling to your chest calming after a bout of crying signaling his need for a nap. Em came next sleeping in Barty’s arms sitting beside you giving your arm a comforting tap with his own while Dwalin’s head turned with a growing grin at the squeaking girl reaching for him from George’s arms, soon to be passed to him as they laid out resting their heads on your lap as George said, “No tears now.”

Stirring your smile back as Fred said, “Our dads, Moony and little WonWon will probably fall from the trees any day now.”

George, “Besides, they haven’t missed a birthday yet.” Deepening your smile.

“No they haven’t.”

Kili, “Birthday?”

You smiled at him, “Our birthday, April first.”

Silently you caught a glimpse of their inner cogs working at the upcoming date stirring a soft chuckle from you as you looked out over the distance once again hoping their words would somehow come true.

..

In their splitting up to help keep the children distracted you stood with Barty and together went up to the Divinations tower and filled the love seat across from Sybil’s arm chair raising the cups of tea she had poured for you both. “I do not see grim tidings, oddly enough.” Making you smirk.

Barty, “There’s always time for them to find us.” Making you three chuckle in the settling of the children in your arms.

Sybil, “They will calm. It is fresh still. We can see it, between their classes they do have moments of sadness, as they will. Then they see the suffering in all of us. They are not alone. My symbols all point that we can trust these Dwarves.”

You nodded, “I can’t sense any reason not to. If Crookshanks were here we could tell better.”

Barty, “No doubt he’ll turn up, Love.”

“I know, always does. Maybe Dad caught him.”

Sybil extended her hands for your empty tea cup and turned it around in your setting it in her palms. With parting lips she eyed it then clasped them shut in a soft, “Hmm.”

Your brow inched up and Barty said playfully, “Sounds like a more comforting hmm, than a dangerous one.”

In the rising of her gaze she stated, “I see babies. Triplets, apparently.”

Barty scoffed in your giggle and he teased, “Just can’t let me have multiples on my own can you?”

Handing over his own cup he looked Sybil over as she looked his over with another, “Hmm.”

This time lower making Barty say, “See, now there is a less pleased hmm.”

Sybil looked up saying, “I see a painful encounter with a duck, but you will not be alone.”

Barty looked to you, “Ah, our marks I take it? Have you decided on when yet?” In a shake of your head your eyes flickered to silver and you stood in their flash back to purple.

Sybil, “Something is coming?”

“No, Ginny needs me.”

Barty grinned accepting the second cup of tea her tea pot filled on its own, “Thank you.”

Sybil, “I am certain young Ginny will mend.”

Barty, “Oh, I am sure of it. Few hundred broken plates and she might bounce back nicely in a month or so.”

Sybil, “Ooh, maybe we could do that, have a broken pottery activity!” Excitedly sipping on her tea, “We let them use small mallots to break pottery to coat tables and picture frames and such.”

Barty grinned, “We could give it a shot, talk to Minerva about it.”

 *

Straight from the room you used your enchanted door to set Teddy in his Nursery to sleep and went through the hall where you heard crying through Ginny’s door. “Gin,”

In a sob she called out, “It’s open, Jaq-,”

Easing inside you closed the door behind you and strolled through her room finding her on the mat in front of her tub drying clearly the reason for her pinkened skin around her baggy sweater, sweat capris and socked feet. Settling down beside her your hand landed on her knees and she said, “I lost it-,” Slumping into your chest she sniffled in your arms draping around her, “Now there’s nothing left-,” A sob racked through her as your eyes filled with tears. “No piece of Harry!”

Until she calmed you held her crying silently until she sniffled and sat up in Kreacher’s return with a mug of tea, “Tea, to help you heal.”

Ginny nodded, “Thank you K.”

Sniffling again as you wiped your cheeks and straightened up at his gentle pat on your arm, “Grilled cheese and cocoa coming up.”

You nodded, “Thank you.” When he left the room you looked to her again saying to Ginny as you folded your fingers around the rim of the cup you guided her to set down parting her lips. “You’re going to want both hands to hit me with.”

Shaking her head, “What-?”

A deep breath later and you said, “Your baby wasn’t the only piece of Harry we have left.”

She shook her head again, “Like a Horcrux?”

You shook your head, “A baby.”

Her mouth dropped open and she said after a moment of her eyes scanning over the ground, “Romilda?” You nodded, “Why-, I know why you didn’t say, but, why the secrecy?”

“Because, it’s painful.”

“When’s she due? She’s not mad at me? We’ll all want to see it. It’s Harry’s!” she gasped, “Did Harry know?”

“She never told him, if he guessed why we took her out of the group or not I don’t know. As far as I know she isn’t mad at you, just didn’t want to hurt you again.” After wetting your lips you said, “She’s signed adoption papers.”

“Adop-, who? Who’s getting the baby Jaqi?!”

“Dad.” In that she exhaled and leaned back against the tub wiping her cheeks, “I’m sorry. We’re just trying to keep things calm now, there’s just so many babies to look after, and she’s miserable and,” you sighed, “And we haven’t told her yet, so she’ll be bound to burst into labor when she hears,”

“So we don’t tell her.” She shook her head when your eyes met, “We can’t tell her, if it hurts the baby-, we haven’t publicly said anything. So she can assume he’s just lost with Ron or something.” In her eyes looking over the ground again she sniffled and wiped her cheeks again, “Is it terrible I’m relieved?”

“No.”

“I’m barely 18,”

“I know,” shifting to sit by her as she grabbed her tea again she slid to lean against your arm, “Dad’s not, after having to share Em, he was getting a bit nostalgic for another baby in the house.”

“Names? Have you two picked yet?”

With a grin you said, “I think Phineas would be adorable.” Making her smirk, “Just think, little half Veela FinFin,” making her chuckle weakly.

“You think he’d have Lily’s hair?”

Grinning at her you said, “One would hope we might have a bright green eyed curly fiery haired little boy to bring home. Even dark curls would be lovely, unless Romilda had actually been using that necklace of hers to darken hers after all, then white or silver.”

“April then?” you looked at her, “When she’d be due?”

“April.”

Back again K appeared and you grinned accepting the cocoa and plate of grilled cheese sandwiches, “Thank you.”

K, “Mistress, Mrs Granger is here asking to speak with you.”

“Huh,” you muttered softly to yourself.

Ginny said, “You go, I’ll go see Mum after the tea.”

Leaning over you kissed her forehead saying, “Let me know if you need me.”

“Wonder what she could need. She’s rarely so formal.”

On your feet you took a bite of one of your sandwiches hovering the plate in front of you for a moment to do so with a sip of cocoa after. Down the hall to the sitting room K led you to you found her anxiously seated with a cup of tea all her own she set down to shift facing you when you sat beside her on the couch hovering your cup to take another bite of your sandwich. “Jaqi, this is all new, and I haven’t shared this past my husband yet, but, I’m pregnant again.” Making you grin around your mouthful at another old dream coming true, “But I was wondering, is there some magical form of prenatal vitamins? Since the old world we came from is gone and I can’t just pop round to the shop on the corner.”

A wave of your hand brought a jar you passed to her, “Only have the grape ones left, but I can brew up some more by the end of the week. Same as the others, once a day, preferably with food or things tend to get a bit, gurgly, in your belly. Trust me, try to avoid it.”

With a nod she folded her hand around it then asked, “What do you think of the Durins? I just came from a meeting with Fili and Balin. Asked for permission to sit on watch tonight with Hermione tonight. Not sure why. I mean, if she likes him why ask us?”

With a giggle you said, “They still wear armor and fight with swords and axes, it seems a lot of their traditions might be a bit old fashioned. They seem respectable, and Fili seems to be will intended. Plenty genuine on his feelings for Hermi. Just needs time, and permission obviously from family for them to learn one another closely to see if it would work.”

She nodded, “I just don’t want my little girl to get her heart broken. Viktor didn’t pan out, now this-,”

“Well if he does you can be certain we’ll be blowing up their mountain.” Making her grin at your teasing smirk after a moment of panic at the threat, “He won’t, they will all love her, and no doubt she’ll be pampered and adored all her life, though limited to flats.” Making her chuckle as you giggled again.

 *

Under the moonlight in her seat Hermione smoothed her fingers along the knees of her jeans and once again let out a soft giggle making Bofur grin and look at her instead of the dopey eyed Prince staring at her left enjoying the sound of her happiness in being in his company. Bofur shifted from his own seat to stroll over from his own seat asking, “Ah, Miss Granger. Now you have me curious,” Peering up at him her grin doubled as he asked, “What has you giggling?”

Hermione sheepishly glanced away then answered looking back, “Talked to my Mum earlier, she’s pregnant!” In her eager squeak the men smiled at her, “Dad had a bad accident as a boy and was told not to expect children, so needless to say I was a shock, now she’s had another surprise!”

Bofur, “Congratulations. Quite a blessing.”

Hermione nodded and wiped her cheek in a stray tear from the corner of her eye worrying the men for a moment until she said, “This one will be safe. No more war with Wizards and Muggles. They won’t have to be scared for us anymore.”

Bofur’s hand reached out to pat her shoulder kindly through Fili’s gentle pat on the opposite one in saying, “You’ll be safe. We won’t let anything happen to you.”

Again her grin widened in her eyes searching the Prince’s and she nodded then looked out to the barrier again settling her hand on top of his stirring a massive grin onto his in its drop to her lap for his first heart swelling bout of hand holding. Grinning himself Bofur eased back to his own chair trying not to draw attention to himself by holding back his pleased chuckles. Softly after a few moments Hermione led a series of questions hoping to draw more of the mystery man’s life to her knowledge when her patience was overweighed by her bubbling curiosity after years of waiting.

Ending with her question of, “Do you like sports? There’s a Quidditch match tomorrow at Hogwarts, did you want to come?”

“Absolutely!” After a moment of bliss at her invitation and grin up at him he asked, “What’s Quidditch?” making her laugh to herself and start to explain it.

*

Up at the crack of dawn Fred, George, Cedric, Oliver, Tory and Moran stood with you in the pitch out back of your home readying for your first training session. Battle worn and still exhausted you all grinned seeing Ginny joining you hoping that the exercise might help to lighten your moods before settling into your new supposed homes. All the Quidditch pro teams began to ready themselves for this upcoming season stirring up a much needed hope in the hidden masses. A light at the end of all this darkness and right on time for this World Cup Year. While Fili sat up relaying the terms of the sport to his relatives all too eager to join in on the sporting event at the first sight of the brewing storm around the campsite hindering travel a day the men relented to relaxing and helping the Prince continue to woo his One.

.

With widened eyes in the company of your exhausted group joining the sea of children and teens you were spotted wincing lowering onto your seat in the Professor’s box with Teddy and Em in your arms through Barty’s day with his wife in case she went into another false labor. Ravenclaw and Slytherin both took to the pitch and buzzing themselves the Dwarves perked up while Dwalin nuzzled Lulu closer to his chest worried the noise might make her cry only to calm in her giddy giggles and focus on the rattling lamb toy her parents had left with her.

Through the start of the game Charlie explained a bit more of the game while Hermione smiled after sneaking a bit closer to Fili’s side and practically made him melt in easing her hand under his arm to rest there. Off to the side though focused on the intro to Quidditch book you had given him the night before in a joint snack trip, Ori listened as Neville clarified a few details he was confused about.

With growing smiles they all watched intently as the smallest of the children had grouped their chairs closer to the front rows for a better look with snacks in floating trays enchanted to not go flying when they would begin their excited cheers. By the end of the match on the way to the winning team’s choice of cocoa when you had joined them the Dwarves had gotten fully into the sport and happily praised the team members with the plays they each enjoyed the most. With Dwalin’s being the most contained only due to Lulu being asleep against his chest driving his tone to an excited slur of whispers.

.

Cocoa would be followed by Hogsmeade the following day and in a joint gathering off all the former Death Eaters in your office. Around the agreed upon design far from intimidating, a duckling that would stare outwards quack and walk in a figure eight followed by tiny duck prints to face outwards again. The sheet of paper was soon obstructed by the offered forearms as you exposed yours by tugging up your long sleeved shirt and held out your wand you then pressed to the mark etched into your skin.

Blood trickled up around the image now bubbling up on their exposed arms replacing the Dark Mark stirring up amused smirks on their skin mirroring yours. A sign of new beginnings, though at their insistence the crown remained, though now a crown of woven bluebells sat atop the head of your duckling with tiny blue petals joining the duck prints in its eager trotting. Each of you coated the marks with thin gauze and wrapped them adoringly with a shared promise to be better and do better protecting the people you had left from facing suffering like your lost past again.

Again Draco returned to his models for a possible mock up of Dale thanks to sketches from the elder Durins of what they could remember of the destroyed city as for measurements and the basic layout of the cities borders. A map of the land around Erebor sat open on the table as well with ideas for how any bit of it might be used. Angmar would have to be cleared if the Elf King refused as the Durins claimed he would to allow you to use any bit of his lost lands. And the full mountain range to Moria certainly would prove to be ample enough space to house double your Wizarding world and the twenty miles North of the Grey Mountains and Angmar leading to the ocean would be more than useful to create a decent buffer between the Dwarves and the Africa sized island along with all your others for the safety of the Muggles housed on them as well as the magical creatures and shrunken cities.

It would take some doing but mish mashing all of the lands together would take some doing to fit everyone in ideally but it could be done in the usual magical way to accommodate all needs. Each land’s monuments and idyllic formations would be divided up for the Wizarding world to claim fully reminding them of their culture’s pasts with hopefully Muggle colonies nearby if possible to try and lull them back into some sort of contact in case of more muggle borns in the future. It would be delicate work but somehow things would even out, especially if you weren’t left to the negotiating with world leaders so unfamiliar with you.

Slipping out of the room as agreed earlier you returned to your bedroom with Lucius and Narcissa in tow. Finally with your worst bruises mended your eyes shut easing the back of your shirt up and your ponytail aside over your chest in a hunch to rest your forehead on Lucius’ shoulder. Behind you Narcissa sat with wand drawn saying, “I will try to make this brief.”

“Take the time you need.” Steadily her eyes sank over your burn and scar coated back and sides from the battle to the portkey you helped to blast the other DA members through. Closing your eyes you inhaled and sent your mind off to focus on Opal and Norberta exploring in the gardens while Idris preened on the edge of the frozen fountain losing the battle against the gentle fall of snowflakes onto his feathers in the first sting of her singing your back.

Fully bathed and changed the Dwarves curiously wondered where you had gotten to as they had promised to show you some defense tips with some of their spare blades alongside Hermione to act as her chaperone. Thorin and Dwalin trailed after the Princes heading for your bedroom only to find it cracked already. A faint scent of singed skin had Thorin step in front only to have his lips part seeing Lucius holding you steady while Narcissa’s wand tip burned your badly scarred back in a small section then raised the stopped from the vial floating at your side to drip across your back. Instantly unscathed skin was revealed in the burns healing before she moved onto the final patch luring another muffled whimper from you in your mental pull back feeling someone else watching you.

Deeply you inhaled and exhaled after she was done and helped to secure your bra strap again and lower your shirt in Lucius’ forehead tapping yours muttering to you softly before folding one of your Phoenix candies from your shop to help give you a boost of energy until you could eat again.

The gentle knock on the door earned your response, “It’s open.”

Raising your eyes you smiled at the group as you stood at Kili’s asking, “Do you have more scars like those?”

The corner of your mouth twitched up as you three moved closer to them joining them on the path to dinner as you replied, “Those were the last. Best to wait until the bruises heal to do it. Not nearly as painful to remove them as getting the scars in the first place.”

Fili, “Can’t imagine how painful that must have been.”

You smiled at him, “And you’ll never have to. Hopefully none of us will after we’re settled.”

Lucius, “Everyone is aligned now, none of us will allow any to rise up again.”

Narcissa, “Certainly not with our thorough scans through all the collected lands clearing out the few stragglers hiding within.”

Tugging up your sleeves you crossed the room grinning at the men in the swing of your ponytail around your shoulder and onto your back you grinned through their inspection of your bound arm saying, “I can’t wait to see what sort of lesson you have in store for me.”

Upon your reaching him Thorin’s hand reached out to hover an inch from the bandage, “You are injured.”

When his eyes met yours you said, “Just the skin,” you looked to Dwalin pointing to his bared forearm coated in markings, “Your kin have tattoos as well.”

Thorin chuckled saying, “In that case, we cannot wait to see it healed.”

In a giggle you said, “You might like it, it’s a duckling.”

With a chuckle Thorin turned joining you for the walk to the gardens asking, “And just what does a duckling signify?”

“For me, freedom.” His eyes caught yours in a grin, “For others, adaptability and resilience.”

Thorin, “Admirable.”

In the short walk you joined Hermione in her timid step out of her room in a pink hoodie and some jeans over her sneakers. At your side she strolled with you joining in on the silent speculation of what was in store for you both. All your prior lessons were with wooden swords and today you tried for steel long swords with the elders before the brothers would split up and guide you on their bows and arrows grateful for your ability to expand their quivers with multiplying charms.

Pt 4