chapter one
The consistent jangle of Lily’s keys served as a ticking time bomb in Remus’s brain, now seconds away from a red head explosion of angry threats. “Seriously Lupin, you own about two pairs how can you only find one shoe of each?!”
Remus let out an exasperated huff which was a mixture of stress and a lack of recent exercise - smokers lungs were merciless. “I don’t know! Not helping by the way.” He shot over his shoulder to the girl who was waiting by the door, both shoes on her feet that were now tapping on the floor impatiently.
Remus grabbed a stray blanket that was laid on the floor by their shared couch and pulled it up, secretly praying for the sake of his own head he found his shoe in the next two minutes otherwise Lily would have it on a stick. Always a stickler for punctuality, that one. After blindly waving his arms around beneath the brown leather couch he felt the familiar busted material of his missing doc marten and hauled it out victoriously.
No time for celebrations though as Lily’s face was moments away from matching the red tones of her hair that was pulled up into an intentional but messy ponytail. Remus quickly hopped into the other boot and loosely tied the lace - which was definitely going to come out in 2 seconds - and ran over to the door.
“About fucking time!” Lily shot at Remus as she hurriedly locked the door behind the two and raced down the street. “Sorry Lils, can’t be late for your little boyfriend now can we?” He quipped, slightly out of breath after struggling to keep up with her pace. Despite the 8 inch height difference, her stride was lethal.
Her ponytail threatened to take Remus’s eye out - if he crouched a little - by the speed she whipped her head around to scold him. “You’re on thin ice mister, I got you this gig.. could easily take it back!” She waved her threatening pointer finger at his chest. Remus hummed in amusement, after living with Lily for two years at university he was used to her vacant threats that were usually conflicted with love. “See you could.. but then who would be able to pay the second half of the shopping list?” Remus retaliated and ruffled the top of her hair playfully. Lily quickly batted his hand away and attempted to shove him across the path to no avail. Remus chuckled lightly as she went about taming her hair and grumbling to herself which he could only pick up half of. “Fucking £6 ice cream..” or “Not my fucking boyfriend..”
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“Lily!” A voice cried across the venue, belonging to the blonde haired girl with heavy smudged eye makeup that was violently waving her hand in the air. Remus followed in tow as Lily weaved their way through the bustling crowd. It was a miracle the pair even heard her over the heavy guitar dominated music penetrating the venue from the speakers. Lily engulfed her in a tight hug as they greeted each other, then Lily dragged Remus that bit closer from where he was lingering behind by his arm.
“Marlene, this is Remus! He’s the one filling in for your bailer of a photographer.” Lily exclaimed, and Remus smiled at Marlene who looked ecstatic to see him. “Nice to meet you finally, Lily says you guys are great live.” He says while glancing over the blonde girl in front of him who was sporting a cut up Runaways t-shirt and battered up boots, hair effortlessly falling over her shoulders in a 70s style shag.
Marlene chuckled into her vodka cherry coke and grinned fondly to the red-head after downing a sip. “She’s a sweet talker, this one. Nice to meet you too!”
Remus huffed amusedly looking at the girl who was most definitely not talking sweetly to him just 30 minutes earlier.
Their conversation abruptly came to a pause as feedback from the stage amps echoed through the venue. “Looks like the openers coming on, should probably head to the back.. James will most likely be having his pre-show freak out.” Marlene announced after chugging down the remainder of her drink and propping it back down on the bar top.
“Right, yeah.. well good luck! Tell er- James I said hi.. and the others course.” Lily waved Marlene off with a sheepish smile, to which Marlene smiled back and shot her a quick thumbs up before rushing to the door next to the stage.
Remus snorted. Lily swatted him upside the head. “Shut up.” She grumbled.
“Tell James I say hi.. tell James I’d like to suck him off backstage after the show too.” Remus mocked in a high pitched voice while trying to flag down the bartender. “I’m going to kill you Lupin.” She sulked next to him. “Be thankful there’s about 200 other people here right now because otherwise your blood would be on my hands already.” Lily continued with her vacant threat.
“You love me too much to kill me.” Remus smirked down at her then passed her a double vodka cranberry. She hummed in satisfaction at the bribe but looked up to her roommate with narrowed eyes. “Don’t be too sure..” He smiled into his pint as Lily leaded them into the growing crowd.
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“Do you have to smoke that in here? There’s not even a window!” Peter attempted to chuck his half empty bottle at the perpetrator's head - missing miserably. “Relax Pete, just trying to hotbox Potter into a state of serenity.” Sirius absentmindedly propped his feet up onto the coffee table that was placed in front of the tattered couch he was sprawled on. “The man’s not stopped pacing for-“ Sirius checked his phone, “20 minutes now.” He took another puff of the joint in his hand and dangled his head over the couch to look at where the door just flew open.
“Alright?” Marlene announced as she waltzed into the dressing room and plopped herself down on the empty space next to Sirius. “Some of us.” Pete drawled from his seat where he was quietly practicing with his drum sticks and his lap for a kit substitute.
“For fucks sake Potter sit down you’re making us dizzy.” Marlene snapped, throwing the half empty water bottle that was at her feet in James’ direction. “Watch the hair McKinnon!” He yelped, dodging out the way just in time. Marlene’s aim never skewed after her years on the high school basketball team.
She snickered in satisfaction and stole the joint from Sirius’ hand. “Lily and Remus are here” She stated, letting the smoke exhale from her red lips. “Lily?” James’ head turned to Marlene, mirroring the exact movements of a meerkat. Marlene hummed and nodded, “She says hi.”
“Was it a cordial hi or more of an excite-” James started eagerly before getting cut short.
“Remus?” Sirius wondered out loud after stealing the joint back and taking a long inhale.
Marlene nodded again, “The guy filling in for Benjy.”
“Ah.” Sirius nodded despite having no clue who this guy was.
The door to their shoddy dressing room was pounded a couple times before the sour faced organiser stuck her head into the room. She looked no older than 40 with a permanent frown imprinted onto her lips and monotone voice that could threaten your eyes shut. “On in 10.”
She narrowed her gaze onto the cloud of smoke surrounding the couches and begun to open her mouth - “Thanks Barb!” Sirius interjected and shot her one of this signature toothy grins which sent her eyes rolling to the back of her head as she pulled the door shut.
Sirius sprung to his feet and stubbed the remaining joint onto the ashtray laid on the coffee table. “Right Jamie-boy, you gotta get your shit together.” He placed a hand on James’ shoulder in an attempt to ground him and swung out his handy silver flask from the pocket of his leather jacket with the other. He dangled it in front of James’ eyes in a teasing swing and James scoffed,
“Is this your best attempt at helping?” His eyes trained on the swaying pocket flask.
Sirius shrugged. “Just don’t want you to be a mess in front of the potential EMI scouter.”
James’ face paled, his golden skin turning a slight shade of green.
He grabbed the taunting flask and took a respectable gulp. “Forgot they were here tonight..” He grimaced while wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
Marlene sighed incredulously, “So you’re telling me all of that was for what you thought was a regular show, not as if we’ve played more gigs than I can count on my fingers?”
Peter made his way over to the boys and grabbed the flask out of James’ grip to take a swig of his own. “In his defence, he did invite Lily.”
“Trust Potter to be more concerned about a girl than his future career.” Sirius jabbed with a smirk.
“Future wife.” James raised his eyebrows in tow with the flask, tipping the remaining contents down his throat before ‘Barb’ came through and gave them their final call.
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Remus made his way to the front of the stage and made himself comfortable to the side, resting against the barrier near the speakers. His favourite camera that he’s had since high school was sat slung around his neck, while he absentmindedly played with the settings with one hand and sipped his second pint with the other. The opening act had since finished their quick set and he was stood making awkward eye contact every 10 seconds with the burly security guard that looked like he’d rather be anywhere else.
“Scuse me! My friend’s at the front - no I swear, actually. Look, HEY - REMUS!” Lily was waving through squished bodies from a couple rows away, he waved back and nodded for her to come closer. She finally made her way through to just by the barrier on the other side of Remus and sipped on her just bought drink that she was guarding for dear life. “Thought I lost you!” She mumbled through her straw.
Remus raised a questioning brow, “Where’s mine?” He motioned to her new drink. Lily sheepishly smiled, “You’ve had your fair share tonight. Can’t get you drunk can we? Gotta be on your best performance.”
Remus feigned offence with his jaw hanging mockingly low. “Gotten so mean Lils.”
“You’ll live tough guy.” She winked back as shuffling could now be heard from the stage. Marlene made her way out and slung her Fender Mustang bass over her shoulder, plugging it into the amp and double checking the tuning. She grinned over at the pair when she spotted them and Lily sent the blondie an encouraging thumbs up. He grazed his eyes over the rest of the band as they all made their way out after Marlene, all looking straight out of a punk magazine with matching black clothes and a matching stripe of eyeliner under each eye. He was silently keeping an eye out for James, paying barely no mind to the others - having never met the guy he was curious to put a face to the name.
As if he had to keep an eye out though, the guy’s reaction gave him away instantly as his eyes widened quickly looking in their direction. Remus watched with amusement as James grabbed the arm of the guy beside him who’s long tousled black hair was covering his face, he was plugging in his black Jaguar guitar into the amp and testing out the pedals that were scattered on the floor before him with great concentration - now interrupted by James quickly whispering something to him.
Remus leaned back against the barrier and turned his head to meet Lily’s on the other side, “Hm, wonder which one is James..” He drawled with mock curiosity and a devilish smile on his face. “Shut up!” She hissed quickly, now nervously playing with her hair trying to cover the blush scattered across her cheeks that were either the fault of 2 and a half vodka cranberries or a certain guitarist. He laughed at her flushed demeanour and turned his attention back to the stage.
The rest of his laugh got caught in his throat. It came out as a mere shaky sigh. In front of him were the two guitarists looking on curiously to where he and Lily stood, James slyly observing the redhead beside Remus - but that’s not what caught Remus’ eye.
Really it was was cruel, he didn’t stand a chance when his eyes darted straight into pits of ice that were already examining him in such an invading way. Despite the man standing at least 5 feet away from him he had never felt so claustrophobic and breathless in his life. Before him was arguably the most attractive man Remus had seen, reminiscent of an 80s glam-rock magazine model with dishevelled bedhead that he somehow pulled off, smudged eyeliner and black jeans that hung criminally low; exposing the sliver of waistband that hung just below his biteable hipbones.
Remus was unashamedly checking this man out, and suddenly felt extremely underdressed in his worn out Sex Pistols t-shirt and baggy jeans. He had let Lily touch up his curls a little before they left, usually he just let them do whatever they wanted but Lily had insisted - ‘if he wasn’t going to dress up at least let her tame his lions mane’ - Thank god for Lily, because he had never felt so conscious of his appearance as he did now with this man looking at him in the same intense gaze Remus was reciprocating.
Remus just about died on the spot. As soon as the man in front of him broke their intensely fuelled eye contact and instead glanced around to his fellow bandmates behind him, Remus subconsciously let out a breath he wasn’t even sure he was holding.
But really it just wasn’t fair. Immediately as Remus brought himself back down to earth he was just as quickly brought back into the trance, more electrified than before as he watched the man in front of him strum the powered dirty chords with a vigour he didn’t know could be so sexy. The crowd behind Remus erupted as the rest of the band jumped into the rhythm in a manner so in sync it looked undoubtedly natural. James begun harmonising with the lead riff with fingers so effortlessly running up the fretboard against the rhythm chords being unleashed by the man before him. Marlene’s bass was powered with such a strong over drive that it could be felt echoing from the floorboards into Remus’ beat up boots and oozing into the crowd that was now roaring at the old cover song.
If Remus wasn’t speechless before, he had lost his footing now as the man open his mouth and begun growling the lyrics into the microphone.
“Friends say it’s fine, friends say it’s good.
Everybody says it’s just like rock and roll.”
Before today, Remus had never felt any desire to be an inanimate object.. but watching the way the lead singer’s perfectly plump lips grazed so temptingly close to the microphone which practically whined the lyrics with his deliciously deep tone.. well. There’s a first for everything.
“I move like a cat,”
Remus inadvertently groaned as the the man subtly rolled his hips against his guitar. The girls near the front squealed in a pitch that he would usually find irritating - but he couldn’t even blame them this time around.
“Charge like a ram.”
He audibly smirked in the middle of the line, Remus sighed. He quickly fumbled with the camera that he forgot was hanging round his neck until this point and remembered his job for the night. In a way he was partially grateful for the artificial screen, in his head it served as a breather from the earth shattering experience in front of him. If he experienced it through the tiny screen of his DSLR camera instead maybe he could have a chance at composing himself.
“Sting like a bee,”
Remus brought the camera up to his eye length and angled it directly at the devastatingly beautiful disturbance who was passionately thrashing his guitar.
“Babe, I wanna be your man.”
He wanted to slap himself, the way he was getting wound up like a teenager experiencing hormones for the first time after hearing the way the singers voice whined on the last line, carried out by the powerful strumming from his ring clad hands. He couldn’t help but let his lustful thoughts carry through to the lens, capturing the man with his blissfully concentrated face.
“Well it’s plain to see you were meant for me,”
Click.
Remus quickly scanned the picture he just took to check if it served the real sight any justice.
The singer was looking straight at the camera. Winking.
Remus felt his cock throb desperately against the restrictions. Unbelievable. He looked up from the small screen to look at the real thing.
“I’m your boy, your 20th century toy.”
Never straying away from eye contact, the man tilted his head on ‘toy’ and let a full wolfish grin take over his features; displaying his devastatingly hot canines that Remus wanted to feel against his collarbone. Remus lifted his eyebrow in reply and leaned his back subtly against the barrier behind him, desperately seeking for gravity pull him back down from whatever high this man was giving him.
The singer gave Remus’ frame a long look over and dragged his tongue over his canines in a teasing smile. He glanced down back to the natural motions of his hands that were sprawled across his black guitar and bit his cheek in a restricted smile that was almost endearing.
Remus was well and truly fucked.
but not in the sense he wanted.