#thief james

James: Now, I wouldn't say 'abducted'-

Remus: -YOU LITERALLY JUST SNATCHED HIM JUST WHEN HE STEPPED OUT THE PALACE!

James: We're just...borrowing him.

Remus: HOW IS REGULUS BLACK, THE HEIR, BEING LOCKED UP IN A ROOM WITH RESTRAINTS 'BORROWING?!?

James:...uh...

Regulus met Remus’s amber eyes, “He’s ran, Remus… He’s left me.” He choked out, chest heaving as tears slipped down his pale face.

Extract from chapter 5 my fic 'The Royal Thief' on ao3!

I finally got the nerves to post this :)

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James Potter was a stealthy person. Well, he liked to think so. He got through the Castle Gates quietly enough. If he was good enough to pull that off, then surely he could count himself as a sneaky person. However, he still had to find a certain room, gather certain things, and get out. 

Scaling up the tall wall had been hard enough. Dressing up as a butler, he thought to himself, would have been far easier. But what was life without a little risk? So here he was now, at the window of his best friends - and partner in crimes - old room. Sirius Black was a runaway from the castle; and if he ever showed his face going back there, chances are he’d be executed. So James, being as brave and loyal as he is, took it upon himself to collect Sirius’ things. He hadn’t told Sirius, instead wanting it to be a surprise. Looking into the room, James was instantly delighted. There were so many shiny things! It was as if he’d become a magpie, he just couldn’t help himself. He slid himself through the small window, grunting quietly and falling to the floor with a thud. For good measures he kept quiet, to make sure no one was on their way up. After clearing that thought from his head, he stood up, brushed himself off, and got to work. Piece by piece, everything went into the large bag James had taken with him. Bits of jewelry, clothes, any money that he’d found lying around; he’d even seen a crown on a mannequin, which he’d just had to take. James simply couldn’t help himself, everything was so… alluring. He could easily sell it all to a nearby village, and him and Sirius would be rich! He could imagine it in his head; the two of them in this big house, living the life that he’d always wanted. 

Once he’d taken everything he desired, he looked around the room; properly, this time. The closet was the size of James’ room in the cottage he stayed in, and a beautifully carved violin sat next to the expensive-looking piano in the corner- wait… what? Sirius didn’t play the piano. He’d said to James before he ran away: “I never let my witch of a mother teach me, so she took it upon herself to teach my damned brother instead. Bought him this grand piano and everything.” 

But then what was Sirius’ brother’s piano doing in Sirius’ room? James frowned in confusion. He took another look around, turning to the corner where the lacey, royal bed sat- and promptly jumped back in shock. 

On the bed was a boy, possibly a year or two younger than James. And James had to admit, he was beautiful. His hair curled over half of his face in an ebony black fringe, and was only just long enough to be tied into a mini ponytail at the back. He had skin as pale as brand-new parchment, and it was smooth enough to resemble a babies. And his eyes… The only thing that James could find himself comparing them to were diamonds. So blue, and so light, that you could almost believe they glowed in the dark. And they were so, so unimpressed as they bore into James’ plain hazels. “Finally noticed me, have you?” The boy drawled, and James was drawn in by the softness of his voice. Soft, yet firm. Unforgiving. “You would have thought that a famous, wanted thief like you would be aware of his surroundings.” Unable to stop himself, James bowed low down in an almost mocking manner; never once taking his eyes off of the boy in front of him. “Crown Prince Regulus. It’s… truly an honor to meet you.” He said lazily, his lips curling into a lopsided smirk. The boy - now known as Regulus - blinked. Was it possible for someone to look twice as unimpressed? Regulus stood up, making his way to the thief. James straightened up; at his full height, he proved to be taller than Regulus by maybe a few inches at the least. The sight made James swell with pride. Now he could confidently say he was taller than both Black Brothers. (This was something he’d be bragging about to Sirius later.) “Care to explain why you’ve decided to target my room, of all the rooms in this castle?” There was that voice again. Soft and smooth, yet cunning and cruel. It made James positively weak at the knees; not that he’d ever admit it. He had to keep up his bravado, in efforts to try and impress the King-to-be in front of him. He did falter, though; what Regulus had said confused him. “Your room? This is-.....” James turned to look around the room, and suddenly everything made a whole lot more sense. The grand piano wasn’t in the wrong room. He was in the wrong room. “Oh.” 

James’ cheeks flushed in embarrassment. Of course he was in the wrong room. Why else would there be a random bloody piano? Sirius didn’t even play piano. He groaned, turning towards the bag he had and searched through its contents. Sure enough, every piece of clothing he looked on had the same initials; RAB. Regulus whatever Black. When he looked back up at the unamused boy, he gave an apologetic grin. “.... I was trying to get to Sirius’ room. You know, grab his things.” James chuckled. He put the bag down and lifted his hands up in surrender, but the other boy didn’t seem to care. Instead, his beautiful face was painted with the creases of concern, and he seemed to perk up at the mention of his brother’s name. “Sirius? Where is he?” He wasn’t talking slowly this time. James had peaked his interest, and he stepped closer to the bigger boy. His eyes seemed to light up and harden at the same time; as if his life depended on this information. James paused, before getting an idea. Regulus was very pretty… And everyone who knew that James was a thief, knew that he couldn’t help himself when it came to pretty things. A grin slowly spread across his face, and his eyes lit up with mischief. He leaned down, resting his hand on his knee and looking Regulus straight in the eyes. “I could take you to him, you know. Just come with me?” If Regulus decided to listen, it would make everything so much easier. James could just sneak him out of the castle. No harm done. But of course it wouldn’t be that easy. Regulus, unlike his big brother, was proud to be royalty. He wouldn’t just leave, not like that. “Mother says I’m not to leave the castle. Not after… Not after he did.” Regulus whispered snidely. “I wouldn’t want to leave with the likes of you, either.” 

James sighed. It was expected that Regulus would try to resist. Didn’t he know that James was a thief? Just refusing wouldn’t make anything better in his case. While thinking this, a small chuckle bubbled out of the taller boy’s mouth. He took a step back, shoving his hands in his pockets and pouting like a small child for a moment. The sight made Regulus roll his eyes and reach towards the bag on the floor, filled with the expensive goods. “I’ll be taking my things back, now- hey!” The dark haired boy yelped, because before he knew it, he was slung over the shoulder of the other. He kicked, and he yelled, but James merely smiled cheekily. 

1. The Prince and the Thief by Flantastic

A clever prince catches a wily thief.

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i looove this fic. i adore the fairy tale style it’s written in and it’s so perfect and so charming i love it so much. and do we like q being a genius? yes. and bond is such a charismatic thief.

2. Who Would You Die For by Celyan (@melynen)

Bond surprises Q with a question.

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ahhhh oblivious!q and pining!bond camping out in his office!!!!

3. The Foreboding Sense of Impending Happiness by Celyan (@melynen)

Bond has come to see Q about his kit for his mission the way he always does, when suddenly he smells something completely new and enticing on his Quartermaster. And now Bond has a new mission: to recognise and catalogue this new scent of Q’s.

AKA Five times when Bond was discreetly smelling Q, and one time he could do it openly.

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Thank you to everyone who has read or interacted with my posts in any way. I love you all so much!!

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