Frying pan
Cinderella
Sirius was in the field behind the prison that he supposed was his ‘home’ deep in concentration, she was making herself a dress to wear the ball. It had been quite some time since she was able to go out dancing and socialising, their old life flashes in front of their eyes often. Only happiness Sirius feels is found within his memories. Childhood playing with James Potter, he never did ever find a friend quite like James again. The two were cut from the same cloth, made from the same dirt. Their brotherhood defied biology and also gender as Sirius never fully felt like a man, at least not at all time - but enough so to claim James Potter as his brother.
That did not mean he didn’t claim that soft prick as his brother, brainwashed as the fool was, Regulus was and always would be Sirius’ first love. She feels robbed of her blood brother, it is the source of a great deal of anger she keeps locked away inside her, sometimes it tears through and cracks show something that does not surprise Sirius as the anger regarding what Walburga turned Regulus into is never not fighting to get out. A constant internal scream that they must keep at bay.
“Fuck,” Sirius cursed as the needle lodged in their finger, that had never happened before.
“Ah shame that, you were completely in the zone there,” Came a deep voice, Sirius snapped his eyes up at the same time she pulled the needle from her finger. A very tall man with messy curls and deep pink scars on his freckled face decorating his brown skin, looked down at her.
“The fuck you at? standing there like that spying on people,” Sirius sneered.
“Down boy,” The man rolled his eyes, “Just it was nice you are clearly passionate about that, the dress thingy it looks good,” he cleared his throat looking anywhere but at Sirius.
“Are you going to buy it then?” they sniffed,
“You what?” he stumbled back.
“Cause if not then you should not be standing there like some sort of perv watching me get handsy,”
“I- ah shit, yeah I’ll buy it off you,”
“Well it's not for sale, is it? You Git,” she placed the dress to the side.
“I am so fucking confused,” the man pinched his nose, “Sirius, isn’t it?”
“Yeah? How did you-”
“Remus Lupin,” he pointed at himself.
“No way, the scruffy bastard who stole James’ bike? I heard old Lyall ended up marrying a Duchess,”
“Glad to see you recall me in such a fond manner,” Remus snorted, “Yes, they married when I was around fifteen, it takes a lot of getting used to. Have to put up with fancy dinners and that, she formally adopted me when I was seventeen.”
“Who’d have thought old Loopy Lupin, the scruffy git a Duke,”
“I mean technically-”
“God that’s hilarious,”
“Fuck off Sirius,” Remus pressed his lips together,
“I don’t think you should be speaking in such a way,” Sirius wagged his finger with a shit eating grin,
“You haven’t changed,” Remus looked down at them fondly.
An everlasting vow
Dorcas had been prepared for this far longer than forever, it had been set up since she was very small. Every June until September she had made her way to Thailand, she never questioned whether she wanted to marry him or not. It was her duty, it was the way of things and he was a nice man. So, really she should consider herself lucky and get on with it. It is what she had always done all these years. Kissing Marlene last week should have been a regret. She should be ashamed of herself that she has played the memory in her mind every night as soon as her head touched the pillow. Thoughts of Marlene utterly consumed her, the constant battle, inner duel of her feelings of agony and hope. Agony for it was completely unrealistic, no matter what she felt it could never be. Then the more dangerous of the two feelings hope. For isn’t love enough reason to defy everything she’s ever known, isn’t that the greatest thing humans ever do? Because without love, platonic or romantic then what's the point?
She doesn’t think romantic love such as the way she feels for Marlene happens to every person, and the people who do get this sort of feeling and chemistry, it is probably more of a ‘once in twenty life times’ thing. She doesn’t know how she could go on if she threw that away. Yet tomorrow she was set to marry Benjy and tonight she was sitting at the table at the pre-wedding dinner while everyone smiled, top forms throughout the room, even Marlene was laughing brightly with Emmeline, she did manage a cheeky wink at Dorcas.
She knows Marlene feels how she feels, without Marlene even confirming it. It is as if the love in Marlene’s heart seeps out of her body and wraps itself around Dorcas, she feels safe within it. She wants to stay there forever, does Marlene want to fight for it as she does?
Either way she does not think it is right to make an everlasting vow of love to Benjy when she is sure she could never love a man in that way. Her marriage was supposed to be for strategy, she always reasoned. Strategy and what was right/smart was all out the window as it was as if her heart jumped the gun, it had without her permission already made an everlasting vow to a clumsy knight with a blonde mullet.
She grabbed a napkin and her lipstick and scribbled, ‘Lets make our own party, meet me at the garden clock’ excused herself from the table and as she walked Marlene she shook her hand to thank her for her continued service while passing the folded napkin into her hand. Marlene smirked
“Yer welcome Princess,” she winked, making a light fist to keep the napkin safe.
----
After dinner was done and the guests moved on to drinks, Dorcas rushed to the garden clock and a tall figure awaited her; she gasped, speeding up practically running into Marlene’s arms. Duty be damned, she was choosing love.
Except it wasn’t Marlene who waited for her at the garden clock.
The tower
Lily’s eyes felt heavy as she struggled to open them, the room around her was blurred. She doesn’t remember drinking? There is no way she could be drunk or hungover.. Then again she had no clue where she was. Typical Evans getting herself into messy situation after messy situation. She had kicked the habit of getting rip roaring drunk, or more placed it on hold until she sorted her goals out. Her healthy appetite for ale had become an issue regarding the progress of what she was wanting to achieve.
“Water,” she gasped, telling herself she needs to drink it, and plenty of it!
“Why should I fetch you water? Why should I fetch you anything?” came the voice of someone who was clearly trying to be stern but was rather shit at it. Lily looked to the side, and noticed a fuck load of braided hair.
“What the…” her eyes followed the insane amount of hair which seemed to be attached to an absolutely gorgeous woman. She had bambi eyes, dark skin, a confused look on her face and then of course she was attached to the brightest blonde hair that Lily had ever laid eyes on. “I mean hi,” Lily smirked, “Sorry it escaped my notice that I am a little tied up here, princess,”
“That would be my doing,” the woman folded her arms trying to frown and looking adorable.
“I was sure hoping it was,” Lily bit her lip. The blonde rolled her eyes and lifted a frying pan????
Everything went black again.
The Baker
James and Fleamont could not believe the order number they had been entrusted with for the ball. It really was a stroke of luck that James became friendly with Remus Lupin after all these years who had been a bit down on his luck when they were teens and acted out due to that. He had grown a lot over the years but James wouldn’t say he was like a brand new person, he had the same cheek, wit and banter and smile. The same good heart that he was less afraid to show now. Due to this stroke of luck, James was recommended for the order by Remus. The payout was enough to pay for chest surgery. He couldn’t quite believe his luck.
“So you are going to talk to Sirius tonight then? After all these years?” his dad asked, as they began packing everything up awaiting the carriages that would take their baked goods to the ball which would happen this very night.
“Yes, Regulus said that Pads would be there. You know Regulus-”
“Whatever it is you are about to divulge about Regulus I am sure you have already done about seven times already or seventy,” Fleamont raised an eyebrow.
“Oh shove off,” James rolled his eyes. He knew it to be true, he had not shut up about the younger Black sibling since he entered the bakery.
“He is a nice lad, I always liked Regulus.” Fleamont stated, “So don’t worry, I approve,”
“App-approve of what?” James nearly dropped an orange muffin. His dad just shot him a look, “Yeah well lets stick a pin in that until you know one of kick the bucket,” James murmured and Fleamont started chuckling, “Reggie said that Sirius would be in a mask, I am going to find them no matter what. I won’t leave that ball without talking to Sirius.” James affirmed. In truth he wasn’t leaving the ball without Sirius full stop, or without Regulus.
“Do you think Reg enjoyed the food I gave him? Do you think Wally choked on it?”
“Oh I bloody hope so.” Fleamont snorted, “I am sure Regulus enjoyed it too.” he added, James silently wondered if the younger Black sibling thought of how the food was made by James’ own hands as he ate it. He wondered if that thought made him think more about his hands. James thought of Regulus’ every moment since, he had quite lovely hands as it turned out. He always did thought ‘piano hands’ he supposed. They were sleek, slender and downright pretty which made James want to suck on them.
“Get a hold of yourself, Potter,” James shook his head.