fic: The Best Thing
Aug. 21st, 2011 01:15 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
leashy_bebesTitle: The Best Thing
Rating: G
Pairing: James Sirius/Scorpius
Summary: There's impromptu babysitting, and feminist fairytales, and I don't know, a lot of fluff. Getting There outtake, set a few years after the original fic ends.
Word Count: ~1750
Disclaimer: JKR's, not mine.
After his morning jog, James's blood is still pumping, and he's guzzling down a bottle of water when there's a knock at the door. Water still in hand, James opens the door, taken aback when he sees Scorpius standing there, arms full of paper.
"Can I work here?" he asks. "The office is shut and I've got bloody Charms technicians all over the flat."
James blinks in confusion. "Why?"
Scorpius gets that look like he just wants to scream but is far too mannered to do so. "All the charms on the flat failed," he says, biting out every word.
James can't help laughing. "Seriously? Everything?"
"Every single thing," Scorpius says. "It's not funny."
"It's a bit funny," James says.
Scorpius glares at him. "It is not. I was in the shower when it happened. I'm still freezing."
"Aww," James teases. "Make yourself at home. I need to wash up, but put some coffee on, yeah? I'll be five minutes," he says, kissing Scorpius on the cheek. Scorpius wrinkles his nose and pushes at James's chest.
"Definitely go and have a wash," he insists. "I thought it was your day off, what are you doing prancing about getting sweaty?"
James shrugs. "Force of habit. Go up early and went for a run."
Scorpius rolls his eyes and kicks off his shoes before heading for the kitchen. When James is done in the shower James finds Scorpius at the kitchen table, papers spread out around him, scribbling away industriously. James leans in the doorway for a moment, just watching.
"Coffee ready?" he asks eventually.
"Should be," Scorpius says, but James can't move for a moment. Sometimes he still can't believe that he is the one who gets to see those little looks of Scorpius's, just glances but they feel like a touch and sometimes it just gets him.
As he stirs himself and bustles about making coffee, James can't help grinning. It feels weirdly domestic and even more weirdly really, really nice to go about his day knowing that Scorpius is here. He wonders if Scorpius will pause long enough for James to drag him out to lunch, and whether the Charms technicians will get everything done today, or whether James might coax Scorpius into staying the night, so they fall asleep curled up together.
He sets a cup of coffee down on a clear spot on the table and kisses the top of Scorpius's head.
"Will I distract you if I work on a broom in here?" he asks.
"Of course not. New one?"
"Yeah," James says enthusiastically. "I found a Silver Arrow for two galleons, do you believe that? Awful shape, obviously, but I reckon it'll – you know what, I'll tell you later," James says. He could rave for ages about how he'd felt when he'd seen the metallic glint of an arrow on the broom's battered handle, and probably will before the day is out, but Scorpius's pile of work looks huge.
"Deal," Scorpius says, giving him a grateful smile.
"Sure," James says, and he passes his fingertips over the back of Scorpius's neck as he leaves the kitchen to fetch what he needs from the cupboard. He sets himself up at the worktop across from Scorpius and sets the broom on a stand, clamping it carefully in place. He's working on the handle first, smoothing it down carefully to see what damage there is beyond splintering, a few chips, and years without proper polishing. It's fairly easy work by now, his fingers used to seeking out little flaws and nicks and smoothing them down. He's able to disconnect his mind to a large extent, and it's kind of like a quiet, sedate version of the peace he gets from flying, and it's only improved by the fact that he can hear Scorpius breathing, hear his quill scratching away.
He's not sure how much time has passed before he hears the roar of the Floo from the other room. Scorpius startles and looks up, adorably taken-aback. James doesn't get to see Scorpius at work that often, but he likes the way Scorpius always ends up completely absorbed in whatever he's doing, losing track of the world around him.
"I'll get rid of them," James says and Scorpius nods, already turning back to his papers.
Looking into the fireplace James finds his cousin Rose, looking decidedly frazzled even without the benefit of the flames flickering, casting weird shadows on her face.
"Alright Rosie – "
"I need you to look after Molly for a while," she says, no preamble.
"Rose, no way! It's my day off, and Scorpius is working."
"Tough!" Rose snaps. "I just need a few hours to write this report, James, please. She's driving me crazy!"
James huffs. "Oh, alright. You have three hours exactly, okay? We have lunch plans."
It's not technically a lie. James has vague lunch plans, he just hasn't let Scorpius in on them yet.
"Three hours is fine," Rose says, sounding relieved.
"Hang on a minute," James says. "You're not going to spring Lucy on me as well, are you?"
Rose shakes her head. "She's home sick with Aunt Audrey, that's why I've got Molly."
"Alright," James nods. "Send her through."
Molly emerges from the Floo at the speed of a snitch and barrels into James's legs. "Hi, hi, hi, hi!"
"Whoa! Hey, Molly," he says, hugging her gently. She smiles up at him, her tangled red curls hanging in her bright brown eyes. Much as he might have complained to Rose, James actually kind of adores his little cousin. She's only five but she already has a mischievous streak a mile wide (James is happy to take the credit for at least a little bit of that) and everyone says she's more like George's kid than Percy's.
"Bit of impromptu babysitting," James calls to Scorpius. "We'll try to keep the noise down."
He appears in the doorway and gives Molly a big smile. "No problem. Maybe if I finish we can go to the park?"
James grins at him, maybe a tiny bit overwhelmed with his love for this man. Extended families are a mystery to Scorpius, but he still tries, and it means the world to James. "Sounds good," he says.
"You, uh – " Scorpius nods towards Molly. "Might want to keep a closer eye on her."
James turns and finds Molly determinedly digging through the dresser drawers where James knows for a fact there is an emergency stash of lubricant.
"Oh, Merlin! Come here, Mols, let's play a game,"
He can hear Scorpius laughing back in the kitchen and hides a grin as he steers Molly away from potentially dodgy stuff and towards his old gobstones set. When she gets bored with that she wants to do some drawing so James finds her some spare parchment and transfigures some crayons. He thinks he's doing a damn good job of keeping her occupied for the first hour or so, and even braves slipping off to the loo.
Mistake.
That girl is Weasley through and through, James thinks to himself as he comes back into the living room to find a distinct lack of Molly. Then he hears her piping voice from the kitchen, asking Scorpius what he's doing, and Scorpius's uncertain reply.
"Molly, leave Scorpius alone, he's working," James says as he walks through to the kitchen, shooting Scorpius an apologetic look and swinging the little girl into his arms.
"But I want a story!" Molly protests, wriggling.
"I'll tell you a story," James offers.
"Your stories are rubbish," Molly says with the blunt honesty of a five year old, before sliding out of James's grip and regarding him critically. "They're all about Quidditch."
"She's not wrong, you know," Scorpius says, setting down his quill. He looks far too amused.
"Button it," James tells him. "You love my Quidditch stories, you great big nerd." Then, turning to Molly, he asks her what could possibly be better than Quidditch stories. To his consternation, Molly and Scorpius actually exchange a long-suffering look, and that is it. Never. Babysitting. Again.
"I'm guessing princesses, right?" Scorpius suggests, and Molly nods, looking approving at last. "And maybe a scary dragon?"
"Yes!" she says gleefully.
Scorpius nods. "Okay. Princess Molly and the dragon. And what shall the handsome prince be called?"
"What prince?" Molly asks.
Scorpius shoots a glance at James over the top of Molly's head. "Oh, there's always a handsome prince," he says teasingly. "Who else is going to rescue princess Molly from the dragon?"
"Princess Molly is a hero princess. She rescues herself," Molly says primly.
Scorpius looks chastened. "Ah, of course. My mistake. Feminist fairytales. Naturally. Well, once upon a time there was a clever, resourceful, and quite incidentally very pretty princess named Molly. She was independent and strong and didn't need a man to feel validated whatsoever - "
"Scorpius!" James laughs, at the same time as Molly asks, "What?"
"Okay, okay," Scorpius laughs. "C'mere," he says, pushing parchment aside and lifting Molly to settle her on the table in front of him. He leans his chair back on two legs and says, "So. Princess Molly."
James's smile is so ridiculous he has to turn away, quietly pouring Molly a glass of pumpkin juice before fixing fresh coffees for him and Scorpius. Then he turns back to the Silver Arrow, letting Scorpius's story wash over him, grinning down at the broom as he smoothes over a particularly nasty chip that might require some fairly extensive repairs.
They don't make it to the park in the end, because Molly decides that Scorpius's stores are too excellent to pass up. When Rose comes back through the Floo she finds the three of them on the sofa, James with his head in Scorpius's lap and Molly sitting on James's shins. Rose blinks, obviously a little surprised at the sight, even more so when Molly protests that she doesn't want to leave, not even for ice-cream. She only relents when Scorpius promises that he will see her again soon, and think up plenty of new stories in the meantime.
James waits until Rose and Molly have disappeared into the Floo before practically launching himself at Scorpius, face pressed into his neck. Scorpius's hands are gentle and tentative where they stroke though his hair.
"James?"
"Alright," James says. "That's it. You've ruined me."
Scorpius laughs. "What on earth are you talking about, Potter?"
"You." James grins against Scorpius's throat. "You are the best thing."
"Madman."
James just smiles and settles himself more comfortably against Scorpius, because he knows what that means.
"Love you too."
Rating: G
Pairing: James Sirius/Scorpius
Summary: There's impromptu babysitting, and feminist fairytales, and I don't know, a lot of fluff. Getting There outtake, set a few years after the original fic ends.
Word Count: ~1750
Disclaimer: JKR's, not mine.
After his morning jog, James's blood is still pumping, and he's guzzling down a bottle of water when there's a knock at the door. Water still in hand, James opens the door, taken aback when he sees Scorpius standing there, arms full of paper.
"Can I work here?" he asks. "The office is shut and I've got bloody Charms technicians all over the flat."
James blinks in confusion. "Why?"
Scorpius gets that look like he just wants to scream but is far too mannered to do so. "All the charms on the flat failed," he says, biting out every word.
James can't help laughing. "Seriously? Everything?"
"Every single thing," Scorpius says. "It's not funny."
"It's a bit funny," James says.
Scorpius glares at him. "It is not. I was in the shower when it happened. I'm still freezing."
"Aww," James teases. "Make yourself at home. I need to wash up, but put some coffee on, yeah? I'll be five minutes," he says, kissing Scorpius on the cheek. Scorpius wrinkles his nose and pushes at James's chest.
"Definitely go and have a wash," he insists. "I thought it was your day off, what are you doing prancing about getting sweaty?"
James shrugs. "Force of habit. Go up early and went for a run."
Scorpius rolls his eyes and kicks off his shoes before heading for the kitchen. When James is done in the shower James finds Scorpius at the kitchen table, papers spread out around him, scribbling away industriously. James leans in the doorway for a moment, just watching.
"Coffee ready?" he asks eventually.
"Should be," Scorpius says, but James can't move for a moment. Sometimes he still can't believe that he is the one who gets to see those little looks of Scorpius's, just glances but they feel like a touch and sometimes it just gets him.
As he stirs himself and bustles about making coffee, James can't help grinning. It feels weirdly domestic and even more weirdly really, really nice to go about his day knowing that Scorpius is here. He wonders if Scorpius will pause long enough for James to drag him out to lunch, and whether the Charms technicians will get everything done today, or whether James might coax Scorpius into staying the night, so they fall asleep curled up together.
He sets a cup of coffee down on a clear spot on the table and kisses the top of Scorpius's head.
"Will I distract you if I work on a broom in here?" he asks.
"Of course not. New one?"
"Yeah," James says enthusiastically. "I found a Silver Arrow for two galleons, do you believe that? Awful shape, obviously, but I reckon it'll – you know what, I'll tell you later," James says. He could rave for ages about how he'd felt when he'd seen the metallic glint of an arrow on the broom's battered handle, and probably will before the day is out, but Scorpius's pile of work looks huge.
"Deal," Scorpius says, giving him a grateful smile.
"Sure," James says, and he passes his fingertips over the back of Scorpius's neck as he leaves the kitchen to fetch what he needs from the cupboard. He sets himself up at the worktop across from Scorpius and sets the broom on a stand, clamping it carefully in place. He's working on the handle first, smoothing it down carefully to see what damage there is beyond splintering, a few chips, and years without proper polishing. It's fairly easy work by now, his fingers used to seeking out little flaws and nicks and smoothing them down. He's able to disconnect his mind to a large extent, and it's kind of like a quiet, sedate version of the peace he gets from flying, and it's only improved by the fact that he can hear Scorpius breathing, hear his quill scratching away.
He's not sure how much time has passed before he hears the roar of the Floo from the other room. Scorpius startles and looks up, adorably taken-aback. James doesn't get to see Scorpius at work that often, but he likes the way Scorpius always ends up completely absorbed in whatever he's doing, losing track of the world around him.
"I'll get rid of them," James says and Scorpius nods, already turning back to his papers.
Looking into the fireplace James finds his cousin Rose, looking decidedly frazzled even without the benefit of the flames flickering, casting weird shadows on her face.
"Alright Rosie – "
"I need you to look after Molly for a while," she says, no preamble.
"Rose, no way! It's my day off, and Scorpius is working."
"Tough!" Rose snaps. "I just need a few hours to write this report, James, please. She's driving me crazy!"
James huffs. "Oh, alright. You have three hours exactly, okay? We have lunch plans."
It's not technically a lie. James has vague lunch plans, he just hasn't let Scorpius in on them yet.
"Three hours is fine," Rose says, sounding relieved.
"Hang on a minute," James says. "You're not going to spring Lucy on me as well, are you?"
Rose shakes her head. "She's home sick with Aunt Audrey, that's why I've got Molly."
"Alright," James nods. "Send her through."
Molly emerges from the Floo at the speed of a snitch and barrels into James's legs. "Hi, hi, hi, hi!"
"Whoa! Hey, Molly," he says, hugging her gently. She smiles up at him, her tangled red curls hanging in her bright brown eyes. Much as he might have complained to Rose, James actually kind of adores his little cousin. She's only five but she already has a mischievous streak a mile wide (James is happy to take the credit for at least a little bit of that) and everyone says she's more like George's kid than Percy's.
"Bit of impromptu babysitting," James calls to Scorpius. "We'll try to keep the noise down."
He appears in the doorway and gives Molly a big smile. "No problem. Maybe if I finish we can go to the park?"
James grins at him, maybe a tiny bit overwhelmed with his love for this man. Extended families are a mystery to Scorpius, but he still tries, and it means the world to James. "Sounds good," he says.
"You, uh – " Scorpius nods towards Molly. "Might want to keep a closer eye on her."
James turns and finds Molly determinedly digging through the dresser drawers where James knows for a fact there is an emergency stash of lubricant.
"Oh, Merlin! Come here, Mols, let's play a game,"
He can hear Scorpius laughing back in the kitchen and hides a grin as he steers Molly away from potentially dodgy stuff and towards his old gobstones set. When she gets bored with that she wants to do some drawing so James finds her some spare parchment and transfigures some crayons. He thinks he's doing a damn good job of keeping her occupied for the first hour or so, and even braves slipping off to the loo.
Mistake.
That girl is Weasley through and through, James thinks to himself as he comes back into the living room to find a distinct lack of Molly. Then he hears her piping voice from the kitchen, asking Scorpius what he's doing, and Scorpius's uncertain reply.
"Molly, leave Scorpius alone, he's working," James says as he walks through to the kitchen, shooting Scorpius an apologetic look and swinging the little girl into his arms.
"But I want a story!" Molly protests, wriggling.
"I'll tell you a story," James offers.
"Your stories are rubbish," Molly says with the blunt honesty of a five year old, before sliding out of James's grip and regarding him critically. "They're all about Quidditch."
"She's not wrong, you know," Scorpius says, setting down his quill. He looks far too amused.
"Button it," James tells him. "You love my Quidditch stories, you great big nerd." Then, turning to Molly, he asks her what could possibly be better than Quidditch stories. To his consternation, Molly and Scorpius actually exchange a long-suffering look, and that is it. Never. Babysitting. Again.
"I'm guessing princesses, right?" Scorpius suggests, and Molly nods, looking approving at last. "And maybe a scary dragon?"
"Yes!" she says gleefully.
Scorpius nods. "Okay. Princess Molly and the dragon. And what shall the handsome prince be called?"
"What prince?" Molly asks.
Scorpius shoots a glance at James over the top of Molly's head. "Oh, there's always a handsome prince," he says teasingly. "Who else is going to rescue princess Molly from the dragon?"
"Princess Molly is a hero princess. She rescues herself," Molly says primly.
Scorpius looks chastened. "Ah, of course. My mistake. Feminist fairytales. Naturally. Well, once upon a time there was a clever, resourceful, and quite incidentally very pretty princess named Molly. She was independent and strong and didn't need a man to feel validated whatsoever - "
"Scorpius!" James laughs, at the same time as Molly asks, "What?"
"Okay, okay," Scorpius laughs. "C'mere," he says, pushing parchment aside and lifting Molly to settle her on the table in front of him. He leans his chair back on two legs and says, "So. Princess Molly."
James's smile is so ridiculous he has to turn away, quietly pouring Molly a glass of pumpkin juice before fixing fresh coffees for him and Scorpius. Then he turns back to the Silver Arrow, letting Scorpius's story wash over him, grinning down at the broom as he smoothes over a particularly nasty chip that might require some fairly extensive repairs.
They don't make it to the park in the end, because Molly decides that Scorpius's stores are too excellent to pass up. When Rose comes back through the Floo she finds the three of them on the sofa, James with his head in Scorpius's lap and Molly sitting on James's shins. Rose blinks, obviously a little surprised at the sight, even more so when Molly protests that she doesn't want to leave, not even for ice-cream. She only relents when Scorpius promises that he will see her again soon, and think up plenty of new stories in the meantime.
James waits until Rose and Molly have disappeared into the Floo before practically launching himself at Scorpius, face pressed into his neck. Scorpius's hands are gentle and tentative where they stroke though his hair.
"James?"
"Alright," James says. "That's it. You've ruined me."
Scorpius laughs. "What on earth are you talking about, Potter?"
"You." James grins against Scorpius's throat. "You are the best thing."
"Madman."
James just smiles and settles himself more comfortably against Scorpius, because he knows what that means.
"Love you too."
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no subject
Date: 2011-08-21 08:16 pm (UTC)I'm delighted to get another "Getting There" story--I think I love this James/Scorpius most of all your fanfic series.
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Date: 2011-08-21 11:05 pm (UTC)I'm so glad people are still up for more GT ficlets. I always love revisting them myself :)
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Date: 2011-08-21 01:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-21 09:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-21 01:26 am (UTC)And dammit, now I have to go read the fic AGAIN (like it's such a chore). :)))
I love them more grown up and into their work. It's so peaceful and quotidian and charming.
And Molly is a hoot! More feminist fairytales, I say (and more boy time alone as well).
no subject
Date: 2011-08-21 09:23 pm (UTC)Dipping a toe back into HP has made me miss these two so much. I have such plans for their life together. And am honestly and truly working on that second meet-the-parents shindig.
Hee, Molly is adorable! I like to think Percy is baffled by her but secretly proud that his kid gets the joke even if he doesn't (oh, Perce). And you know James is already having to push aside thoughts like "oh my god, one of those, a little person, all the time, to tell stories to! That would be amazing!"
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Date: 2011-08-21 01:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-21 09:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-21 01:31 am (UTC)There's something about kids and James Potter together that just makes my eyes turn to little hearts.
And the end is so sweet.
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Date: 2011-08-21 09:25 pm (UTC)Heee, I have that same thing. Hearts. All over my eyeballs. He is just too much.
I'm glad you liked it, lovely ♥
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Date: 2011-08-21 02:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-21 09:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-21 04:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-21 09:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-21 04:24 am (UTC)What prince? Ahaha. And Scorpius, nodding understandingly. I mean, obviously feminist fairytales! So adorable.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-21 09:29 pm (UTC)lol, I imagine any niece of Hermione's is not putting up with any patriarchal nonsense even when it comes to fairytales. Scorpius is such a doll. I actually had a thought afterwards that he probably writes some of the stories down and one of the other kids (Lily because I don't write her enough) illustrates it and they make Molly a little book and and and -- but then I died of fluff overdose.
I'm glad you liked it, love.
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Date: 2011-08-21 04:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-21 09:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-21 06:44 am (UTC)Also, I may have got a little misty-eyed at the end. Glorious domesticity. Loved it, I think that, at the end of the day, I would rather read a hundred thousand words of this than sexy smutt.
♥
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Date: 2011-08-21 09:34 pm (UTC)Ahahaha, you are not wrong. Damn these stupidly perfection fictional people.
I'm glad you liked it, hon.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-21 10:07 am (UTC)I love the way write James and Scorpius, always. <3
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Date: 2011-08-21 09:37 pm (UTC)Aw, thank you, hon. I always enjoy revisting this version of the boys ♥
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Date: 2011-08-21 12:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-21 09:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-21 01:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-21 09:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-21 09:45 pm (UTC)Also, James. James. Ugh. Why can't he be real?
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Date: 2011-08-22 06:18 pm (UTC)Ahaha, I do not know. My life as I knew it is meaningless. Damn you, James Potter. Damn you.
Thanks for reading, love.
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Date: 2011-08-21 11:48 pm (UTC)And Molly too, so sweet :D
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Date: 2011-08-22 06:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-23 10:37 pm (UTC)That is all.
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Date: 2011-08-24 09:49 am (UTC)♥
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Date: 2011-09-05 05:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-10 07:57 pm (UTC)no subject
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