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Friends | Married at First sight

(Read the whole thing from the beginning here)

Welcome back to yet another episode of Married at First Sight. In the previous weeks, our couples have led a secluded life where they only have had to focus on each other but now the experiment is nearing an end. It’s high time for our couples to figure out what their lives together after the show might look like, and what better way to do that than with the help of some friends?

Read on AO3.

Snippet below the cut.

They didn’t talk the following morning. Remus had tried to get Sirius to do it; he had tried to bring up what had happened with his brother and mother, but Sirius consistently managed to distract him. Most of the time Remus didn’t even realise he had been distracted until it was too late. He had never met anyone as skilled at avoiding a conversation he didn’t want to have as Sirius Black. 

Remus would be impressed if it wasn’t so frustrating. And as Remus had learnt by now, the show never waited for them to catch up. After Sirius had spent three days successfully avoiding having the conversation that Remus tried to push for, they received a new golden envelope with instructions for the coming week.

Family Week was to be followed by a week dedicated to their friends, and even though a part of Remus just wanted to shut the rest of the world out, the prospect of seeing his friends was tempting. He knew that he and Sirius had things they needed to talk about, but maybe it would be easier if he gave Sirius some space and they both got to see their friends.

Remus missed Mary and Kingsley both, he wasn’t used to going this long without speaking to either of them. Whenever he was feeling confused or stressed, they were the people who set him straight and helped him find his way back. When Sirius made the suggestion that they throw a dinner party together rather than visit their friends separately, it seemed like a good idea.

After all, they would have to introduce their friends to each other eventually and now seemed as good a time as any. If nothing else, seeing Sirius with his friends might give Remus an idea as to how he could bring up the confrontation with his mother. It would also give Remus a chance to talk to Mary and Kingsley about what he had witnessed and perhaps they could give him some advice on how to proceed.

That was why he now found himself making a chilli in Sirius’ fancy kitchen while his husband was setting up the table outside. It was a beautiful summer evening, the heat still heavy in the air even though it was getting close to seven at night. Now that he knew that his friends were on their way, he was anxious to see them again. Truth was that he was even more excited about seeing Mary and Kingsley than nervous about meeting Sirius’ friends again.

“How’s it going?” Sirius asked, his fingers touching lightly at the small of Remus’ back, sending his skin prickling underneath his shirt.

“Almost done,” replied Remus, offering Sirius a spoon to taste, carefully watching his reaction. “Just need to leave it for a while. Okay?”

“Better than okay,” Sirius assured him once he had swallowed, and Remus felt a happy little flutter in his chest.

“Everything ready outside?” he asked as he turned back to the stove to put the lid back on the pot and lower the heat to a simmer.

“Pretty much,” Sirius nodded, his eyes glittering. “Wanna see?”

“Sure,” Remus said, unable not to smile as he felt Sirius’ enthusiasm.

Sirius flashed him a grin as he took Remus’ hand, leading him through the kitchen and TV room, and out through the double doors that led into the back garden. They had spent quite a few evenings out here over the past weeks when the weather had permitted them.

The garden was quite large and overgrown, but in a way that was still somehow stylish. It looked like what they kept calling a ‘mature’ garden on the television shows that Sirius sometimes watched. 

Just outside the glass doors was a large stone deck with a patio cover that was mostly overgrown by wisteria.  Underneath it sat a large table that would easily fit ten people, which Sirius had carefully set for the six of them. In addition to the plates and glasses, there were fairy lights and flowers on the table. Remus had to admit that he was rather impressed by how nice it looked.

“What d’you think?” Sirius asked, and when Remus looked at him he realised that his husband looked a little nervous.

“It’s great,” Remus assured him, the corner of his mouth twitching upwards. “You’ve gone out of your way.”

There was an embarrassed pull over Sirius’ face, and he did the familiar little tilt of his chin that Remus had learnt meant that he felt called out.

“I usually do it like this,” he said, defensively, and Remus stepped up close enough so that he could slide an arm around Sirius’ waist.

“It’s perfect,” he said, pressing his lips to the corner of Sirius’ mouth, over the sulky little curl of his lips. “Are you nervous?”

“No,” muttered Sirius sullenly, but then he huffed out a breath as he amended. “Maybe a little bit, are you?”

Remus considered it for a moment before he gave a small shrug.

“Not really,” he admitted. “I’m mostly excited to see Mary and Kingsley. James and Lily too, of course, just…”

He trailed off and Sirius hummed in agreement.

“I know what you mean. Don’t remember the last time I went this long without speaking with James,” he said with a small laugh before going serious again. “I’m not nervous about… I know that my friends will love you. I hope your friends will like me and that… they’ll like each other, I suppose.”

“I’m sure we’ll be fine,” Remus said, hesitating a moment before he pushed on. “Look, are you alright with… just, are you okay? I just mean, we’ve not really talked about–“

“I’m fine,” Sirius interrupted him, turning around and giving Remus a quick peck on the cheek. “Stop worrying.”

“It’s just that we haven’t–“

Remus didn’t get any further before the doorbell rang, and Sirius shrugged out of Remus’ grip.

“I’ll take the door,” Sirius offered quickly, flashing Remus a quick smile. “You go get the champagne.”

“Saved by the bell,” Remus muttered to himself as he watched Sirius leave, unable to completely quash the feeling that he was being brushed off again.

Continue on AO3.

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Friends | Married at First sight

(Read the whole thing from the beginning here)

Welcome back to yet another episode of Married at First Sight. In the previous weeks, our couples have led a secluded life where they only have had to focus on each other but now the experiment is nearing an end. It’s high time for our couples to figure out what their lives together after the show might look like, and what better way to do that than with the help of some friends?

Read on AO3.

Snippet below the cut.

They didn’t talk the following morning. Remus had tried to get Sirius to do it; he had tried to bring up what had happened with his brother and mother, but Sirius consistently managed to distract him. Most of the time Remus didn’t even realise he had been distracted until it was too late. He had never met anyone as skilled at avoiding a conversation he didn’t want to have as Sirius Black. 

Remus would be impressed if it wasn’t so frustrating. And as Remus had learnt by now, the show never waited for them to catch up. After Sirius had spent three days successfully avoiding having the conversation that Remus tried to push for, they received a new golden envelope with instructions for the coming week.

Family Week was to be followed by a week dedicated to their friends, and even though a part of Remus just wanted to shut the rest of the world out, the prospect of seeing his friends was tempting. He knew that he and Sirius had things they needed to talk about, but maybe it would be easier if he gave Sirius some space and they both got to see their friends.

Remus missed Mary and Kingsley both, he wasn’t used to going this long without speaking to either of them. Whenever he was feeling confused or stressed, they were the people who set him straight and helped him find his way back. When Sirius made the suggestion that they throw a dinner party together rather than visit their friends separately, it seemed like a good idea.

After all, they would have to introduce their friends to each other eventually and now seemed as good a time as any. If nothing else, seeing Sirius with his friends might give Remus an idea as to how he could bring up the confrontation with his mother. It would also give Remus a chance to talk to Mary and Kingsley about what he had witnessed and perhaps they could give him some advice on how to proceed.

That was why he now found himself making a chilli in Sirius’ fancy kitchen while his husband was setting up the table outside. It was a beautiful summer evening, the heat still heavy in the air even though it was getting close to seven at night. Now that he knew that his friends were on their way, he was anxious to see them again. Truth was that he was even more excited about seeing Mary and Kingsley than nervous about meeting Sirius’ friends again.

“How’s it going?” Sirius asked, his fingers touching lightly at the small of Remus’ back, sending his skin prickling underneath his shirt.

“Almost done,” replied Remus, offering Sirius a spoon to taste, carefully watching his reaction. “Just need to leave it for a while. Okay?”

“Better than okay,” Sirius assured him once he had swallowed, and Remus felt a happy little flutter in his chest.

“Everything ready outside?” he asked as he turned back to the stove to put the lid back on the pot and lower the heat to a simmer.

“Pretty much,” Sirius nodded, his eyes glittering. “Wanna see?”

“Sure,” Remus said, unable not to smile as he felt Sirius’ enthusiasm.

Sirius flashed him a grin as he took Remus’ hand, leading him through the kitchen and TV room, and out through the double doors that led into the back garden. They had spent quite a few evenings out here over the past weeks when the weather had permitted them.

The garden was quite large and overgrown, but in a way that was still somehow stylish. It looked like what they kept calling a ‘mature’ garden on the television shows that Sirius sometimes watched. 

Just outside the glass doors was a large stone deck with a patio cover that was mostly overgrown by wisteria.  Underneath it sat a large table that would easily fit ten people, which Sirius had carefully set for the six of them. In addition to the plates and glasses, there were fairy lights and flowers on the table. Remus had to admit that he was rather impressed by how nice it looked.

“What d’you think?” Sirius asked, and when Remus looked at him he realised that his husband looked a little nervous.

“It’s great,” Remus assured him, the corner of his mouth twitching upwards. “You’ve gone out of your way.”

There was an embarrassed pull over Sirius’ face, and he did the familiar little tilt of his chin that Remus had learnt meant that he felt called out.

“I usually do it like this,” he said, defensively, and Remus stepped up close enough so that he could slide an arm around Sirius’ waist.

“It’s perfect,” he said, pressing his lips to the corner of Sirius’ mouth, over the sulky little curl of his lips. “Are you nervous?”

“No,” muttered Sirius sullenly, but then he huffed out a breath as he amended. “Maybe a little bit, are you?”

Remus considered it for a moment before he gave a small shrug.

“Not really,” he admitted. “I’m mostly excited to see Mary and Kingsley. James and Lily too, of course, just…”

He trailed off and Sirius hummed in agreement.

“I know what you mean. Don’t remember the last time I went this long without speaking with James,” he said with a small laugh before going serious again. “I’m not nervous about… I know that my friends will love you. I hope your friends will like me and that… they’ll like each other, I suppose.”

“I’m sure we’ll be fine,” Remus said, hesitating a moment before he pushed on. “Look, are you alright with… just, are you okay? I just mean, we’ve not really talked about–“

“I’m fine,” Sirius interrupted him, turning around and giving Remus a quick peck on the cheek. “Stop worrying.”

“It’s just that we haven’t–“

Remus didn’t get any further before the doorbell rang, and Sirius shrugged out of Remus’ grip.

“I’ll take the door,” Sirius offered quickly, flashing Remus a quick smile. “You go get the champagne.”

“Saved by the bell,” Remus muttered to himself as he watched Sirius leave, unable to completely quash the feeling that he was being brushed off again.

Continue on AO3.

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[softly chanting] mafs mafs mafs mafs

😆😆😆😆😆

I ❤️ you

New chapter is coming Sunday 👀 buuuuuuuuut, a little snippet perhaps?

Below the cut...

Remus had never really seen himself as a father. He knew that his parents, his Ma in particular, would love to have a grandchild (or a couple) to look after. However, when he had grown up it hadn’t really been an option for him to even consider. There was also a small part of him that was afraid to pass on his condition to a kid, even though he knew that his JIA wasn’t hereditary.

It wasn’t that Remus had anything against children, he was a teacher for crying out loud, but there was a massive difference between taking care of other people’s kids and having one himself. He thought back to the wedding, when he had seen James’ and Lily’s kid during the ceremony and thought that he was Sirius’ son.

He hadn’t felt against it then, but on the other hand, he was probably in some sort of shock. It wasn’t that he didn’t want them, he just hadn’t properly considered it for a long time. Did Sirius want children? Remus realised, as a cold sort of understanding settled in his belly, that he wasn’t sure. He knew that Sirius was a godfather to Harry or Henry or whatever the boy’s name was, and he seemed to adore the boy, but that wasn’t the same as having a child of his own.

He glanced over at Sirius who was laughing at something Mary said, and there was another tightening across his chest. Did Sirius not care about all the things that their friends had brought up? Didn’t he realise all the massive conversations they had yet to have? They’d been living together for more than five weeks now and Remus realised with mounting panic that they hadn’t managed to have a single important conversation.

[tracingpatternswrites]

[softly chanting] mafs mafs mafs mafs

😆😆😆😆😆

I ❤️ you

New chapter is coming Sunday 👀 buuuuuuuuut, a little snippet perhaps?

Below the cut...

Remus had never really seen himself as a father. He knew that his parents, his Ma in particular, would love to have a grandchild (or a couple) to look after. However, when he had grown up it hadn’t really been an option for him to even consider. There was also a small part of him that was afraid to pass on his condition to a kid, even though he knew that his JIA wasn’t hereditary.

It wasn’t that Remus had anything against children, he was a teacher for crying out loud, but there was a massive difference between taking care of other people’s kids and having one himself. He thought back to the wedding, when he had seen James’ and Lily’s kid during the ceremony and thought that he was Sirius’ son.

He hadn’t felt against it then, but on the other hand, he was probably in some sort of shock. It wasn’t that he didn’t want them, he just hadn’t properly considered it for a long time. Did Sirius want children? Remus realised, as a cold sort of understanding settled in his belly, that he wasn’t sure. He knew that Sirius was a godfather to Harry or Henry or whatever the boy’s name was, and he seemed to adore the boy, but that wasn’t the same as having a child of his own.

He glanced over at Sirius who was laughing at something Mary said, and there was another tightening across his chest. Did Sirius not care about all the things that their friends had brought up? Didn’t he realise all the massive conversations they had yet to have? They’d been living together for more than five weeks now and Remus realised with mounting panic that they hadn’t managed to have a single important conversation.

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Jilypad love and friendship

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Thirsty Thursday

I was tagged by @tracingpatternswrites for a last line tag a couple of days ago... I hope everyone is feeling thirsty 👀

“Well,” James looks up from where he had been watching their dicks slide in Sirius’ hand, “we’ll just have to make sure Remus gets dirty enough to need a shower… won’t we?” He cocks an eyebrow at Sirius - something which never fails to make Sirius’ insides turn to jelly - and bites his bottom lip. “Yes,” Sirius moans. “Extra. Fucking. Dirty.”

Tagging: @puuvillaa @mycupofrum @beautitudes @plecotusauritus @wolfpants @lettersbyelise @swoopswrites @strugglequill @kaleidoscopexsighs @lynxindisguise

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Just sent over the next chapter of Mafs to @squintclover to beta so I thought I'd share a little snippet 👀

“I can’t believe you’ve been married for five weeks,” Lily said with a smile as James topped up her glass of wine. “Time’s been flying by. How long is it left before you have to… y’know.” She made a vague little gesture with her hand and Sirius glanced over at Remus before he replied. “One week,” he said, and Remus didn’t know if it was all his imagination or if Sirius’ smile seemed a little tight. “Before we have to… decide, I guess.” “One week!” James exclaimed before he looked between them, musing. “Just one week to figure out if you’re going to stay married or if you’re jumping on board the divorce train. That must be weird?” “A bit, yeah,” Remus agreed, and he couldn’t ignore the nervous little twist in his belly. With everything that had been going on over the past few weeks, he hadn’t really allowed himself to think about what would happen once the show came to an end. He knew, of course, what the procedure looked like: they would spend one night apart, getting some time to reflect on their potential future, before they met up again to decide whether or not they wanted to stay married or get a divorce. He had purposefully tried his best not to let his thoughts linger on that for too long.  Even though being on the show was a rollercoaster, and they never knew what kind of curve balls the production team would throw their way, at least it felt a little safer. For now, they had to stay together, they had to work things through and they had the experts to guide them when they hit a rough patch. Once the cameras went away, however, they were on their own.

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last line tag

ty @tracingpatternswrites 💖 passing it on to @strugglequill @lynxindisguise and @lunapwrites

for today’s tag i offer you as usual a snippet of rbwwsf (for the next tag i will offer you… most likely more of the same bc this behemoth still consumes my life)

~

Sirius didn’t quite say out loud Narcissa’s obnoxious son deserved it, but his face conveyed the same message.

“How much trouble is Hermione in?”

“None,” Harry shrugged. “No one caught her.”

Sirius laughed. “Draco must have been too embarrassed to say anything.”

“You’re not gonna give her detention are you?”

“Well, I wasn’t there, and Draco hasn’t said anything to me, so how do I know anything actually happened?” Sirius said slyly. “Can’t go around giving detentions based on accusations.”

Harry grinned at him.

“Sometimes you’re a cool lawyer.”

“Thanks, Prongslet. I’ll tell the judge you said that.”

Harry rolled his eyes.

“You don’t have any idea if Hermione’s - well I don’t know, is there anything I can help with?” Sirius asked carefully.

“She just keeps saying she’s fine,” Harry said.

Sirius nodded thoughtfully. “Just let her know you’re there for her, mm? She’ll talk when she’s ready.”

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Things Draco Malfoy has Done in the Muggle World During His Postwar Probation

Attempted to order from a menu by speaking to it

Almost breached the Statute of Secrecy due to mistaking someone using clap-on-clap-off lights for a muggleborn using wandless magic

Got into a heated argument with the actors in a commercial because he thought the people in the tv were talking to him

Refused to walk in front of a car for fear of bumping into the invisible animals that obviously pull it

Panicked and responded "I have no idea what you're talking about" when asked what the "magic word" is

Complained that his telephone is broken because it periodically emits a loud ringing sound for no apparent reason

Run into Harry Potter unexpectedly in a pub, dropped everything he was holding, and automatically caught it with wandless magic without thinking, thus breaching the Statute of Secrecy in front of 47 muggles and the most famous Auror in Britain

Run into Harry Potter again in the same pub, thanked him for getting him out of those misuse of magic charges and apologized (again) for all of the more unpleasant bits of their history

Accidentally on purpose run into Harry Potter yet again in the same pub to find out why he comes to muggle London so often and how he's doing and to let him know that he's not remotely interested in whether the rumors in the Daily Prophet that he's split up with Ginny Weasley are true (they are)

Met Harry Potter in a pub for drinks to chat about old times except not the sad bits at least until they've had a few

Taken his muggle friends out to a pub that he definitely chose at random but which coincidentally Harry Potter also happens to be walking into so they might as well all sit down together

Had to admit that he may have mentioned him a few times when Harry is shocked to discover that all of Draco's muggle friends seemingly know his name despite the fact that he isn't famous in the muggle world

Met Harry and Harry's friends for drinks and somehow actually had a good time and not been vengefully poisoned by Ron Weasley or cursed by Hermione Granger or stabbed by Neville Longbottom or anything else dreadful

Had to explain to several bemused people that when Luna Lovegood says that they used to live together she doesn't mean they were involved romantically

Invited Harry Potter back to his flat and proudly shown him that he now knows how to make a telephone stop ringing (you just lift it up for a moment and then slam it back down and that fixes it) and then told him off for laughing

Visited Harry Potter at his flat, also in muggle London though protected by the Fidelius Charm for extra privacy, met a very small and excitable owl and had a protracted but good natured argument about which of them was actually better at Quidditch (because obviously if Draco had had a Firebolt he would have won every match)

Got his wand back and immediately transfigured everything in his flat just because he can and because it feels so good to use magic again and then cast Rictusempra on Harry because clearly Draco is the superior dueler and also because he likes the sound of Harry's laugh

Kissed Harry Potter.

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Last line tag

Thanks for the tags @theresthesnitch, @puuvillaa and @mundrakan

Have a little snippet from the next chapter of Mafs.

Mary hooked her arm into Remus’ when he came into the hallway, leaning conspiratorially against him. “Okay, spill. Are you okay? Is everything working out? Are you happy?” she looked around the hallway, lowering her voice a little more as she sent one of the cameras a meaningful look. “Can you speak freely or should we use some sort of code? Blink twice if you need us to rescue you.” Remus laughed, gently disentangling himself from her. “I’m fine,” he assured her, amusement laced through the words as he spoke. “I’m not a prisoner and I’m pretty sure we can speak freely.” He paused, his expression sobering a little bit. “Everything is fine. Good, even.” “Uh-hu,” she said, her piercing gaze lingering on him for a moment before she gave a small nod. “I’ll get the truth out of you eventually.” “Terrifying,” he mouthed at Kingsley who hummed in reply. “You know she’s right though,” he commented, and Remus gave a dramatic sigh as he shook his head. “Doesn’t make it any less terrifying,” he muttered as he took the lead up the stairs.

Open tag and a little special nudge for @squintclover, @heartofspells and @soloorganaas if you're up for it.

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New name, new brand, new Wolfstar fanart <3 

“Si estuviera sordo te oiría debajo de la carne, en los huesos.” 

This is one of my absolute fav quotes regarding Remus and Sirius and it means something like:

 “If I was deaf, I would hear you below the flesh, in my bones.”

[tracingpatternswrites]

Family Week | Married at First Sight

(Read the whole fic from the beginning here)

It’s time for yet another episode of Married at First Sight. Last week, our couples took their relationship to the next level when they practised being vulnerable with each other. After an emotional week, the couples deserve some time off, and what is better than some relaxing family time? The weddings were a quick affair, and now the time has come for our couples to introduce their spouses to their families for real. Welcome to Family Week.

Read on AO3.

Snippet below the cut.

Seeing someone in their natural habitat was very different from seeing them anywhere else; Sirius realised that now that he saw Remus in his childhood home. It wasn’t until this moment that he fully understood how much pressure Remus must have been under when he moved into Sirius’ house.

Time had been moving so quickly, just one thing after another since the wedding. The honeymoon, moving in together, confession week and intimacy week. Sirius felt as if he had barely had time to catch his breath. Intimacy week had flown by, and the help that they had received during it had been good for them. He felt as if he and Remus were in a good place right now, but it felt fragile, it was as if he was walking on ice, and like it could all go wrong any minute.

If it was up to him, he would’ve stayed in London with Remus. He wanted to lock the rest of the world out until they figured everything out, but as it had become painfully clear during this process, it was never really up to him. Every time they received another one of those fucking golden envelopes it was as if everything was flipped upside down again, Sirius lost his footing and he and Remus had to start all over again.

This time it had been about family, something that had left a cold and hard stone in the pit of Sirius’ stomach. However, Remus had been excited. They had discussed it together and decided that they would start their week by making the short trip up north to visit Remus’ parents.

Sirius had been a nervous wreck for most of the drive up, a churning feeling in his belly, and it hadn’t been made any easier by Matt’s reappearance. After a few conversations with Marlene and Remus’ parents, it had been decided that it was better to bring the cameraman with them rather than fitting cameras all around Remus’ parents’ house. It made sense, probably, but Sirius found Matt’s presence grating.

It had been awkward enough the night that they had arrived, but this morning’s breakfast had been almost unbearable. It wasn’t because of Remus’ parents, they were both making an effort, but Matt operating the camera seemed to put everyone on edge and Lyall kept looking straight at it which had them repeating each exchange about ten times for continuity. It wasn’t the best basis for a naturally flowing conversation.

The cottage was small but homey, much warmer than the gigantic house where Sirius had grown up. From what he had seen of Remus’ parents they were kind and loving, even if his father seemed sceptical of the experiment. Sirius didn’t blame him, he would imagine that his own parents would have a thing or two to say about the whole thing if they caught wind of what he was doing.

Remus’ parents were sweet though. Hope reminded him a little of James’ mother, not because they were very much alike but because they had the same natural warmth to them. Nothing like Sirius’ own mother, of course. Hope had welcomed Sirius into their home, and she had already questioned him about his favourite food and what he wanted for breakfast.

Remus’ father was quieter, but not really in a standoffish kind of way. He didn’t speak much though, and sometimes he sounded a little rough, but he was never outright rude. Sirius did have a nagging feeling that perhaps Lyall thought he was a bit of a soft city boy, and a southerner on top of that, which meant he still felt as if he had something to prove when it came to his father-in-law.

So far he hadn’t been very successful though. He had tried to clean up after breakfast, but Hope had shooed both him and Remus out of the house. Instead they decided to go on a walk, Remus had wanted to show him around the area where he had spent his childhood. It was great to finally get some time for themselves. Or, almost for themselves, Matt was still trailing behind them at all times like some documentary-obsessed chaperone.  

“D’you think we can outrun him, if we try?” Remus muttered out of the corner of his mouth, nodding his head a little in Matt’s direction.

Sirius snorted a laugh.

“Me? Probably. You and your fucked up knee? Not likely.”

Remus barked out a loud and surprised laugh, the sound of it making Sirius’ heart do a little stutter in his chest.

“Smug git,” Remus muttered, but he was grinning even as he shouldered into Sirius. “You saying you’d leave me behind, then?”

“Never,” replied Sirius quickly, his arm sneaking around Remus’ waist to keep him close and he felt a little thrill down his spine as Remus melted against him instead of pulling away.

Continue on AO3.

[tracingpatternswrites]

Family Week | Married at First Sight

(Read the whole fic from the beginning here)

It’s time for yet another episode of Married at First Sight. Last week, our couples took their relationship to the next level when they practised being vulnerable with each other. After an emotional week, the couples deserve some time off, and what is better than some relaxing family time? The weddings were a quick affair, and now the time has come for our couples to introduce their spouses to their families for real. Welcome to Family Week.

Read on AO3.

Snippet below the cut.

Seeing someone in their natural habitat was very different from seeing them anywhere else; Sirius realised that now that he saw Remus in his childhood home. It wasn’t until this moment that he fully understood how much pressure Remus must have been under when he moved into Sirius’ house.

Time had been moving so quickly, just one thing after another since the wedding. The honeymoon, moving in together, confession week and intimacy week. Sirius felt as if he had barely had time to catch his breath. Intimacy week had flown by, and the help that they had received during it had been good for them. He felt as if he and Remus were in a good place right now, but it felt fragile, it was as if he was walking on ice, and like it could all go wrong any minute.

If it was up to him, he would’ve stayed in London with Remus. He wanted to lock the rest of the world out until they figured everything out, but as it had become painfully clear during this process, it was never really up to him. Every time they received another one of those fucking golden envelopes it was as if everything was flipped upside down again, Sirius lost his footing and he and Remus had to start all over again.

This time it had been about family, something that had left a cold and hard stone in the pit of Sirius’ stomach. However, Remus had been excited. They had discussed it together and decided that they would start their week by making the short trip up north to visit Remus’ parents.

Sirius had been a nervous wreck for most of the drive up, a churning feeling in his belly, and it hadn’t been made any easier by Matt’s reappearance. After a few conversations with Marlene and Remus’ parents, it had been decided that it was better to bring the cameraman with them rather than fitting cameras all around Remus’ parents’ house. It made sense, probably, but Sirius found Matt’s presence grating.

It had been awkward enough the night that they had arrived, but this morning’s breakfast had been almost unbearable. It wasn’t because of Remus’ parents, they were both making an effort, but Matt operating the camera seemed to put everyone on edge and Lyall kept looking straight at it which had them repeating each exchange about ten times for continuity. It wasn’t the best basis for a naturally flowing conversation.

The cottage was small but homey, much warmer than the gigantic house where Sirius had grown up. From what he had seen of Remus’ parents they were kind and loving, even if his father seemed sceptical of the experiment. Sirius didn’t blame him, he would imagine that his own parents would have a thing or two to say about the whole thing if they caught wind of what he was doing.

Remus’ parents were sweet though. Hope reminded him a little of James’ mother, not because they were very much alike but because they had the same natural warmth to them. Nothing like Sirius’ own mother, of course. Hope had welcomed Sirius into their home, and she had already questioned him about his favourite food and what he wanted for breakfast.

Remus’ father was quieter, but not really in a standoffish kind of way. He didn’t speak much though, and sometimes he sounded a little rough, but he was never outright rude. Sirius did have a nagging feeling that perhaps Lyall thought he was a bit of a soft city boy, and a southerner on top of that, which meant he still felt as if he had something to prove when it came to his father-in-law.

So far he hadn’t been very successful though. He had tried to clean up after breakfast, but Hope had shooed both him and Remus out of the house. Instead they decided to go on a walk, Remus had wanted to show him around the area where he had spent his childhood. It was great to finally get some time for themselves. Or, almost for themselves, Matt was still trailing behind them at all times like some documentary-obsessed chaperone.  

“D’you think we can outrun him, if we try?” Remus muttered out of the corner of his mouth, nodding his head a little in Matt’s direction.

Sirius snorted a laugh.

“Me? Probably. You and your fucked up knee? Not likely.”

Remus barked out a loud and surprised laugh, the sound of it making Sirius’ heart do a little stutter in his chest.

“Smug git,” Remus muttered, but he was grinning even as he shouldered into Sirius. “You saying you’d leave me behind, then?”

“Never,” replied Sirius quickly, his arm sneaking around Remus’ waist to keep him close and he felt a little thrill down his spine as Remus melted against him instead of pulling away.

Continue on AO3.

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Saturday Snippet

got tagged by the lovely @squintclover and @tracingpatternswrites for a wednesday wip but I was busy making gifs this week so I’m catching up now

sharing a gratuitously long snippet from rbwwsf bc I know at least mal will appreciate it 😂🫶🏻

~

The last week before Spring Break passed in a blur. When he wasn’t teaching, Sirius was scouring the daily news, or working with his erstwhile research assistants, or tracking down Remus every free moment he had.

“Professor Lupin,” Sirius said politely, sauntering into his classroom just as mid-morning break began.

“Professor Black. What can I do for you?”

Sirius shut and locked the door behind him with a lazy wave of his wand.

“Well, as you’re asking…”

Sirius pushed him back against the desk and descended on Remus’s mouth in one swift movement.

“Three hours was too long, hmm?” Remus mumbled between kisses as he hastily undid Sirius’s trousers.

Sirius sucked hungrily at Remus’s bottom lip, drawing a loud moan in response. He grappled for his wand, casting a wordless muffliato without ever breaking the kiss. Remus must have felt the ripple of magic, because he squeezed harder with the hand currently on Sirius’s ass.

“Why is every time you show off,” he mumbled. “I find it just as irresistible as it was when you were sixteen.”

Before Sirius could reply, Remus had already dropped to his knees.

In between all that, he was diligently preparing for their trip to California. Most of this consisted of laying out half his wardrobe onto his bed, trying to decide what to pack, or writing long lists of places to take Remus and sending owls to make arrangements with his friends.

It had felt so distant for so long, but now home was all Sirius could think about. The longing for so many little comforts had returned with a force and all he wanted was to sink back into his life as if he’d never left. Somewhere, five thousand miles away, his own bed was waiting for him - its lightweight comforter with the layers of blankets he added in the winter, the bright sunlight casting a warmth over it impossible in the depths of Scotland. Sirius could disappear into his sanctuary when the stresses of the world outside were too much - and even if so many no longer existed, or at least were put on hold, he longed for that impenetrable feeling of safety that was his.

Except Remus, impossibly, would be there too. The ghost always hovering around the edges of the life he’d built for himself was about to take a real, present place. Sirius should have felt nothing but excitement, surely, but there was some part of him which rebelled at the idea of bringing Remus anywhere near California. It was the life he’d built away from him, despite him; it was how he’d protected himself and Harry, and Sirius couldn’t help the lingering anxiety he felt at opening up something he’d kept so defiantly separate for so long.

~

tagging @strugglequill @kaymardsa @elder-millennial-trash @impishtubist and @lizlemonbennet if you have something to share 😌

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Prompt: Coffee-shop AU

@wolfstarmicrofic - 173 words

Sirius has just opened, when the man strolls in. He looks young, but dead tired, and all he wants is an espresso double, although he looks like he could use a quadruple, and a breakfast too. “Are you alright, there?”

The guy, the tiredness aside, looks a bit worn down too, like Sirius' old jeans, too loved to be thrown away, too destroyed to be worn. But he has the most wonderful golden eyes, and his smile, even subdued looks like the sun just rose.

“Hard night?”

“You have no idea...” And this voice... like a thousand whiskeys neat.

Sirius tops the espresso off and adds a bagel with a smile.

“No, no... sorry, I...”

Sirius doesn't let him finish. Doesn't want him to feel awkward. “It's on the house. For new regulars.”

“How can you know I will be a regular.”

Sirius isn't the best at flirting. Usually other people do that for him, to him. But he tries, smiling and wriggling his eyebrows. “Call it a feeling.”

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20 Questions for Fic Writers

Thanks for the tag @theresthesnitch! This looks like the perfect distraction right now.

Username: TracingPatterns

1. How many works do you have on A03?

122 works across all fandoms.

2. What’s your total Ao3 word count?

1,021,394

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Mainly Harry Potter, mostly Marauders.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Playing with Fire

Of Quiet Hearts and Thundering Dreams

Wilder than Mountain Thyme

Countdown

Hungry Moon

5. Do you respond to comments?

I try! It might take me a while but I do always try to respond to all comments that I get.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Oh dear, this was actually a pretty difficult choice. Many of my fics are quite angsty now that I think about it, but if we disregard the canon stuff, I think I'd say As The Tide Pulls.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I have a lot of fics with happy endings too. I'd say that most of my long fics end happily, but I think I would pick Wilder than Mountain Thyme just because I feel like it ends with hope and possibility.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Sometimes, but really not all that much. I did once have someone write a whole 'clapback fic' (their own words) based on one of my fics though so that was... interesting.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Er, yes? I mean. Absolutely yes. All kinds? Seriously, I mostly write M/M sprinkled in with some M/M/M. I love to write kink so I do that a lot, but there's some 'vanilla' stuff in there too.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

No, never.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Someone once told me that one of my fics had been copied onto Wattpad as part of some sort of collection but by the time I went to look at it, it seemed to be gone. So. Maybe?

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

I have! I've written wonderful things together with my friends and I love, love, love co-writing. It's so much fun!

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

I think I have to say Wolfstar just because it's the one I keep coming back to again and again and again. However, I do have a very soft spot for a lot of other ships as well.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I have so many ideas and my absolute aim is to finish most of them. However, I think the one I'm furthest away from completing is the one I started for the candyheart challenge last year.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I don't know. Smut maybe 😅 I feel like other people can answer this question better. I think I'm pretty good at working out plot holes. Most of the time that's a good thing, but sometimes it makes me get stuck on silly details. I'm good at angst too, I think.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Writing scenes with more than two people is a constant struggle for me. I think humour is another weakness, crack fic is not my thing.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I think that's fine, and I've definitely done it, but I'm quite picky with how to use it. Also, always ask for help from a native speaking. Google Translate is not your friend.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Lord of the Rings (but those are looooooong gone, I can tell you that much).

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

This is an impossible question and I honestly don't know. I am honestly proud of a lot of fics that I've written. But alright, to be honest I think it might be a tie.

Wilder than Mountain Thyme because it's the most self-indulgent thing I have ever written. I poured my heart into that fic, and I'm really proud of the world building and the characters.

over blackened water because I think this is one of the best things I've written and I keep making myself cry whenever I re-read it.

Open tag - if you want to do this then please do! But I'm also passing on a no-pressure tag to @heartofspells, @puuvillaa, @mundrakan and @soloorganaas. I'm sorry if any of you have already done this and I've missed it!

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Wednesday WIP

I've been tagged to share snippets a few times but haven't had much to share but now I finally have. I'm so excited to share the next chapter of MAFS, we are in for some fun stuff...

Passing the tag on to @heartofspells, @soloorganaas, @theresthesnitch, @squintclover and @blitheringmcgonagall if you feel up for it!

Take the time to catch up here now.

Have a little snippet of chapter six below the cut.

“Good evening,” Sirius greeted the maître d’, something a little distant in his voice that Remus didn’t recognise. “I’m–“

“Sirius Black,” the maître d’ replied smoothly, and Remus half-expected him to bow by the sound of his voice. “Of course, your brother is already here. Please follow me, sir.”

Remus just barely resisted the urge he had to turn to look at Matt, instead he followed Sirius further into the fancy restaurant. Remus did his best not to look around, trying to keep his focus only on Sirius ahead of him. However, it was proving difficult. The restaurant looked incredibly fancy, and he could tell that they made quite a fuss as they moved through the room.

Remus wasn’t surprised; he suspected Sirius drew attention regardless of where he was and the fact that Matt was shadowing them with a giant camera on his shoulder probably didn’t help much. The maître d’ stopped suddenly, at a table which was a little bit out of the way, in a secluded corner mostly protected from prying eyes. Or at least it would be once Matt blocked out most of the restaurant.

“Regulus,” Sirius said, a slight coolness to his voice as he held his hand out.

“Brother,” came the reply, and it wasn’t until the man stood that Remus saw him properly.

Remus recognised him instantly from the wedding, and he was once again struck with how alike and yet vastly different the brothers looked. They had the same black hair and porcelain skin, the same grey eyes even though Regulus’ were a little darker. Regulus was shorter though, smaller, and his expression aloof as he shifted his gaze to Remus.

Remus had to force himself not to fidget under the searching gaze, instead he took a step forward as he held a hand out for his brother-in-law to take.

“Regulus,” he said with forced cheerfulness as he attempted a smile that he hoped looked more genuine that it felt on his face. “It’s good to finally meet you properly.”

“Hm,” Regulus said, giving Remus’ hand a cool shake before he gestured towards the table. “Take a seat. That’ll be all, Rosier.”

The maître d’ disappeared without a word, and Remus sat down as Sirius pulled a chair out for him.

“I took the liberty of ordering,” Regulus said casually, pulling a bottle of champagne from the ice bucket next to him as he filled the three flutes on the table. “I suppose this is a celebration,” he paused, his gaze flickering over to Remus briefly and then back to Sirius, then he added, “of sorts.”

Remus glanced at Sirius, who was watching his younger brother intently. There was something passing between the brothers, Remus was almost sure of it, but he had no chance of figuring out what it meant. Sirius picked up one of the glasses, and when Remus did the same, Regulus did as well.

“To family,” Regulus said, raising the glass.

“New beginnings,” replied Sirius, and Remus stared between them but when the brothers drank, so did he.

Sirius looked a little bit more relaxed than he had when they had first entered the restaurant, but there was still a tension in the air that Remus wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do with. He felt as if there was one real conversation happening at the table, and something else completely going on at a level that he couldn’t access.