The light spilling in the room was soft, muted, like it used to in winter mornings when the sun would hide behind endless blankets of rainy clouds.
Sirius barely registered all that, focusing instead on the soft press of lips on his forehead, and the warmth under the patchwork duvet, sinking deeper into the bed and falling back to sleep with a barely-there smile.
The second time they came to, they registered two things; one, the soft patter of rain against the window to the left of the bed, and two, Remus wasn’t in bed.
Sirius stretched, blinking slowly to adjust to the soft bluish hues of the gloomy morning and the warm light from their bedside lamp, and rolled around to Remus’ side, burying their face in his pillow and taking in the faint hints of tea and warmth.
It would be the perfect morning, if only Remus hadn’t decided to leave their bed before 8 a.m on a Sunday to do God knows what. All in all, Remus’ absence had Sirius getting a bit grumpy. They contemplated getting up to go look for him, but the silence in the apartment indicated that they wouldn’t have much luck in that.
Just as Sirius had admitted defeat and decided to brave the coldness outside their bed, they heard the keys turning in the front door, and soon the apartment flooded with the sound of Remus taking off his shoes by the door, no doubt hanging his coat before closing the door behind him, socked-feet approaching their bedroom.
“It’s Sunday.” Sirius grunted, face down on the bed and sprawled out like a starfish.
He heard Remus’ soft chuckle, cursing the sweetness of his voice for making his stomach swoop. “Good morning, love.”
“Moons.” Sirius complained, turning her face a bit so his eyes were visible under the mop of curls and sea of blankets. They were met with a soft smile, his eyes in disarray and pyjamas still on.
“Yes, Pads.”
“It’s Sunday .”
“I know, love.” Remus hummed, moving one hand to stroke Sirius’ hair away from their face. Sirius could hear the amusement in his voice, and decided that this just wouldn’t do, and turned fully on his side to glare at Remus properly.
“You’re not in bed.”
“I was only gone for 10 minutes.” He chuckled, standing closer to lift up the covers.
“You will be all cold now.” Sirius complained. They knew they were pouting, pretty sure they’d stomp his foot if they were standing right now and look a bit like Harry when he was grumpy. Maybe Lily was right when she said that he got his dramatics from Sirius.
“Sirius, I won’t be cold- oh . Okay, hi.” Remus barely had time to settle down and pull the duvet back up when Sirius was on him in a second, burying his face in his lower stomach and arms wrapped firmly around his waist. “Love...”
Remus moved one hand on Sirius’ back, stroking the skin over his thin t-shirt and making Sirius sigh. This , it was perfect. This was exactly what he wanted for today. “You were supposed to be in bed, all warm and cute, so I could turn around and lie on you-”
“You can still-”
“While you complain and then I’d bury my head under your t-shirt and kiss you just to the side of your tummy where it tickles to annoy you-”
“Well, you never annoy me-”
“Until you’d start laughing and call me a bloody dog.”
“You are a bloody dog .”
Sirius groaned, just to be a menace and pull out of Remus that lovely noise of fond exasperation. And indeed, a moment later he heard Remus huff, pictured him shaking his head in surrender to Sirius’ antics.
She contemplated biting softly at his hip bone, the one just a little to the left of where Sirius’ lips where pressed, wondering whether she could get away with it without Remus reaching for her waist to tickle her. She could turn around quickly, look at him with signature puppy eyes, the face of innocence while giving him a look that said ‘Who? What? Me? I didn’t do anything’ . Remus would tickle her before diving to drown in the sweetest attack in the form of kisses all over her face, her squeals echoing in the quiet of the morning. But, she cherished Remus’ slow touch too much to cause an interruption of any sorts. So, maybe later. Definitely later.
With another small stretch and a deep breath he turned around, lifting his head up to look at him. Remus was already looking back at her with a lazy smile that lovesick gaze, the one that made her stomach flutter and soar, a warmth spreading across her chest as she tried to deal with the intensity of her love for him. Lovely, lovely idiot.
Remus moved his hands higher, framing Sirius’ face softly before murmuring. “ Fy nghariad. ”
Sirius might as well have melted entirely, becoming nothing but a puddle right there at Remus’ feet. Cause of death; the effects of Remus Lupin’s eyes taking him in, loving him.
Sirius turned his face, just a bit, to place a small kiss on the inside of his palm, his lips catching on the side of the silver band resting on his ring finger. She placed three barely-there kisses over it for good measure, her eyes never leaving Remus’, looking attentively enough to catalogue all the ways his delight softened.
He looked so unbearably beautiful, all soft, rested, bathed golden from the lamp. His hair was a mess from his shower last night, and Sirius could see raindrops lingering on the frizziest parts, others melted to curl the floppy hair falling into his eyes even more. His right cheek had pillow marks on it, cutting through the faint blush of adrenaline he always got when braving the rain, the countless freckles Sirius had spent hours kissing.
“Good morning, my moon.”
Remus’ expression shifted again, Sirius relishing at how he had grown comfortable enough around her to wear his heart on his sleeve, bare and unhesitating when perceived by Sirius’ eyes. The softness lit up with something glowing from within, his smile spreading into a full grin. Sirius could do nothing more than take him in, his eyes dancing all over his face.
Sirius is sure she’s looked better. They have not washed their face, they’re pretty sure there are pillow marks all over it and his hair must be a disaster from all the dramatic thrashing around he did earlier.
But under the safety of Remus’ gaze, the unyielding and ever growing love he finds blinking back at him, he feels beautiful. A beauty that is reflected back to him, in the form of kindness, bones that crack, skin that dances with happiness and pleasure, a touch that soothes. Eyes filled with laughter, the slope of a lovely nose, freckles, freckles, freckles . A cupid’s bow to worship, lips that adore Sirius, all warmth and pools of gold. A love that grounds him, an early morning breeze, chilly and crisp that makes you feel you’re a part of the world, feet in wet soil, part of something bigger than your own existence.
Remus moved, slowly, capturing Sirius’ lips in a kiss that pulled out a blissful sigh. It was slow, unhurried, just like a rainy Sunday morning. Familiar, warm, full to the brim with love, an imperfect shared space that was home.
He moved his hands along Sirius’ cheekbones, calloused fingers burying themselves in their hair, tugging softly so Sirius could melt completely into Remus’ hold, at the mercy of his kiss, allowed to kiss his way from her lips down to the very pulse of her. Remus, Remus, Remus.
When they eventually pull back, Sirius is met with a sight for sore eyes that is Remus’ dazed expression melting into something kinder, more quiet. “I brought us breakfast from across the street.”
Sirius felt her lips stretch into a pleased grin, Remus turning to the side and picking up a big paper bag. It is only then that Sirius registered the strong smell of sweet coffee, warm pastry, and the scent of jam, all-too-enticing and making her stomach rumble in interest. Remus bent to place a small kiss on the tip of her nose in an attempt to hold back his teasing, no doubt.
“I brought us coffee,” He begun, fishing out two identical steaming cups of coffee, “danish pastry, two slices of the apple pie I like, a salmon dinkel sandwich you love, a few mini pains au chocolat, and-”
He’s interrupted with a kiss, a brief one that is more grinning than kissing, but it’s all Sirius can do to express how deeply grateful she is to be loved and cared for by this wonderful man.
“Cookie dough for later.” Remus finished with a dopey grin. “What will it be?”
“A Danish, please. For now.”
“For now, of course.” He passed her the small paper bag with the pastry, opting for a pain au chocolat for himself.
Sirius took a sip of his coffee, perfectly balanced with just a bit of milk, exactly how she likes it, and relished in the sweet taste, the warmth and richness of it waking her up before she takes a bite out of her pastry, custard and jam blending together wonderfully.
“I love this.” Sirius admitted quietly, taking another sip of coffee. Only now, after all these years, the quiet was less a product of embarrassment than came with vulnerability, and more of the desire to just exist peacefully with Remus, undisturbed and softly.
Remus leaned close then, something Sirius anticipated, and placed a kiss on the spot where her neck meets shoulder, right where the neckline of her t-shirt slipped off to expose her collarbones. “I love you.”
He said it simply, like always. Like he would be insane to try to deny it, and Sirius thought she had never felt more seen than when the inevitability of their love is acknowledged.
“No plans for today, hm?”
“No,” Remus began, shaking his head as he swallowed the mini pastry he had just devoured. Sirius bit her lips in an attempt to keep her grin from spreading, leaning her head on his shoulder. This ridiculous man. “Except for tonight. James and Lily are coming in.”
Sirius hummed, acknowledging the plans before taking another bite, a rather ambiguous one, from her pastry.
“We should get dinner started around 6 p.m. Until then, we can just do this.” He shrugged one shoulder, careful enough not to jostle Sirius too much.
It got quiet for a bit after that, a blissful little thing that they were both content in, just existing with each other.
Until Sirius maked the great decision to look down in order to trace patterns on Remus’ pyjamas trousers, and something clicked.
He sat up, turning to look at Remus questioningly. “Did you go to the bakery in your pyjamas?”
Remus stilled his chewing for a second, looking like the deer caught in headlights before he swallows, grimacing a bit. “I-Yeah?”
And Sirius is delighted . Incredulous but fucking ecstatic. It got better the second Remus’ eyes widened a bit, knowing how to read the signs by now.
“I tucked the trousers in the boots and wore my coat… It was fine.” He explained, in a vain attempt to reason with Sirius who was biting his lips to prevent himself from laughing.
“Mhm.” Sirius nodded, eyes dancing with mirth as he took another bite of his danish.
“It didn’t! My coat was covering it up!”
Lovely idiot. So cute , eyebrows all furrowed up, a small chocolate stain adorning the corner of his chapped lips.
Sirius just nodded, silently shaking with laughter and her mouth full of pasty that he could not chew for the life of him.
“Stop laughing!”
“ 'M not looghin! ”
“Sirius!”
Sirius just gave him a grin, a gross one since he was still chewing, but still a lovely one that did the trick alright. The desired effect was there, right there, when Remus' shoulder slumped, proceeding to shake his head in equal parts exasperation and defeat.
The fondness was written all over his face, displayed in his eyes, the secretive smile before he took a sip of coffee. “You’re a menace.”
“ I loe yoo. ” Sirius claimed through a mouthful, something he knew would rile Remus up who insisted they don’t speak with their mouth full, looking a bit proud of themselves nonetheless.
“Yeah, yeah…” Remus huffed while simultaneously wrapping an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close and pressing a kiss on the crown of her head. “I love you.”
And it’s just that. The rain falls as they lay in a duvet covered in crumbs, coffee cups and the sweetness of a kiss, later replaced by glasses of wine, scents of garlic and oil, the laughter of their friends filling up the gaps.