you'll know me
Remus couldn’t remember the last time he had had as much fun as running with Sirius Black through an alley, trying to get far away from the paparazzi. Well, it had been fun for the first few minutes, then it had become painfully apparent that Remus hadn’t done any form of cardio in the past few years. Of course, Sirius had trained for tour. He was in peak physical shape, not a single bead of sweat on his forehead, while Remus was panting.
He lifted his head from where it was leaning against some alley wall to look at Sirius, who had an amused expression. “Shut up,” Remus called, which only made Sirius chuckle.
“I didn’t say anything,” he claimed.
“You of all people should know that you don’t need to speak to say something,” Remus retorted, having caught his breath enough to speak a longer sentence.
Sirius raised his eyebrows. “How come?”
Remus moved forward slightly. “You’re a musician. You know that instruments can talk and so can melodies and so can looks. I recall a few lyrics,” Remus began but stopped when Sirius rolled his eyes.
“Fine, I get it. But, really, when was the last time you exercised?” Sirius asked though it didn’t feel like he was about to judge Remus.
“Is it bad that I don’t remember?” He spent his time huddled over a computer screen; there wasn’t usually a need to go for runs. Well, he sat in front of his laptop when the words were willing to work with him.
Sirius laughed and tilted his head a few millimeters. “I wouldn’t say it’s good.” He adjusted his hat so that it wasn’t falling into his eyes. “Where to next?”
Without missing a beat, and rather foolishly, Remus responded, “My apartment’s close by.”
He almost physically slapped himself for saying that. He hated his mouth. He really did. He hated his mouth and the stupid shit it said. God, Sirius was going to think that he wanted to sleep with him, and then that’d lead to an awkward moment because they hadn’t even kissed yet. Not that they were going to; many things were still complicating their relationship. Not that it was a relationship. And not that Remus didn’t want–
“Lead the way.” Sirius interrupted his rambling thoughts and looked at him like he saw them running his head.
Remus laughed, perhaps awkwardly, and started walking toward the street. “You should probably put the scarf in place again,” he advised, and Sirius quickly adjusted his scarf. “I don’t know what I’d do if you got spotted.”
“You’re the one of us who has been recognized so far; maybe you need a disguise too,” Sirius suggested, and before Remus knew what was happening, Sirius had stopped him by the elbow and was adjusting the scarf that had been loosely hanging around Remus’ neck until the scarf was covering the lower part of his face.
It was a wool scarf, so the fabric tickled Remus’ nose and made him want to pull it down, but Sirius looked so proud of his work, so he resisted the urge. Remus could see the smile in Sirius’ eyes. “Inconspicuous enough for you?”
Sirius, however, shook his head. “People will probably still recognize you. You’re a giant compared to the rest of New York, and you have a walk,” he mentioned, and Remus shot him a questioning gaze.
“I have a walk?” Remus echoed, amusement from his comment brightening Sirius’ eyes.
“Yes, it’s very recognizable. No disguise can help you hide if someone knows how you walk,” Sirius explained as they exited the alley and started on the street that led to Remus’ apartment.
Remus turned his head so he could look at Sirius as they faced the assault of New Yorkers. “And just what makes my walk so different from everyone else’s?”
Sirius looked to be in deep thought for a moment. “I don’t know how to explain it. There’s just this old feeling to it,” he did his best to explain, but really it made Remus that much more confused.
“Are you calling me old?” he asked with mock offense, raising his eyebrows.
“You dress like it,” Sirius joked, and Remus couldn’t stop himself from laughing.
“That’s rich coming from a guy who wears that damned leather jacket everywhere.”
“It makes me look hot,” Sirius claimed, and Remus certainly couldn’t let him think it was true.
“You sound confident.”
“Are you trying to tell me I’m not?” Sirius accused in a way that elevated Remus’ heartbeat so much that he could have gotten on his knees and worshiped whoever made it possible that his apartment building was just to the right.
Remus gestured to the building. “This is it,” he said in place of arguing with Sirius or perhaps telling him just how attractive Remus thought he was, though Remus doubted that would have been a very productive conversation. He was also willing to bet that it would have been incredibly awkward when Sirius had nothing to say about him.
Surprisingly determinedly, Sirius looked up at Remus and didn’t break eye contact to even glance at the doors they were about to walk into. “Don’t think I’m letting you forget that question,” he said then began walking through the glass doors to the lobby of the apartment building, not glancing back to make sure Remus was following him.
Knowing you, you wouldn’t, Remus answered in his mind without thinking. His thought made him pause. Since when did Remus know Sirius? They hadn’t seen each other very much. Remus had seen James over twice as much, and while they were friends, Remus was well aware of the fact that he didn’t know everything about James. Remus had spent enough time with characters to know that James didn’t tell anyone anything, but he didn’t want to project, and James wasn’t a character; he was a person.
Still, the point stood. Remus felt like he knew the core of Sirius Black after seeing him twice. And not the Sirius Black that was broadcasted to the world. Remus had learned which way Sirius tied his shoelaces, which he knew the public didn’t know. Remus had learned little quirks and tidbits of information that he never guessed he would have the possibility of knowing.
Halfway through the lobby, Sirius turned back and stared at Remus. He lifted his eyebrows as if to ask are you coming? With a chuckle and soft smile no one could see, Remus took a step forward and another and another, and before he knew it, he was following Sirius Black to his apartment.