As they waved off the last of the Weasleys through the floo, Remus turned to Sirius.
“You didn’t tell him, did you?” He frowned. “Sirius!”
“It didn’t seem like the right time.” Sirius matched his expression. “I didn’t want to drag him away from his friends right before he goes back to school to sit him down like I’m about to give him the talk.”
“If you’re ashamed of me Sirius, just say that. Save all of us the hassle.” He turned to leave the living room but Sirius caught his wrist. “Let go.”
“No, Moony—”
“I said, Let go!” Remus snapped.
Sirius released his wrist and watched as Remus stormed up the stairs, but instead of going into the room they shared, he slammed the door of the room next to it. The room that everyone thought was Remus’. He slumped onto the sofa, head in his hands. He really had meant to tell Harry about him and Remus, but how did you even start a conversation with your fifteen-year-old godson about how you’re… Wait, what even were they? Dating? Just sleeping together? A couple? How was he supposed to have a conversation with Harry when he didn’t even know where he stood? He stood up and turned the head on the bust of Salazar Slytherin in the corner and sighed in relief as multiple bottles came into view.
When Remus came downstairs to cook dinner, he found Sirius lying on the sofa, grinning at the ceiling. He rushed over and rolled his eyes when Sirius moved to grin up at him instead.
“Moony!” He slurred, “Are we just fucking?”
Remus closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths before responding. “You’re drunk.”
“Father dearest always kept a decent stash in a secret cupboard.” He gestured towards the wall.
“You pulled alcohol that was owned by your dad out of the wall and just drank it? Did you consider that maybe he’d tampered with it? Or it was poisonous in general?” Remus helped him sit up and frowned as Sirius’ head lolled around, which made him giggle. “Can you just be serious for one second? Do not!” He snapped as Sirius opened his mouth, “Do not make that joke. I’m not in the mood.”
Remus left him sitting on the sofa and went to inspect the bottle Sirius had drank from. It smelled awful, but that could just be the Blacks’ terrible taste in alcohol. He pulled out his wand and did a couple of perfunctory checks before turning back to Sirius.
“My dad’s been dead for years. I’m more likely to be poisoned by out-of-date port than him.” He sighed. “I want to tell him.” Sirius said shakily, “I’m not ashamed of you. Just don’t know how to talk to him.”
“I know, love.” Remus sat next to him, pulling Sirius into his chest. “I’m sorry for snapping.”
“But also, are we just fucking? Or, what are we?” Sirius pressed himself even closer to Remus somehow.
“Well, I suppose…” Remus pondered, “We’re still married.”
“Yeah?” Sirius looked up at him.
“Well I didn’t sign any divorce papers, did you?” Sirius shook his head. “Let me go and grab you something to sober you up, then we can talk some more.”
When Remus returned, Sirius was trying to pace in front of the fireplace, but doing a fairly bad job of walking. Remus took a moment in the doorway to watch as Sirius staggered slowly, muttering to himself before spotting Remus, whose hand was definitely covering a smirk.
After he’d sobered up, neither of them really knew how to broach the subject again. Remus suggested that they go down to the kitchen so he could make them dinner.
“So, we’re still married?” Sirius said eventually as Remus chopped potatoes. “So, I’m your… husband?”
“Feels strange to think about doesn’t it?” Remus tipped the potatoes into a pan of boiling water and turned to face Sirius. “Less than a week later…”
Their wedding had been the last time they’d all been together. The two of them, James, Lily, Harry, and Peter. Peter knew what was going to happen five days later but who had smiled in all of the photographs. Spending five days as a married couple, then being separated for twelve years hadn’t been an ideal marriage. Remus hadn’t really remembered until Sirius came to stay with him a few months ago. He’d spent so long trying to shut down every part of his brain that thought about Sirius.
“So, I’d tell Harry that we’re married?” Sirius asked, looking unsure. “Unless you want a divorce?”
“Why on earth would I want that?” He sat next to Sirius at the long table, “Do you not remember how long it took you to convince me to get married in the first place?”
“Exactly!” Sirius said, “You never wanted to—”
“Of course I did!” He rested the back of his hand on Sirius’ thigh, smiling when Sirius placed his on top and laced their fingers together. “It was always about feeling like I didn’t deserve you, or anything good. It’s always been that.”
“So when you eventually said yes…”
“I’d gotten over myself and realised that I needed to be with you.” Remus smiled, “I’m sorry I didn’t get it sooner. We could have had so much longer.”
“We still have years, Moons. Decades! I’ll get pardoned and we can travel the world, watch Harry grow up, we can do anything we want.” He tilted Remus’ chin with his free hand and kissed him. “We have time.”