Chapter 4
Knock knock. Knock.
Remus slowly pushed open the door of the hospital room after no response. He smiled softly at his gran who was fast asleep. This new round of treatment had been tough on her and sometimes it felt hopeless. Remus knew deep in his heart that it did not seem to be working, but hell if he wasn’t going to try everything before accepting that.
Sighing, he slumped into the seat beside her, and started speaking softly.
“Hi gran! Hope you had a restful day today. Lately, I’ve started another job, tutoring a student called Sirius. He took me to a cafe last week, and bought me some cheesecake! It reminded me of the one we used to make together.”
He yawned.
“Honestly… he was intimidating at first and I didn’t think I’d have a good time. But he’s growing on me, plus the pay is good. You’ll be able to go home soon, I promise.”
Remus yawned again. God. He was so tired, and he’d ridden his bike here after experiencing sudden motivation to turn his life around and getsuperhealthy. Thinking about having to cycle back to campus at 3am was not an appealing thought.
He bid farewell to his gran, dropped a kiss on her forehead, picked up his bag and stepped out the room. Reaching for his phone, he dialed Marlene’s number.
Beep, beep, beep-
“Hello!”
A loud voice rang out.
“Marlene! Can you come pick me up from the hospital? I cycled here and I have regrets. Please, I will repay you in love and friendship and happiness.”
“…No.”
“Marlene!”
“Remus, before your fragile self starts thinking this is some Remus hate campaign, I would like to clarify that I am preoccupied hosting a lovely dinner party and therefore it is well within my right to reject this request. BUT, because I love you and I am nothing if not gracious, I will have a friend come pick you up.”
“…Thank you. Do I know this friend? I won’t be murdered?”
“No problem, no you do not know them, and chances of being murdered are maybe 30%.”
30% sounded quite… high? Remus rubbed his eyes. Whatever. His will to live lately wasn’t strong anyways.
“Sure, thank you Marlene. I will place my faith in your selected driver and pray that I return home alive.”
“Amazing, they’ll be there in 20? Sending you biblical level prayers and lots of kisses. Bye!”
Remus smiled. Marlene always cheered him up, especially when he was in his mildly depressive phases at night.
Who was picking him up? Oh dear. Remus hoped it was someone normal.
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Sirius parked outside the location Marlene sent him.A hospital? Probably one of their mutual friends who got injured doing something stupid. He slammed the door of his sleek Porsche and strolled towards the entrance.
“Sirius?”
Sirius’s head whipped around to identify the owner of the familiar voice. Remus.
“Remus? What are you doing here?”
“I’m waiting to be picked up by one of Marlene’s friends.”
Ha. How have I never met him before?Thought Sirius. Every one of my friends seems to know Remus. Have they been hiding him? He felt betrayed. But that could wait. Why was Remus at the hospital?
“Are you hurt?”
He held Remus’s shoulders, worry in his eyes.
“No, no, I’m just visiting… someone.”
Someone? Guess Remus didn’t want to talk about it. Sirius calmed down. As long as it wasn’t Remus who was in hospital.
“I hope they are okay.”
“Thank you. What are you doing here?”
“Remus, I’m Marlene’s friend who is also now your personal chauffeur. Please get your cute self into my car before you turn into an icicle.”
Remus looked cold. Sirius mentally cursed. How was he even prettier dishevelled? His cheeks rosy from the night air and hair messier than usual from the wind. Sirius wondered how Remus would look dishevelled from other things. He was horny, it was late at night, and here was Remus looking yummy right in front of him. Remind me to ask Marlene who I’m picking up next time.
“O-kay, thank you.”
Remus’s chattering shook Sirius out of his haze. Shrugging off his jacket, he wrapped it around Remus. Remus smelled so good, sweet and warm, and gazing up at him with those big green eyes? Sirius fought with everything he had to not lean down and kiss him.
Using one hand to take the bike off Remus and wheel it himself, and using the other to grasp Remus’s hand, Sirius led him towards his car, smiling at Remus’s eyes widening at his black car.
“You like?”
“I love.”
“I’ll drive you whenever you want.”
Remus watched, blushing, as Sirius’s strong arms hoisted his bike into the boot of the car.
Sirius opened the door for him. Remus blushed hard. He slid into the plush front seat and sighed blissfully. He turned to Sirius next to him.
“Sirius, this is amazing. Thank you for picking me up.”
“Of course love. Any friend of Marlene’s is a friend of mine. Though, we’re already quite friendly aren’t we?”
Sirius grinned at Remus. Remus felt butterflies in his stomach. God, this man.
“Of course we’re friends! I don’t suffer through tutoring for just anyone. How do you know Marlene? We seem to have a surprising amount of overlap in friends.”
“My thoughts exactly, weird we’ve not ran into to each other before. And how dare you! I’m a lovely ray of sunshine and you don’t suffer through tutoring!”
Sirius exclaimed indignantly, in mock horror.
Remus laughed. Then yawned.
“Sorry, I’m sleepy.”
“Don’t apologise. Take a nap, I’ll wake you up once we’re back.”
Sirius reached over him and clicked the seatbelt in for him. Remus sleepily let himself be pampered, exhausted. How long has it been since someone took care of me? He thought, as he drifted to sleep.