Chapter 1
“We’ve decided where we’re having our wedding.”
James is standing in his kitchen where all his friends are gathered for their weekly dinner. He has one arm proudly tucked around Lily’s waist as she beams up at him.
At his announcement, cheers rise up from around the kitchen table where Remus, Sirius, Peter, Mary, and Marlene sit, each cradling a butterbeer in their hands. James and Lily have only been engaged for two months, but the whole group is looking forward to the big day like it’s a celebration for all of them. And really, it is. Who would James and Lily be without their friends?
“Well,” coaxes Sirius, reaching a hand out to lightly punch James on the arm. “Give it up, Prongs. Where’s it going to be? South of France? Australia? The Caribbean?”
“Your backyard?” Peter cuts in hopefully. He’s never been one for travel.
“I hope it’s somewhere posh,” Mary adds.
Lily rolls her eyes fondly as she tucks a curling lock of red hair behind her ear. “I think it’s somewhere everyone can enjoy,” she says with confidence and a cheeky smile..
“Yep,” James agrees. He gestures towards his friends seated at the table. “Drumroll, please, lads.”
Never one to resist James’ requests, Remus begins drumming his fingers against the kitchen table. His drumroll suddenly begins to echo, and he turns his head to see Sirius has joined in, grinning over at him from his left side.
As their drumroll reaches a crescendo, James lifts his glass and loudly proclaims, “We’re getting married in…Cornwall!”
In the excitement, Sirius takes it upon himself to shoot some sparks out of his wand and into the air and Remus bangs his glass against the table. Mary sits back slightly in her chair, clearly a bit disappointed. Marlene just takes another sip of her tea, calmly watching the group around her.
Lily smiles coyly, looking each friend in the eye as the adds to James’ announcement.. “We’re not just going anywhere in Cornwall, though. The wedding will be at The Eminence.”
“YEAH!” Sirius yells. The rest of the group just glances at each other.
“Are we supposed to know what that is?” asks Marlene.
James shakes his head. “No, but we’ll tell you.” He leans in conspiratorially as he sits back into his chair at the head of the table, pulling Lily into his lap. “The Eminence is all-inclusive hotel right on the sea.”
“All-inclusive means everything’s included with the room price. Food, drinks, activities, you name it,” Peter supplies helpfully.
Sirius, never one to give Peter a moment’s peace, speaks up. “Thanks for that, Pete, I thought it meant nothing was included,” His attitude earns a jab in the ribs from Remus, but James merely nods at Peter encouragingly. Remus thinks it’s no wonder that Peter has always felt closer to James than he has to the rest of them.
“That’s right Pete! Ladies and Gentlemen…we’ll be spending three days and three nights with the sea breeze in our hair, endless food in our bellies, and drinks in our hands. There’s a pool with a lazy river, and the hotel has its own private beach. Plus the rooms are wicked; they have couches, TVs, hot tubs, and balconies with ocean views.”
“And most importantly…” Lily adds.
“Most importantly?” James asks, looking at her with a confused exrpression.
Lily just sighs, wrapping an arm around his neck. “Most importantly James and I will get married right on the beach.”
“Oh yeah,” James says sheepishly. “And then…we’ll throw an unforgettable party.”
The group starts cheering yet again. Sirius leans over the table to clap James on the shoulder. “Well done, mate. Good choice. And good choice in brides, too.” He supplies Lily with a quick wink.
Remus can’t help feeling excited. His life experience with travel has been limited, especially given his pre-existing monthly commitment determined by the lunar cycle. Cornwall isn’t too far away, but it’s far enough to be an adventure. Honestly, he’s glad to know he won’t be crossing any oceans anytime soon. He shudders to imagine what could happen if he got stuck in another country during a full moon.
“The wedding is in two months, I’ll remind you, so you should book your rooms sooner rather than later,” Lily instructs, always one for practicality. “There might be limited availability given it’s during the summer holidays and all. And the sooner you book, the better rate you’ll probably get.”
The balloon of excitement in Remus’ chest deflates slightly. He’s never been to an all-inclusive hotel, but he imagines it can’t be cheap to pay for lodging, food, and drinks all at once. Not to mention doing so at a hotel that boasts a private beach. His job at the London Wizarding Library provides him with steady work, but it doesn’t exactly supply a huge paycheck.
Before his mind can go too far down a panic spiral, Remus feels a hand on his shoulder. It’s warm and reassuring. Sirius’ hand, then.
“Moony and I’ll bunk together,” Sirius announces easily.
Remus turns to him in surprise. This wasn’t anything they’d talked about. “What -”
Sirius gives him one of his signature winks. “It’ll be fun. Like the old days! Haven’t you missed having me as a roommate?”
Something in Remus’ stomach turns over. “We live together now,” he protests. “In this house.” He gestures to the walls of the cottage around them, the house that the Marauders had made their home since leaving Hogwarts two years prior.
Sirius waves Remus’ hand away. “Yeah, but we don’t share a room. You know what I mean.”
“I’ll get my own room,” Peter declares. “Seven years with you lot was enough for me.”
“We wouldn’t want your snoring interrupting our beauty sleep anyway,” Sirius retorts, sticking his tongue out at him. For a brief moment Remus muses that Sirius and Peter would kill each other if they had to bunk together now.
He lowers his voice as he speaks only to Sirius. “Are you sure?” Remus asks. He imagines Sirius Black, who is used to finery and opulence, would want his own room at the posh beach hotel.
SIrius shrugs. “Figure it’s more cost-efficient this way.”
That’s not really an answer, but Remus takes it anyway. “We’ll split the cost, of course,” he says
“Yeah, Sirius agrees. “I’ll pay for the room, you pay for food and drinks.”
“Deal,” Remus says. Then Sirius’ trap dawns on him. “Wait - but food and drinks are included.”
“Oh well,” Sirius says nonchalantly. “Too late!”
Remus starts to protest, but Sirius nudges him with his shoulder. “Don’t worry about it, you know I’m good for it.”
Remus does know this, but knowing his best friend is rich doesn’t make it any easier to accept monetary favors from him. Sirius already pays significantly more in rent, claiming he deserves to since his bedroom is slightly bigger than the others and outfitted with its own en-suite bathroom. Remus knew better than to argue, though - when it came to money, what Sirius wants, Sirius gets. Remus will just have to accept the gift and look out for other ways he can return the favor in the meantime.
“Thanks, Sirius,” he says kindly, offering him a warm smile.
The group begins chattering talking excitedly about the wedding - what Lily’s dress will look like (“That’s a secret, James can’t have any hints!”), who will be attending (just the group at the table since James’ parents have passed and Lily’s family wants nothing to do with the magical world), who will drink the most (Remus suspects Sirius and Sirius suspects Peter).
As they talk, Remus sips Butterbeer quietly, looking forward to a few days of sunshine and celebration with his closest friends.
3 months later
Remus wakes to the sound of something large and heavy being dragged across the hallway floor. He pulls himself out of bed and pokes his head into the hallway to find the source of the commotion.
In the middle of the landing sits Sirius’ old Hogwarts trunk, looking exactly as it did when Remus last saw it two years ago - dented, scuffed, and scorched from Sirius’ self-removal of the Black family crest.
Sirius stands across the hallway, framed in his bedroom doorway. He holds his wand in front of him as clothing items fly from his wardrobe and fold themselves neatly into the trunk. Remus watches as a snorkel and goggles fly through the air.
“Are you planning on vacationing for an entire year?” he asks Sirius, raising a quizzical eyebrow at the large trunk.
“Nah,” Sirius responds, not taking his eyes off of his wand work. “Just thought we could share a trunk and make it a little easier to transport via portkey.”
Remus glances at his watch. It’s 7am. “We leave in three hours,Sirius,” he says.. “I packed three days ago.”
Sometimes Remus thinks he and Sirius are exactly the same; in their music tastes, their fierce sense of loyalty, and their sense of humour. But in some ways, they’re complete opposites, especially when it comes to planning and preparing. Where Remus is ritual, Sirius is spontaneous. Sirius constantly rebels against his stifling upbringing by living life offhandedly, doing whatever he wants at any moment. As a werewolf, Remus doesn’t have that luxury. He has to diligently think through plans and make contingencies, no matter what.
In their friendship,. Remus is the anchor and Sirius is the wave. Both are needed to keep the boat afloat. But with his next sentence, a classic Sirius wave rocks the boat.
“Plus I was thinking we should stay a few extra days,” Sirius says casually.
“A few extra days?” Remus asks. He’d only planned for three days, and certainly only packed for three.
“Yeah!” Sirius says excitedly. “James and Lily are staying on for their honeymoon, and I thought we could stay on too. We won’t bother them, obviously, unless they want us to. But we can just take a few extra days there and enjoy ourselves.”
Somehow Remus knows Sirius hasn’t really thought this through. “What about work?” he asks..
Sirius raises a lazy hand in the air. “I know you’ve been using all of your time off for full moons, but I think you should take an actual holiday for once..”
Remus pauses for a moment, chewing the idea over in his head. He does have extra holiday time, and he has to admit that the idea of spending a few extra days lounging by the sea with his best friend does sound rather nice.
“How long are you thinking?” he questions, attempting an air of indifference.
The look on Sirius’ face makes it obvious that Remus is failing.. “Maybe two extra days?” Sirius implores. His question is paired with Sirius’ most conniving grin. .After 10 years of friendship, the smile should have no effect on Remus, but somehow it still charms him.
Remus pretends to mull it over for longer, then finally acquiesces. “Okay, we can stay two more days. But only two!”
“Yes!” Sirius crosses the threshold and pulls Remus into a fierce hug. He steps back, hands still settled on Remus’ arms. It’ll be like our own honeymoon,” he says. “A mini-moon.” His eyes suddenly widen. “A Moony-moon.”
“Oh piss off,” Remus says, shrugging Sirius’ arms off of him. But he finds he doesn’t really mean it. Something warm is moving into his gut at the idea of the two of them spending quality time together in a special way…Remus shakes his head to clear his mind of the thought.
“I guess I’d better pack a few more things,” he says with a fake resigned sigh. He turns back into his room to start transferring everything into Sirius’ trunk.
–
The sun is bright and warm when Sirius and Remus arrive at the hotel later that afternoon. The staff in the lobby greets them with champagne flutes. Remus allows Sirius to enjoy both of theirs while he takes Sirius’ credit card and handles the check-in process. He’s not confident that Sirius could handle the muggle process without making a complete fool of them both. The bellhop eyes Sirius’ trunk suspiciously, but wheels it up to their room without a word. Remus tips him in muggle money, narrowly preventing Sirius from handing him a galleon as the bellhop leaves the room.
The room is spacious and modern, natural light pouring in from the wall-to-wall sliding doors that separate the room from a private balcony. A shiny marble bathroom stands next to the room’s front door, and a step down from the entryway leads to the bedroom area of the room. Another step down reveals a sitting area, where a white leather couch sits a few feet away from a curtained bathtub that’s framed against glass windows.
Remus immediately walks over to the sliding doors and slides them open, stepping out onto the balcony. It’s cozy, with wooden plank floors extending into walls on either side, separating their balcony completely from neighboring rooms. The space holds a lounge sofa facing the sea, currently drenched with sunlight.
Remus takes a deep breath of the salt air, letting it fill his lungs as the sun warms his skin. Feeling buoyed, he steps back inside.
“This place is wicked,” he says. “Did you see the view?” His eyes roam across the room until they find Sirius, who is starfished face-down across the bed. The only bed in the room, Remus realizes.
“Uh,” Remus says without any eloquence. “Is there only one bed?”
“You’ve gotta try it,” Sirius responds, words muffled by the fluffy pillow his face is laying on. “It's heavenly.”
Remus moves across the room, stepping up into the bedroom area.
“I thought you’d get us a two-bed suite,” he confesses.
Sirius rolls over, turning to face Remus with a sheepish look on his face. “Yeah, about that. Do you remember three months ago when Lily told us to book our rooms?”
“Yeah?” Remus raises a skeptical eyebrow.
“Well, I sort of didn’t do it until last week.” Sirius raises a hand to push some of his dark hair out of his face. “So this is the only room they had left.”
Remus rolls his eyes. “Why am I not surprised,” he mutters. He looks back across the room towards the sitting area. “Guess I’m taking the couch.”
Sirius sitst up. “What? No, Moony! It’s fine. We can share, the bed is big enough.”
He has a point. It’s clearly a king-sized bed, holding at least a half dozen puffy pillows against its golden bed frame. And it does look a lot more comfortable than the leather couch. “Are you sure?” he asks.
“Try it out,” Sirius prods. “It’d be a crime if I didn’t share, honestly. It’s divine.” He reaches across the bed and grasps Remus’ wrist, giving it a gentle pull.
Remus follows Sirius down, laying on his back and looking up at the crisp, white ceiling. It is pretty luxurious. He closes his eyes and lets the softness envelope him. “I concede,” he says.
“Alright,” Sirius agrees, leaping off the bed and slapping his hands together. “Now that that’s settled…it’s pool time.”
“You literally just got me to lay down,” Remus argues. “All I want now is a kip. You may recall I was woken at the crack of dawn by a packing procrastinator.”
Sirius snorts. “Not happening, Moony. It’s time to seize the day and all that!” He grabs Remus by the hands and tugs.
Remus groans, but lets himself be pulled into a sitting position. He watches as SIrius pulls out his wand and directs it at his trunk. It springs open, and clothes start soaring out of it and filing into the room’s wardrobe. As clothes fly past, Sirius snatches a pair of bright green swim trunks from the air. As Remus continues to watch, Sirius unabashedly tugs off his pants in the middle of the room without a shred of reservation.
“Sirius!” Remus yells as Sirius’ bareass cheeks come into view. “You could warn a lad.”
SIrius at least has the decency not to turn around and give Remus even more of an eyeful, but he flashes Remus a cheeky grin over his shoulder . “Oh, come on, don’t be a prude. Nothing you haven’t seen before, anyway.”
Sirius isn’t wrong. After spending seven years sharing a bedroom together, there are few physical secrets kept between any of the marauders. Unfortunately Remus could probably describe each of his friend’s knobs if he was forced to with a wand to his head.
“Doesn’t mean I need a repeat showing,” he mumbles. Although now that he’s comparing, he doesn’t remember Sirius’ arse looking quite so round when he’d last seen it. He supposes Sirius had put on some more muscle since their teenage days, so it really shouldn’t be all that surprising.
Rather than thinking more about his best friends behind, Remus busies himself pulling out his own swim trunks. He, however, choses to move into the bathroom to change.
When he reappears, he finds SIrius frowning down at himself. “Hey Moony,” he says, “What do we do with our wands while we’re in the pool?”
Remus knows better than to suggest that they just leave their wands behind. That’s not something either of them would be comfortable with. “Put it in your pocket?” he suggests.
SIrius gallantly attempts to stick his wand into his pocket. His bright green shorts only fall a quarter of the way down his thighs, however, and his wand sticks out of the shallow pockets by at least half a foot.
“S’not gonna work,” he announces obviously.
Remus rolled his eyes. “Maybe if you wore properly decent shorts,” he counters.
Sirius grins at him, shaking his hips a little from side to side.”And keep these thighs hidden from the world? That’d be a crime.”
Remus glances down at the aforementioned thighs. He has to admit they do look quite good against the contrast of the shorts..The bright green color nicely offsets Sirius’ pale skin, and the snug fit emphasizes the muscle in his quads. If Remus’ thighs looked that good, he’d probably show them off, too.
“Give your wand over here,” Remus orders. “I’ll hold it.” Sirius complies, handing his wand to Remus. Remus places it in his right pocket, in his shorts that go down to his knees, with plenty of room in the pockets. Sirius’ wand clunks gently against his own.
–
When they arrive at the pool, they find their friends already gathered together. James, Lily, and Marlene are spread out in lounge chairs at the pools edge, which has chairs surrounding the perimeter.. The pool is clear and blue, with a waterfall edge facing the sea, giving the appearance that one could swim right into the ocean. In the middle of the pool sits a bar area, where several swimmers are already standing and enjoying drinks which are adorned with small umbrellas. Behind the pool chairs there’s a row of canopied beds, intermingled with hammocks that swing in the breeze. Remus observes Peter curled up in one behind the rest of the group, snoring away in the sunshine.
“This is wicked!” Sirius crows. His loud enthusiasm startles Pete out of his slumber.
James immediately stands, moving to Sirius’ side. “You made it!” he cheered. He immediately envelops Remus and Serius in a group hug. Remus can smell the sticky scent of sunscreen as they embrace.
“Thought about skipping out,” Remus jokes, “But I suppose the most important day of your life might be worth attending.”
James reaches out and ruffles Remus’ hair fondly. “Tosser,” he scoffs.
Lily walks up behind James, placing a hand on his shoulder. She’s clad in a white one-piece swimsuit, a fitting outfit for the bridal occasion.
“Hi lads,” she says. “Welcome to paradise. Well, as close as you can get in England anyway.”
“It’s paradise just to be with you, Lily dear,” Sirius remarks with an exaggerated bow. This earns him a shove from James.
Once he’s righted himself, Sirius clasps his hands together accidentally. “So what’s the agenda?”
“Well,” Lily answers, “This afternoon is free and tonight will be the Hen Night, and the Stag Party. But we’re keeping them tame so we can all be alive and alert for tomorrow’s ceremony rehearsal.” She gave Sirius a stern look.
Sirius widens his eyes innocently. “You know we already had James’ stag party,” he counters.
Marlene pipes up from the chair behind them. “The full moon doesn’t count as a stag party just because one of you is a deer.”
Remus agrees. Full moons are definitely not a party for him, anyway.
Sirius shrugs. “Fine, we’ll have another celebration then, twist my arm.”
Remus brings a hand up to shield his eyes from the sun as he peers around at Marlene. “What will you ladies be up to?” he asks
Mary twirls her hair between her fingers. “The hotel actually has a show tonight, so we’ll have dinner and then we’ll go enjoy the show”
“What kind of show?” Sirius asks, narrowing his eyes at her. “A strip show?”
Lily blushes so hard that her cheeks match her hair. “That, is for us to know and you to not find out,” she says haughtily.
“Prongs, are you gonna tolerate this?” Sirius chirps back, glancing over at his best friend in exasperation.
James just smiles a warm smile and tucks an arm around Lily’s waist. “It’s her last night of freedom. She can do whatever she wants.”
“In that case…Lily, feel free to join Remus and I in our room tonight-” Sirius begins before James shoves him in the chest to silence him.
“Anything but that,” James corrects.
Sirius pretended to rub his wounded chest. “Guess we’ll try our luck elsewhere.” He glances around the group. “Where’s Mary, anyway?”
“Getting drinks,” Marlene responds. She nods towards the in-pool bar, where Remus sees Mary sat on one of the barstools, talking to a sandy-haired boy next to her. She’s leaned in closely, and Remus catches her tucking her hair behind her ears and laughing at her companion. It’s a flirting tactic he’s seen Mary employ more than a few times in pubs around London.
“Might be a while,” Sirius observes.
Marlene lifts her sunglasses onto her forehead and peers over towards Mary, surveying the situation. “Crap,” she says. “I really wanted that tequila sunrise.”
“No worries,” says Sirius. “Remus and I will get the drinks, right Moony?”
Remus nods. The hot sun is starting to make him sweat, and the glistening pool water suddenly looks very appetizing. As Remus kicks off his sandals, Sirius peels off his shirt, throwing it onto one of the lounge chairs. Instinctively, Remus feels in his pockets for the wands, which are both still safely tucked away.
Remus keeps his own t-shirt on, as he always does, forever cognizant of keeping his scars hidden away from prying eyes. He walks over to the side of the pool and gingerly dips a foot into the water to test the temperature. Seconds later, his efforts are proved useless when Sirius runs past him and leaps into the pool with a giant cannonball, splashing Remus from head to toe.
When Sirius pops out of the water, Remus glares at him. “Thanks for that,” a wet Remus says very dryly.
SIrius just gives him a brilliant smile. “I knew it’d take you ages to get in on your own. But since you’re all wet now, you might as well just jump in.”
Sometimes Remus hates how well Sirius knows him. Remus probably would have gone into the pool one step at a time, but of course Sirius wasn’t patient enough for that process. So Remus gives in and dunks himself under the water in one swift movement. He takes a moment to grab at Sirius’ ankle while he’s under, just for a little bit of payback.
When he rises, Remus finds he can easily stand with his head and shoulders above the surface. Sirius, however, is working to keep his chin above water.
“Let’s get drinks before you drown,” Remus teases, earning himself a scathing look from Sirius.
He leads the way in the direction of both shallower water and the bar. As they approach the bar, he turns around to make sure Sirius is still with him, and finds him so close behind him that Sirius collides directly into his side.
“Is that our wands in your pocket or are you happy to see me?” Sirius asks him with a sly grin.
Remus glances down for a second, then shoves Sirius lightly. “It’s about to be my wand hexing you,” he retorts. His joke is rewarded with a bright laugh from Sirius. The skin around his eyes crinkle up, and Remus tears his own eyes away.
They pair elbows their way to the bar top where Sirius immediately engages a bartender and starts placing drink orders for their friends. Remus steps back, intending to greet Mary, but observing her in liplock with the sandy-haired stranger, decides now isn’t the time. He turns his attention back to Sirius, who is leaning over the bartop and chatting animatedly with the bartender.
Remus is well-acquainted with the look on Sirius’ face. The unsuspecting bartender is currently experiencing the full weight of Sirius’ charming flirting face. Remus watches as she flushes a bright red and tucked her hair behind her ear, laughing at something Sirius says. When she turns away to make the drinks, Remus lifts an eyebrow at his friend.
“Really?” he asks.
“Really what?” Sirius responds, staring at Remus with a look of genuine confusion. Remus just shakes his head in response.
The problem is that Sirius is a huge flirt. So huge, in fact, that he often doesn’t know he’s flirting. Sirius Black and flirting are like an owl and flying. An owl can’t function without its wings, and Sirius can’t function without batted eyelashes and lingering touches. It’s important to know this so one doesn’t make the mistake of thinking Sirius’ flirting meant anything more than him just flapping his wings. Even Remus has misinterpreted it once or twice.
When the bartender comes back with the drinks, Sirius parts with a cheeky wink that leaves her completely flushed. Remus grabs half the drinks in his hands and the pair heads out of the pool, back towards their friends.
Once they pass the drinks out, Marlene raises her cup high in the air. “Cheers,” she says, “To James and Lily. For being the most sickening couple I know, and for picking one heck of a wedding location.”
The whole group raises their drinks in cheers, liquid dripping over the edges of their cups as they clink together.
Remus sips his drink, a ginger beer, and pulls at his shirt, which is beginning to settle uncomfortably on his skin. He shakes one of his arms out next to him, hating the way the wet clothing clings to him and wishing he could cast a quick drying charm.
Sirius catches his motion and furrows his eyebrows, contemplating Remus for a moment.
“Hey Moony,” he says, “Join me in the bathroom?”
“Erm, why?”
“Just trust me,” Sirius says, pulling lightly on one of Remus’ wet sleeves.
Remus does trust Sirius, always has and always will. So he follows Sirius into the nearby bathroom, bare feet gripping to the cool tile floor as the door closes behind them.
“Hand me my wand?” Sirius asks once they’re inside.He moves to lock the single-stall bathroom door behind them, preventing any danger of someone catching them wands-out.
Remus reaches into his pocket and pulls out both wands, first muttering a drying spell over Sirius’ wand before passing it to him.
“Now take off your shirt,” Sirius commands..
Remus raises an eyebrow at him. “Come again?”
Sirius rolls his eyes. “Come on, off with it.” He snaps his fingers impatiently.
It’s a sign of ultimate trust that Remus follows orders, that he ever let Sirius see his scars at all. While he hides his scars from the world, he never has to hide them with Sirius - Sirius has seen him at his worst, and stuck with him regardless.
So Remus peels the wet shirt off from his waist up. When it gets stuck around his head, he feels Sirius’ hands come up to help him pull it off. Once clear of it, Sirius rolls the shirt into a ball and throws it into the sink.
“Now stand still,” Sirius says. He points his wand at Remus and moves in close. Sirius starts muttering under his breath, and Remus can tell the moment his magic starts working. After so many years, Remus is familiar with Sirius’ magic, the way it sends a warm buzz through his skin whenever Sirius patches him up after a full moon. But this spell feels slightly different, sharper.
He looks down to observe Sirius’ ministrations. His wand is tracing over one of Remus scars, which glows faintly before…disappearing entirely.
“A glamour spell?” Remus asks, awed. “When did you learn this?”
Sirius shrugs a shoulder. “You know, back home. It came in handy when my parents came in…a little too handy, if you know what I mean.” He aims for jest, but the way he avoids Remus’ eye contact betrays his true feelings.
“I’m sorry,” Remus says. “That you ever had to hide anything.”
Sirius just nods, clearly not wanting to elaborate.
“Is this - is this okay, Moons? You know I don’t mind your scars, I think they’re badass. I just wanted to make you more comfortable. But if it’s weird for you to hide them…” Now his eyes meet Remus’, grey irises large and imploring.
“No,” Remus responds. “It’s fine. I’ve never been able to swim shirtless before. It’ll be neat”
Sirius gives him a small smile. “Good, then.” His wand moves to the next scar.
The pair remains silent as Sirius continues his work, and Remus takes the time to study his friend. Sirius’ lips are pursed in concentration, his tongue just barely poking out from between them. His black curls, now damp, fall into his eyes, and Sirius occasionally brushes them away, only for them to fall back into his eyeline a few moments later.
Remus suddenly finds himself reaching a hand out and pulling the dangling curls away from Sirius’ face. Sirius looks up at him, mouth parted in surprise, and their eyes meet.
“Thanks,” Sirius says with a small smile. His face is level with Remus’ chest, and Remus can feel his warm breath on his own pool-cooled skin. He feels something in his stomach tighten.
Oh no, he thinks, suddenly dizzy. He wants to drop the hand in Sirius’ hair, but it’s too late now. Instead he stands frozen, silently willing Sirius to work faster and move away. He’s rewarded a minute later when Sirius finally backs away, moving a few steps back to admire his handiwork.
“That should do it,” he says, pleased.
Remus moves to stand in front of the mirror, stating back at the figure in front of him. The reflection is Remus, but it also isn’t Remus. It’s Remus without years of battle scars, which have accumulated month over month. Without his biggest insecurity on full display. But the reflection is also Remus without his bravest markers, looking soft and untainted by the world. Remus is surprised to find himself glad that the glamour is only temporary.
He attempted to speak, but his throat has gone dry. He clears it, then says, “I’m going to need sunscreen. This skin hasn’t seen the sun in years.”
The group spends the rest of the afternoon in and out of the pool, alternating between laying on the lounge chairs to absorb the sun, and dipping into the pool when the sun gets too hot. Remus even gets to have his kip in one of the hammocks, until James and Sirius lift him up and throw him bodily into the pool.
The group parts ways before sundown, heading back to their respective rooms to change before meeting up for the hen and stag parties that evening. When Sirius and Remus enter theirs, Sirius immediately saunters into the bathroom and turns on the shower.
While he does, Remus sits himself on the couch, shivering from the combination of air-con and wet swim shorts. He pulls out his wand to cast a quick warming charm before his teeth start chattering..
Suddenly, he’s startled by a loud thud behind him. He turns quickly to see Sirius’ face pressed up against glass, with his tongue stuck out at Remus.
In that moment, Remus noticed that the glass of the shower is completely see-through to the rest of the hotel room, and Sirius’ face isn’t all that Remus can see.
“What the hell, Pads!” he yells, turning away again. He can feel a warm flush starting across his cheeks. “The shower is see-through!”
“Yeah I just noticed that!” Sirius calls back. “I guess maybe this room is really meant for couples. But, you know…we are on our Moony-moon.” Remus can practically hear him wiggling his eyebrows.
Remus’ stomach flips uncomfortably again. “Right,” he manages with a laugh.
“You might as well join me!” Sirius yells out. “I know you’re shivering out there.”
Remus’ stomach turns over. Something tells him this is a bad idea. He’s already been feeling…weird..about Sirius today. That moment in the bathroom had left him feeling off, and surely showering together would only make it worse.
But his eyes flick back to the entirely see-through shower and he has to admit he’s seeing everything anyway. And the warming charm he’d cast is already starting to wear off, leaving him chilled yet again.
“Stop overthinking it and just come in, Moons!” Sirius called, voice muffled by the running water.
Before realizing what he’s doing, Remus pads over to the bathroom and removes his shorts. He slides the shower door open to reveal Sirius standing with shampoo lathered in his hair.
“Welcome,” Sirius greets. “Plenty of room for two.” He gestures to a second shower head set across the wall from him.
Remus slips in quietly, moving immediately to the second shower head and keeping as much distance between himself and Sirius as possible. He stands facing the shower head, letting the warm water run over his chilled skin, warming him from outside in.
Sirius’ voice behind him breaks his reverie. “Shampoo?” he asks, and Remus turns around to see him holding out the bottle.
As he reaches for the shampoo clutched in Sirius’ hand, Remus wills himself to keep his eyes firmly above Sirius’ chest. Somehow this only calls his attention to the rivulets of water falling from Sirius’ curls onto his shoulders.
As Remus grapes the shampoo bottle, Sirius turns back around and Remus’ eyes instinctively drop to his arse.
Immediately, Remus feels a familiar tug below his navel. One which is usually reserved for quiet times alone with a dirty muggle book, or the occasional night spent with a wolf from another pack.
He whirls around quickly, facing the shower head and breathing deeply, willing his body to just calm down. You’re just in the shower with your best mate, he tells himself, there’s nothing to get excited about.
He shampoos slowly, taking the time to ensure his pulse and body have completely calmed before he turns around to rinse out his hair. He found Sirius averting his eyes in the other direction and extending an arm for the soap bottle.
“Here, Moons,” Sirius says, not making eye contact as he holds the bottle out towards him. “I’m done in here, but I’ll leave a towel out for you.”
Remus is silent as he watches Sirius leave the shower, a dark figure in the corner of his eye. Once he’s gone, Remus lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. At the realization, he bangs his head against the wall for good measure, forgetting that it’s see-through.
“You alright Moony?” Sirius calls from the bedroom.
“Yeah,” Remus yells back, voice only slightly strained. “Never better.”
–
The Marauders meet at one of the hotel’s four restaurants for dinner. Their choice tonight features a menu full of fancy Italian cuisine. Remus is again quite grateful that the hotel is all-inclusive - he does not want to watch his three pureblood friends try to figure out splitting a muggle check.
Since everything was included, the group does not hold back on ordering. Between them, they enjoy bread, pasta, calamari, and several desserts while they laugh and swap old stories from school.
As they finish the last dessert, Sirius holds out a fork with a piece of chocolate cake sitting atop of it. “Last bite’s for you, Moony,” he says.
“I can’t,” Remus refuses. “I’m way too full. I think that last cannoli did me in.”
“But you love chocolate,” SIrius pouts, danging the fork across the table. Remus tries to resist, he really does.
But then Sirius says, “Open wide,” and Remus’ mouth is suddenly opening on its own accord.
The fork slips between his lips, where Sirius is gently guiding it into Remus’ mouth.
As he pulls the fork away, Sirius’ eyes sparkle. “Good wolf,” he says quietly..
It’s an old joke that Remus hasn’tt heard in years. It’s an echo of Remus saying “Good boy” when Sirius would earn points for Gryffindor, and Sirius calling Remus “Good wolf” when he pretended to care about Quidditch. He doesn’t remember the endearment making his heart pick up pace before, though, the way it is now.
Remus swallows the cake, letting the chocolatey deliciousness overwhelm his senses as he pushes Sirius’ hand away.
As Peter reaches for another glass of wine, Sirius speaks up with a wicked glint in his eye. “Well, lads. What do you say we take this party elsewhere?”
–
The Marauders are alone on the beach. They’d climbed over a grouping of rocks, tripping in the night darkness until they’d reached a secluded area of sand, hidden by tall boulders and tucked out of eyesight from any passerby.
“Now it’s time for the REAL stag party,” Sirius announces, flinging his arms out triumphantly.
Peter fidgets nervously. “What does that mean?”he asks, eyes darting between them all.
“Well lads,” Sirius says, pausing for dramatic effect. “What’s a stag party without a stag?”
Peter blinks at him, squinting in the dark. “You want us to change? Out here?”
“No one can see us!” Sirius responds, gesturing to the rock walls around them. “We’re entirely hidden.” He turns to James conspiratorially. “Are you up for it Prongs?”
James doesn’t answer, placing his hand on his chin like he’s taking his time to mull it over. One moment he’s standing there, and the next second a great big stag is standing in his place, pawing the sand in excitement.
“Merlin,” Peter curses, peering around nervously. “This is a terrible idea.”
“Oh lighten up, Wormtail. It’s Prong’s last night of freedom! The least we can do for him is give him a frolic on the beach as our true selves.”
“That’s easy for you to say when your true self isn’t a rat,” Peter retorts.
Remus can’t help but laugh, which draws his friend’s attention to him.
“But what about Moons?” Peter asks, looking at him guiltily. “He can’t change.”
Remus shrugs, giving Peter a warm smile. As much as he enjoys full moons with his friends, he’s happy to skip the painful transformation that accompanies them. “I’ll just watch you all.” He attempts to shoo them away with his hands. “Go on, have fun.”
But Sirius isn’t having it. “Nah, Moony. You can’t miss out - You can ride on Prongs tonight.”
Remus looks over at Prongs, whose antlers are glowing white in the moonlight. The stag bows its head low, like it was inviting him to climb aboard.
“I can’t ride James! I’ll crush him!” Remus argues.
Sirius scoffed. “You’re 150 pounds soaking wet. Prongs can take it, and if not… he’ll just buck you off!”
Remus hesitates, but when the stag starts lightly prodding him with his antlers, he knows he’s doesn’t really have a choice.
“I’ll help you climb on,” Sirius says. He lowers himself, setting one knee on the ground and crossing his hands over each other, palm-up, on top of his other bent knee. “Step into my hands and I’ll lift you.”
Remus approaches the stag, double-checking that James isn’t showing any reluctance. He places a hand on the deer’s back, and one foot on Sirius’ open hands. As he does so, Sirius raises his hands, and Remus throws his other leg over the stag’s back.
As he tugs himself over, Sirius’ hands move to Sirius’ waist, and Remus feels the heat of them scorching through his shirt.
“All good, Moons?” Sirius asks. Remus looks down at him. In the night sky, Sirius’ eyes shine more than usual, like an echo of the stars he was named after. From this angle Remus can see the sharp descent of Sirius’ nose, and the thickness of his eyelashes shadowed in dark.
Remus swallows. “All good.”
Sirius’ hands slip from Remus’ waist, and Remus feels the cold loss of them.
“Let’s go lads!” Sirius yells. He and Peter both transform, Peter scampering onto Sirius’ back, and all three creatures take off at a run.
As Prongs gallops, Remus feels wild and free in the cool summer air. Droplets of water splash up at him as James wades through the shallow water. Remus holds on for as long as he can, relishing in the strength of the stag below him and the strength of the friendships around him.
On Remus’ right, there’s Padfoot, keeping up with James like he always does. Two brothers, side by side. And Remus supported by both of them, as he always is. And Wormtai is there, too, just keeping up with the rest of them as best he can as he always does. Remus’ heart swells.
After a while, Remus begs to disembark, thigh muscles burning from keeping astride Prongs. He rests on the sand, leaning back on his hands and watching his friends continue to frolic in the moonlight.
Eventually, each of them come back to him one by one, transforming and settling at his sides. Pater arrives first, then Sirius. James transforms back last, flopping onto their pile like a hot dog on a bun. He lays across his friends with his feet in Pete’s lap, legs in Remus’, and head in Sirius’.
The group is silent for a while, with nothing but the sounds of the waves crashing around them drowning out their exhausted panting.
“You lot are my best friends in the entire world,” James says, eyes glassy behind his frames.
–
Remus and Sirius enter their room quietly, limbs aching from exhaustion after a day in the sun and a night under the stars.
“I”m going to sleep like the dead tonight,” Sirius announces, peeling off his shirt and pants until he’s only in his underwear. He immediately falls onto the far side of bed, sliding under the covers and pulling them on top of him.
Remus moves more slowly, taking his time to change into a pajama shirt and shorts. He walks over to the bed and gingerly rolls back the covers on the near side of the bed, not looking at Sirius as he does. He lays down on top of an excessive number of pillows, which leaves him practically in a seat position.
Sirius seems to be in the same predicament. “Why does this bed have so many bloody pillows?” he groans. He picks up his wand from the bedside table and begins flicking pillows across the room one by one.
Grinning to himself, Remus takes hold of his own wand and begins discreetly multiplying the remaining pillows on the bed. Each time Sirius flings one off, another appears.
“Are these things multiplying?” Sirius wails.
Remus’ shoulders begin shaking in silent laughter as Sirius continues to toss pillows at an even rapider rate.
Feeling the movement, Sirius flips over and turns to him. “You!” he yells, and he leaps at Remus, tackling him onto the mattress beneath him.
Remus gasps with laughter, shifting beneath Sirius’ weight. “Are these pillows multiplying?” he mocks.
“Shut up,” Sirius demands. “I noticed what you were doing eventually.”
Remus squirms beneath Sirius as his arms come up to pin Remus to the bed by his wrists.
“Eventually,” Remus taunts, hoping Sirius will break.
And he does. Sirius begins to laugh too, shaking his head in mock-annoyance. “Tosser,” he mutters.
As their laughter dies down, Remus becomes acutely aware that Sirius is on top of him. Straddling him, and pinning his wrists. Inexplicably, his heart rate speeds up.
He gazes up at Sirius, hoping to form another witty retort, but his mind has gone blank. All he can think of is Sirius’ hair, dangling down and nearly tickling Remus’ face. Sirius’ thighs, bracketing Remus’ own. Sirius’ hands, strong and demanding on Remus’ wrists.
Suddenly, Sirius lets go and rolls away, collapsing onto the bed next to Remus. And not a moment too soon, because Remus was starting to feel signs below his waist of a situation that would be very difficult to explain to his best friend..
“Don’t blame me if you suffocate on pillows in the middle of the night,” Sirius tosses over his shoulder.
Remus has no response. Any words he could come up with are instantly caught in the tornado of thoughts beginning to swirl in his mind.
Out of the corner of his eye he sees Sirius lift his wand yet again. “Nox,” he says, and the lights in the room instantly go out. Remus senses Sirius roll over onto his side, facing the wall away from him.
“Night, Moony,” Sirius says softly.
Remus swallowed, willing himself to form words. “G’night,” he manages to whisper back.
But Remus does not fall asleep. Instead, he stares up at the darkened ceiling above him as a horrible realization begins to form.
Mismatched puzzle pieces begin to swirl in his mind. The lurching in his stomach when Sirius was close, the heat of Sirius’ hands on him, his body’s reaction to Sirius’ body. All of the pieces are coming together to form one very clear picture.
Without realizing it, Remus has gone and fallen for his best friend.