“My Queen…” Cheer’s voice lacks its usual melody as she glances up to her wife’s throne.
"I know.“ Dreamweaver cuts her off, placing a hand on her shoulder for a moment. "But this is too precious of an opportunity to pass on.” “They will use this. You know they want to harvest you for your blood."
Cheer is almost pleading now, but she bites her lower lip and composes herself. "At least let me protect you.”
The Portal’s glow brightens the chamber as Dreamweaver rises from her throne.
She turns back to address her wife before stepping through. “No. You must stay with our people. If something does happen to me, you will need to take the throne.”
A quick comic with a cheesey screencap background! Inspired by the wonderful Shelbeanie on twitter, who had some brilliant ideas about Della, Penumbra and lollipops!
I felt like drawing something light-hearted and silly for these trying times, so here’s FG protags having a New Year’s party in a happier timeline far, far away. Feat. Daniel, Philip, Tasi, Simon, and Justine.
Marlene and Sirius are working to get James and Lily together, but there might be some other benefits waiting in the shadows. Blackinnon Muggle AU.
For the amazing HazzaP! I hope you enjoy this little story! Love you, darling!
(This is 1970s muggle au mostly because I wanted Marlene to have a fringed leather jacket, and I was feeling self-serving.)
Penumbra
Marlene slid into the booth and frowned when Lily sat across from her.
“What are you doing?”
Lily looked toward the restaurant door before looking down at the table. “Trying to take your advice?”
“Oh my gosh, really?” Marlene almost bounced in her seat.
“Well don’t make it weird!” Lily hissed. “For all you know one of our other friends might end up sitting next to me.”
“It’s just us tonight, remember? Everyone bailed except you, me, James and Sirius. And don’t worry, I’ll make sure Sirius gives the two of you plenty of space.”
“Please don’t be obvious about it!” Lily looked back at the door as James and Sirius walked in.
“Trust me, Lils.”
“What’s Lily trusting you with?” James laughed as he and Sirius approached their booth.
“The pizza order,” Marlene stood up. “Black, help a girl out and carry drinks?”
Sirius gave her an amused smile. “Always a pleasure to help a lady, McKinnon.”
“Brilliant,” she snagged his leather jacket by the arm and tugged him away.
“To give you the heads up,” Sirius’ hand slid across her waist, his fingers dipping just beneath her leather jacket. “I’m going to make James sit next to Lily.”
“Great minds, Black,” Marlene let him think her smile was only for his plan lining up with hers and not for the way his fingers lit her up like a Christmas tree. She definitely needed to find someone to keep touching her like that at some point, but tonight was about Lily and James. Then she could look into finding Mr. Right, or even just Mr. Right Now. Why should Lily be the only one enjoying herself? “I will be pulling us away for the same reason.”
“No one I’d rather work with.” They came to the queue to order and Sirius looped one of her loose curls around his finger. “Are you opposed to leaving early if the occasion arises?”
Marlene smirked up at him. “If it gets Lily and James together then I’ll leave with you right now.”
“Patience, Marls,” he dropped the curl and stepped back. “Keep your wits about you, yeah? They might need an extra push here or there.”
“Same to you,” she pulled her wallet from the pocket in her jacket.
“I’ve got this one,” Sirius pushed her hand into her chest. “In celebration of James and Lily figuring themselves out.”
“Let me pitch in,” Marlene opened her wallet and handed him two tenners. “They haven’t figured themselves out yet.”
“Are you a betting woman?” He swatted her bills away, snagging the fringe of her leather jacket in the process.
“Are you really this juvenile?”
“If James and Lily aren’t cozying up and wishing for us to bail in the next hour then I’ll take your twenty quid.”
“Betting means that you would give me twenty quid if it takes more than one hour.” She bit her lip and grinned at him.
“I believe it does.” He stepped closer, linking their pinkies together. “So, Marls, do we have a bet?”
“Is it really a bet if I want you to win?” She curled her fingers so the backs of their hands were pressed against each other.
“You were going to pitch in for the food and drinks anyway.” He leant closer and Marlene had to focus on breathing. It had definitely been too long. She needed to get out and have a good snog as soon as Lily and James were safely off on the road to happily ever after. Her body was suggesting dangerous things with someone she was friends with first and foremost.
“You have yourself a deal.”
Sirius’ smirk went softer as he smiled down at her and she felt her breathing grow shallow.
“Are you two ready to order?”
Sirius turned from her, breaking the contact of their hands, and Marlene barely managed to keep from gasping as he moved to the cashier. “Alright McKinnon, what’re we ordering?”
Marlene forced herself to laugh and join him at the counter. They placed their order and took their drinks and a stack of plates back to their booth.
Where both Marlene and Sirius nearly murdered their best friends.
“James, you are in my seat.” She glared at him.
“What?” James’ hand went straight for his hair. “I thought you’d like to sit next to Lily.”
“Come on, James, don’t rile McKinnon up. Just move so I can set these drinks down.” Sirius gave an annoyed huff and Marlene bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.
“Er, right,” James stood and looked at Lily. “I guess we’re sharing this side of the booth tonight.”
Lily gave him a soft smile. “I don’t mind.”
Marlene helped Sirius set down the drinks and shared an eye roll with him. She really didn’t want to win their bet. She wanted to stop hearing Lily pine for a man that obviously wanted her.
“What pizza did you order?” Lily asked once everyone was settled.
“Anchovies and pineapple,” Marlene teased.
“And don’t forget the green olives,” Sirius smirked.
“Why do we put up with these two?” James looked at Lily.
She laughed and leant closer to him. “I don’t know but we should definitely unionize and go on strike.”
“I completely agree,” James slung his arm around Lily’s shoulders and Lily wasted no time in scooting closer to him. “We are on strike as best friends until you get us good pizza toppings.”
Marlene could hardly keep from bouncing. “I guess we’ll have to make due.” She smirked at Sirius.
He winked at her. “If they’re unionizing aren’t we supposed to come down hard? Fire them for lack of work or something like that?”
“That sounds like effort,” Marlene pouted. “Can’t we just let them strike until they’re bored of it?”
Sirius’ hand bumped the side of her thigh and he leant close again. “Brilliant. We’ll just wait them out.”
He was so close. Marlene could see the different shades of gray in his eyes, the way his midnight hair fell perfectly around his face, and smell the leather of his jacket mixing with her own. She wanted to be closer. She wanted to see what would happen. She was never good at thinking before acting. And before she had really processed it, she was sliding her hand against his.
Sirius’ eyes darkened, the gray fading away to black. His hand shifted to hers, fingers intertwining and grasping hers in an almost possessive way. Marlene felt her breath leave her entirely.
“We can wait.” James brought her attention back from the feeling of Sirius’ hand wrapped around hers and the way it made her want to feel his hand against more of her skin. “Pizza toppings are no light matter.”
Sirius didn’t let go of her hand as he turned back to James. “I think we could come to agreeable terms, but it might cut into your benefits.”
“What does that even mean?” Lily laughed.
“He’s trying to use his posh vocabulary to confuse us.” James faux whispered. “Don’t worry, I speak BS as well as he does.” He turned back to Sirius. “You know that cutting benefits will only turn us to explore other options. You could lose everything because you weren’t willing to work together on this.”
Marlene scoffed and Sirius squeezed her hand.
“But you’re assuming that we don’t have other options lined up. Marlene and I are desirable people. There are always openings.”
Marlene’s heart skipped a beat at him calling her desirable.
“You wouldn’t make it two weeks without us.” Lily laughed.
“Yes,” James nodded, “Lily’s right. You rely on us too much to lose us. We demand fair pizza toppings.”
Marlene leant closer to Sirius and faux whispered. “Is this the part where we laugh at them and tell them we’re teasing?”
“Don’t ruin the fun, Marls.” He squeezed her hand. “Jamesie and I are enjoying making fun of our upbringings.”
“Have fun then,” Marlene grinned and looked back at Lily. “So how was your day?”
Lily bit her lip and glanced at James who was now pressed completely against her side. “It’s going pretty good. What about you?”
Marlene forced her eyes to stay on her friend and not mimic the glance at the man sitting next to her. “Good, I snuck out of work early.”
“I think the girls are tired of the game.” James sighed.
“Eh, I get bored when you’re not in top form anyway.” Sirius shrugged and sat back.
James sputtered but Marlene didn’t give it much notice. She was too focused on Sirius’ thumb as it slid against hers.
She looked up at him, hoping to decipher what was happening between them. Sirius winked at her but his attention focused on their friends.
“What’s on the pizza then?” Lily asked. “And please don’t tease this time.”
Marlene chuckled and tried to keep her mind on the conversation and less on what was or wasn’t happening between her and Sirius. “The one the four of us like, but everyone else has something against it; pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, and black olives.”
“That’s the only benefit of everyone bailing tonight.” James chuckled. “We get the pizza we like.”
As if summoned by magic, their number was called and Sirius let go of her hand. “I shall return with food.”
Marlene watched him go, knowing that there was no reason she should follow him. They’d only ordered one pizza, she had brought the plates with their drinks, and so Sirius needed no help. But for a reason Marlene wasn’t ready to think about, she wanted to follow him.
And when he returned with pizza and sat back down, he didn’t grab her hand again. That brought up more feelings that Marlene really didn’t want to try and think about. Sirius was her friend. And while she was very capable of looking at him and pointing out all the reasons girls fell at his feet, she didn’t know if she wanted to give into her body and be one of them.
The conversation continued though as if Marlene wasn’t struggling to decide if these feelings surrounding Sirius were worth pursuing. So she did her best to keep pushing James and Lily together while trying to enjoy her dinner. They’d been at the restaurant forty-five minutes when Sirius tapped her knee with his.
“I’m grabbing a refill,” Sirius lifted his cup. “Hand them over.”
“I’ll help you.” Marlene didn’t miss a beat as she picked up hers and Lily’s cups.
“You got them last time.” Lily protested.
“Did you hear something?” Sirius grinned at Marlene as she scooted out of the booth.
“Not a thing,” Marlene laughed and followed him as Lily shouted after them. Something about being obnoxious.
Sirius moved to rest against the wall as they waited and jerked his head, beckoning her to join him.
“I think it’s going well.”
“Me too,” Marlene smiled up at him, “James hasn’t let her out from under his arm for most of the evening.”
“Ready to bail after we finish the pizza?”
“Really?”
“Did you bring Lily?”
“No, she drove this time.”
“Perfect, because James rode the tube and I came on my bike. He and Lily can go home together and I’ll drive you home.”
“Lily and I live together.” Marlene pointed out. “It doesn’t make sense for me to go home with you. How are we going to pull this off?”
“Marls, you’re brilliant!” Sirius grinned.
“What?”
“You said it didn’t make sense for you to come home with me, instead of me to take you home. That’s the answer! You come home with me.” His eyes were bright and his grin filled his face.
“Wait,” Marlene shook her head while pushing away the pesky feelings that there might be something there between her and Sirius if he wanted to take her home. “Are we going to make it look like we’re hooking up?”
He stopped looking at her as he stepped up to the counter and set down the drinks. “Exactly. It’s the perfect reason for them to be left on their own.”
“We’d have to sell them pretty hard on it.” Marlene set down her and Lily’s drinks and glanced back at where James and Lily were cozying up on the booth.
“Not that hard.”
Marlene gasped as Sirius stepped up against her, one hand coming to rest on her hip, the other gently tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. His gray eyes were nearly black as he looked down at her, and Marlene felt herself instinctively step into him, bringing her hand up to his chest to steady herself. He smirked and bent down to whisper in her ear.
“See? We’ve got this, Marls.”
She couldn’t think. He was too close. She was enveloped by Sirius, his touch, his scent, the way his breath wafted down her neck from her ear. “And what do we tell them tomorrow?”
“We’ll talk about that after we’re sure James and Lily are stuck going home together.” His lips brushed against the shell of her ear and Marlene felt the sensation from her ear all the way down her spine.
“Are you sure you’re just not trying to get out of our bet?”
He chuckled, his breath tickling her neck. “You know I never would have taken your money.”
She did. She wouldn’t have taken his either. Probably.
“So we’re making James and Lily think we’re hooking up?”
“And we’ll go from there,” the hand that had brushed away her hair ran the length of her arm, slipping along her hand before he intertwined their fingers.
Marlene would be lying if she didn’t admit she liked the possibilities that existed in the phrase ‘go from there.’
“Let’s get these drinks and then get out of here.” His fingers squeezed her waist, and Marlene gripped his leather jacket in her hand.
“Sirius-”
“Come on,” he cut her off, pulling away and picking up their drinks. “We’ve got this, Marls.”
So she followed him. What else was she going to do? Marlene tried to reason with her warring emotions. Pointing out that Sirius could very well be Mr. Right Now. It would be fun, and if it didn’t go anywhere, then they’d laugh about it and just be friends. After all, it wasn’t until he’d run his hand along her waist that she’d actually thought that way about him. She pushed away the voice that told her she’d more than once admitted that if she were going to hook up with any of their friends she would choose Sirius, including when he’d been within earshot.
Whatever. They’d be fine. She’d be fine. It was going to be fine.
Then they sat down and Sirius slung his arm casually over her shoulders. Marlene looked up at him and he winked as he smirked down at her.
“Hey.”
Well, if they were putting on a show for James and Lily, Marlene figured she might as well make it a good one.
“Hey.” She pushed up against him, bringing her back flush with his chest.
Then she turned back to the budding couple across the table.
James’ eyebrows were creased down towards his nose while Lily’s mouth was slightly agape.
Marlene gave them a pleasant smile and picked up her drink.
“Lily, did you drive?” Sirius shifted his arm around her shoulders to be able to slide his finger under Marlene’s necklace, the choker sliding up with the action.
Marlene made a point of breathing out slowly.
“Er, yes.” Lily managed to pick her jaw up from the table. Marlene bit her lip. She was sure that Lily thought this all her doing, that she was leading Sirius along with no intention of following through.
But Marlene was quickly realizing as Sirius wound her up that she had every intent of following through.
“You two alright?” James’ brow furrowed further.
Marlene smirked. “Smashing, James.”
Sirius bent low to whisper against her ear. “Are you ready to bail?”
She turned, her lips so close to his cheek she could feel his five o'clock shadow against her face. “I am if you are.”
“More than.” He pulled her closer and looked over at James and Lily. “Have fun you two. We’ll see you later.”
“Seriously?” James sputtered again.
“It’s just Sirius, mate.” Sirius laughed. “Make sure he gets home, Lily. I don’t want to hear he took the tube home.”
Marlene winked at Lily, who was gaping at her again, and let Sirius pull them away and out the door.
Sirius kept her pressed against him as they approached his bike.
“Now,” he stopped them to lean back against his bike and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into him so that she stood between his legs. “I’m going to tell you to call the next shot.”
Marlene let her arms come to rest around his neck, loosely linking her fingers under his hair. Her heart was hammering but she was relishing the feel of being this close to him. “The next shot for what?”
“You and me.” He leant in and Marlene thought he was going to kiss her but instead he rested his forehead against hers.
“So this is what you meant by we’ll go from there?” She gave into desire and leant closer, bringing her nose to nuzzle along his, their lips now mere centimeters apart.
His grip on her waist tightened and she had to take a half a step forward, leaving absolutely no space between her hips and his. “What do you say, Marls?”
“Are you willing to let this be something?” She shifted to let her lips brush his as she spoke.
“I’m planning on it, McKinnon.”
She could feel his smirk against her and deliberately licked her lips, the barest taste of pizza still there as her tongue brushed him. The sound that he responded with was guttural, primal, and she bit her lip as her stomach tightened.
“Me too,” Marlene murmured before finally, deliberately, bringing her lips to his.
Sirius wasted no time in deepening the kiss, sliding his tongue against hers while pushing his hands under her leather jacket. Marlene matched him, pushing her hands into his hair, sighing at its softness, pressing more of her against him, savoring this moment where she and Sirius crossed the line from friends to something different, something more, something decidedly better.
“Come on,” Sirius slowed their pace, “My flat is far more comfortable than balancing against my bike.”
“The bike is sexy, Black.” Marlene pulled his bottom lip between her teeth. “Don’t underestimate her.”
She felt Sirius’ chuckle against her chest more than she heard it. “Not to worry, love, I’ll make sure you don’t miss her too much.” He pulled away and climbed on, jerking his head for Marlene to follow suit.
Marlene pulled herself flush against him once she was on, and smiled when she felt Sirius’ hand wrap around hers over his middle and give it a firm squeeze.
She hasn’t realized how good it could feel, moving a friendship forward like this, but as Sirius pushed off and they started down the road toward his flat, Marlene didn’t regret any of the evening.
And she didn’t regret it in the morning either when Sirius woke her with soft kisses against her neck and shoulders. She didn’t regret it when Lily was shocked that her going home with Sirius ended up not just being a plot to get Lily and James alone. She didn’t regret it when they realized they’d been together for a year. And she didn’t regret it while sitting next to Sirius at James and Lily’s wedding as the maid of honor and Sirius the best man.
“Ready for your big speech?” Marlene slid her fingers against his palm before interlacing their fingers as they waited for the plates to be cleared.
“Of course, I’ve been ready since the first day James met Lils.” He let go of her hand to trace her shoulder along the off the shoulder sleeve of her dress. “And I should tell you before I give it, I’d been planning to try and sweep you off your feet the night they figured themselves out.”
Marlene blinked. “What?”
Sirius kissed her. “You’d been driving me mad. It just worked out that James and Lily could be pushed in the same night. But I was bloody determined, love.”
Marlene kissed him, pulling her fingers through his hair as she laughed. “I’m glad you did. I love you.”
“I love you too.” Sirius ran a hand along her knee, his fingers caressing the skin exposed by the cut off her dress. Marlene caught his hand and interlaced their fingers. They had the entire night ahead of them.
“Why are you telling me this now?”
Sirius’ smirk hit his lips with lightning speed. “Couldn’t have you finding out in my speech could I?”
He kissed her cheek and then stood and held up his glass as he started his toast to James and Lily. He followed that immediately with his proposal to her.
Marlene didn’t think she could be any happier as he slid the ring on her finger and kissed her with abandon.
