Remus wasn´t one for walks at the park. Not that he dislike the activity per se. But he didn´t like that much running into people. That´s the main reason he preferred hiking. But lately the weather had been terrible. And with rain so heavy, surely the paths would blur underneath the mud and all the vegetation. Remus wasn´t so down about the interruption of his hiking adventures. Peter on the other hand, was.
“Mate if I stop now, I´ll get lazy again and will never in my life will take another step up that mountain.” Had said Peter the fourth day it was raining.
“First of all you are so dramatic Pete. And second, it´s a hill.” Had answered the sandy haired boy.
“Remus!” had insisted the short boy. “At least let´s walk in the park.”
“Fine.” Remus gave up.
“Cheers. Sunday?”
“Saturday.”
.
“The entities up there must really hate me.” Thought Remus to himself Saturday morning.
Ironically it was a pretty sunny morning. Remus had woken up to a blue sky and a rather hot climate. He, of course, had tried cancelling Peter, saying they might as well go hiking while the good weather lasted. But it had been too late. Peter answered his text with one that said “I´m already at the park mate.”
Well, that was that. Remus was going to Hogsmeade Park.
.
He met Peter by the lake and soon enough they were both jogging along other people. Although Remus preferred exercising on a less crowded space he enjoyed Peter´s company very much. They would usually talk about their jobs, some childhood memory, their respective families and their love life’s – or in Remus case, the lack of it-.
“I´m telling you mate. This guy is not like the other one.” Said Peter a bit out of breath.
“Yeah sure.” Breathed Remus. “This one is actually polite, isn´t he?”
“You are never going to forgive me for setting you up with Benjy aren´t you?”
Remus shook his head, avoiding answering verbally in order not to waste oxygen. He didn´t like jogging or running. He had the condition to hike not to chase Peter on a concrete circle.
“Well, Gideon is funny…” Peter made a long pause. He looked as if he was concentrating on his breathing. Maybe he was. “Kind” and other breath. “Smart.”
“Kind AND Smart or kind of smart?” teased Remus.
Peter glared at him. He held up a hand and they finally started walking.
“Let´s cool down shall we?” said Peter. “He is kind AND smart. I think you two would hit it off.”
“I´ll think about it Pete, thanks mate.”
Peter, satisfied with Remus answered didn´t push any further.
They arrived at the family zone of the park. They were walking so Remus could appreciate how many people were there just enjoying the day. There was an old couple enjoying lunch and near them was a read headed girl throwing a frisbee at a large black dog. There were a bunch of other people. And this, Remus enjoyed.
He didn´t like running with other people but he did like to observe. He´d give that to the park. It was a pretty nice place and everyone looked like they were having fun.
“Oh, bollocks I need take a wee.” Announced Peter.
Remus snorted.
“I think we passed a loo a few kilometers back.”
“I´m going to have to run again.” Complained his friend.
He was pretty sweaty. Remus was too but not as much as Peter. The short guy might as well had taken a dive on the lake. Remus on the other had a thin layer of sweat. It gave him a kind of oily glisten; the kind of glisten fitness models had on ads.
“At least it´ll be for a good cause.” Remus patted Peter on the shoulder. “Tell you what. While you are in the loo, I´ll fetch us something to eat.”
Peter looked at him scandalized.
“But we just run for forty five minutes.”
“I run to burn the calories I´m going to eat later.” teased again Remus. “I´m kidding, Pete. I´ll get us juice or something of the sorts.”
Peter arched a brow. They both knew Remus was joking. He didn´t exercise for vanity but for health; and that was a mindset Peter had leant from his friend.
“Fine. I´ll fetch something for myself and then you´ll have to stare while I eat.” Said Remus.
“No, you win. Grab something to eat. But something good.” Answered Peter turning to leave.
Well good was a very vague concept.
Remus got off the track and started wandering into the family zone. Surely there was something to eat there. Kids were always hungry weren´t they?
“All right! Anyone who wants ice cream come close!” Screamed someone.
Remus looked for the source of the voice.
The most gorgeous guy Remus had ever seen had a big cooler on one of the picnic tables. He was serving free ice cream. His hair was tied on a bun and his black shirt revealed tattoos on his arm. Remus could see the guy was fit. Suddenly ice cream seemed like a very good idea, despite having ran a lot.
Remus walk towards the little line that had formed in front of the man. There were at least five people in front of Remus. He waited patiently. He tried to wipe away some of the sweat and arranged a bit his loose shirt. The people in front of Remus moved as they were being served.
“What do you honey?” said the man to the guy in front of Remus.
This pet name instantly rang a bell on Remus head. Could it be, that this hella of a man was gay? Or at least bi, hoped Remus.
“What flavors you´ve got for me mate.” Asked the guy.
“Let´s see. Cashew, almond, mint, mango, cotton candy, blueberry, or more traditional one´s like vanilla, strawberry of chocolate.”
“I think I´ll have… strawberry, Harry will like that, and I´m sure Reggie would like the blueberry.” Answered the man.
“Ah, ordering for your husband I see.” Said lightheartedly the raven haired man, while he started dispatching the ice cream. “Bold of you to assume for Reggie.”
“I know for a fact he likes it. If not I´ll switch with him. Strawberry, he likes.” The man with the messy hair took the ice creams from the other one hands. “Ah, and don´t get that little one over there get near the cotton candy ice cream. He´ll tell you that he likes it but it will just melt.”
The man turned around to point at a toddler who was playing on a picnic blanket with a very handsome man. “The husband.” Remus thought. He could now see the profile of the messy haired man. He wore glasses and his smile was warm as well as his coffee brown eyes. The bespectacled man, moved towards his husband and the toddler.
“Reggie, Harry I got ice cream!” shouted the man waving his hands on the air.
The husband laughed and scooped the toddler in his arms to meet the messy haired guy on the middle. They shared a sweet short kiss and Remus couldn´t help but smile. The raven haired guy was also looking at the couple.
“They seemed to be very in love.”
“I sure hope so. That´s my little brother and my best friend.” Answered the man, not looking at Remus.
Remus shifted his gaze from the couple to the man; back and forth a few times. He could definitely see the resemblance between the ice cream man and the husband. Both were handsome but the ice cream man had a certain joviality about him. There was joy in his eyes and in his quick laugh. And although both brothers had a certain aristocratic air, the man in front of Remus had an angelic beauty.
Remus snapped from his daydreaming.
“Well I would like a chocolate one and a vanilla one, please.” He said turning fully to face the man.
The man turned as well, however he didn´t answered. He just stared at Remus. His eyes were exploring every one of his factions and suddenly Remus felt very self-conscious. He let a small smile display on his lips and the ice cream man took a step back smiling as if he had witness a city lighting up after sundown.
“Who the fuck are you?” he asked in awe.
Remus felt a heat creep up the back of his neck.
This man was definitely gay. Or Remus was reading this hugely wrong.
“Sorry.” The raven haired man apologized while shaking his head as if to get rid of some thoughts. “But who are you?”
“S´okay.” Said hesitantly. “I´m Remus Lupin. And you are?”
“I´m Sirius.”
“Yeah, I know. I´m not taking the piss with you, my name IS Remus.”
“No, my name IS Sirius. Black.”
“Oh.” Simply answered Remus.
He wanted to face palm himself. What was taking Peter so long? Maybe he could get him out of this. But then again, did he really wanted to get out of this situation?
“Uhm… Remus?” asked Sirius. “Why are you here?”
Remus was taken aback.
“Uh, do we know each other?” he asked.
He was so confused.
Sirius on the other hand smile smugly.
“No. I mean, I would like to get to know you cause you are also “Wow”. But I mean why you are here?”
Remus thought two things. First, this man was flirting with him. And second, he was hella confused about the question. What did the man mean “why was he here?” it was a park for god´s sake.
“Well I came here for a run and I saw you and I was like wow… and well... you are… yes.”
“I see.” Sirius laughed. “But why did you approached me?” pressed on Sirius.
“Well I heard you said whoever wanted ice cream to come close.” Explained Remus.
Suddenly Sirius whole face light up, and if Remus had considered him attractive it was nothing compared to now, seeing him laugh so freely. As entranced as he was, Remus couldn't put the pieces together. Which, apparently, Sirius had already achieved.
“What´s so funny?” said Remus. And his tone couldn´t come across as angry because his whole face was just disoriented. He was scanning Sirius in search for an answer.
“Remus, you see the little guy over there?” asked Sirius pointing to the toddler. Remus nodded. “That´s Harry. It´s his fifth birthday.”
“Right…” trailed off Remus not quite getting it yet.
“See the couple playing with Harry?” Remus nodded again. “The one with the glasses is James, my best mate. And the other one is Regulus my little brother. They are Harry´s dads. See that read headed girl over there, with the dog? That´s Lily and Padfoot. The girl sitting on the green picnic blanket is Mary, Lily´s girlfriend. The other girls over there are Dorcas, Marlene and Pandora.”
Sirius was dropping names as if Remus should know who these people were.
“What the fuck?” Remus thought to himself. And then as Sirius continued listing names and pointing at people another thought came to Remus´s mind…
“Oh, shit!” he said out loud. “You are not giving away ice cream.”
Sirius barked a laugh. Throwing his head back. Remus was half enamored half nervous and a hundred percent embarrassed.
“Unfortunately, I´m not.” Said Sirius once he could control his laughter.
“Fuck me. Oh no, I´m sorry, I should be swearing at a kid’s party… I just… shit… No! Fuck, sorry… I´m so sorry I just saw a line and I thought…Hey! Don´t laugh!”
Sirius was holding his stomach and bending over in laughter. This had attracted the attention of a few people close by. Remus just wanted the earth to open up and swallow him.
“Hi there!” saluted the bespectacled guy. “I´m James.”
“Hi, I´m Remus Lupin.”
“Oh okay, we are giving our last names. I´m James Potter.” He said merrily. “So, Remus Lupin, what´s happening here?”
“I´m so sorry. I didn´t knew it was a party…” started to explain Remus.
But he got interrupted.
“James.” Said Sirius between gasps of air and laughter.” “He. Thought. I- I was-“
“I thought he was handing free ice cream.” Explained Remus feeling the heat on his neck spread to his ears. He looked at the ground until he heard one single, loud burst of laughter. Now, James was bending over in laughter too.
Remus was glued to the ground. He had never felt this uncomfortable in his life. He didn´t knew what to do. Should he go? Should he apologized once more? Should he wait until they finished laughing and go?
“I´m sorry Remus. It´s just hilarious.” Said Sirius composing himself a bit. He started rummaging on the cooler.
“It´s no big deal Remus truly.” Said James once he was calm. “The more the merrier.”
And Remus knew him wasn´t taking the piss anymore. He was genuinely trying to make him feel more at ease.
“Here you go.” Said Sirius handing him two little cups with chocolate and vanilla ice cream.
Remus just stood there.
“Take them, honestly. We already make you uncomfortable enough. Is the least we can do.” Said Sirius with a soft smile and a fond look.
Oh, what would Remus give to be the receiver of every single smile from Sirius Black.
“Take them, Remus.” Sirius insisted.
“Thanks.” Was the only thing Remus could manage.
“Would you like to stay for the cake?” asked James.
Remus look at him warily.
“He´s not joking.” Said Sirius´s brother.
Remus gave a little jump. He had appeared from thin air and now stood there licking his spoon as if everything was normal.
“Regulus Potter.” Added the younger brother taking Remus hand on his own and lightly shanking it before continuing eating his ice cream watching the rest of the scene unfold.
“I´m Remus-“
“Lupin. Yes, I heard.” He said putting a spoon full of ice cream on his mouth.
“Hi there!” came another voice.
The four guys turned around. Peter was approaching them waving his hand in a friendly way but with a clearly confused expression on his face.
“Hi! Uhm… this is Peter.” Introduced Remus.
Should he have introduced him? He as just leaving and it wasn´t as if he knew this people. Well he did now but not that well.
“Hi Peter.” Greeted everyone.
“Uhm…. Remus?” called his friend. “Why are you crashing a kid’s party?”
“Fuck me!” exclaimed Remus. “Shit, sorry.”
“You swear a lot.” Observed Sirius with an amused smile.
“It´s a long story Pete.” Said Remus.
“Would you guys want to stay for the cake?” asked Regulus.
Peter looked taken aback. These people, whom they didn´t knew were inventing them to stay? And Remus had ice cream? What. The. Actual. Fuck?
“That´s very kind but we actually have to get going.” Said Peter.
“Yeah.” Trailed off Remus not tearing his eyes away from Sirius. “But thanks a lot for the ice cream and sorry again.”
“S´all good mate. A pleasure to meet you.” Said James.
Peter waved goodbye and started walking. Remus did as well, still feeling kind of awkward.
“Remus!” his name was called a few seconds later. Sirius ran to catch up with the pair. “Hey. So… would you mind giving me your phone number? You know, to invite you to Christmas.”
Remus huffed amused. Suddenly all of the embarrassment was gone. Sirius wanted his number. He allowed himself to laugh at his own expense.
Sirius beamed at him.
“Fuck off.” Said Remus with a shite eating grin. “Hand me your phone.”
“It´s for the best.” Explained Sirius while Remus typed his number. “I don´t think family reunions would be complete without you swearing like a sailor.”
“Yeah I know. Such a tradition.”
“Exactly.” Smiled Sirius. They hold eye contact for far more than necessary. “So… Christmas?”
“Christmas it is.” Finalized Remus giving Sirius´s phone back.
.
They went out a lot more, before said date, of course.
And, despite, that day being a hot July Saturday morning, Remus did attend to Christmas at the Potter-Black household that year. And the next. And the next. Until the fourth year, when Christmas was celebrated at the Lupin-Black household.