Monday
If you had told Remus the day he applied for this job, 2 years ago, that he’d regret it for the rest of his life, he'd have laughed at you. And not just a snicker either, a full on cackle at your face laugh. This was by all accounts his dream job. Or was, at least.
“I think this says frenulum.” James bit back a laugh, but unable to hide a smile.
“I highly doubt that it says frenulum, James.” Remus says with a sigh, already feeling the beginnings of a headache at the edges of his eyes.
“It could, you know, maybe he has erectile dysphun-”
“ James , we’re at an office, please have some decorum.”
“Sales certainly has none.”
“I know, but sales is also the one who’s getting- what is this fabric? What’s he need fabric for? - on the expenses of the company.”
“Maybe it says frame?” Suggests Peter, who is sitting on top of his table, “He could be reframing the paintings in the office?”
“Yes, but does that make it justifiable?”
“Since when has anything sales done been justifiable? Have you seen his crocs?” Remus retorts, “You think it could be Fluoride?”
“Not unless he’s started a dental clinic in the break room.” Peter pauses, “That would explain the clogged sink, though.”
“My money’s on Mary.” Interjected Lily, who’d just walked into Remus’ cubicle to try and help decipher the chicken scrawl, “She keeps cutting her bangs over the sink in the ladies bathroom too. So infuriating.”
“Oh no it’s totally Snivellus,” James snorts, getting a glare from Lily before deflating, “he greases his hair in coconut oil and dumps the rest on the sink during lunch breaks, I’ve seen it!”
“No, he’s still got the fear of God installed in him from last time, he wouldn’t do it again.” Lily retorts.
“ I say it’s sales.”
“Remus, you’re biased,” James says, “He’s a nice guy once you look past the red crocs.”
“You’re only saying that because of that one time y’all got drunk together at the new years office party.” Peter supplies with glee, “No, Sirius never uses the sink, he usually orders chicken fried rice for lunch.”
“Fried rice!” Remus shoots up from his desk, voice loud, lowering only when Dumbledore glares at him. “He wrote fried rice , he’s trying to expanse it as a fucking business dinner.”
“I’m sorry, who was talking about decorum?” James grins up at Remus.
“Oh, hush you.” Lily says.
“I am going to strangle him.” Remus resolves, storming out of his cubicle.
Sirius looks busy for once in his lifetime, hair pulled back in a messy bun, back bent as he scribbles on a piece of document, and for a second, Remus almost feels bad for interrupting him while he’s hard at work, that is until he notices that the document is in fact a cheap gossip magazine. And just like that all of Remus’ resolve comes back tenfold and Remus sees red.
Remus marches towards Sirius, slamming the report down on his desk, “This is not an expense report.” Sirius looks up and gray eyes meet Remus’ own, and for a minute Remus forgets to breathe.
“Is it about fried rice?”
“Of course it’s about the fried rice, Black.” Remus pinches the bridge of his nose, attempting, and failing, to keep his migraines at bay, “we both know this wasn’t a business dinner. This report is criminal ”
“That is a bit of an exaggeration, no?”
“You are trying to steal money from the company for personal gain. That’s theft. A crime, Black, a crime.” Remus exclaims in exasperation.
Sirius leans back in his chair, a smirk on his face. “You know, Moony, I always knew you had a bit of a crush on me, but I never thought it would manifest in this way.”
Remus clenches his fists, trying to control his anger. “This is not about a crush, Black. This is about your blatant disregard for company policies and your attempt to exploit them for your own benefit.”
“It’s 7 pence plus tax, moony, cut me some slack.”
“You do not get to call me moony, Black, we are not friends.”
Sirius shrugs, the smirk still on his face. “Well, I thought we were getting along quite well. I mean, we did bond over our shared love for fried rice, didn’t we?”
Remus grits his teeth. “This is not a joke, Black. You need to take this seriously.”
“Alright, alright, calm down.” Sirius holds up his hands in surrender. “I’ll fix the report. No harm done.”
“No harm done, says he, who attempts theft and wastes my time.”
“I did not waste your time, this talk hasn’t even gone over the five minute mark!” Sirius exclaims.
“Five minutes plus the half hour it took me to decipher your chicken scratch.”
“You could’ve just asked, you know.”
And just like that, Sirius made Remus look like a fool. Remus did not like that.
“Fix. It.” Remus said, punctuating his words by poking the report.
Wednesday
It goes that every year, the office Christmas party is organized by two people. So it goes that sticks are drawn to choose which two people are meant to organize it and two others to clean after. Of course, as luck would have it, Remus and Sirius were picked to organize it. Fuck.
Remus groans as he sees the sticks in James' hand. "Not this again," he mutters under his breath.
"What's wrong, Remus? Afraid of a little party planning?" Sirius smirks at him.
"I just don't want to be responsible for organizing a whole party, especially with you," Remus retorts, glaring at Sirius.
Sirius chuckles. "I promise to behave."
Remus rolls his eyes. "Yeah, sure. Just try not to make it all about yourself and your need for attention."
At this, Sirius falls quiet, giving Remus and James a weak smile, “Yeah.” And so Sirius walks away.
“Way to go man.” James says.
Thursday
Of course Remus feels bad, he can tell he messed up purely because Sirius Black has lost his shine. He won’t burst into song, he won’t wear his crocs, he isn’t really talkative when planning for the party. Problem is, Remus doesn’t know how to apologize.
“Just apologize to him, Rem.” James says one day over lunch.
“Yes I know, I just don’t know when would be the appropriate time.”
James rolls his eyes. "There's no time like the present, mate. Just go up to him and say you're sorry."
Remus fidgets with his hands, feeling anxious. "But what if he doesn't accept my apology?"
James gives him a reassuring smile. "He will. He's not one to hold grudges."
Monday
Monday, Sirius and Remus go shopping for party decorations.
“Hey, uh, Sirius?”
“Hm…?”
“Should we get party hats?”
“Hm.”
“Hey Sirius?”
“Hm…?”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry I said you make things all about yourself.” Remus says with a remorseful sigh.
Sirius pauses for a moment, his gaze flickering towards Remus before he looks away again. “It’s okay,” he mutters, his voice barely above a whisper, “Thank you.”
Remus smiles sheepishly, and puts on one of the golden party hats. Sirius smiles.
*
“No Sirius we are not buying pink flamingos, it’s a Christmas party!” Remus exclaims in feigned exasperation.
“Why not?” Sirius whines, “we can make a beach themed Christmas party.”
“Nope, not happening.”
*
They got the flamingos.
At the end of the day, Remus was unable to deny Sirius. Sirius and his so unserious smile.
Oh.
Oh, no.
And as they load the decorations into the car and as the day ends, the sun sets on the hatred that Remus once held for the man currently smiling at him, and a new dawn rises for the feelings reverberating deep in his chest.
Remus realizes that for Sirius, he’d get flamingos and the whole damn zoo too.
Remus realizes that he was in trouble. For Sirius's charm was like a flame, drawing him in with its warmth and brightness, and he could feel himself getting closer and closer, unable to resist the pull. He knew his wings would melt and he would fall deeply, madly, and completely in love with the man he once thought he despised.
Friday
When Friday finally rolls around, the party is in full swing.
“The margaritas in the pineapple cups with the little umbrellas are a success!” Sirius says, slinging himself at Remus.
Remus chuckles as he catches Sirius, steadying him before he falls. “Glad you like them,” he replies, glancing around at the lively atmosphere of the party. The decorations were over the top and the music was loud, but everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and that was all that mattered.
It was clear that Sirius himself has had one too many, as he sways to the music, and speaks a little too loud.
It’s not like Remus was completely sober either, but he was definitely pacing himself, “Hey, Siri?” Remus said softly, as he approached the man, “Maybe we should slow down on the alcohol, hmm hun?”
“Mmmm ok.” Sirius says, sitting down on a chair. “Moony?”
Remus crouches down next to Sirius, taking Sirius' hand on his own, “Hm?”
“I… I mess up the expanse reports on purpose.”
Remus raises an eyebrow, not quite sure what Sirius is getting at. “What do you mean?” he asks.
Sirius takes a deep breath and looks up at Remus with a slightly dazed expression.
“I mean, I purposely make mistakes on the expense reports, just so you’ll have to check them and get all mad,” he admits. “Because, well, you’re just so cute when you’re angry, Moony.”
Remus can’t help but laugh at the confession, “You do realize that’s not a good reason to mess up important paperwork, right?”
Sirius shrugs, “I know, but it’s worth it to see your adorable little scowl,” he says with a grin.
“You’re ridiculous, you know that?”
“Yeah, I know,” Sirius says, still grinning. “But I can’t help it. You just do things to me, Moony.”
Before Remus can reply, Sirius leans in and presses his lips to Remus'.
The kiss is sloppy and a bit too wet, but Remus can’t bring himself to care. He leans into the kiss, deepening it, and for a moment, the world around them fades away. When they pull away, they're both a bit breathless. Sirius looks up at Remus with a mix of nervousness and excitement in his eyes.
“So, um, do you feel the same way?” he asks tentatively.
“Really? We just kissed!” Sirius pouts. Remus smiles softly, lacing his fingers with Sirius's. “Yeah, I do,” he says. “I really, really do.”