I feel like jily would see reader and both be like oh fuck and then decide to just adopt/bring them into the relationship. Like they sit by reader at meals, James butters both lily’s toast and readers, lily sits on the couch by reader in the common room and puts her head in their lap while snatching their essay out of their hand to proofread while James sits on the floor and lily mindlessly plays with his hair, they save reader a seat at the three broomsticks on hogsmeade days. And poor reader just thinks they’re friends, or maybe they decided they need a kid since they act so married/mom and dad. And one day Lily or James is like yea my partners and reader is like uh as in plural? And both James and Lily whip their heads around and are like yea moron us three???? What did you think was happening???
Thanks for requesting!
a/n: Please do not misconstrue my participation in the marauders fandom as support of JKR. If you’re new here and want to participate in the fandom, I encourage you to do so without participating in anything that would provide financial gain to her or her transphobic agendas
hogwarts uni au
poly!Jily x fem!reader ♡ 1k words
All three occupants of the table light up when you and Remus enter the Three Broomsticks.
“Move,” Lily tells Sirius promptly.
He scoffs, but happily vacates his seat next to James in favor of one on the other side of the table, where Remus can sit next to him. “Fuck off, Evans.”
James slides out of his chair and into the next. “Saved you a seat,” he says, smiling that megawatt smile that jellies your legs. He pulls out the newly empty chair between himself and Lily.
“Oh.” You falter only a moment at the fact that they’re not sitting together before taking it. “Thanks.”
“Is this new?” Lily touches the pompom of your hat. It’s the faintest brush of her fingers, and yet your face heats like a struck match. Her eyes find yours, fond. “You look very cute.”
“Thanks,” you say again, quieter.
She smiles. “What kept you two?”
“Transmutation paper,” Remus answers for you, collapsing into the chair next to Sirius’. Your lips tug fondly as you watch how Sirius curls into his side, Remus’ arm coming around the other boy’s shoulders almost unthinkingly. “Our professor’s got his pants in a twist about structure. Wants us to hit every point of the rubric in order.”
“Tyrant,” Sirius decides immediately.
“Same one who gave us a paper due during reading week, too.”
“Knew I hated him. We should spell his shoes into tar.”
“Do you want me to read it over for you?” Lily offers, while Remus and Sirius sidebar about how a shoe-to-tar spell might be achieved. “I can compare with the rubric if you’d like a fresh set of eyes.”
“You don’t have to,” you try, but Lily waves you off, beckoning for it.
“While you do that,” says James, standing, “I’ll go get drinks. Moony, what’ll you have?”
“Whiskey sour, please,” Remus replies. He’s taking out his own essay, newly paranoid that he’s missed a point.
“Yuck. And you want a cider, angel?”
You assume for a moment that James must mean Lily, but she already has a drink. He’s looking at you. You didn’t realize he knew your usual order.
“Yes, please,” you say.
James goes to the bar, while Lily leans closer to praise you for an apt transition between your thesis and first argument. Her shoulder bumps into yours, a warmth you can feel through the layers separating you. It’s innocuous. But you wonder if Lily would be so comfortable around you if she knew of your giant, shameful crush on both her and her boyfriend.
It’s hardly your first forbidden crush (you carried a torch for Remus for months after he and Sirius got together) but it’s definitely new for you to have a crush on two people who are in a relationship together. Because fate likes to laugh at you, James and Lily decided they’d like to be your closest friends right around the time you started having feelings for them both. You feel a bit accomplished for having gone undetected for so long. Lily is smart; you thought she’d clock your puppy eyes within a week of getting to know you better, but so far nothing has seemed to deter the couple from wanting to spend more time with you.
“This is good,” Lily says, still skimming the end of your paper. “I can’t imagine what your professor could fault you for. You’ve laid everything out perfectly.”
“Ooh, high praise,” James teases, setting down your cider in front of you. A short glass has appeared in front of Remus. James lays his arm across the back of your chair casually. “Give her a break from school, love.”
“Wait.” Remus sends Lily a sheepish look. “Will you read mine?”
James laughs. “I think both of my girls deserve a break.”
“Hear hear!” Sirius lifts his glass, while the words my girls are still echoing around in your head like a song that sticks. “Speaking of, Prongs, do you want to do something off-campus on Friday?”
“Not this Friday,” James replies unhesitatingly. “We have a date.”
You turn to him, a bit wounded. “This Friday?”
James’ eyebrows raise. “Yeah. Did you forget?”
“I just…I thought we were going to the cinema on Friday.”
“That’s what I meant.” He squeezes your shoulder, giving you a bemused smile. “So like I was telling Pads, we have plans Friday.”
“Oh, sorry.” You feel silly. “The word ‘date’ threw me.”
Lily looks up then, her brows bunched to James’ raised.
“...Why would that be?” James asks.
“Because…” you say slowly, hoping one of them will finish for you. When they don’t, you flounder. “Well, is it a date?”
“Of course it is,” James replies.
You reel.
“Oh, lovely.” Lily sounds a strange mix of fond and empathetic. “Did you not know we were asking you on a date? What do you think the other night at our apartment was?”
“Studying,” you say tightly.
James nods. “A study date.”
“Right, but—when you called it that, I didn’t take it for—you know, anything. Remus and I have study dates all the time.”
“You what?” Sirius rounds on his boyfriend, who is doing his best to appear as though he isn’t listening.
“What did you think was happening between us?” Lily asks you.
You look at her helplessly. “Friendship?” With the added flavor of one-sided, hopeless pining.
“Godric.” James runs a hand through his hair. When he breathes out, his lips twitch; it’s like he’s incurable. “Well, would you want to date? Since apparently we haven’t started yet.”
“How many dates do you think we’ve had?”
“Four, love.”
“Five,” Lily corrects him. “You’re forgetting the pond.”
“Right. Five.”
You gawp at them, replaying every hour you’ve spent alone together in your head. It did feel strange that they kept inviting you along to things. But you only thought you were their very special third wheel.
“I’d like to be on a date,” you say.
James’ grin splits his face, and Lily laughs breathlessly. “Great,” she says. “We can consider this our first.”
Hi darling!!! I love your event sm!!! Can I grill a burger with poly!Jily and the prompts “homemade, sour lemonade” and “how do you expect me to survive the summer with you both living in sundresses?!”
Ilysm and happy summer! No worries if you don’t wanna write it!
mk!! of course u can, ty for the request love! i was hoping id get a poly!jily request with the sundress prompt!!
jolie's summer kickoff
a 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐫 fresh off the grill ⋮ aka a short blurb
contains: poly!jily x fem!reader, almost suggestive
You appear at Lily’s side, your fingertips lightly brushing against her elbow as she stirs her freshly squeezed lemonade, ice clinking in the crystal pitcher gifted to you by James’ mum.
“Darling,” she greets you in a sweet tone. You press a kiss to her shoulder in response.
The sun is ruthless today, but underneath your big patio umbrella, it isn’t so bad. There’s a slight wind that cools your skin in the shade.
“Be my taste tester?” Lily requests, already lifting the wooden spoon from the pitcher.
You hold Lily’s wrist lightly to steady her hand as the spoon reaches your lips. A dribble of lemonade spills over anyway, running down your chin and dripping down the front of your dress.
A sight James doesn’t miss as he steps out onto the patio with lunch in hand.
“Bloody hell,” James mutters, frozen in the doorway.
“Alright, James?” Lily asks as she wipes the lemonade from your chin with her thumb as you lick your puckered lips.
“I, uh, yes it-” James clears his throat.
“It’s a bit sour, love,” you murmur, and Lily nods in acknowledgment, moving to add a tad more of the honey simple syrup she made earlier.
“It’s… hot. Out. Hot out,” James manages to say, his eyes darting hopelessly between the faces of his girls, then to the way their dresses dance in the breeze, lifting slightly to expose more skin.
“Come join us in the shade, then, babe,” Lily says, only looking up when she hears your giggle, and she too notices James’ flustered state.
You reach your hand to him, beckoning him to come over. “Jamie,” you call in a sing-song voice.
James flushes red, placing the platter with your lunch down as he rounds the table.
He lifts your hand to his lips, pressing a chaste kiss to the back of your hand before his touch wanders up your arm to your shoulder, settling on the back of your neck as he wraps his other arm around Lily’s waist.
“How do you expect me to survive the summer with you both living in sundresses!?” James says as if he’s in genuine peril, leaning his cheek against Lily’s shoulder as he gazes down at you.
Lily and your shoulders shake in unison as you giggle at James’ theatrics.
“Poor baby,” you mock with a faux pout, brushing some of his curls out of his face.
James’ hand drifts down your back, pressing you closer as he retaliates with a playful nibble at your neck.
You squeal as you try to fend him off. Lily turns in his grip, flicking his shoulder in your defense.
“Oh, don’t worry. We’re going to change after lunch,” she tells him.
James’ head turns at once. “Change?” he asks as if he’s personally offended by the thought.
“Mhm. We’re gonna put on bikinis and lay out some towels on the grass to tan,” she tells him with a wicked little smile and a sultry tone.
James’ eyes light up, a smirk playing at his lips as he opens his mouth to say something salacious, no doubt.
Before he can, Lily already has a spoonful of lemonade at his lips.
“Try this for me, love?”
James hums as the flavor hits his taste buds. “Delicious, of course. A tad sweet though, d’you think?”
“You two are impossible,” Lily huffs, but there’s nothing but endearment in her tone.
Do you think you’d ever be interested in doing a poly!jily x reader fic? I love your work and think you could come up with a lot of fun things with it. Like maybe where lily is acting how James did with her but towards the reader and James is ever so amused with it
this was such a cute prompt! thanks for your patience as I waited for the right idea for it! xx
poly!Jily x fem!reader who is the latest victim of Potter level affections [884 words]
CW: fluff, reader is maybe a little feisty? but we love her for it
“What in Merlin’s name?” Sirius whispered in disbelief as he approached Lily and James in the library; the table they were currently occupying was nearly overflowing with pink poster board, glitter, and an array of charmed flowers clearly pilfered from the greenhouses.
“What are you two up to now?” Remus asked as he cautiously pulled a chair that was free of ribbon and lace.
“Preparing for my N.E.W.T’s, can’t you tell?” Lily retorted, the small quirk of her lips was the only proof Remus got that her words were in jest before her tongue stuck out between her teeth again as she tried to tie a difficult bow.
“Jamie, can I borrow your finger, please?” She asked around an exasperated sigh; James appeared all too eager and willing to oblige.
“It’d be my honour, m’lady.” He offered with a saccharine smile.
Lily shook her head at him but smiled nonetheless as she completed her bow.
“Right, so, back to my earlier sentiments; what in the buggering fuck is going on here?” Sirius spat, not nearly as careful as Remus had been as he dumped various craft supplies onto the ground to free up a chair for himself.
“Yeah, who are you trying to woo now, Prongs?” Remus taunted, earning him a snort and a head shake from James who never removed his lovesick gaze from Lily.
“This is all her.”
“Evans!?” Sirius beseeched. “Who are you trying to woo!?”
“We’re both” Lily corrected as she offered James a half-hearted glare “pursuing Y/N.”
“Y/N? Didn’t an owl deliver her a box of chocolates just yesterday?” Remus asked.
“Those were from us.” Lily replied, her focus steady on the craft in front of her.
“And a bouquet of flowers the day before that?”
“Yup.”
“And the howler that simply played ABBA’s Take a Chance on Me?”
“What is your point, Sirius?” Lily harrumphed as she stepped back to admire her creation.
A mischievous look took over Sirius’ face that Lily didn’t notice on account of her attention being solely dedicated on her current task of wooing you, but had Remus bracing for impact.
“Say, Prongsie, what was the first box of chocolates you sent to Evans in your attempts to pursue her?”
“The toffee flavoured truffles that I saw her eyeing at Honeydukes!” He responded quickly, and Remus watched as Lily’s brows furrowed.
“Right, and how many bouquets of lilies did you send her?”
“Forty-two.”
“Uh huh.” Sirius drawled. “And, remind me, what song did you send Lily via howler?”
“Lay All Your Love on Me!”
“And tell me, Evans, where’d you get all this?” He asked as he pulled a string of lacy ribbon between his fingers only for Lily to rip it away from him.
“From James’ trunk. Stop touching it!”
“Oh gods, you’re just as bad as he was!” Sirius cackled, and Lily turned to look at James who was simply smiling at her.
“I…I am not as bad as he was. I- …he was such a toerag!”
Sirius snorted. “Then that makes you a toerag-ess.”
Lily looked like she was reaching for her wand to hex Sirius for his shite, but James grabbed her wrist and brought her knuckles to his lips for a kiss before she could manage to. “Don’t worry, Lils. You came around eventually.”
“Six years later.” Remus chuckled under his breath, though he immediately regretted it when Lily’s horrified face whipped towards him.
“Six years later!? It took me six years!?” She nearly shrilled. “We don’t have six years! We have months!”
“No one can deny you, my beautiful Lily flower.” James cooed as he rubbed his thumb over Lily’s knuckles.
It looked like his attempt at placation had almost worked before Lily noticed you walking by.
“Wait! Y/N!” She shouted, nearly tripping over various ribbons and boxes of craft supplies as she hurried after you. “Did you get the chocolates we sent you yesterday!?”
“You guys are so hopeless.” Sirius muttered, earning him a small chuckle from James, though he never got a chance to respond.
“Potter!” You hissed as Lily forcibly led you towards their table with her arm around your shoulder. “This goes against every feminist urge in my body, but would you control your woman!?”
James simply rested his chin on his hand as he gazed at the two of you. “I wouldn’t dream of it, angel.”
Realisation seemed to dawn on you as a group of fifth years walked past whispering “oh Merlin. It’s happening again.”
“You’re kidding me.” You deadpanned as Lily smiled and pressed her nose into your cheek.
“There’s nothing funny about our feelings for you.” James responded earnestly.
“Well,” Sirius cut in, “it’s kind of funny.” He countered, nodding his head towards the table that looked as though cupid himself had thrown up on it.
“Oh, like you haven’t sent Lupin a howler or two of your own, Black.” You sneered, causing Remus to choke on the sip of water he’d been taking and Sirius to gawk at you in surprise.
“Where do you find these birds, James?!”
James simply let out a dreamy sigh as he beamed at you. “Heaven.”
And by Lily’s effervescent smile pointed directly at the side of your face, Remus could tell she more than agreed with that sentiment.
Hi D!! Just saw ur post and have been thinking lots about poly!jily x reader lately, so maybe a drabble with a reader who has endometriosis or just really painful period cramps? Thank you <3
even on the worst days
poly!jily x reader | 2k
summary: when you’re stuck in bed with unbearable period cramps, a small accident only magnifies the pain - and the doubts you have been carrying. but as james and lily rush to care for you, they remind you that love isn't something you have to earn.
warnings: period pain, endometriosis symptoms, mentions of hospitals and medical care, burning injury from hot tea, crying and panic, self deprecating thoughts, feeling like a burden, kissing, hurt/comfort with fluff, not proofread at all.
You could feel everything in the apartment; the rustle of bags in the kitchen, the patter of rain against the window, and the faint hum of the radiator.
Normally these sounds would be comforting, grounding even, but today they were torture. Every small noise, every flicker of light above your head grated against your raw nerves.
Your body betrayed you; sweat clung to your skin, making every inch feel heavy and foreign.
The pain in your abdomen was relentless, sharp, fiery, stabbing. Closing your eyes, letting the tears fall freely, did nothing to dull the agony.
It felt like knives were being driven into you, over and over, flames licking at the wound. You curled inward instinctively, trying to shrink from your own body.
A warm hand brushed across your cheek, gentle but firm, grounding you. You lifted your head, blinking through tears, and found Lily kneeling beside the bed. Worry was etched deep into her features, and the sight alone brought a fleeting sense of relief.
“Hey, lovely,” she whispered, voice soft and tender.
You let out a shaky sigh into the warmth of her hand.
“Hi, Lils,” you muttered, your voice cracking.
She smiled, small and sweet, like the world might still make sense. “You feeling okay?”
You shook your head. “It hurts.”
Her expression softened even more, and she immediately reached for a small tray beside her. “I know, love. I brought you some sage tea—it helps. Come on, up and drink.”
Just as you braced yourself to sit up, the door creaked open and James stepped in, holding a couple of things in his hands. “I brought some pills and a heating pad—oh, she’s awake,” he said, crouching down beside the bed. His eyes softened the moment he saw you.
“Hi, sweetheart,” he murmured, brushing damp hair from your forehead as he helped you prop yourself up against the pillows. “Still in pain?”
You nodded, your body shivering from both cold and discomfort. He set the heating pad against your lower abdomen, sighing softly. “We’re gonna take care of you, yeah? Just relax.”
Lily handed you the steaming mug of tea, and you took it gratefully, feeling a flicker of comfort in the warmth seeping through your fingers. “Thank you,” you whispered.
The sage tea scalded pleasantly against your palms, the warmth a fragile comfort in contrast to the searing cramps twisting your abdomen. You raised it to your lips, forcing yourself to swallow despite the nausea that clung to your throat.
Lily’s hand stayed at your back, steadying you, while James—never content to hover—slid into the bed beside you with boyish ease, tugging Lily with him until the three of you were pressed close in a kind of makeshift cocoon.
James’s arm snaked around your waist, tugging gently, trying to fold you into the circle of warmth he and Lily created. But the next wave of pain tore through you so violently that you jerked away, shoving his hand off with a broken gasp.
The mug slipped.
Boiling tea cascaded over your lap, your abdomen, your thigh. For a heartbeat you didn’t even register what had happened—only that the pain had doubled, red-hot agony layered over agony.
Then the scream tore from your throat, ragged and unrestrained, as if your body had finally reached its breaking point.
You couldn’t tell whether it was the burn or the cramps or both, but it didn’t matter. It was unbearable.
Everything blurred at once. The sheets flew back, Lily’s hands were on your face, trembling but firm, her voice a rapid string of soothing murmurs.
“Oh—fuck! Shit, it’s okay, it’s okay, I’ve got you, just breathe, just breathe—” But even through her panic, you heard the cracks of fear in her tone, the fragile edges of her calm.
James was up in an instant, panic and horror crossing his features. You felt the tug as he stripped the blankets away, then the sharp rip of fabric as he tore your shorts open with no hesitation.
The cold air hit your skin, followed by the sickening throb of fire racing across your abdomen and thigh.
“This is gonna hurt a bit, I am so sorry—” James swore under his breath, voice hoarse, and you caught the flash of horror in his eyes as he leaned in. The skin was angry and blistering red, seared and furious.
Your sobs wracked through you, hot tears spilling down your cheeks as you buried your face against Lily’s chest, clinging to her shirt like it was the only solid thing in the world.
She pressed her cheek to the top of your head, her hands stroking your hair even as her voice shook. “It’s alright, darling, we’ll fix this, you’re okay, just hold on.”
James’s touch was the opposite of hers—efficient, determined, but his movements trembled at the edges. “We need cool water. Now. Lil, wet a cloth, quickly.”
Lily hesitated for a second, torn between you and the order, before James snapped, gentler but no less urgent, “Go, I’ll stay with her. Please.”
The bed shifted as Lily rushed out, and James stayed crouched over you, one hand hovering protectively above the burn as though he could will the pain away.
“Sweetheart, I need you to keep breathing for me, okay? Just breathe. I’ve got you. You’re not alone in this.”
By the time James reappeared, his arms were full—bandages, a jar of balm, a small bundle of medical tools, and the dripping weight of a wet cloth. His face was set in determined lines, but you could see the panic smoldering beneath his composure, a storm he wouldn’t let break because you needed him steady.
He knelt beside the bed again, setting the supplies down with sharp efficiency, and pressed the cloth gently to your stomach.
The hiss you let out made your whole body seize, your fists tightening in Lily’s shirt until your knuckles ached. She held you closer, pressing her lips to your temple, her voice unshaken despite the tears glimmering in her eyes.
“It’s okay, my love, it’s okay,” she whispered over and over, her words wrapping around you like a lullaby. “I know it hurts. I know. You’re in so much pain, but we’re right here. You’re safe.”
James worked quickly, his jaw tight as he cooled the burn in slow, deliberate passes. Every time you whimpered, his hands faltered, his breathing sharp as if he was the one in pain.
When he finally uncapped the balm, the scent of herbs filled the air. His fingers trembled slightly as he smoothed the ointment over the angry red skin, then carefully wrapped you in fresh bandages.
When it was done, he let out a breath like he’d been holding it the entire time. He reached for you without hesitation, tugging you into his chest.
You collapsed against him, your sobs muffled into his shirt, your body shaking with exhaustion.
“I’m sorry,” you whispered brokenly between gasps, though the words barely carried.
James pressed his lips to your hair, frowning. “What are you sorry for, sweetheart?” His voice was soft, coaxing, desperate for you to understand you’d done nothing wrong.
“For—” your words cracked, breaking into another sob, “for being such a burden… and for spilling the tea Lily made.”
“Oh, darling,” Lily breathed, her hands cupping your face as she leaned close, brushing away your tears with her thumbs. “No. No, no, no. You’re not a burden. You could never be a burden to us.” Her voice broke for the first time, but she steadied it with sheer force of love. “And the tea doesn’t matter. You matter. Only you.”
James held you tighter, his hand stroking your back in steady circles. “Listen to her,” he murmured into your hair, his voice thick. “You’re the farthest thing from a burden. We’ll take every pain, every spill, every bit of it if it means you let us take care of you. That’s all we want.”
You sighed, body sagging into the warmth of their embrace, though the pain still clawed at you with every breath. For a while the room was quiet, save for the faint patter of rain against the windows and the uneven hitch of your own breathing.
You stared at the ceiling, trying to will your body to loosen, to forget itself.
It was Lily who finally broke the silence, her voice soft but steady. “Love,” she whispered, brushing a damp strand of hair from your forehead, “I think you really should let us take you to the hospital. Just to get a checkup. To make sure nothing’s being missed.”
You shook your head immediately, your throat tightening. “It’s fine. I’ll be fine.”
James, sitting pressed against your side, exhaled slowly, his hand stroking your arm as though soothing a frightened animal. “Sweetheart,,” he said carefully, “I know you don’t like hospitals, and I also know you hate checkups. But you’re always in this kind of pain—intense, unbearable pain—every month. That’s not something you should just live with.”
Your chest clenched at his words, shame bleeding into your exhaustion. Before he could say more, you cut in sharply, your voice breaking.
“If you don’t want me to bother you with it, fine. I’ll just go somewhere else when my period comes. You won’t have to deal with it anymore.”
The words hung in the air like shards of glass, and instantly both of them were speaking at once.
“Don’t you dare think that,” James snapped, firm but not unkind, his hand tightening protectively around yours.
Lily leaned closer, her green eyes fierce, as though she could burn the thought out of you entirely. “We don’t want you to go to the hospital because we’re fed up. We want you to go because we’re scared, love. Because we hate seeing you like this.” Her thumb stroked along your jaw, trembling. “You are not a burden. Not ever. Do you understand?”
James pressed his forehead to your shoulder, his voice low but urgent. “We’ll sit through every bloody appointment, every waiting room, every sleepless night if that’s what it takes. Don’t push us away.”
Your voice cracked as you whispered, “I can’t even hold a mug without spilling boiling tea all over myself. If I can’t manage something that simple, how long before you both get tired of me? What if I’m just… too much?”
“None of that, love.” James pulled back just enough to look you in the eye, his words steady and fierce. “Even on the worst days—especially then—you’ll never be too much for us.”
You swallowed hard, blinking through the fresh wave of tears as you gave the smallest nod.
A moment later, Lily wrapped her arms firmly around your waist and pressed her cheek against yours. The warmth of her embrace steadied you, grounding you in a way words never could.
James’s expression softened as he watched both of his girls together, his heart full of love and pride.
You sighed, letting the tension bleed out of your shoulders as you whispered, “Okay… fine. Maybe tomorrow we can visit a doctor.”
Both of them lit up at once—relief softening their faces, a subtle glow of victory in their eyes. Lily brushed a kiss across your temple, whispering, “Thank you, love,” before standing from the bed. “Alright then, we’re ordering in. What are you craving?”
Beside you, you could already feel James perk up at the mere mention of food. His entire body tensed with excitement, like a dog about to be offered a treat.
Lily caught the look instantly and shot him a withering glare over her shoulder, her expression sharp enough to cut steel. The unspoken message was clear: don’t you dare speak before she does, you greedy prat.
You couldn’t help the small laugh that slipped from you, even through the dull throb in your abdomen. “Hmm,” you hummed softly, pretending to think, though the answer came almost automatically. “I think… Mexican sounds nice.”
James all but leapt on the agreement. “Perfect! Brilliant choice!” His grin was infectious, though you could practically hear Lily’s exasperated sigh as she rolled her eyes at him, muttering something under her breath about bottomless pits.
“Mexican it is,” she chuckled, shaking her head as she went to place the order.
You leaned into James, letting his warmth soak into your aching body, the heavy thrum of pain still twisting deep in your stomach.
You knew it would only get worse when night fell—the way it always did. But pressed against him, with Lily fussing in the next room, it didn’t feel quite as unbearable as usual.
James pressed a kiss into your hair, still smiling to himself as if the simple promise of enchiladas had healed everything. You exhaled slowly, eyes fluttering shut.
Mexican wasn’t really what you were craving—truthfully, you couldn’t stomach the thought of much food at all—but James adored it. He always had, and somehow, every time the choice came up, you found yourself picking it just for him.
Because the truth was, even through the worst pain, making him happy still made you feel lighter. Even if that meant shelving your own cravings to make room for his, it hardly felt like a sacrifice—not when you loved them both with a depth that made the smallest compromises feel easy.
And, besides, maybe a little Mexican take-out could help ease the ache twisting in your abdomen.
Hi 👋 I’m on vacation right now, chilling poolside at a nice hotel, so I was wondering what would you think of either poly!Marauders or poly!Jily (whichever you prefer) taking a vacation with the reader by the pool or beach? 🏖️
Thanks for requesting!
a/n: Please do not misconstrue my participation in the marauders fandom as support of JKR. If you’re new here and want to participate in the fandom, I encourage you to do so without participating in anything that would provide financial gain to her or her transphobic agendas
poly!Jily x shy!reader ♡ 652 words
No sooner does Lily pull out her sun lotion to reapply than you hear frenzied splashing.
“I’ve got it!” James calls, bounding out of the pool and towards your lounge chairs. “Hold on, I can help.”
He leaves a trail of water across the pool deck, your boyfriend’s warm skin glistening with moisture and puddles forming under his feet. Lily recoils slightly as he nears. You watch amusedly, laying on your stomach next to her with your book.
“Not like that, you won’t,” she says, wary. “I’m not having you get my towel wet.”
James laughs and shakes off like a dog. It does little for most of him, but his hair flicks water in every direction. You gasp, shielding your book too late.
“James!”
It comes out so sharp that both Lily and James turn to you with wide eyes, the latter a tad hurt.
“Sorry.” You try to take it back, caught offguard yourself. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap.”
Slowly, Lily’s lips curve. She turns her face up to James’. “Now look what you’ve done,” she tsks. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so upset.”
“I’m not,” you insist.
“I’m sorry, lovely.” James is genuinely contrite. He grabs a towel and begins attempting to dry off more carefully.
“It’s really okay.” Your voice quiets, nearly pleading. Lily is clearly enjoying James’ comeuppance, but she sends you a soft look.
“I wasn’t thinking,” he says.
“I know you didn’t mean to.” You reach for his hand, squeezing. “Sorry for snapping at you.”
James dips in for a quick kiss (you hold your book away) and then he’s attacking Lily with sun lotion. If she weren’t already so covered in freckles, you’d say she’d never get one under James’ watch. He squirts half of the tube into his palm and slathers it on your girlfriend like he thinks the sun is out to get her.
You can’t help frowning a little at your book as you dab at the wet spots. Luckily, James doesn’t notice before he pulls you from your thoughts.
“It does! Right, angel?”
You turn, your lips parting on an admittance that you hadn’t been paying attention, but you only need to look at James to know what he’s talking about. James is rubbing sun lotion into Lily’s shoulder, his thumb stroking fondly over a birth mark there which he swears to anyone who will listen looks like a heart. You don’t have to see past your girlfriend’s tinted lenses to know that she’s rolling her eyes.
“I see it,” you vouch for him.
Lily scoffs. Despite her layers of sun protection, her cheeks are definitively pink. “You’re both ridiculous.”
James shrugs happily, used to these accusations. “The water’s nice,” he says lightly. He reaches over, smearing some of the excess lotion on your leg with a smile. “Want to swim with me for a while?”
“I’ll come after this soaks in.” Lily reaches around her shoulder to try and finish James’ job. “Might be a while,” she says, teasingly dry.
You consider it. Feel the sweat pooling on your back, the scritchy material of the chair digging into your stomach. James watches you mull it over with hopeful eyes.
Lily must see your decision before you’ve settled on it; she rolls her eyes again and reaches for your book, placing it safely in her bag.
“I think I might have to ease in,” you caution James as you stand up. “It was cold earlier.”
“Mhm, yeah.” You narrow your eyes at your boyfriend’s easy tone. He bends, wiping his lotioned hands again on your legs, and there’s little you can do to stop him when they slip around to the back of you and lift you into the air.
“James!” you shriek.
James only laughs as he runs for the pool, Lily calling for caution from behind you. This time, he knows you’re far from upset.
hiiiiii <3 how would you feel about college au pre-poly!jily where james is very accustomed to haveing to go looking for lily after late rugby practice or something like that in the library and kind of collect her before it closes. and more often than not he finds reader there in some corner—one time she was asleep so he woke her up and warned her, and now every time he goes to get lily he jokes about how he's gotta go get his two swotty girls from the library and reader kinda laughs like "haha oh, i need to find myself a james" and lily's like "he's right here babes" or something
I would feel good about that!! Thanks angel :)
a/n: Please do not misconstrue my participation in the marauders fandom as support of JKR. If you’re new here and want to participate in the fandom, I encourage you to do so without participating in anything that would provide financial gain to her or her transphobic agendas
poly!Jily x fem!reader ♡ 783 words
You rouse to the muffled rumble of thunder and a warm touch on your shoulder.
James always smells the same after rugby practice. Like boy shampoo, fresh and crisp. If he’s here, it’s to bring Lily home, but that can’t be because rugby training doesn’t end until late. You pick your head up to see Lily gathering her things.
“Is it…” Your mouth is dry. It takes a moment to connect to your brain. “Did you finish early?” you ask James.
He shakes his head, fresh-faced and with his duffel slung over his shoulder. “Same time as always.”
You make an unhappy, sleepy sound which makes James laugh. You mumble at Lily, “You said you’d wake me if I fell asleep.”
“I’m sorry.” She zips up her backpack, sending you a sheepish smile. “You just looked so comfortable, I couldn’t do it.”
You sigh, but you can’t blame it entirely on her. You’ve only recently begun studying in the same cluster of chairs as Lily, but falling asleep at the library is a long-time bad habit of yours. It was how you first met her, and James. James came to collect Lily from the library, as he does every night after training, and stumbled upon you snoozing in a tucked-away corner. He woke you up to warn you about falling asleep by yourself in big, empty buildings; Lily gave you an energy bar from her backpack. A comradery of proximity and routine was formed.
“I think you should come home with us tonight,” says James.
The words take a moment for you to comprehend. James seems to process then at the same rate; his cheeks darken.
“I mean, you should let us walk you home,” he amends sheepishly.
“Thanks,” you yawn, “but I should probably finish up here.”
Lily frowns, soft and considering. There’s something about her gaze that always feels like she’s peeling you like a tangerine; you don’t mind the exposure as much as you should. “You studied a good amount before you fell asleep.” She leans towards you. “May I?”
You don’t know what she’s asking, but you nod anyway. Lily reaches for your face, carefully brushing aside a hair that had stuck to your cheek.
“You’ll probably only end up drifting off again,” she points out.
You try to come up with a response. Her touch on your cheek has stolen your voice.
While Lily persuades you, James steps behind her, removing the pencil she haphazardly twisted into her hair to keep it out of her face earlier. He fishes a hair tie out of his pocket and begins regathering it all with gentle, practiced movements. Lily doesn’t mind him.
You want what they have. Casual touches, easy intimacy, the comfort of knowing someone will come to take you home every night. It aches to watch them, sometimes, but you try to admire it instead.
“It’s also raining,” James tells you, his fingers still combing through Lily’s hair. It slips through his fingers like silk. “It’s one thing to walk home by yourself in the dark, but it’s even less fun when you’re wet.”
“Did you bring an umbrella?” Lily asks you.
You sigh. “No…”
James smiles, knowing they’ve won. “Get your things,” he says. “You can have my jacket to keep you dry.”
“I don’t need to take your jacket,” you argue, closing your notebook and putting it in your backpack.
Before James can argue with you some more, a librarian is drawn to the voices in your little corner.
“This is a study space,” she reminds you.
Both you and Lily wince, but James only smiles at her with the confidence of someone with natural-born charisma. “We’re leaving,” he assures her. “Just taking my two swotty girls home before they start bleeding out of their eyeballs.”
Lily frowns at him. “Don’t be gross.”
The librarian moves on, and you try to dispel the warm, tingly feeling you got from James lumping you in as one of his swotty girls. And the fact that Lily hadn’t corrected him.
Despite your protests, James manages to cajole you into his jacket before you step outside. Even so, Lily takes your hand and pulls you half under their shared umbrella. Rain beats hard on the top of it, pouring off trees and running down the gutters of the empty university roads.
“I really need to find my own James, one of these days,” you joke.
Lily smiles, glancing over at him. James is holding the umbrella up between them, only half under it himself, and squinting as he tries to make out what you’re saying over the downpour.
Lily squeezes your hand and leans in close. “You can always share mine.”
poly!jily idea where their whole friend group is playing truth or dare in the common room one night and Jily are already together but reader isn’t with them yet. reader gets asked either what their type is or what their biggest/longest fantasy is and reader just goes oh pass please give me a dare instead I’ve made my peace with it never happening (bc why would jily go for them they’re already with each other and seem monogamous). And jily feels their hearts breaking and are also nosy as fuck so they corner reader later and ask and then it comes out jily likes them too hooray
Thank you for requesting! I did a magical spin on this, but I hope you still like it
a/n: Please do not misconstrue my participation in the marauders fandom as support of JKR. If you’re new here and want to participate in the fandom, I encourage you to do so without participating in anything that would provide financial gain to her or her transphobic agendas
cw: hogwarts uni au, mature themes, alcohol
poly!Jily x fem!reader ♡ 1.9k words
“It’d be Remus, Davey, Frank, James, Sturgis, then maybe Sirius,” Marlene lists off.
“Maybe Sirius?” Sirius cries. “What’d I do to land at the bottom of the list of blokes here you’d shag?”
“I wouldn’t shag any of you,” replies Marlene unhesitatingly. “This is only with a gun to my head.”
“Fine, but why am I last?”
“I don’t love being so far down either,” James commiserates.
“Because—” Marlene seems almost as though she tries to suppress the answer, but it comes rushing out anyway. “—between the two of us, we’d wake the whole school.”
The common room erupts with laughter. Sirius’ face pinks, and so does Remus’, a tiny bit, but they’re both grinning. Everyone who’s been in the hot seat so far has made spilling their guts look almost fun. A bit embarrassing, but only as much as can be laughed off. Sirius says purebloods play this game all the time, and it sounded like a good idea when you let him put a few drops of veritaserum in your drink. Now that you’re up next you’re not feeling so sure.
“Alright, alright.” As one of your friends who’s opted out, Mary has been tasked with questioning. She shifts her gaze to you. “Y/n, are you ready?”
“No,” you say, unable to stop yourself.
Quiet titters go through the room.
“Sounds like she’s ready,” Sirius teases.
Mary hums, considering. “You always say you have to leave these things early because you have to study. What’s the real reason?”
“I get sleepy when I drink.” The words fly off your tongue like you’ve just breathed them out. “I decide I don’t want to talk to anyone anymore and go to bed.”
“Oh, and you get out of the cleanup, too, don’t you?” James teases.
“That doesn’t hurt.”
Your friends laugh. You laugh with them, relaxing. This isn’t so bad as you’d begun to worry it would be.
“Didn’t we already sort of know that?” Emmeline asks.
Challenged with upping the ante, Mary’s eyes glint. “Who here secretly annoys you the most?”
“None of you annoy me.” It’s a simple truth, quick and easy. At least, so you think, until your mouth decides to keep going. You try to hold them in, but the words rise like bile in your throat. “But when Sirius played Bowie in the dorms for that whole day to impress Remus, I fantasized about shouting at him.”
Sirius makes an appalled sound, and James claps his shoulder.
“You can’t catch a break today, mate.”
“I won’t forget this,” Sirius vows, pointing a finger at you.
Lily swats it lightly out of the air. “Don’t be cross with her for that. Her darkest fantasy is about shouting at you, for pity’s sake. I thought about killing you.”
The common room fills with laughter once again, as James is forced to mediate between his best friend and his girlfriend. Your stomach flutters pathetically at Lily’s defence of you.
“Okay, okay.” Mary quiets everyone. “Y/n, what’s your biggest fantasy?”
Your heart thumps.
It’s an instinct to keep from looking at either James or Lily, but it isn’t your eyes that will betray you tonight. Your tongues vies to answer.
“I—I’ve thought about—” You clamp your lips between your teeth, your throat constricting around words you don’t want to say. “—about—eughh—”
A pained whimper escapes you as a powerful surge of nausea almost coaxes you into opening your mouth. Tears catch in your eyes.
“Hey,” James says, alarmed. “It’s okay. You don’t have to say.”
It’s sweet that he thinks that will free you, sweet of him to try, but it’s useless when everyone else is still waiting for you to answer the question.
“It can’t be that bad.” Mary looks like she feels bad for you. “Everyone’s said embarrassing things, we won’t care.”
You can think of at least two people who might.
“I really don’t feel well,” you blurt. The words are plenty true enough to pass your lips, even as the unspoken ones still threaten to surge out. You stand. “I’m sorry.”
You feel drunker than you should stumbling your way to the stairway, your heartbeat pounding in your ears. Your footing feels unsteady.
You think it’s your overwhelmed senses exaggerating things, but when your foot does slip, Lily’s there to catch your elbow.
“You’re okay,” she says gently, helping you up the next step. You turn to see her, sicker than sick to find James following behind. “Let’s get you to bed, love.”
Lily’s vanilla and jasmine scent wraps around you as you let her walk you up the stairs, testing out different excuses on your tongue. Eventually you find one that feels truthful enough.
“Thank you,” you tell them, “but I can get to bed on my own.”
James frowns at you. “You don’t want us to come with you?”
“No, I do.”
You wince, and James’ brows pucker with confusion. Lily takes your elbow again, redirecting you towards your room. “We just want to be sure you’re okay,” she says. “I know you’re embarrassed, I’m really sorry about that, but you don’t look well.”
“I think the veritaserum is making me feel sick,” you agree.
“Do you think you can try to relax now?” James suggests as he holds your door open for you. “We won’t ask you anything.”
“You just did,” you blurt. “And, um, no?”
“Veritaserum doesn’t work like that.” Lily grimaces. She sits at the foot of your bed, across from you where you take a seat and pull your knees to your chest reflexively. “Once she’s been asked a question, her body won’t let up until she answers it. And she still hasn’t answered Mary’s question.”
Like the reminder worsens things, your throat constricts again, trying to speak. You bite down on your lip hard enough to draw blood.
James’ eyes widen. “Don’t hurt yourself.” He sits, reaching for your hand. If his legs were on the mattress, he’d be crowding both you and Lily off of it; your bed isn’t big enough for all three of you, you think wryly.
James squeezes your fingers, nearly pleading. “Just let it out. We won’t tell anyone. Whatever it is, it can’t be worth all this.”
You shake your head desperately. “I don’t want to tell you.”
“I know,” Lily soothes, “but it’s the only thing that will help.”
You’re sweating by now. You’re sure that James can tell, your palms clammy. Another swell of nausea rises in your throat, and you really do think you’re going to be sick then, your mouth opening on instinct—
“My fantasy is to have a threesome.”
The truth feels like taking in a gulp of air after nearly drowning. James and Lily relax, and so do you. You’re not prepared to stop what comes out next.
“With you.”
Two sets of eyes grow large in front of you. You gasp at yourself, but the inhale only gives you oxygen to keep going.
“I’ve liked you both for a long time. I know it’s wrong because you’re together, but I actually like you better together, and it doesn’t always make sense to me but I’ve tried to stop thinking about it and I haven’t been able to. I think you suit each other really well, and I fantasize about being a part of that.” You cover your mouth with a hand, a humiliated stinging in your eyes, but it all just comes out muffled into your palm. “I feel awful about it. I used to think it was just that I wanted a relationship like you have, but I’m fairly sure now it’s that I want to be with you instead, even though I know you’re committed to each other.”
“How…” James blinks. His obvious stupefaction threatens to bring back your nausea. “How long have you felt this way?”
“Since you got together. Or maybe a couple weeks after that. I think it’s that you compliment each other so well, and I saw how nicely you treat each other, but it doesn’t hurt that you’re both really attractive.” You whimper. “God, I’m really sorry.”
“Hey, shh.” Lily shifts closer to you. Her expression looks cracked open as she takes your head in her hands, pressing your foreheads together. “It’s alright. You’ve answered. You can be done.”
“Sometimes I see you holding hands and I don’t know which one of you I’m more envious of. Which is confusing, because I’m also happy for you.”
“Why is she still going?” James asks.
“I think it’s because she held it in for so long.” Lily’s thumb strokes your temple, grounding. “The reaction is trying to even itself out.”
“I’m happy to be your friend,” you go on, “and I don’t want to ruin it by asking for anything more. I feel really awful telling you all this. If we can pretend this didn’t happen, I hope that nothing has to change.”
“Sweetheart,” James murmurs, “please don’t feel bad.”
A few beats later, when you don’t say anything more, Lily lifts her head to look at you.
“Does it feel like you got it all out?”
“Yeah,” you sigh. You slump back against your bedframe, exhausted and already bracing for what’s to come.
James looks at you with worry nestled in the crease above the bridge of his glasses. “Are you okay?”
“Not really.”
“Let’s try to avoid asking questions,” Lily tells him.
James nods, pursing his lips thoughtfully.
“I like it when you do that,” you blurt.
He half grins. “Thank you. I like it when you smile really big and your nose wrinkles a little bit.”
You blink. “You don’t have to say things to make me feel better.”
“I know, I just…” James takes a breath. “I know saying all that wasn’t your choice, but I feel like you deserve some honesty in return.” He shares a look with Lily, one of those couple-y, secret language looks that you can’t interpret. “Yeah?”
Lily’s cheeks flush pink, but she nods.
You tell her helplessly, “You look pretty when you blush.”
Though your own mortification only worsens, it seems to help Lily. Her eyes soften. “Thank you,” she says.
“So.” James toes off his shoes, setting his socked feet on the bed. And you were half right; Lily has to scoot over, and his ankles tangle with yours, but you all still fit. “I don’t want you to think that we’re going to see you differently because of your feelings.”
You wince. “I don’t see how you couldn’t. I’d rather not talk about it.”
“What he means is that we don’t like you any less,” Lily promises.
James nods. “Actually, we might like you more. Which is difficult, because we already fancied you quite a bit.”
You look between them—James with his winsome smile and Lily with her stunning eyes—and your mouth opens before you can process what you think. “It feels like you’re just trying to make me feel better.”
Lily laughs, the sound bright and clear. “We’re not,” she assures you. “I promise, there would be easier ways to make you feel better than trying to explain all this. We’ve actually talked about it quite a bit.”
“About me?” you ask, astonished.
“About you specifically.” James grins. It’s borderline sheepish. “Since only a little while after we got together, actually.”
You stare at them. “I thought neither of you drank the veritaserum.”
“We didn’t. Like I said, I just think you deserve some honesty back for yours.”
“You’re too nice.” You turn your head into your palms, saying the words into them. “It’s part of the problem.”
“The problem?” You can hear James’ smile in his voice now. Picture him propping his chin on his knee as he says, teasing, “Tell me more about that, lovely.”
Lily swats him on the arm admonishingly, but you’ve finally gotten to something you don’t mind sharing.
my lovely i ran here when i got the notif that requests are open again!! how about poly!jily with vampire!james and vampire!lily? maybe they’ve been together for a few hundred years and reader has just come into the mix? maybe them meeting? totally up to you!! i’ve been craving more vampire au’s lately </3
Thank you for requesting my love!! They would soooooo be an ancient vampire couple I love that for them
cw: somewhat suggestive/mature themes, blood mention, talk of cults/cult activity
vampire!Jily x reporter!reader ♡ 2.5k words
“First time?”
You tear your gaze away from the black and white photos on the wall. It could be a family tree going back centuries, if only the couple featured in most of the frames didn’t look the exact same in each one. “Hm?”
“Is it your first time doing this?” Lily asks you. Her eyes, a striking, almost unnatural green, are surprisingly kind.
You smile, hoping it comes off as nervously excited. “Is it obvious?”
Her lips curve. “A little.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s alright.” She sits down next to you on the sofa, curling her socked feet underneath her. The sofa seems as vintage as most other things in this house, the velvet worn soft and faded in spots. Lily sinks into its cushions like an old friend. “We can take it as slow as you like. And we have drinks, if you think that might help.”
“I’ve got the drinks.” The emergence of Lily’s husband from the kitchen startles you slightly. You press instinctively back into the sofa, the recording device in your pocket digging into your backside.
Lily sends him an amused look. “I meant something stronger.”
James sets down the tea on an ottoman, smiling good-naturedly. “Well, you should’ve said. What shall we have?”
“Actually, that’s okay,” you butt in. Two sets of eyes turn to you, and despite how nice they both seem it’s difficult not to squirm. Lily and James have to be the most attractive couple you’ve ever seen. “I’d, um. I’d rather keep a clear head.”
Truthfully, you’d rather be three sheets to the wind right now, but it’s never a good idea to drink on the job. It had been hard enough to get your department editor to approve this assignment to begin with; you don’t need to go sullying it with anything that could call your credibility into question.
The story is an unlikely one. Rumors have started swirling of what some are calling a cult, people who claim vampires are real and that they’re devoting themselves as willing sustenance to them so the immortals don’t need to find other victims. The police department was involved briefly, but any investigation fizzled out soon enough; the cult members were clearly fantastical, but so long as they weren’t hurting anybody, it wasn’t really the city’s business. You thought there might be something more there.
Not vampires, obviously. But cults will always be interesting, and you were curious to see what the real blood and guts of this one looked like. Getting your editor to let you investigate took weeks, but finding out how to attend a meeting only took a few covert questions and a taxi ride.
You have to admit, this whole thing has turned out to be more organized than you anticipated. You were expecting a midnight convocation in a cemetery, chanting, maybe some shrines. The reality was a potluck in a rented room of the YMCA, two organized logs for both volunteers and “vamps” to sign in, and a ride to your chosen sponsees’ home with a promise to check back in with the leadership by nine tomorrow morning.
“See?” James smizes at Lily. “She likes my tea.”
“Don’t get smug, she hasn’t tried it yet.” Lily takes a cup from the tray, passing it to you with a conspiratorial look. “You may want some cream in that, love.”
“Thanks,” you murmur, picking up the pitcher. You watch the cream bloom and swirl, noticing in your periphery the looks James and Lily send each other. They seem at once intimately familiar and playfully coy with one another; it makes it difficult to tell how long they’ve been together, or if they’re only so ridiculously in love that it doesn’t matter. “So.” You clear your throat. “How often do you do this?”
“This?” James tears his gaze from Lily to look at you. “Feeding?”
Your face warms. “Sorry, is it rude to ask?”
“No.” He smiles, brown eyes crinkling sweetly. You take a second to look for fangs—specially sharpened teeth, prosthetics, even the plastic dime store things—but you can’t see any. The only thing supernatural about James’ smile is its disarming handsomeness. “No, sweetheart, you’re alright. We usually try for once a week. We can go longer, if we need to, but it’s not…”
“It gets difficult,” Lily fills in for him. “Feeding once a week keeps you from wanting more when you shouldn’t, does that make sense?”
You nod, though it doesn’t to you, not really.
“Most others find someone to feed from every couple weeks or so.” James has taken a seat on the rug, ignoring the chair nearby. You notice the way he circles a hand around Lily’s ankle to rub his thumb over her skin and wonder if he’d rather sit on the floor than be any farther from her. “We do it more often because there’s two of us and one of you.”
“So you always share?”
“Exactly.”
“Why?”
“Feeding from someone can feel intimate,” says Lily. “We like to do it together, but we don’t have to.” You try to relax your expression when you notice her watching you carefully. “If there being two of us makes you uncomfortable, we can take you back. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”
You shake your head, unwilling to be sent away. This may be your only chance to see what has everyone in the cult so enraptured. “I’m fine with it. Just asking.”
“How’d you come to join?” James asks.
“You know.” You shrug. “Friend of a friend. I was curious.”
This last part, at least, is true. James considers you from behind thickly-framed glasses. You wonder how much he really believes all this; if he’s convinced himself the glasses are some human disguise he needs to keep up, or if in his version of the lore even vampires can have imperfect vision.
“Curious about which part?” he asks.
You aren’t sure how to act now. Too eager, and they might see right through you. Too casual, and they could think you don’t want to be involved. You go with the truth. “To see what all the excitement was about, I guess.”
Lily chuckles. “I don’t know if we’ll live up to whatever your friend told you,” she says, “but we can show you what it’s like, if you feel ready.”
You find yourself nodding without any forethought. There’s a spellbinding quality about her, about both of them, when their attention is on you.
Vampire hypnosis, your brain supplies half-humorously.
But there’s not an ounce of dissent in you as Lily lifts herself up from her spot on the sofa, pivoting to set a thigh down on either side of your lap. She settles her weight on top of you.
“This okay?” she asks, arms rising behind her head.
“Yeah,” you manage. Obviously distracted, watching her pull her hair through a hair tie she’s taken from her wrist.
She smiles almost sheepishly. “Keeps it out of the way.”
“Should I do mine, too?”
“No, don’t worry about it.” She moves some hair away from your neck. The brush of her knuckles makes you shiver. “I’ll make sure there’s no mess. I’m going to go first, and then James can join if you’re okay with it after a little while, alright?”
You feel strangely breathless. Probably just an effect of having someone like Lily this close. She smells like almonds. “Sure.”
“Alright. Thank you.” Her bright green eyes skim you over. Every second she waits feels stretched into infinity, your heart thumping against your throat. “If it ever gets to be too much, just say something. We can stop or take a break whenever you like.”
“Okay,” you breathe. Lily nods, bending toward you, and you blurt, “Is it going to hurt?”
You’re not genuinely worried about vampire fangs, but—shit—what are they going to do to you? Does this ritual involve some sort of bloodletting? Is she hiding a pin behind your back that she’s going to prick your neck with?
Lily backs away so you can see her face again. Her expression is gentle, almost unbearably kind. On the floor, James has taken hold of your wrist and is rubbing soothing circles into it with his thumb.
“Just for a second,” Lily tells you. “I’ll be gentle, I promise.”
It’s not much reassurance, except it is, coming from her. This is the strangest experience you’ve ever had. Your heart thrashes wildly, and still you say, “Okay,” and tip your head to the side.
Lily cups the side of your face as she bends closer again, closing her lips over your skin.
It’s nice. It’s kissing. You almost want to laugh, half delirious from relief and the familiar pleasure of it. Is this what it really is—a whole vampire cult, organized meetings and severely given warnings and we can stop whenever you want—it’s all some sort of sex thing? The first scrape of Lily’s teeth has a smile breaking out over your face, and you hear James chuckle at the sight of it. He must think you’re getting into it. Really, you’re just surprised by the gentleness of it. Lily is an excellent kisser, but you were bracing yourself for pain, not—
Oh.
“Oh,” you say aloud, caught offguard by the dizzy feeling that takes you when Lily’s fangs break your skin. It’s a head rush, but the best head rush you’ve ever felt, glittery and freeing and intoxicating. Everything that binds you together seems to give out, and you’re putty in her hands, but she’s handling you oh so carefully, and it’s just like she said, it hardly hurts, and fuck.
Fuck. This is real. Lily is a vampire. They’re both vampires.
“Doing alright, lovely?” James asks you. His thumb is still rubbing your wrist.
You shouldn’t be doing alright. You should be reeling, and you are, a bit, but it’s like—it’s as if your brain can’t latch onto a whole thought. You’re floating, and every worry you have simply slips away from you as you go further downstream.
Your response to James is little more than a thready hum. You think he responds, but you can’t hold onto it.
You have the sense to swallow a moan when you remember the device in your pocket, still recording, still picking up every sound around you. Lily’s quiet sucking noises, James’ whispered praise, the shushing of the velvet cushion when Lily shifts on top of you, pressing closer. She moans, and the sound makes your blood pound, thinking about your editor listening to it later.
“James.” Her voice rises like a plea. You don’t know what she wants, but you want to give it to her. You’re desperate to be everything she needs.
“What, love?” James asks indulgently.
Lily makes a low sound against your throat. “She tastes so good.”
It sends a rush of pride through you. You’re drunk on it, hot and cold in different places and altogether blissfully overwhelmed.
“I can tell.” He says your name, asking politely for your attention. You didn’t realize he knew it. You’d introduced yourselves earlier, of course, but that feels like a lifetime ago now. You manage to open your eyes, finding James watching you patiently. “Do you feel alright to have me start?”
For a moment, you don’t remember what he means. All you know is you want him—both of them—to do whatever they need to you, so you’re nodding before your brain catches up.
“I’ll start slowly,” he says anyway. “We’ll be able to tell when it’s too much, but if you start to feel nervous, you can still say so and we’ll stop.”
“Okay.” You’re nearly weeping, pain and pleasure a staticy jumble in your head. “Okay, okay, please.”
“We’ve got you,” James promises, and bends his head.
His mouth finds the same spot his thumb has been devoting itself to. He begins as promised, as Lily had, soft, impossibly sweet kisses on the inside of your wrist. You make a truly mortifying sound then, tape recorder forgotten in your anticipation, and Lily hushes you with a touch to your cheek. When James bites you, you go limp against their sofa. Part of the used, spent, beloved fabric of it.
What follows is a blurry dream of skin and teeth and tongues. Your lips parted in reverence, sometimes graced with a passing kiss, your loose limbs maneuvered with heart-throbbing care. At some point Lily and James switch positions. You end up in his lap, her lying stomach-down on the sofa to put her mouth to your wrist. Maybe blood tastes different from different arteries; maybe this is their way of kissing, lapping up each other’s saliva from marks on your body; you don’t care. You make a home for yourself in the smell of James’ hair and the lovely softness of the world around you until it’s over, and both partners are licking your wounds to seal them.
“Sorry.” Lily sounds shyer than she has since you met. There’s a pretty blush in the apples of her cheeks. (Your blood? It suits her better, you think.) “I went a bit too fast at first, got carried away. How are you feeling?”
“Good,” you breathe. You let your head list forward, surprised when you slip a few inches down James’ front.
“Careful, you’re alright.” He pulls you back up. James is so strong. You’d noticed the bulk of his arms before, but—is this a human strength? You feel there’s so much you don’t know. James folds your head into his neck, rubbing your back and kissing your temple with unexpected warmth. “It might take you a few minutes to get your legs back under you. It’s normal, don’t worry.”
“Bet you say that to all your meals,” you say, words smearing together.
The sound of his laughter mingling with Lily’s might be your new favorite. “We do, actually,” Lily admits. “Some parts of this are fairly routine. I’ve never had anyone that tastes like you do, though.”
“Really?” You turn your head to see her, genuinely curious.
Lily doesn’t strike you as someone prone to empty flattery, but if you’d had any doubts about her truthfulness her expression dispels them. She looks blissed out, the green of her irises nearly eclipsed by pupil and lips as red as if she’s been nibbling them raw, but her brows are drawn together in puzzlement.
“Yeah,” she says, as though this is a mystery she too would like to get to the bottom of. “James?”
“For me, too,” he confirms. He’s still running his hand up and down your back, a grounding pressure. “What’s that about, you think?”
“I don’t know,” Lily murmurs. As you come back to grips with yourself, you find yourself watching them again. Maybe it’s your default setting, the journalist in you, but you can’t help taking note of the way they act around each other. The way James constantly has a hand extended toward Lily, untroubled when she doesn’t always take it; the way she seems to solve problems for the both of them; the wordless looks they exchange which you want desperately to be able to decipher.
“How long have you been doing this?” you ask.
“A while,” Lily answers cryptically. Something in her expression makes you wonder if perhaps she’d be willing to tell you more with time. With trust earned. “Do you think you might come back? Will we see you next week?”
