Rage

Sirius was rudely shaken awake by a boy with unruly hair and round circular glasses.

“Go away, Potter!,” he yelled halfheartedly.

“Come on, get up lazy! Breakfast!” Well, it looks like I’m in a dorm with an over-excited morning person. Great, he thought to himself. He hoped the twins weren’t morning people. Maybe, if they weren’t, they'd scare James into being more manageable.

There was a groan across the room.

“Caewch y fuck i fyny,” Romulus must have come up to bed then. He definitely didn’t sound like a morning person.

James laughed, “Well then, looks like I’m getting the shower first. Pete’s dead to the world, and it looks like you both aren’t getting up anytime soon.”

“Why don’t you try that, see what happens. Taking the shower first when I went to bed at three in the morning. Why don’t you try doing that after your lound, incredibly infuriating, incredibly stupid, incredibly ear shattering voice interrupted the three hours sleep I got?” Romulus’ voice was thick with sarcasm and challenge. “I don’t want to spoil your surprise, but I think that this one you wouldn’t like as much as a birthday surprise.”

James looked at him, obviously debating whether to test a grumpy Romulus after his three hours sleep. Then, seeming to remember the feast's events, stepped away from the door.

Romulus snorted. “Pussy. Can’t even claim the Gryffindor courage that came when you were sorted, hmm?” His voice was taunting, trying to make James take the bait. Whatever would have happened, they would never know, because the dorm door swung open to reveal a very tired, and very angry Remus Lupin.

“Remus,” Romulus nodded to his brother, expression unreadable.

“Fradwr,” Remus replied, same tone and expression as Romulus. Sirius saw Romulus flinch ever so slightly at that. Sirius would have to, with that impenetrable mask.

Remus looked around and sighed, seeing the only open bed was between Sirius and Romulus.

He walked over, grabbing a long-sleeved, navy blue shirt, and black jeans that would have been skinny jeans on anyone else, but would be quite comfortable on him.

“Taking a shower,” he said gruffly. To Sirius’ surprise, Romulus didn’t argue. Remus walked away towards the bathroom door, shoulders hunched in a protective manner around himself. His stance was tight like at the sorting, looking like a spring, ready to uncoil if anyone dared touch him.

After he was gone, Romulus sighed, laying back on his bed. He looked defeated, dark bags under his eyes, his already messy hair becoming even more messy as he rubbed his hands over his face. He muttered something under his breath that Sirius couldn’t catch, but guessed it was Welsh curse words.

“Can’t believe I fucked it up on the first day of school. Not even lessons, and already fucked up,” he muttered to nobody in particular. 

“I don’t think you have, mate, I just think you owe him an apology. Don’t get me wrong, he does too, but he seems stubborn, and might need some help to crack a bit,” James said simply.

Romulus blinked at him, “How could you… know that about him?”

James chuckled, “Though contrary to popular belief, I am quite observant.”

They laughed, teasing and joking with and about each other. It was fun, Sirius not at all tired anymore, but there was still a pressing matter, and he appeared in about five minutes. Remus glanced around, amber eyes dimmer than they were usually. But Sirius couldn’t ignore just how handsome Remus looked.

With hair still wet, it was darker than usual, but not laying flat, curls poking up with beads of water still clinging to the wiry brown hair. His navy long-sleeve fit perfectly around him, tight in all the right places, like around his arms, but looser down the torso, except for the top part of his chest, where it looked tighter, but not suffocating. His black jeans complementing his shirt perfectly. He looked like the classic hot bad boy all the ladies wanted, and all the guys envied.

The small scar across his nose helped the look, as well as his dark amber eyes, which only a night ago had been so bright. His high cheekbones and hollow cheeks worked in his favour.

But there was one thing that had Sirius looking twice. There was a bright silver septum piercing, small and circular, a common one, but did Remus pull it off better than anyone he had ever seen with one.

He didn’t realise he had been staring until Remus smirked. “Well, why don’t you go ahead and take a pic, since you seem to be trying to burn my image into your retinas,” he quirked an eyebrow, and Sirius nearly died.

He felt his face flush, bright and painfully obvious against his pale skin, “Sorry,” he muttered. 

Remus chuckled, low and deep in his throat. Sirius’ hands shook and he quickly grabbed a random book from besides his bed. He heard someone clear their throat, “Err, Remus, can we talk?” Romulus’ voice was quiet, and slightly fearful.

“Oes,” Remus said, which Sirius had learnt that ‘oes’ meant ‘yes’ in Welsh. He turned, almost letting a smile out when Remus didn’t move.

“Go on, Rom, forgot how to speak just like you forgot your promise not to try to kill me?” Remus asked. His tone was so believable that Sirius almost forgot that Remus was angry at all. Though Romulus flinched like he had been shouted at.

“I-I meant alone,” he mumbled.

“Don’t see why you would want to do that. The second there aren’t any eye-witnesses I am going to strangle you,” Remus spoke calmly, but the cold rage slipped through his voice this time.

“Look,” Romulus said, “I wanted to apologise.”

“Why would the mighty Romulus, king of the streets, want to apologise to me? Can’t be because you stabbed me. With a fork. That you were eating with,” Remus’s voice was light and airy, and if you asked Sirius, absolutely terrifying.

Romulus must have thought the same thing. He didn’t speak for a minute, choosing his words carefully. 

“Yes,” he said.

“Yes what?” Remus spat, taking a threatening step closer.

“Yes. Yes to all of it. We were both taught to never hit first. To let them make the first move. But I was tired, and angry, and sore, and my patience was wearing thin by the time of the feast. I’m not trying to excuse my behaviour, but I am trying to explain. You know why I was tired. Why we were tired. It's all so new, so confusing. Not having you with me for it would be tourcher, not having a strong anchor like you with me, would be so, so hard. I need you, Remus, and I know you need me,” he finished looking straight into Remus’s amber eyes. Sirius thought he might be imagining it, but it looks as if Remus's eyes are a shade lighter than before.

There was a loud chuckle coming from Remus. “You,” he said, pointing to Romulus, “are a complete swot.”

Romulus laughed too, and they set off for breakfast.