The leather jacket
“Jamie, there´s no way I´m going to do it” said Sirius.
“C´mon Sirius” insisted James.
“I´m tired.” Complained the other one. “And Padfoot is too.”
“Stop complaining and get in there.” Said James pushing Sirius to the inside of a dressing room. “Here, I´ll hold Pads while you try this on.”
They had been at the mall for at least three hours. They had been sent on a mission to find a present for Ron Weasley, who was Harry´s friend from school, birthday party. They truly had been searching on the kids section. But since they had found a toy rapidly they Sirius insisted on buying something to wear to the party – not that it was a formal occasion or anything, Sirius Black only liked to dress up. However it had backfired, cause now Sirius was tired, Padfoot was getting hungry and James was not losing his energy nor his enthusiasm.
Sirius entered the dressing room murmuring stuff underneath his breath. However, James was right – as always. Sirius did liked the crop top James had handed him. It was a simple white tank top, no sleeves and with his low rise jeans he could see his v line on the mirror. He stared at himself for a moment. His hair was longer than it had ever been. And without his family he felt truly free. It had been a long year for sure, but he had made it. They had made it. He smiled at his reflection.
“Oi! Try this on top of that.” Said James opening the door suddenly and throwing a leather jacket towards him.
“Fuck´s sake, Jamie! Knock!” complained Sirius.
“Please.” Was James´s only answered while he exited the room.
“Come out when you have everything on, I wanna see you.” Added James once he was outside.
Sirius put the whole outfit together and looked at himself in the mirror. The leather jacket definitely suited him. He could already see himself walking down the streets with the jacket. He went out to show James.
Sirius wasn´t surprised to find James talking with another man outside the fitting room. James Potter talked even with the rocks. It wasn´t any news that wherever he went he could easily make friends. But then again, so could Sirius. He walked confidently towards James and his new friends. He was planning on making a little twirl just to show some charisma, but, as soon as he got close he stopped on his tracks.
The man James was talking to was gorgeous. He was crouched down petting Padfoot. He was skinny, maybe a bit scrawny but that was in no way a bad adjective on Sirius perspective. He had a bit scar crossing his cheek and reaching his nose´s bridge, although, this was contrasted by his warm smile and his kind eyes. He was smiling at James, “his eyes wrinkle a bit that way” noted Sirius.
“Hey! Look who came out! Oh, no pun intended.” Said James.
The stranger turned to Sirius. But the raven haired remained where he was. The tall stranger scrutinized him with a curious look.
“Come on.” Encourage James.
Sirius turned around and as he was reaching his initial point the man stood up. Fucking hell, was he tall. Sirius gaped at him.
Or course, James noticed.
“Oh.” James said, darting looks back and forth. “Sirius, this is Remus, we went to college together.”
“Hi.” Said Sirius uncharacteristically shy.
“Hey. Nice to meet you.” Responded the other one offering his hand.
Sirius shook his hand. They were both making eye contact and it was pretty obvious both of them left their hand lingering on the touch, longer than accustomed for a handshake.
“So… are you a lawyer also?” asked Sirius.
“Oh no Remus is a vet. Right?” answered James.
“Yeah, I met James at the cooking workshop.” Answered Remus.
“Oh, the one you took to impress my brother?” asked Sirius with a teasing smile.
“No way! You are Sirius! I mean THAT Sirius” said Remus.
Sirius was taken aback a bit.
“Uh… yeah… the one and only.”
“I took the workshop cause Regulus insisted, we are friends from college also, that´s where I met James, although at first I knew him as the guy that try too hard to impressed Regulus.”
“Ouch, I´m hurt.” Said James.
Give me a break.” Laughed Remus. “You knew Reggie and I called you that.”
“Still.”
“Wow, let´s start again.” Chimed in Sirius. “You are friends with Regulus AND James?”
“Yeah, I met Regulus at a book club.”
“What a small world.” Said James excited.
At that point Sirius knew who Remus was. Not by name. Not by appearance. But because Regulus was always talking about this friend who was tall and kind and good looking. Whoever Sirius was not sure his name was Remus. He had a more common name. But Remus did fitted Regulus description. “He is smart, handsome and has the most wicked sense of humor. I think you too would really hit it off.” Said Regulus every Friday when he returned to their shared flatt from his book club.
“Do you, by any chance, have other name?” asked Sirius.
Remus tilted his head.
“Actually yes.” He replied. “My middle name is John.”
It was him.
“John! Yeah! I know you.” Declared Sirius bouncing on his feet a bit. “Reggie talked about you all the time.”
“Regulus is literally the only person who calls me John.” Smile Remus.
“Huh, I think Remus does suit you better.” Said Sirius.
They smiled at each other, until Padfoot gave a hard tug to his leash and James complained.
“I think Padfoot is getting cranky.” Said Remus.
“He is not the only one.” Said James. Sirius looked at him with a question in his eyes. “Well not cranky but I could definitely eat.”
“You were the one suggestion a fashion montage.” Complained Sirius. Remus laughed. “let me go get change and we´ll be on our way.” He turned to Remus. “It was really nice meeting you Remus.”
“Likewise.” The other man answered. They stood there, not really knowing if hugging was the right way to go about it; but both of them desperately wishing it was.
Finally Sirius gave in and hugged rapidly Remus.
“Well, I better get going as well, I´m meeting someone at the coffee shop.”
“Oh, is your partner waiting for you?” asked Sirius.
“Nah, I don´t have a boyfriend.” Answered Remus with an amused smile. “I´m meeting a friend.”
“Right, well we don´t want your friend to wait that long.”
“I guess we don´t.” said Remus finally turning around. “It was really nice seeing you James. Maybe we could go out some other time, to catch up.”
“Sure mate! Nice seeing you too.” Answered the bespectacled young man.
“Nice meeting finally meeting you Sirius.” Said Remus.
Sirius waved his hand.
“Oh and Sirius…”
“Yeah?”
“I think you should buy the jacked. I looks good on you.” With this, Remus shoved his hands on his pockets and casually exited the store.
Sirius stared at the point where Remus was.
“Is your partner waiting for you?” mocked James with a fake high pitch voice.
“Shove off.” Laughed Sirius pushing James lightly.
“Smooth Pads, real smooth.”
Sirius could only roll his eyes.
“He was definitely flirting back, tho.”
“Right?” asked Sirius. “I thought he was, good thing I wasn´t the only one that saw.”
“Oh no believe me, he liked you.” Sirius just nodded. “So are you going to buy it?”
“Definitely.”
Sirius returned to the fitting room to change into his clothes. Once they were paying Sirius spoke again.
“He said he was a vet right?”
“Yes.” Answered James. He then looked at Padfoot. “I know where you are going with this. I told you, he liked you, you could just ask for his phone number.”
“Nah, I think Padfoot is in need of a haircut.”
James looked at the celling.
“You are impossible.”
“No… I´m Sirius.”
James looked at him deadpanned.
“Just for your horrible joke, you are paying lunch.” said James grabbing the bad and Padfoot and starting to walk away.
“No! Jamie, please it was a joke.” Said Sirius walking after him.
“No-uh, you need to learn the consequences; come on Padfoot.”
“Jamie, you know I´m broke.”
“Please, you are far from broke Black.”
Sirius laughed as he caught up with James and Padfoot.
.0.
“They seem loud.” Said Lily with a smile.
“They are loud, but they are very funny.” Answered Remus as he watched James and Sirius exited the store.
“Not to mention HE is very handsome.” Teased Lily
“He is, isn´t he?”
“You asked for his phone number right?”
“Nah, but I have the feeling I´ll be seeing him soon.” Said Remus with a fond smile.