The week of Valentine's day in the wizarding world wasn't so different from the muggle world, it seems. Everyone received letters, gifts and chocolate. He has gotten gifts and all that today, the owls practically swarmed at him the moment he entered the great hall, he might as well be sitting on weeks worth of candy and letter's he doesn't know what to do with.
Sadly it didn't go unnoticed by his friends, he's lucky James is too utterly smitten with his younger brother to care, and Marls is too busy fighting --flirting?-- With that Slytherin in their year. But for those who noticed they didn't spare him the teasing, earlier that week Lily had apparently made a bet with everyone; they had to guess how many gifts he'd get in total this year...Merlin the horrors of fifth year are coming back to him...
"---fifty-seven! Hah a new record, take that Potter!" Lily exclaimed with delight.
The boy in question was trying to see Reggie's reaction to his gift from across the hall, he squinted miserably trying to get a good view.... Sirius didn't have the heart to tell him his glasses were getting fogged up by his tea, and that Regulus hadn't spared the carefully wrapped red box even one glace, he simply slid it over to Pandora who placed it in her bag.
His attention was brought to the door once he heard familiar steps entering, Moony walked in with a horrible scowl on his face, well it didn't make him look horrible, nothing could.
Though he just looked...sad? No that wasn't it, annoyed?
Remus sat down at his usual spot next to him and just let his head fall down onto the table with a soft thud..
He ran his fingers through the others hair softly while using his wand in his other hand to butter some toast for the younger, it might not come out correctly since he's using his left hand, but Moony wouldn't mind.
"Sleep alright?" He asked, mindlessly stroking his hair, instead of responding like a decent human being he just let out a groan and turned his head slightly to look at him.
Remus has never liked Valentine's day, everyone and their mother knows that, sure he loves chocolate, and the day after the candy was always cheaper but overall he just hated.. In his words ‘all the lovey dovey gooey eyes, people make’
Amber eyes spotted a box of chocolate frogs with Sirius’ name on it right in front of him.
"Are you gonna?-" he trailed off, nevertheless Sirius understood and handed him the box..Lily had packed away all the gifts he got after counting them and she and Remus started a conversation about...okay he didn't know what it was about, but they were talking.
Before he opened the box, Remus first made sure to eat the poorly buttered toast he had made him.
See, the only reason Sirius doesn't try to mindlessly go snogging people, or tries to find out who the gifts are from is because he has his own little gift right here...Remus John Lupin..
Now if you assume he has a type and you are correct:
Comfy grandpa jumper's: Check.
Scars: Check.
Sweet tooth: Check.
Absolute nerd: Check.
Moony: Check.
Remus: Check.
Regulus Black's reluctant acquaintance: Check...
Okay basically it's just him, why? Because Remus Lupin is the kindest, most beautiful person in the whole world and he deserves everything. Is he speaking French?....he hopes not that would be awkward..
Anyway...there he was just having his amazing inner monologue, daydreaming and all, when something from Remus and Lily's conversation caught his attention...
"Sorry I can't study today. I have a date with Pandora-but you surely have plans right? It's Valentine's week" Remus looked at her as if she just spat in his face..
"If you call staying in the dorm all day reading books 'plans' then sure.. I've got plenty"
"What, you don't have a date?" This question came from himself, Remus shrugged.
"Not any different from the past couple of years, but I'm sure you've got something going right? I mean with all these gifts and stuff---" he cut himself off and Sirius couldn't help but notice the bitterness in his tone.
What reason would he have to be bitter?
"Right" he said, more to himself than Remus.
As the bell chimed all the students cleared out and started making their way to class, he had most of his with his friends except today he didn't have Moony with him in ancient ruins,
only James, the reason for this is because Madam Pomfrey wanted to discuss something with him about the upcoming full moon, that thought gave him an idea...
He basically tossed the note in his friend's direction, James startled a little looking at him first before reading it...
–I wanna ask you something–
He sighed before taking his quill to quickly write something then he passed it back to him..
–Padfoot, I'm sorry but I'm loyal to your brother–
He rolled his eyes and passed back the note after writing something down..
–I love you..but no, since Moony doesn't have a date he's gonna spend this week alone! Cam you believe that?? Our Moony. Alone. A few days before Valentine's day!!! And maybe even on the day! :(--
He snorted and handed it back.
–first, who the heck is 'Cam' second, he does this every year and a lot of people are going to spend it alone–
–*Can, anyway we need to do something about this injustice, it's for the sake of humanity!--
It's James's turn to roll his eyes.
–why not just ask him out then?--
–no–
–and why's that?--
–cause I'd rather die than have my sweet Moony see me fumble over my words.. I'll not have it, now think of something quick!!!--
–Okay how about you ask him out, but like through a letter? And you don't have to sign it!--
He looks up from the note and his best friend is giving him a small thumbs up..he smiles back and writes a quick thank you. Just as class ends.
After classes have ended, he sneaks into the dorms, and sits down at the shared desk, it then dawns on him that he doesn't know how to write a love letter, he's seen Reg do it for James when they stay with Andy and Ted. So it shouldn't be that hard right?
So after ten failures and hiding on his bed with the curtains closed to avoid a certain werewolf, he finally did it...
–Roses are red, Violets are blue,
Everytime I see the Tide and the Moon, I can't help but think of you.
Star...
--
That should do it right? He carefully opened his curtains and saw Moony sleeping on his bed, he was curled up on his side with a book laying open next to him.
He smiled at the sight, then placed down the letter, careful enough not to wake him, he didn't feel like going to the hall so instead he walked to the kitchens for a snack.
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When he came back James and Peter were smiling widely as Remus stared down at the letter in confusion.
"Alright?" He asked, placing down some snacks for the four of them, form the looks of it James just came back from the astronomy tower,
If his messy hair being even Messer is anything to go by. Sirius liked to think Reg just ruffled his hair too much, it was a nice thought that made him sleep at night.
Peter probably came back from selling weed to seventh and sixth years, even that's more innocent than the thought of James defiling his baby brother.
Remus stared up at him, his eyes still had a little sleep goop at the sides meaning he just woke up a few minutes ago.
"Did you let anyone in when you left?" He shook his head.
"No, there was an owl, I thought it was for me at first but I saw your name on the front, figured it was from your mum or something"
He tried desperately to keep his voice leveled but combined with James's knowing look and Remus's, well, everything, he was struggling a bit.
"Why don't you open it?" Pete suggested.
"Yeah mate it wouldn't hurt" added James.
Remus sighed before getting his letter opener, Sirius didn't put a crest on it and he tried really hard to fake messy handwriting, it's sad really he had to sacrifice his perfectly good posh handwriting for this..........worth it
His brian all but stopped at the sound of Remus's voice reading his words, the same one's he spent hours figuring out.
"'Roses are red, Violet's are blue, everytime I see the Tide and the Moon I can't help but think of you...star?"
James was buzzing with excitement.
“Merlin's bearded ball sack! Do you know what this means" the stag animagus all but yelled.
"Yeah...this means they know that I'm a werewolf"
"What no-listen saying someone is like the Moon is another way for saying 'your pretty', doesn't mean they know you turn into a wolf"
James explained quickly, Remus relaxed a little at that, then turned back to the letter, a small glint lit in his eyes as he read over it again.
"What should I do?" He shrugs.
"If you write a letter back how will the person get it?" said Peter, the utter smartarse.
"I could give it to them?" The three turned to him, okay now he had to be very careful about this.
"I recognise the owl, I could be like your messenger-though I'd never read your letters and if you don't want to meet them you can just do this"
Remus let out a thoughtful hum, before nodding.
"Okay, not like it'll go anywhere" a hint of sadness hung on his words, almost like he wanted to add something.
Something tugged at his heart, thinking about how Remus was sending letters to someone else kinda hurt...but that person is him, so that has to count for something right? Except it doesn't, it never does and it's never going to.
Say they do continue to exchange letters, how long before Moony falls in love with this person or worse Sirius falls for him more... Okay, that's not possible, but the point is: if they continue like this, how much longer will it be before something comes out of this?
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Turns out exactly six days later… the day before Valentine’s day.
They had been exchanging letter’s multiple times a day, and everynight James would convince a very reluctant Remus to talk about this ‘mystery’ person, and everynight Remus would say the same thing… “Everything’s fine” and they’d leave it at that.
He walked up the stairs leading to the Gryffindor dorms, James was currently talking his ear off about a date he planned for him and Reg, and Sirius had to hand it to him, it sounded nice..but he didn’t want to think about the things that would take place after.. And the things James was subtly hinting at…
Once they reached the dorm Sirius felt a weird feeling go through him, not weird but.. Bad. James seemed to notice this and put a hand on his shoulder in a silent question.
“I’m fine.. Just– tried I think” James didn’t seem happy with that but accepted it nonetheless.
They walked in, Remus was sitting on his bed reading a novel his mum had sent him last christmas. Though he seemed a little shaken, Sirius sat next to him on the bed, the other looked at him with a nervous gaze.
“You alright Moons?” he nodded, and placed his book down. “Yeah uhm… can I talk to you for a sec Pads, alone?” James gave them a curious look but walked out of the room.
He turned back to Remus with a soft smile on his face.
“Okay we’re alone, so?” he trailed off, he cleared his throat quickly and sat up a little more, pressing his back against the cold wall to face Sirius.
“I want you to tell me who the person is”
“What?” did it happen… Did Remus actually start to like this person? If he found out it was Sirius, Merlin if he tells him, what would he think? Would he be angry?
All of the worst scenarios played through his mind like a broken record, he was soon snapped out of it by Remus.
“I think I’m kind of starting to like them” despite his words, despite talking about liking a fictional person, Remus looked at him with nothing short of endearment.. Almost like he knew.
“I won’t go up to them immediately— just knowing who they are would be enough” the worst part about all of this, is that he sounds so open, so vulnerable and here he is just hoping he won’t hate him after this..
“I can’t” Remus tilted his head in question.
“Do they not want me to know?” he shook his head. “No-it’s just, you might not- like who they are”
“Sweet Merlin it isn’t Snape is it?” Sirius let out a short laugh. “No lord no- I’m saying you might not be very happy with the fact that they were hiding from you”
Sirius stares down at his hands, they were shaking a little, a few minutes later and scar covered hands intertwined with his.
“I would understand, after all if it were me, I’d want to hide from you too” Sirius didn’t dare to look at him.
“How long did you know?”
“After the third letter, honestly the star was a dead give away”
He swallowed hard then asked. “Are you mad at me?”
“Padfoot look at me” Remus placed a hand under his chin and gently tilted his head up, being as stubborn as he is, Sirius shut his eyes. He heard the other let out a small scoff.
“Pads come on, open your eyes”
“First tell me if you're mad” he let out a sigh. “If I was mad, would I be holding your hand?”
“No” he sounded so small that he almost felt like a kid again. “Then open your eyes, please”
He did and in turn was greeted with a small smile.
“There you are, you okay?” he scoffed. “Yeah, I am… so what now, do we like shag or something”
“Well at least take me to dinner first” he thought for a moment. “Or I could give you some chocolate and you don’t bring this up on our wedding day?”
“Or I do brings this up on our wedding day, and to our future kids, and you give me chocolate”
“You strike a hard bargain Lupin I’ll give you that, but how about I throw in a forever’s supply of me and you don’t tell anyone about this, and you get chocolate”
“How about I shag your brains out, talk to everyone about this and I get chocolate after”
“Fine” and just like that Remus pulled him close and gave Sirius the best kiss he ever had, with the promise of more to come…
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The next Morning Sirius woke up to an empty bed, with fake black roses next to him along with a letter.
– Roses are red, Violets are blue, meet me in the forest tonight… shite what rhymes with blue? –
And that was the moment he knew; Remus Lupin would have his heart forever.
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End.