Remus Lupin didn’t think he’d ever be a young owner of a bookstore. But with his parents and him barely able to afford university, Remus decided to instead apply for jobs, and that’s where he got a job working for two sweet old ladies who were a married couple and their bookstore.
Then through time, he had been asked if he wanted to own it, at the age of twenty-two, because the couple wanted to have a retirement and they made enough to do so.
So Remus agreed and now at the age of twenty-two. He owned a bookstore that was under his name. At a bookstore where he mostly did the work, he did have some employees who would work for extra cash when he had days where he was in too much pain for the day to stand for a long period of time.
But he enjoyed it. He enjoyed having both used and new books surrounding him and his nose. But nothing would satisfy his nose and mouth more than the fact a sweets shop is right next door to his bookstore.
Remus then met the owner of Lily’s lollipops and sweets, Lily Evans. Who is Remus’s age at twenty-two. She too didn’t go to university but because she didn’t think she’d be able to make it. Even if her grades proved she could.
“Let me guess. Your usual?” Lily says as Remus enters the door, as he laughs,
“It’s not my fault you have the best chocolate around Lilibert.”
“Well, do you have my book?” Lily then says with a smile as Remus shows the book in his hand. It’s their trade. Remus gives her a book in exchange for two grams of goodies, mostly chocolates. While also adding some money to each other’s tip jar. This month it’s Remus’s turn. As he then puts some pound coins in her jar,
“Thank you, kind sir. Your bag.” Lily says grinning as he hands her the book,
“For you.”
Lily looks at the cover and author and gasps,
“You found me, Dickinson???”
Remus grins and nods. As she hands him the bag to pick out his sweets.
They both do this after hours when both stores are closed for the night. Not because their worried about what others may say but just because that’s what they decided works for them. Just helps with customers wanting the other one’s attention.
“Now please try to not take all my chocolate.”
“I would never,” Remus says as he puts some candy canes first. Then some American Starburst and Sour Patch Kids.
“See I got some sweets,” Remus says sticking his tongue out as he then grabs the chocolates as Lily just smiles and shakes her head.
“You realize you are the one who buys most of my chocolates right?”
“Yep! Not my fault!”
As Lily just grins.
“But I should get going, have some last-minute bookshelves that need to be displayed tomorrow! But now I have my month's supply of sweets to help me build it!”
Remus says with a grin as Lily just smiles and waves.
“Have fun and thank you again for the poetry book of Dickinson!”
“Of course!”
***
Remus gets most of his customers during this time of the year, the holiday season. So he tends to go extra. With the lights and displays of different holidays. After all so many different walks of life enter his used and new bookstore, so the least he can do is not just do the generic Christmas decorations and displays. As there’s more to the holiday season than just Christmas.
Remus also knows Lily goes all out. As the tourists that travel to the small town always end up buying both sweets and a book as a gift. Either for themself or others, so he goes over to the sweet store, but not before making sure his employees can watch the store for a bit, as he then goes inside the store, and smiles fondly seeing the crowd of people, usually he isn’t a fan of a lot of people, but Lily especially deserves all the business she can bring. He then scans around the room looking for her, but instead, behind the register, he sees a boy who makes his heart jump out, a boy who is busy talking to a customer with a nodding head expression, that only makes Remus more memorized by him, and maybe it’s the way the sun is shining on the boy, but he can’t help but want to know who he is. As it’s just because he knows the employees Lily hires, as she does him, that is all that is, Remus tells himself. As he then grabs some of the chocolates, that thankfully were not gobbled at, and waits in line, and as he gets closer, that’s when he hears the posh, proper, mix of a French and Britsh voice from the gorgeous man behind the register. When he is finally in front of the guy,
“Welcome to Lily’s lollipops and sweets, did you find everything you wanted?” The guy says, as then he looks up to look at Remus, who suddenly feels his heart pound, seeing this gorgeous man’s silver eyes piercing at him.
“I found everything I could need-,” Remus says, a bit lost for words over such a beautiful man in front of him. To which the man smiles brightly, and not a fake one, Remus knows fake customer smiles, and this is a legit warm one, in fact, he is sure his chocolate is melting over the smile being given to him.
“Oh really?”
“Yeah.”
Remus hands the chocolate for it to be scanned,
“Ten euros please.”
The guy then says, as Remus reaches for his pocket, then turns red, where is his wallet? Remus continues to pat his pockets, as he feels himself turn redder, as the man is eyeing him, probably finding him suspicious.
“I think I left my wallet at my store, I will be right back!”
Remus says, as the man looks at him, making Remus feel more embarrassed, as he quickly goes back to his store, and that’s when he sees his own store is full of people, so he puts his wallet in his pocket, and decides to help out, trying to beg to the heavens that the cute man he saw earlier, has a later shift, and not going to be leaving soon.
***
Remus does enjoy the holiday rush at times, but four hours of nonstop customers is tiring. As he then sits down on his chair catching his breath, as he then hears the doorbell ring, and sure there are still two hours before it closes, but man he wants to say they are closed for the day when suddenly his eyes light up, it’s the man from Lily’s store!
“So you do work here,” the man says looking around at the books first, then at Remus who tries to stand up to the best of his capabilities.
“Lily figured you had a rush come in, and told me to give you this.” The man says placing the chocolates Remus had attempted to buy, as well as some other pieces of chocolate Remus knows he didn’t pick, and one lollypop.
“Thank you, you didn’t have to,” Remus feels his face wanting to turn red, but he can be professional, he can do this. As he then reaches for his wallet as the man shakes his head.
“Lily says you guys have this one deal thing. So don’t sweat it, but she did say I could get a free book?”
Remus chuckles and nods,
“Yes, every time a new employee of ours joins one of our stores, they either get free sweets or a free book, Mr.-”
“Oh, Monsieur, non, no,” the man says in a mix of French and English, and Remus who knows no French, theorizes that he is saying no, not a Mr, but he isn’t too sure,
“I am Sirius, please call me Sirius.” The man then says as Remus smiles fondly, and offers his hand to which the Sirius man shakes back.
“Well, Sirius, what book or genre are you wanting to look at today?”
Sirius looks at the books up in front of him, as then Remus decides to grab his cane, which makes Sirius look back down,
“If you need to sit, that’s ok,” Sirius says as Remus shakes his head,
“It’s all good, probably shouldn’t sit when there are customers anyway.”
As Sirius looks like he is about to say something, but stops himself.
“I am the owner, I can sit down if I want.” Remus points out, which Sirius nods,
“Good, and ok books, hmmm, I will be honest, books are more my younger brother’s category of life, I am more a movie and tv show adaption of the book, type of person.”
“Seriously?”
Remus says from just surprise,
“That is me.” Sirius says with a wink and smile, and Remus feels his cheeks turn red seeing that wink, but makes himself roll his eyes,
“Very funny, and well, out of those, what interests you the most?”
“Things I can escape to, worlds that are like ours, but also different. You know?”
Remus nods as he then with his cane walks to this one section, as Sirius follows him, as then Remus sets the cane down, stands up and grabs this one book, and hands it to Sirius then feels a bit dizzy, as Sirius then helps center him, and Remus feels his heart pounding, and his face turning more red, Sirius feels so warm, so strong, so firm, and Remus would do anything, and everything to just feel that touch on him all the time.
“Thank you.”
As then both boys look at each other, but Sirius then looks at the book,
“The Hobbit??”
“Yep! One of my employees, Luciann, she swears by this book, and says that her gay hobbit, and gay dwarf, make the book even better. Even though between us, think she also fancies herself the dwarf too.”
As Sirius looks at him, then at the book, back at him,
“And you’ve read it?”
“Yeah, I like it. Not as much as she does though, no one does.”
As Remus notes Sirius must be thinking, but then gives a smile,
“Well, then I will take it! Especially for the gay ship!”
“Let me know what you think.”
“Of course friend of Lily’s.”
“Remus is the name, that’s my name, the owner,” Remus doesn’t know why he stammered that so badly, but he swears this man is just making his thinking all mush,
“Well, Remus, I will be back to share my notes, but I should get going back to the sweet store.”
Remus thought Sirius’s shift was over, and before Remus can think about how he wants to ask that.
“It’s my lunch break, that’s why I’m here,” Sirius says, making Remus feel even more of a heart jump that beautiful Sirius came here during his lunch break, just for the sweets, that’s why he’s here.
“And remember, since you work for Lily, you’ll get a fifty percent discount here.”
“Could I bring my brother?”
“Of course!”
As Sirius smiles at Remus who swears his face must look like he has a fever,
“It was nice meeting you Sirius.”
“You too Remus.” As Remus watches him leave, and still feels his face so red.
“Smooth.” Luciann says as Remus just shakes his head, still red,
“He is just being friendly. That is all” As Luciann just hums back.
***
Remus goes back to the sweet store at the end of the day and feels his heart jump seeing Sirius smile and wave.
“Back so soon?”
“Yeah me and Lily have this one thing we go to during the holiday season.”
“Oh cool! I am just about to clock out but-,” Sirius starts, as they hear the bell chime,
“You ready to go Padfoot?” A man shorter than Remus, but taller than Sirius says with a big warm smile. And Remus feels his heart want to throw up, of course, Sirius is taken, someone as beautiful as him, it just makes sense. Especially as the man is vibrant, with his messy hair, and round glasses, and even though it is night, Remus argues that this man is just the sun in human form. And he is able-bodied, everything Remus is not.
“Yeah, one-second Prongs-, but Remus-,” Sirius says, as then Lily goes to the lobby where they're all at,
“Remus I am almost ready, just give me a minute to use the loo ok?”
Remus nods, and then Lily looks at Sirius,
“You don’t have to wait till I leave Sirius, I will see you tomorrow.” Lily says with a warm smile, and if Remus was paying attention to Sirius he’d be seeing Sirius annoyed at all these people interrupting him, but instead, Remus is focusing on that Sirius is taken, and Remus is a lot of things, but breaking up a relationship, is never on that list.
“Come on Padfoot, Regs is going to make fun of us if we are late again.”
The guy says, as Sirius does give a nod, understanding what his brother is like,
“But Remus?” Remus looks at Sirius,
“I have notes. On the Hobbit. Tomorrow could I come by?”
Sirius says, to which Remus nods,
“Yeah of course, as long as we have the open sign. Then come in anytime.”
As Remus then watches Sirius leave with the unknown boyfriend and feels his heartache, but puts on his brightest smile for Lily.
“Ready for trivia?”
“Of course.”
***
Remus would be lying if he said that he was eyeing the door every five minutes, to see if Sirius would enter or not, even if he also ate the chocolate Sirius had given him. Trying to nurse his broken heart, even though he has no reason for a broken heart. It was just a crush simply on beauty, and attraction, for all he knows Sirius could be someone who liked pineapple on his pizza or someone like Gideon. So maybe he just really dodged a bullet, but that doesn’t stop Remus from still thinking of Sirius’s silver eyes that shined just as bright as the star Remus assumes he is named after.
Then around six o’clock, the bell chime rings, and there walks in Sirius, not in an employee outfit, but instead a leather jacket, vintage shirt for American Woodstock, leather trousers, and rings on his hands, making Remus feel his whole body run hot, is his store always this hot, and how can he make the sudden blood flow go anywhere, but his genitals, as he then shifts his own trousers, to hopefully try to fix it before anyone, especially Sirius can notice.
“I was so worried I would not be able to finish this one stupid assignment before you guys closed. Even contemplated calling, begging you guys to stay open.” Sirius admits as Remus chuckles,
“But then I read that you guys stayed open till seven, and well, I booked it here, because-,” Remus sees Sirius pull out a packet of paper,
“You wanted to know what I thought-,”
“You read The Hobbit? In one night??” Remus says in almost disbelief.
“It was only three hundred and twenty pages, that’s nothing.”
Remus blinks, but doesn’t say anything, as Sirius steps towards where Remus is sitting, and gives the packet of paper to Remus, who just by brief skim, sure enough, Sirius took notes on everything he read in the book.
“So did you like it?”
“Yes, however, I would like to complain that Bilbo and Thorin never kissed, I expect my gay books to have some gay kisses,” Sirius says matter-of-factly, looking right at Remus, and Remus has to try to not get so red, remember Sirius has a boyfriend.
“Well, if you like fanfiction, Luciann writes a lot of fanfiction of those two.”
“Do you?”
“Do I read Thorinshield fanfiction?”
“No, do you write fanfiction?”
Remus does a small nod, feeling his face heat up, as Sirius breaks out into a big smile,
“What is your handle??”
“Absolutely not.”
“Oh come on why not??” Sirius says then flashing a puppy dog face, with a lower lip quivering. As Remus looks at Sirius in disbelief and smiles fondly and laughs and shakes his head.
“Nope, you are not getting it.”
“I will find it, just you wait.”
Remus chuckles and shakes his head,
“But ok, you did like the book?”
“Yes, Yes I did. And I’d like to now request one of your favorites.”
“Mine?”
“Yep!”
Remus blows a raspberry, thinking to himself,
“See there are so many different books out there I love, any specific genre?”
Sirius shakes his head looking at Remus, making Remus still feel so red, to be stared at.
“When someone says favorite book, where does your pretty head think about?”
Remus feels himself blink, did he just say pretty head? No must be his mind playing tricks. As Remus then with his cane walks to a section of the store, and nods to himself, as Sirius is right next to him, as Remus then hands Sirius the book.
“They both die at the end?” Sirius says with a raised eyebrow unsure about that title.
“Yes, it has both the gay you desire, and I don’t know, I love books that make me think, and this book definitely has made me think, and so yeah, I would say this is a favorite of mine.”
As then Sirius smiles so wide, so bright, that makes Remus feel his heart flutter, but no Sirius is dating the sunshine man, he has to get through that head of his.
“I expect notes on this one as well.”
“Of course.” Sirius says with a grin, as he then looks around,
“Do you know if you guys have any poetry books? My brother Regulus has been wanting a copy?”
Remus nods, and walks over to the section,
“Any specifics he wants?”
“A love poem one?”
Remus nods and points out his selection,
“Any you like?”
“You can’t really go wrong with Adrienne Rich.”
So Sirius grabs the book, and Remus walks back to the cash register, and scans the books, and then enters the discount, as Sirius counts up his money, and hands it to Sirius.
“Have a good night Sirius.” Remus says with a small smile, maybe he is expecting for that Prongs guy to enter,
“You as well Remus.” Sirius says as Remus watches him leave and shakes his head, he really wishes he wasn’t falling for a taken guy, but he has never felt more warm, more safe, more just of a mess who wanted Sirius to always look at him. But he has to ignore his own feelings, he’s done it plenty of times, and he can do it again.
***
Remus looks at his chocolate stash, and how it is running quite low, so he decides to head to Lily’s, he would grab his cane, but he is sure he will have to wait in line again, and waiting in lines, and his cane, makes things tricky, so he just leaves the cane. And sure enough, there is a huge line at the store, but he doesn’t mind, as he grabs the holiday exclusive chocolates first, then some regular chocolates, then the lollipops that Sirius had given him that first time. As he then breaks out into a big smile seeing Sirius behind the register, and then he thinks maybe he shouldn’t be looking at Sirius who is busy and again taken. Still, Sirius must notice Remus is looking, and his smile is so wide, and Remus feels his whole heart and soul jumping and feeling so warm, even if it is so cold outside. As he then starts to wait in line, when he feels himself get a little bit struggling, but it’s ok, he can manage, he can stand in line, like everyone else, he can do this, as then he notices one lady is annoyed and the wrapper isn’t showing what food dye is in the product, which is holding up the line, and Remus would be upset, but instead he is focusing on not falling, as he feels his body slowly losing his stepping, as he tries to focus on the image of seeing Sirius again, as he then steps a bit closer to the register, when he feels his stepping give out, and him about to fall, when before he can fall straight on his face, he feels some warm hands stop his body,
“I got you, you’re ok, I got you.”
As his eyes look up and see that it is Sirius, Sirius catches him midfall,
“Let’s get you to a chair, ok?” Sirius then says and Remus thinks he nods, but he isn’t sure, as then Sirius helps him to a chair, that is near the cash register. Then Sirius puts Remus’s chocolates near him,
“I will ring this up for you once I get through these people ok, but-,” Sirius hands him a Hershey's kisses, and if Remus wasn’t so focused on getting his head out of that dizzy headspace he is in, he would be feeling so red that Sirius gave him something, that he of course eats up, to help calm his head. As he then tries to focus on the lights up in the ceiling, taking a deep breath in and out, trying to focus on the beauty of them.
“Ok, let me first see if you hit your head,” Sirius says, as Remus looks back at him, a bit confused.
“I may have caught you, but still,” Sirius says, as he sees Sirius examine him, making him redder,
“Don’t want that pretty head to get damaged. Especially when I have a lot of notes to give him.”
Remus feels his cheeks redden because again Sirius said pretty head, but he might have been mistaken, again.
“I’m sorry for that, I hope I didn’t make everyone all upset-,” Remus suddenly says, and Sirius looks at him,
“If anyone got upset, I would personally kick them out, you can’t help your medical issues.”
“I don’t think Lily would appreciate an employee kicking out a customer.”
“Over her best friend? Oh yeah, she will do it herself, but no it’s all good. But ok, I do not see any cuts on your head. Now let’s see about getting you your sweets.” As Remus tries to stand up, as then he feels still dizzy, so Sirius with his hands puts Remus back down on the chair, making Remus feel so brightly red at the touch.
“You sit down mister, and let me get you your sweets,”
Sirius says, as Remus still feels his face red, as then Sirius scans the items, and does the discount that Lily must have shown him which one to do. As Sirius then offers his hands to Remus, and Remus looks at him again confused.
“You are in no shape to walk back to the bookstore by yourself with your sweets, so I am going to help you back.”
“But what about the store??”
“Lily will be stepping in soon anyway.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
So Remus grabs Sirius’s hands, feeling his face so red over the touch, as then Sirius slides his arms across Remus, to help stabilize Remus.
“Now thankfully I am smart, and made sure to put my notes in the bag.”
“Did you now?”
“Yep!” Sirius says with a grin. As Remus just smiles and feels his heart continuing to flutter at that grin, especially at Sirius helping him to the bookstore, why can’t his feelings just go away, or why can’t Sirius have some big red flag that Remus can’t look past, but instead Sirius is opening the door to the bookstore, and helping him to his seat. Then sets the bag of chocolates near his chair, then pulls out his notes on they both die at the end,
“And just so you know, I now have two other people helping me find your fanfiction handle.”
“You guys will fail. Not even Lily knows it.”
“Yeah well, three people looking for it is better than nothing Remus,” Sirius says with a grin, and Remus looks at the man, and he swears he just wishes he could always look at that pretty face, kiss that pretty face, and never not have it in his life, but he can’t, he can’t do it. As then Sirius’s phone rings, interrupting both boys from their stare,
“Prongs, I swear, this better be an emergency, or I will personally-,” Sirius starts, as Remus again needs to remember he is with this Prongs guy.
“What? Ok, yeah I can leave, ok, hey it’s going to be ok, he will be ok.” Sirius says as Remus looks at Sirius, who hangs up the phone,
“Everything ok?”
“Uhm, can we have a conversation about the book another time? My dad, uhm, he’s in the hospital.”
“Of course, I can shoot Lily a text to let her know.”
As Remus watches Sirius lower his shoulders, more relief,
“Thank you, thank you so much, Remus. I will be back to talk about the book I promise.”
Sirius says before he rushes out the store, and Remus looks at him leave, then looks at the long notes Sirius wrote out for this book, and smiles softly to himself, as he wants to read Sirus’s words, but not until they talk about it first, as that is just how they do things, but he does take a bite of chocolate, hoping Sirius and his dad is ok, he knows between the years, that either if it is for him, or one of his parents, a phone call saying a family member is in the hospital, is one of the most scary calls to get.
***
Then later close to the end of the night he then he hears the store’s phone ringing, so he goes to the phone, which is near his chair,
“You are talking to Howls at the books store, Remus Lupin talking, how may I help you tonight?”
“Remus hi! Wow, I feel like I know you so much with how much Sirius talks about you-,” as he then hears a laugh, then something hitting the mysterious caller, who knows Sirius,
“I am James! But anyway, Sirius is busy driving, but he just wants to know if you guys will be open in an hour? He knows it is late, but he really wants to see you again, as he forgot something.”
Remus blinks,
“But what about his dad?”
Remus says confused,
“Oh our dad is fine, our mum just was worried because it isn’t like him to be in pain, and turns out he pulled his leg walking, but doesn’t want us hovering over him.”
“Oh, you’re Regulus!”
As then Remus hears Sirius's loud laughter through the phone, and then he hears a third voice,
“Over my dead body.” Then hears the voice that has been talking to him,
“Oh come on, my Pyaara. I am not really that bad, am I?”
Leaving Remus even more confused, and if this guy hadn’t said Sirius, Remus would think it was a prank call.
“If you two kiss, I swear, I will personally wreck this car, but you’re still on the phone Prongs.”
Prongs? Remus thinks to himself. Is this some polyamorous thing??
“Oh right! So Remus?? Are you willing to let Sirius come in even though you guys will be closed in ten minutes??”
Remus nods, then remembers they can’t see that,
“Yeah, yeah I will be open.”
“Sweet! Thank you so much! Sirius thanks you too in fact-,”
“No, you are not-,” Sirius then says hanging up the phone, but not before Remus hears some laughter from the other end. Making Remus so confused, but he is not going to say anything about it. As he then waves bye to his employees, then takes another bite of chocolate, as he waits for Sirius, hoping that he isn’t being set up right now.
***
As he then hears the bell chime,
“Oh thank goodness you didn’t leave!” Sirius says,
“Nope, that James guy said you forgot something.”
“Yeah, about that-,” Sirius says and Remus looks at him, not sure what Sirius could have forgotten, but to be fair, he has been busy taking care of the store.
“Would you go out with me?” Sirius then blurts out, as Remus blinks, confused,
“Like hang out?”
“No, uhm, a date, I also wrote it on the notes, but then I thought that was tacky, as you deserve someone to ask you this, but then the stuff with Fleamont, and-,”
Sirius says rambling a bit.
“But what about that Prongs guy?”
“Prongs? Oh, James??”
“Yeah him, the one who picked you up at the sweet store that one night.”
Sirius starts laughing, making Remus more confused, and starting to get a little bit upset, he doesn’t like to be mocked at.
“James is dating Regulus, my brother, and James is also like a brother to me. In fact, Fleamont is his dad, but he loves me and Regulus like his own sons, it’s actually sweet of them, but oh, Remus, I’ve had a crush on you since you walked into the sweet store, looking like a tall, handsome, lean professor.”
Remus blinks,
“Me?”
“Yes, you! Why do you think I came over with the sweets?”
“Lily told you to??”
Sirius shakes his head and goes to Remus,
“I volunteered.”
“Oh. But then why didn’t you ask me?”
“Because well you are you, you are so hot, and well I had to also make sure you liked men, but it wasn’t until I read the book that I knew you had to be, but wait you haven’t said yes, what if-,”
“Yes Sirius, Yes, I would love to go out with you.”
“Really?”
Remus nods, feeling his heart jump that Sirius has had a crush on him since the moment they met, it wasn’t just him, and Sirius is single too, he isn’t dating the sunshine James guy, who is actually like his brother.
“Yes, yes I would.”
As Remus is feeling brave and kisses Sirius who kisses back.
“Been also wanting to do that for so long.”
Remus mumbles,
“Me too.”
Sirius says with a small smile,
“And this means a whole date where I will get your handle.”
“Nope. You will never get it.”
“Oh come on!!”