Chapter 1
Sirius Black loved flowers. Ever since he was a child he loved every kind of flower he could find. He would pick them from the garden in his backyard, at school, from the park, anywhere he could find them, really. He read every book he could find on flowers, trying to memorize what each one represented. He enjoyed making bouquets and expressing himself through the language of flowers.
His parents hated the hobby. They hated anything he did that they considered “girly” and Sirius quickly learned to hide such things. His parents burned the flowers he brought home and got increasingly annoyed at his stubbornness and insistence on learning about them. They forced him to cut his hair whenever it got too long despite his protests of how he wanted to grow it out. They yelled at him for liking the color pink. He was banned from buying anything floral print. He was six when he put on some of his mother’s makeup and was hit for the first time.
He was fifteen when he ran away and he was immediately driven to do everything his parents had ever hated. He moved in with his best friend, who supported him wholeheartedly in every decision. He grew out his hair like he’d always wanted to and started wearing eyeliner everywhere he went. His love of flowers only grew with his new found freedom. It gave him the chance to learn even more about them.
Sirius Black was a senior in high school when he opened up a flower shop. He wasn’t exactly sure to run a business yet, but he was taking online classes to learn. James wasn’t all that into flowers, but he helped Sirius figure everything out. Sirius's cousin Andromedea, who was the only one of his family members he’d been able to keep in contact with, offered him some money to get started.
James’ parents also offered the boys financial support. With all the help, Sirius was able to start a lovely little business.
James opened a coffee shop two years later, after Sirius had started making a real profit off of the shop. They had chosen to go to a local college nearby where they had figured out how to balance out their work schedules with their courses. Both of them decided to major in business.
It wasn’t the easiest thing in the world, but it was rewarding and exciting. They were popular among their peers and were friends with all kinds of people on campus, as they always had been. When people heard they ran their own businesses, they made a habit of stopping in to say hi and buy things whenever they could.
“Oi, Sirius,” James said as he threw open the glass door to the flower shop. Sirius flinched, shooting James a glare over his shoulder. He didn’t invest in a pretty glass door just for his best friend to attempt to break it every time he walked in. “Mr. Martorani finally uploaded our test scores. Got a 96, which I think is pretty good, given that I didn’t study.”
Sirius sighed lightly and put the bouquet he was holding down. James always did well in school, whether he was trying or not. Sirius wasn’t as lucky, but he did well enough. He pulled out his phone to check his own score. “You’re so annoying. I got a 94, and I did study. I still can’t understand how you’re so smart, given that you act like such a dumbass all the time.”
“Someone’s in a mood,” James muttered under his breath, a teasing smile appearing on his face when Sirius glared again. “I’ll make you a coffee later to cheer you up. Anyway, I didn’t really come in here to talk about grades.”
“Surprising, I mean, you’re always so focused on school, it's practically the only thing you talk about-”
“Shut up! I came in here to tell you that someone’s opening up a tattoo parlor across the street from here. We should go check it out whenever they finish getting set up. Welcome them to the community and all that, y’know?”
“Why would we do that?” Sirius raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical.
“To establish relationships with other businesses in the area. Maybe we could gain a few new customers or something! We could go under the guise of getting matching tattoos or something.”
Sirius pulled a face. “You just want to get matching tattoos. That sounds kinda gay, mate.”
“You are gay, Sirius.”
“Not for you, gross.”
“Hey, I’m a fucking catch. That’s not what this is about though, building relationships with other businesses is important to maintain a good reputation! Have you been paying any attention in class? The matching tattoos are just a fun little added bonus! Come on, maybe there will even be a few hot guys there for you to…” James wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Sirius gagged.
“No way I will be doing-” Sirius tried to recreate the gesture with his eyebrows while James stifled a laugh. “-that with any sketchy guy from a tattoo parlor. I only date the most elegant and refined people.”
James didn’t bother to hide his laugh at that. “Sure, of course you do, Pads.” He shook his head and walked back towards the door. “I’ll see you at home, yeah?” Sirius nodded and waved to him as he left before returning to his work.
The next few days passed without anything particularly interesting happening. James was correct, and Sirius noticed all the equipment being moved into the previously empty space across from the flower shop. He wasn’t sure who had bought it, though. He’d seen a couple of different people going in and out, most frequently a girl with fiery red hair and a lanky boy who’s wardrobe seemed to consist entirely of jumpers, but he hadn’t cared enough to ask.
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Remus was a good kid. He had never been rebellious. He always listened to his mother and did well in school. That was why his mom was so shocked when she said he wanted to become a tattoo artist. She didn’t have anything against tattoos, but it didn’t seem like something her son would like. He wasn’t a perfect kid and he certainly hadn’t had the easiest childhood, which he had the scars to prove, but a tattoo artist?
Everyone had expected him to become a librarian or doctor or something like that. He almost always had his nose in a book and almost only wore oversized jumpers. Sure, he was mischievous and liked to pull pranks. He wasn’t the smartest or most motivated kid in class. He certainly did not seem like a tattoo artist though, and everyone was sure he would back out.
As shocking as it was to everyone else he told, but he didn’t change his mind. He thought tattoos were cool and he liked art. The idea had come to him one day when he was picking at his scars. He had always hated them, so he had started to draw over them to cover them up. Someone had complimented one drawing he'd made on his arm in pen earlier that day. He wondered what it would be like to cover all his scars up with art and thus the idea of getting tattoos sprung up in his mind. He got his first tattoo later that week and started practicing designs to cover up his other scars.
Lily Evans was the first to support this decision. They had grown up near each other, but had never been close as kids. Lily’s best friend had been Severus Snape back then, and Remus didn’t particularly like him. Snape hated anyone who tried to be friendly with Lily, so he made a point to drive Remus away as much as possible. He made fun of Remus’ scars and brought up the trauma that Remus had gone through every chance he got. He wasn’t sure where Severus had found that part out, but he didn’t stick around long enough to ask.
He distanced himself from Snape, but was still kind to Lily whenever he saw her. He didn't talk to many people besides her. He preferred to fade into the background and listen to everyone else gossip. He was awfully quiet and made a point to stay out of drama, though he did know about everyone else's issues. It wasn't too hard to be forgotten in a big school like that. The popular kids were loud enough to overpower everyone else anyway.
James Potter and Sirius Black had been the most obnoxious and loud people Remus knew. This, consequently, made them the most popular. Everyone else loved them, but Remus had only ever heard awful things about them from Lily. Snape claimed they bullied him ruthlessly and Lily hated them with a burning passion for it. Remus disliked them for it too, even though he also disliked Snape and had never talked to them.
Remus would dislike anyone as arrogant and stuck up as those James and Sirius. He had a feeling Snape wasn't as innocent as he claimed about being bullied by those two, but they did seem like the type to pick on people less popular than them.
Snape and Lily had a huge falling out in their third year of high school. Snape had essentially manipulated Lily into cutting off most of her other friends, so she turned to Remus. They quickly became best friends. Remus was Lily’s shoulder to cry on and her main source of support. Lily was the first person Remus came out to and she held his hand when he came out to his mother.
Lily and Remus had decided to rent an apartment together once they were old enough to move out. They had considered living on campus at college, but pets weren’t allowed. Lily wanted to be able to live with her dog and Remus refused to give up his bearded dragon, so living together off campus made the most sense.
This, of course, made everyone think they were dating, but Lily and Remus had never been more than friends. They thought of each other more as brother and sister, no matter how weird it seemed to everyone else.
Remus was about to start his second year of college when he was finally able to buy a space to open a tattoo parlor. He’d saved up enough money from part time jobs and holidays to afford a tiny area in the downtown area by his college. Lily worked at the library nearby, which worked out well. She was easily able to swing by the parlor to help him set things up before and after her hours.
Lily had requested the day off at the library for his opening day, ecstatic for her best friend. Lily had invited almost everyone she knew to check out the place and Remus was incredibly grateful for her help. He wouldn’t have been able to do this without her and he was certain no one would have known about the opening had she not advertised it so much. Most had come and gone quickly, only stopping in to say a quick congratulations. Some people even got tattoos, which people liked more than Remus had expected. By midnight, it was just Remus, Lily, a few of Lily's friends, and a lot of empty bottles of alcohol.
Remus watched in amusement as Lily danced around the room with Marlene McKinnon, one of her newest friends from college. Both girls were incredibly drunk, spinning around the room like idiots. Another one of Lily’s friends, Dorcas Meadowes, was unable to stop laughing, as Mary Macdonald screamed whatever song was playing on the radio.
“Remus! Dance with us! This is your party, you should be having the most fun,” Lily’s words were slurred as she spoke, but she had a determined fire in her eyes. Remus shook his head, but Lily wouldn’t take no for an answer. She pulled Remus out of his chair and Marlene grabbed the other two girls in the room.
The music was turned up to the highest setting, probably annoying everyone in the general vicinity. Maybe not the best way to get the neighborhood to like him, but it had been a good day. He was proud of himself, and eternally grateful to his best friend for all her support.