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English
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Part 15 of The Bodyguard AU - Part 2
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Published:
2025-08-24
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972
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1/1
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cabin fever

Summary:

“That's not as bad as I thought,” Lily says as she looks at the cabin. “When you said something about a cabin in the woods, I kind of pictured something that would be almost falling apart, like in a horror movie.”

“Give me a little bit more credit, Evans,” Sirius grins as he unlocks the front door. “I was calling ahead to make sure this thing is still standing.”

This thing, as it turns out, is a really nice cabin.

**
Written for sorenphelps' bodyguard AU on tumblr

Notes:

Sirius got his new tattoo after a nice little chat with Remus (and the keys to our destination) in The Bodyguard AU, so now we're all set to get Sirius, James and Lily to a little lie low time in the woods!

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

“That's not as bad as I thought,” Lily says as she looks at the cabin. “When you said something about a cabin in the woods, I kind of pictured something that would be almost falling apart, like in a horror movie.”

“Give me a little bit more credit, Evans,” Sirius grins as he unlocks the front door. “I was calling ahead to make sure this thing is still standing.”

This thing, as it turns out, is a really nice cabin. There is a living room with a fireplace and a kitchen. The bathroom has a shower that might even be big enough for two people. The master bedroom has a nice, big bed. “That will be yours,” Sirius tells Lily and then opens the door to a much smaller guest bedroom. “James can have this one.”

James frowns at the small single bed. “And where will you sleep?”

“There is a fold out bed. I'll sleep in the living room.”

James' frown deepens. That's not how he was hoping things would go at their little getaway.

 

**

 

Sleeping situation aside, it's not so bad in the cabin. Sure, there is no Wi-Fi and James is missing that, but it also keeps him from working or digging deeper into Crouch's business or even checking his emails, which is kind of nice. Three days into their stay he has new high scores on his Switch, playing games he hasn't touched in years. The air is crisp and cool and the trees outside look like they have stepped into a colourful painting.

Sure, he's not sleeping that great alone and this time around he can't even make a body pillow out of Sirius' things to make it easier, but he gets the real Sirius to take afternoon naps with him on James' tiny bed when he comes back from his walks in the woods, paroling them like a guard dog, so that's something.

It's nice. It really starts to feel like a break. James didn't even know how much he needed that.

Lily, on the other hand, doesn't take a break at all. She's working on her UN speech, mostly shut up in the bedroom, only coming out to refill her coffee or for meal times.

By day four, she seems to have enough of that though. “I'm going on a walk,” she says, starting for the front door, but Sirius stops her before she can reach it. “You can't keep me locked up in here,” she says like it's a warning, glaring up at him, but Sirius only shrugs at her.

“Didn't say I would, but we should think about safety precautions. How good are you with a gun?”

Lily blinks at him. “I can shoot a rifle?”

James remembers that. Back when they were dating, years ago at this point, he had told her about how much he liked stags and deer, only for her to excitedly tell him about her hunting trips with her father. When he said he liked them, he didn't mean on his plate.

Sirius opens the cupboard at the end of the small hallway. It holds a variety of hunting weapons, which shouldn't be that surprising.

“Here,” he says and hands Lily a rifle. “Let's see how good you are with that.”

They go out on the porch – Sirius taking two of his guns from his backpack along the way – and set up empty cans from their dinner as targets on the railing. James follows them, sitting down on a seat on the other side of the porch to watch.

Lily's first shot goes a little off target. The second hits the wood of the porch railing. Lily shakes out her arms, glaring at the cans, and tries again.

This time, she hits her target.

The next shot finds the can right next to it too.

And another one.

Each shot is precise and all five cans fall to the ground.

James swallows hard.

“Not bad,” Sirius says with a nod and goes to pick up the cans and reset their targets.

“Told you I can do it.” Lily grins at him, leaning the rifle against her shoulder. “But that doesn't tell me why I'm shooting at things, as much fun as it is, instead of going for my walk.”

“Because I want you to take a gun with you when you go on walks around here and I want to be sure you know how to use it,” Sirius says as he comes back, holding one of his own guns out for her. “Try it with this one. It's a little different with the kickback.”

Lily blinks at him. “You want me to carry a gun? In the woods?”

“Didn't I just say that?”

“And you expect me to just shoot at anyone I meet?”

“You shouldn't meet anyone around here,” Sirius says, still holding out his gun to her. “Other than one big, bearded guy with a skittish dog. His name is Hagrid. Don't shoot him, he's the gamekeeper. Everyone else is fair game.”

“It's the stalker thing again, isn't it?” Lily asks with a roll of her eyes, but sets down the rifle and takes the gun from Sirius. “I really think that's a little bit too much, just so you know.”

“Noted,” Sirius says and lifts his own gun, taking aim at a can. “Now let me show you how it's done.”

The shot rings out, sending a thrill down James' spine as one of the cans goes flying off the railing.

He watches them take turns shooting at the cans as Lily adjusts to the unfamiliar weight of the gun in her hand. Slowly, her confidence grows. She's clearly having fun and so does Sirius, both of them grinning as they shoot another can down.

James absolutely doesn't have a type. Not at all.

Notes:

please don't forget to check out the amazing art for this AU and leave some love for Lau as well!! thank you!

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